The same social class that dominates political power in Lebanon today has its roots in the late Ottoman period. They first led the country to ruin during the famine of World War I by privileging profits over the lives of the general population.

https://doi.org/10.2979/jottturstuass.7.2.13

An enduring Ottoman legacy in Lebanon is state capture by a corrupt capitalist class. One cause and consequence of their power has been to tell a story about the WWI famine that deflects blame towards "the Turks."

Pitts, Graham Auman. "A Hungry Population Stops Thinking About Resistance: Class, Famine, and Lebanon's World War I Legacy." Journal of the Ottoman and Turkish Studies Association 7, no. 2 (2020): 217-36.

Thanks to @JotsaJournal ! This represents a decade of work in the archives

Since I conceived it, prevailing views in Lebanon about the famine have shifted. See for instance this excellent piece by @timourazhari https://twitter.com/timourazhari/status/1361394952400478213?s=20

Also, I'm looking forward to this: https://twitter.com/FireTheseTimes/status/1387383697800941572?s=20

Here's an accessible version of the article: https://www.academia.edu/47586940/A_Hungry_Population_Stops_Thinking_About_Resistance_Class_Famine_and_Lebanons_World_War_I_Legacy