Civil war

  Civil war, a violent conflict between a state and one or more organized non-state actors in the state's territory. Civil wars are thus distinguished from interstate conflicts violent conflicts or riots not involving states and state repression against individual who cannot be considered an organized or cohesive group, including genocides and similar violence by non- state actors, such as terrorism or violent crime.

The definition of civil war clearly encompasses many different forms of conflict. Some analysts distinguish between civil wars in which insurgents seek territorial secession or autonomy and conflicts in which insurgents aim for control of the central government. Conflicts over government control may involve insurgents originating from within the centre  state apparatus, as in military coups or challengers from outside the political establishment. Colonial conflicts are sometimes singled out as a type distinct from civil wars on a state's core territory.

Trends from the mid-20th century

Civil wars are generally less severe than interstate wars as measured in direct battle deaths. However, civil wars have been more frequent and lengthier and the great majority of the recorded deaths in battle since the cold war stem from civil wars. Civil wars also disrupt trade and investment and leave large social legacies in unemployed former combatants and displaced individuals .The negative consequences of civil war are not limited to the countries that experience them; neighbouring also suffer negative economics impacts and may be more prone to violence themselves.

Political causes of civil war

Political deprivation, such as colonial subordinate or lack of political rights provides another plausible motivation for restoring to violence. Many conflicts after1945 first emerged as groups sought to achieve independent for areas under colonial rules. There is little evidence that ethnic diversity itself makes a country more prone to civil conflict. More relevant is the extent to which certain ethnic groups are systematically excluded from political power or discriminated against by the state.