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Conflict as the absence of contract

Author

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  • S. Mansoob Murshed

    (Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, and Center for the Study of Civil War (CSCW), Peace Research Institute, Oslo)

Abstract

Two phenomena have been recently utilized to explain conflict onset: greed and grievance. The former reflects elite competition over valuable natural resource rents. The latter argues that grievance fuels conflict. Central to grievance are concepts of interethnic or horizontal inequality. Identity formation is also crucial to intrastate conflict, as it overcomes the collective action problem. Conflict can rarely be explained by greed alone. The greed explanation for conflict duration and secessionist wars works best in cross-country studies but has to make way for grievance-based arguments in quantitative country-case studies. Grievances and horizontal inequalities may be better at explaining why conflicts begin, but not necessarily why they persist. Neither the presence of greed or grievance is sufficient for the outbreak of violent conflict, something which requires the breakdown of the social contract

Suggested Citation

  • S. Mansoob Murshed, 2009. "Conflict as the absence of contract," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 32-38, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:epc:journl:v:4:y:2009:i:1:p:32-38
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    File URL: http://www.epsjournal.org.uk/index.php/EPSJ/article/view/87
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jurgen Brauer & J. Paul Dunne, 2011. "Macroeconomics and Violence," Chapters, in: Derek L. Braddon & Keith Hartley (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Conflict, chapter 13, Edward Elgar Publishing.
      • Jurgen Brauer & J Paul Dunne, 2010. "Macroeconomics and Violence," Working Papers 1003, Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol.
    2. Brauer Jurgen & Dunne John P, 2011. "On the Cost of Violence and the Benefit of Peace," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 16(2), pages 1-12, January.
    3. J. Paul Dunne, 2017. "War, peace, and development," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 12(2), pages 21-31, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Civil war; greed versus grievance; social contract;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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