State Failures and Civil Wars Flashcards
How has the nature of warfare changed in the 21st century?
- Decline in national identity as a
motivation for conflict
- While 19th century wars were
largely about state building,
21st century wars could be seen
as centring on state dissolution
- With greater globalisation the
utility of warfare has changed
* Many changes in technology of war
- As a partial result of this
revolution, there has been a rise
in asymmetric warfare
* Kaldor’s (1999) differences
between old and new warsWhat were the categorical differences between old wars and new according to Kaldor?
- Actors
- Goals
- Methods
- Forms of Finance
What was the difference between old wars and new in regards to actors according to Kaldor?
- Old wars
- Regular armed forces
- New wars
- Various combinations of state and
non-state actors (mercenaries,
warlords, jihadists)
- Various combinations of state and
What was the difference between old wars and new in regards to goals according to Kaldor?
- Old wars
- Geopolitical or ideological
(democracy or socialism)
- Geopolitical or ideological
- New wars
- Identity focused (ethnic,
religious, linguistic)
- Identity focused (ethnic,
What was the difference between old wars and new in regards to methods according to Kaldor?
- Old wars
- Battles were decisive and focused
on capturing land via military
means
- Battles were decisive and focused
- New wars
- Battles are rare an territory
taken through population control
(displacement or anti-civilian
violence)
- Battles are rare an territory
What was the difference between old wars and new in regards to forms of finance according to Kaldor?
- Old wars
- Centrally funded by the country
(taxation or international
patronage)
- Centrally funded by the country
- New wars
- Find it where you can get it
(looting, raiding humanitarian
aid, diaspora support,
kidnapping, resource exploitation) - War can be economically motivated
- Find it where you can get it
What is a failed state?
- A state that is unable to perform its key role of ensuring domestic order by monopolising the use of force within its territory - Thus a state can be considered as failing or failed if it unable to hold up its end of the social contract
What is the spike in state failures after the end of the Cold War often attributed to?
- The withdrawal of international
support for autocratic governments- A pressure to democratise
domestic political institutions
- A pressure to democratise
What is Civil War?
Armer combat taking place within the boundaries of a recognised sovereign entity between parties subject to a common authority at the outset of the hostilities
What are the key features of civil war?
- Militarisation of conflict
- Domestic challenge of authority
- Conflict rises above a threshold
- Could include revolutions,
secessionist movements (Kurds in
Turkey) and military coups
What does a civil war need?
- The means
- The opportunity
- The motive
What are the means that are needed for a civil war?
- Domestic sources
- Dissatisfied elites
- Dissatisfied citizens
- International sources
- Dissatisfied rival states
- Dissatisfied diasporas
In what ways do opportunities play into whether or not a civil war will occur?
- Increased opportunity (for war)
- Centre (hard) vs periphery
(easier) [where the war is easier
i.e. not easy in Canberra] - Political uncertainty - take advantage
- Geography - hard to control
large, wild countries - Youth bulges
- Centre (hard) vs periphery
- Decreased opportunity
- Opportunity costs greater in
wealthier countries - International economic/military
support for the government
- Opportunity costs greater in
What are the motives that lead to civil war?
- Grievances
- Ethnic
- Religious
- Linguistic
- Political
- Greed
- Desire for public governmental
control - Desire for private gain
- Desire for public governmental
