Week 3 (Why does Civil War Happen?) Flashcards
What was the ancient Civil War in Corcyra?
sThe civil war in Corcyra involved A VIOLENT STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO POLITICAL FACTIONS with opposing visions for how Corcyra ought to be governed.
THE COMMONS (who ruled the city at the time) were democrats, pro-Athens and wanted policymaking power to be in the hands of the city’s citizens.
THE OLIGARCHS were more authoritarian pro-Sparta and wanted policy making power to be in hands of a small group of elites, they felt like they were being enslaved by Athens.
This war highlights how violent and chaotic civil wars are prone to becoming.
What does Thucydides teach us about the Civil Wars?
1.) Civil wars can be very violent affairs, lots of death
2.) Civil wars can lead to social breakdown and collapse, People killed without reason, became a show of loyalty to advocate for the most extreme measures possible
3.)The killings that occur are not only politically motivated, an oppourtunity to kill those you dont like or owe you debt
4.) Civil wars can spread from one state to another
5.) Civil wars can involve foreign actors getting involved to advance their own interests
What does Kristian Skrede Gleditsch et al tell us about the “transnational dimensions” of the civil war that occurred in Macedonia in 2001
Using the example of the civil war that occured in Macedonia in 2001, he argues that civil war is not purely domestic, rather they can be influenced by various trans national factors.
The Transnational Context of States and Civil War
violent conflict did not erupt soon after independence in 1991, but rather 10 years after and at a time when the state was much more established, suggesting that is was not purely domestic. Though the Albanian population in Macedonia is small, it is part of a larger community in Albania and Kosovo, which have a long history of mobilization, and there were close links between these groups.
Transnational Actors
The actors in civil wars are not necessarily confined within individual countries. Ethnic groups often span international boundaries, and transnational kin frequently participate in or provide important support for insurgencies in other states, which makes the risk of conflict exponentially higher. groups with transnational kin are more likely to receive concessions from governments, thus reflecting their stronger bargaining power.
Transborder Conflicts: External Support and Escalation
- Borders make it harder for governments to violate state sovereignty, while such restraints are less relevant for rebels.
- Governments risk retaliation from neighbouring countries from territorial incursions, and face difficulties in targeting transnational support. This means that rebels can have a logistic advantage in operating out of extra-territorial bases, and transnational rebel movements can be more difficult for governments to deter or defeat.
Conflict Externalities and Spillovers
Countries with neighbours experiencing civil war are at a greater risk of conflict, and civil wars often generate militarized disputes between states.
In some cases, conflicts arise over the externalities generated by conflicts, including refugees and collateral damage.
Many disputes arise out of border violations, where government forces pursue rebels into the territory of neighbouring states.
Many studies document large negative social and economic effects of civil wars for neighbouring countries, which in turn could undermine political stability
The Syrian Civil War
began in March 2011 when a group of youth protested, calling for the fall of the Syrian government.
The youths were detained and tortured, sparking protests across the country. The government responded with extreme force against them.
In mid-2011, armed rebel groups began to form, including the Free Syrian Army, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units as well as a number of groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
What does Christopher Philips tell us about the international nature of the Syrian Civil War?
Phillip’s main argument is that the Syrian Civil war has been greatly influenced by foreign states (Iran, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the US) and non-state actors (Kurds, al-Qaeda and ISIS), and that the Syrian civil war is best understood as an international proxy war rather than a solely domestic political conflict.
1.) The Syrian War occurred at a time characterized by change and the struggle for power in the Middle East
One of Phillips three core points. This examines how the conflict was Spurred by a decline in US power in the region, resulting in the increased assertiveness of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, the return of Russia and the rise of jihadist militant groups.
2.) Syria’s geography has facilitated international involvement in its civil war
One of Phillips three core points. From Iraq, those affiliated with Al Qaeda and ISIS could easily travel across poorly defended national borders to fight the Syrian government.
From Turkey, Kurdish militant groups looking to secure a territory of their own could travel to Syria and support other Kurds there. From Iran and Lebanon, weapons and personnel could flow to support the Syrian government. And from bases in the south, Russian jets could launch bombing raids against anti-government rebels.
3.) The foreign actors who got involved played a major role in making the conflict more violent and harder to solve
Calls for regime change by the US incentivized pro-Assad governments in Iran and Russia to do more to protect their ally.
Anti-Assad rebel groups and their backers in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar also felt the need to step up their support, hoping that military victories would attract US support.
As both sides came to see the civil war as an existential war to either save or destroy the Assad government, little effort was put into peace negotiations.
Thucydides Explanation of the Corcyra Civil War
he states that it arose from the GREED and AMBITION of both parties involved. They had different visions of how the city should be ruled, and both wanted specific groups in power. However, this overlooks the main argument made by the conspirators and Pro-Athenian faction in Corcyra is that they sought to enslave Corcyraens to Athens, or in other words, a grievance.
“Grievances” in the Syrian Civil War
Grievances with the government’s mistreatment of citizens could best explain the initial cause of the Syrian war
“Greed and Ambition” in the Syrian Civil War
However, greed and ambition played a role in the prolonging of the conflict. Militant groups that wished to secure territory in Syria, and proxy struggles between Russia, Iran, US and other countries that wished to use the Syrian conflict to further their own state interests.
