Politics - Political violence

Lecture 11

What is political violence?

Violence outside of state control that is politcally motivated, with the intent to lead to policy or institutional change.

Define contentious politics.

The collective struggle carried out to achieve a political goal. Can be violent (revolutions, riots, civil war, etc) or non violent (sit ins, protests, strikes).

What are the three explanations for political violence?

Institutional, ideational and individual.

What are the two types of institutionally encouraged violence?

Constraining and enabling

What are the two types of individual explanations for political violence?

Psychological (individual experience), or rational-choice approach (benefits outweigh the costs).

What are the two forms of violence?

Revolution (uprising of the masses) and terrorism (conspirational action carried out by a small group).

Revolution definition.

Public seizure of the state in order to overturn the existing government and regime.

What are the three factors that go into a revolution?

1. often have a vanguard, and involve the public.

2. people looking to take control of the state.

3. government change is not enough, regime change is the goal.

Coup definition.

Elites remove a regime and replace it with a new one → example Chile.

Negotioated transition definition.

government and opposition elite plan a transition to a new system → Chile 1989

Successionist movement defintion.

One group seeks local control or independence from the state → Cataluña

What is the relative deprivation model?

It predicts revolution when public expectation outpaces the rate of domestic change/

When is relative deprivation frustration more likely to be triggered?

• rapid economic growth creates unmet expectations.

• Some groups are benefiting more than others.

What is the institutional approach?

An approach arguing that revolutions require a specific set of conditions.