2. Intrastate and Interstate Conflict INTRO?

Question 1

Armed Conflict?

Answer 1

Armed Conflict is defined as organized collective violent confrontation between at least two groups, either state or non-state actors.

• Conflicts appear in the case of incompatible positions and can involve activities at local, regional, national and/or international levels.
• These different scales can engage primary parties (which have formed the incompatibility) and secondary supporting parties (which support one of the primary parties aiming to influence the development of the conflict).
• The qualification of a conflict (international/inter- state or national/intra-state) is important because it indicates the applicable laws.
• This qualification is not always obvious due to the possible evolution of the conflict from one category to another.
• The character of a conflict is largely shaped by the cause of the incompatibility.

Question 2

Armed Conflict

Types of Characters/sources of Conflict?

Answer 2

We will use the following characters:

1. Political: incompatibility over political systems; desire for secession; desire for autonomy; power relations
2. Socio -cultural: incompatibility over ethnic, religious or ideological conception.
3. Economic: incompatibility over distribution of resources
4. Territorial: incompatibility over boundaries; regional predominance or autonomy

Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness:

Question 3

Military Conflict ?

Answer 3

refers to a state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on between nations, states, or parties.

Question 4

Intra-state Conflict?

Answer 4

Intra-state refers to military conflict internal to a state, also referred to as societal warfare. Intrastate conflict is the most common type of conflict and occurs between the armed forces of the government and an opposing civil organized group, within the state borders. These conflicts are often driven by ethnic, religious or ideological incompatible positions.

• There is a difference between “classical” intrastate conflict without foreign intervention and intra-state conflict with a foreign involvement, which involves at least one party engaged in the conflict supported by military troops of a foreign government.

Question 5

Inter -state conflict ?

Answer 5

Inter -state conflict refers to military conflict in which at least one participant is a ‘qualified nation member of the intrastate system’. Inter-state conflict occurs between two governments implying their respective two armed forces. The conflict can occur anywhere and often began with a formal declaration.

Question 6

Non- state conflict?

Answer 6

Non- state conflict is the use of armed forces between two organized groups, neither of which is the government of the state.

Question 7

Extra-state conflict ?

Answer 7

Extra-state conflict occurs between a state member of the international system and a political entity (not a system member) outside of its territorial boundaries. Extra-state is: state vs. independent non-state actor.

Question 8

1. CONFLICT

Answer 8

Wars and conflicts are more likely to be intrastate with the number of interstate conflicts declining.

Such has been the decline in interstate war that it has been terms as “obsolescent” in that there are very few situations in which states can justify the costs of major interstate war.

For a conflict to be termed a war, at least 1,000 battle deaths are required.

Question 9

1. CONFLICT
   Evidence?

Warfare Totals in number?

Answer 9

Warfare totals:
60 (1945)
180 (1985)
80 (2005)

Intrastate:
less than 50 (1945)
160 (1990)
less than 80 (2005)

Interstate:
30 (1945)
less than 60 (1987)
less than 30 (2005)

> > Summed Warfare Magnitude Scores, number of armed conflicts, Systemic Peace

Question 10

1. CONFLICT
   Evidence?

Deaths?

Answer 10

1990-1997
Inter-state War Deaths: 26,343
Civil Wars: 1,568,500
Total: 1,993,554

1950-1959
Interstate War Deaths: 917,056
Civil Wars: 158,000
Total: 1,225,935

International Studies Quarterly (2003)