The economic crisis is destroying the middle class, does famine threaten Lebanon?

The economic crisis is destroying the middle class, does famine threaten Lebanon?

The middle class is disappearing from Lebanon, a scary title at first glance, but it has become a reality.

Is the decline of this class and the widening of the social gap a harbinger of an imminent famine in Lebanon?

The economic crisis is destroying the middle class, does famine threaten Lebanon?

It may seem a “disgrace” to highlight the collapse of the middle class in Lebanon, given the existence of statistics on the poverty rate of 55%.

But the importance of this class lies in the fact that it is the “motor” of the economy,

its disappearance means a decline in demand, consumption, and growth, and the circles surrounding it are negatively affected by the closure of companies and layoffs of workers.

The most dangerous thing for them is their ability to emigrate, which is losing Lebanon its human capital.

It is not new in Lebanon for the emergence of social inequalities and inequality between classes.

There is no doubt that the Corona epidemic has affected the behavior of individuals, families, and societies in the details of their daily lives.

The coincidence of the epidemic with the economic crisis had several negative repercussions, especially on the poor and marginalized groups. Which led to the doubling of social inequality.

This phenomenon was reinforced by the government’s slowness in taking decisions regarding assistance and social and living needs.

Poverty rates, especially extreme poverty, rose to their highest levels,

prompting the World Bank to seriously warn of its consequences and repercussions.

Moreover, Lebanon is considered one of the countries that failed to narrow the gap between the poor and the rich.

Not only in light of this crisis but also the days of economic recovery and “dignity and prosperity”.

Some Lebanese live on less than one dollar a day

Shocking numbers are being talked about in Lebanon.

Is it reasonable in our time for a person to live on less than $1 a day?

The Lebanese live in hell with fluctuations in the exchange rate of the dollar on the black market.

Lebanon is an economically exposed, unproductive country that lives hostage to the corruption of a political class and a private and official banking system.
The Lebanese have forgotten many of the axioms of life due to the huge rise in the prices of fuels and foodstuffs.
The crisis of the Ukrainian war only made matters worse,

as the monopoly of traders increased on basic commodities, which led to massive inflation in prices.

Is Lebanon facing the threat of famine soon?

Economic journalist Mahasin Mursal told “Media Line” that the purchasing power of the Lebanese pound has eroded by 80%,

and its value against the US dollar has decreased by 370 percent and more.

She added that this led to inflation exceeding 100% for some consumer goods,

as the prices of some commodities increased by 300% and 400%, while salaries and wages decreased.

Mahasen explained that the capital, Beirut, has 1.1 million people living below the poverty line and unable to pay for their food,

pointing out that there are 1.2 million citizens in Lebanon without jobs.

She explained that the Lebanese economy depends on imports at a rate of 74%, and even basic materials such as oil and wheat,

and this economic collapse will cause Lebanon to witness a deterioration in the security situation,

especially after the collapse of the social security system, and the rate of crimes, theft, and murder will increase.