The author considers the transformation of Lebanese feudalism into a communal system with burgeoning national consciousness. He places particular emphasis on the conflict between institutions and on the impact of nonpolitical organizations on the political system. Originally published in 1968. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.