In his examination of security threats and violence in Africa, Mangala (2010:88) defines conflict as a ‘dispute or incompatibility between two or more opposing sides... It becomes a destructive force where the capacity to mediate incompatible interests breaks down and those interests are pursued through violence, either at a community, national, or international level’. One of the most prevalent forms of violent conflict in Africa affecting states and civilians are civil wars. Collier & Hoeffler (2004:565) define civil wars as ‘an internal conflict with at least 1,000 combat-related deaths per year’. The greed vs grievance debate examines factors within these categories which drive civil wars. Greed composes of violent conflict driven for economic gain and wealth purposes, through the control of goods and resources. Grievance on the other hand as explained by Collier and Fosu (2005) are wars attributed to factors such as : bad governance, lack of access to key health and education sectors, unequal redistributions of wealth, ethnic conflict and discrimination are key grievances which exacerbate civil wars in Africa. In examining whether violent conflicts are driven by greed or grievance this essay will explore the reasoning of this debate in order to assess the impact of greed and grievance factors, the extent to which they contribute to violent conflict in Africa.
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In examining the relevance of this theory, in its application to past civil wars, this essay will focus on two key civil wars in Africa, that of Sierra Leone which started in 1991- and ended in 2002 and the first Sudanese Civil War from the years
In examining the relevance of this theory, in its application to past civil wars, this essay will focus on two key civil wars in Africa, that of Sierra Leone which started in 1991- and ended in 2002 and the first Sudanese Civil War from the years