Greed, Grievance & Civil Wars | The Economics of War & Peace Episode 3

Does economics fuel civil wars?

Professor Boyce discusses the roles of greed and grievance in the emergence and persistence of civil wars. Greed, the “quest for loot,” is a socially perverse variant of individually rational behavior. Grievance stems from injustice, exclusion, and high degrees of inequality. While distinct, the two are not mutually exclusive: both can be part of the same story. Moreover, they are mutually reinforcing, as excesses of greed (i.e., oligarchy, kleptocracy) lead to grievances, which in turn lead to opportunities for greedy leaders to capitalize on discontent. The role of greed and grievance as both drivers and consequences of war helps to expose the inadequacy of the usual “shrug and smug” reactions of economists to violent conflict.

Learn more at http://econofwar.org/

Directed by Matthew Kulvicki
Produced by Nick Alpha