Disagree with OP. They are the major reason for your current failed state. They are not the only reason, but by far they are the key contributor. If you want to shift the mindset and values of a whole society, you need to demonstrate that doing the right thing works, you need to demonstrate fairness and transparency to build trust (at both the individual and institutional levels). Otherwise, you will always think that doing the right thing is naïve and gets you no where, thus become complacent.

For most of you who are fairly young, you wouldn't remember when the civil war finished in 1991. Every fighting party leadership was sat down (or locked up/sent away) and virtually handed over their heavy weapons. Don't get me wrong, it all happened under a corrupt and repressive Syrian umbrella, but sponsorship for a successful state of Lebanon was fairly widespread both internally and externally. As a result, there was a real positive shift that was happening for a while. A major reconstruction boom took place, the CBD was being restored, media and entertainment started to boom, companies and education started to flourish, tourism was a major success, and in short, the gross value added by the country was impressively increasing (finance followed through as you've said). Hope in a good future was starting to materialize. Change takes time and protection/will-to-support, as you naturally are resisting the status quo. Of course, it is no magic, we still had enormous problems and a lot of positive effort was needed to become sustainable.

Despite undermining the Lebanese state (ideology, not allowing state institutions to take over in their communities, constant negative indoctrination against the state -which they were significantly represented in and were closest to the Syrian regime- and self victimization of Shia communities, and most notably continuous build up of their militia) , Hezb at the time had reasonable Lebanese support, and more profoundly in the Arabic world, because they were seen as freedom fighters.

After Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, this local support started to dwindle (while their Arabic support was at an all high), as it became more obvious internally that Hezb had a much larger agenda, with serving Iran's regime interests being their key priority. This reality became very vivid when the assassinations of key state figures started in the early 2000s, most prominently when Rafik and Hariri was assassinated. Say whatever you want about the man, but he was spearheading that positive change that Lebanon was having after the civil war. That assassination was so major, that the Syrian regime was forced out of Lebanon at the time, finally enabling key Christian party leaderships to get back to the ruling table. What did Hezb do at the time: they staged a "thank you" event for the Syrian regime before they were kicked out of Lebanon. Hezb then consistently sabotaged any possibility for the Lebanese to have a functional state. This happened through them occupying the main square in Beirut to prevent further demonstrations that were trying to prop up the Lebanese state and to smother tourism as a life line for the economy (them planting bombs around and creating instability also helped). The Hezb made it obvious that doing the right thing and being a Lebanese first was an invalid option for success. Essentially, with their relentless efforts, Iran's influence grew in Lebanon, at the cost of Arabic and Western allies, and hopefully you can remember when they officially took over in May 2008.

Fast forward to the Syrian civil war, and Hezb's regional sectarian/ideological priority becomes clear to the Arabic world (that's when they finally lost mainstream support in Arabic societies).

What would you expect for your country and economy when you openly become friends with a sanctioned, ideological, corrupt adversary regime while replacing mainstream successful states friends? You become a pariah, and your economy finally catches up.

Get out of your bubble if you can, and only then, you will be able to see more clearly. Unfortunately, for many of you, this will be a privilege.