Marco Rettig

The role of the banking sector in the economic process of Lebanon before and after the civil war Marco Rettig

Examination Thesis from the year 2004 in the subject Business economics - Economic and Social History, grade: 70% / Distinction, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)/ Economics Department), course: Abschlussarbeit zur Erlangung eines MSc Development Economics, 60 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This dissertation assesses the role of the banking sector in the Lebanese economy throughout the country's history with respect to its linkages with the real sector. I thereby focus on the credit market. It is shown that various external and internal factors have led to a credit market development on the supply-side that is not conducive to real sector growth. In particular, the period before the Lebanese civil war is characterised by funds flowing in from other Arab countries, which were not channelled into domestic long term investment but accrued to the trade and services sector or went abroad. Throughout the war and afterwards the share of the private sector in total credit declined substantially as the government crowded out private demand. It is concluded that only a shift of policy with a clear focus on the real sector's needs can bring about the required economic development.