Power, in all its forms, constitutes one of the most essential foundations of politics. Those involved in politics and its language often distinguish between the "power of logic" and the "logic of power," the latter being synonymous with violence. It is the excessive reliance on power as a primary and sometimes sole driver of political discourse and action. Consequently, the "logic of power" can become a political tool that reflects both the nature of a political project and a party's perception of itself and others. Naturally, the logic of power requires the presence of a “leader” capable of wielding it. Although a leader's personal qualifications play a crucial role in shaping his image among both supporters and opponents, these qualifications do not eliminate the need for continuous propaganda, which differs entirely from traditional leadership protocols. Propaganda plays a key role in constructing the "imagined persona of the leader."

In the Arab world, the leader's persona often plays the largest role in shaping a group or nation's political behavior. Arab politics remains deeply tied to the figure of the leader, with the merging of state and power concepts and the near-absence of the notion of institutional governance. As such, the leader's persona itself becomes a tool for advancing and sustaining a political project, as well as a means of persuasion for “the masses.” 

Observers of Lebanon's current political situation may conclude that it still aligns with this understanding. Each party has its share of the logic of power and rhetoric of superiority over others, but the largest portion of this, both in discourse and practice, belongs to Hezbollah. For Hezbollah, the logic of power has become more synonymous with its identity than for others. This reality stems from both objective and subjective factors, the most important being its possession of a massive arsenal that makes it, willingly or not, view the world through the lens of its weaponry. The second factor is that Hezbollah is an ideological party that conflates, at least rhetorically, religion and politics, leading to an exclusionary stance towards others. Therefore, the presence of these two factors within Hezbollah, and its supporters in particular, makes it logical to see the party’s status as it is today.

Click on the PDF to read the full article.

Power, in all its forms, constitutes one of the most essential foundations of politics. Those involved in politics and its language often distinguish between the "power of logic" and the "logic of power," the latter being synonymous with violence. It is the excessive reliance on power as a primary and sometimes sole driver of political discourse and action. Consequently, the "logic of power" can become a political tool that reflects both the nature of a political project and a party's perception of itself and others. Naturally, the logic of power requires the presence of a “leader” capable of wielding it. Although a leader's personal qualifications play a crucial role in shaping his image among both supporters and opponents, these qualifications do not eliminate the need for continuous propaganda, which differs entirely from traditional leadership protocols. Propaganda plays a key role in constructing the "imagined persona of the leader."

In the Arab world, the leader's persona often plays the largest role in shaping a group or nation's political behavior. Arab politics remains deeply tied to the figure of the leader, with the merging of state and power concepts and the near-absence of the notion of institutional governance. As such, the leader's persona itself becomes a tool for advancing and sustaining a political project, as well as a means of persuasion for “the masses.” 

Observers of Lebanon's current political situation may conclude that it still aligns with this understanding. Each party has its share of the logic of power and rhetoric of superiority over others, but the largest portion of this, both in discourse and practice, belongs to Hezbollah. For Hezbollah, the logic of power has become more synonymous with its identity than for others. This reality stems from both objective and subjective factors, the most important being its possession of a massive arsenal that makes it, willingly or not, view the world through the lens of its weaponry. The second factor is that Hezbollah is an ideological party that conflates, at least rhetorically, religion and politics, leading to an exclusionary stance towards others. Therefore, the presence of these two factors within Hezbollah, and its supporters in particular, makes it logical to see the party’s status as it is today.

Click on the PDF to read the full article.