n this incisive commentary, Robert G. Rabil traces the origins and enduring impact of Lebanon’s system of Political Maronitism—an ideology designed to preserve Christian dominance through sectarian power-sharing. He demonstrates how this arrangement, reinforced by Syrian interference and unchecked by modern reforms, enabled Hezbollah’s ascendancy and entrenched corrupt elite alliances. As the country suffers economic collapse and political paralysis, Rabil warns that the Maronite-led status quo now threatens Lebanon’s survival unless transformative leadership emerges. His analysis offers a critical lens on how historical myths fuel contemporary dysfunction and underscores the urgent need for national reform.