For nearly a century, the absence of ethical norms within Lebanese political circles encouraged the practice of corruption that transformed the praxis into an unparalleled art form, one that generated clout‐wielding elites. Sophisticated public power mechanisms created for the benefit of the country's eighteen religious denominations, transformed them into partners‐in‐corruption, secured greater quotas of power, and exclusive hold on all public resources. What this translated into was a “neo‐patrimonial” dynamic, which the October 2019 revolutionaries challenged, with calls to reconsider the political management of the country as well as the existing system of government. The 2020 impact of the Coronavirus (COVID‐19) disease aggravated conditions, as Beirut displayed amateurish attention to serious health challenges, which added insults to ongoing economic injuries. This paper evaluates what political elites actually did, even at the height of enduring crises, focusing on the banking sector to highlight the rise of a new mafiocracy. It closes with an assessment of future challenges that Beirut will confront.

中文翻译：

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黎巴嫩的腐败行为

在近一个世纪的时间里，黎巴嫩政界缺乏道德规范，这鼓励了腐败实践，这种腐败将实践转变为无与伦比的艺术形式，这种形式产生了影响力的精英。建立了先进的公共权力机制，以造福该国的18个宗教派别，并将其转变为腐败的伙伴，确保了更大的权力配额，并独家拥有所有公共资源。这转化为一种“新世代”的动态，2019年10月的革命者对此提出了挑战，呼吁重新考虑该国的政治管理以及现有的政府体制。贝鲁特对严重的健康挑战表现出业余的关注，因此冠状病毒（COVID-19）疾病在2020年的影响加剧了状况，侮辱加剧了持续的经济伤害。本文评估了政治精英们的实际举动，即使在持续的危机最严重的时候，也将重点放在银行业上，以强调新的黑手党的崛起。最后，评估贝鲁特将面临的未来挑战。