Upheaval Conflict

by Paul Wehr


Upheaval conflict is what human societies fear most. Internal political revolution is one example. A fault line runs across a society such as Guatemala, with a few having much and most having little in the way of life chances. When conditions are right, a movement develops that produces a deep cleavage of society, with massive and uncontrolled conflict and temporary disintegration. Usually, successful revolutions go sour after a bit as new tyrants and classes displace the old. Even where the conflict is less extreme, it can be very costly for all involved. For each society, then, the problem is how to insure that single, deep divisions do not develop. If they already exist, what devices, institutions, ways of doing conflict can be put in place to permit less extreme, more controlled conflict so that change happens more gradually but is sufficiently responsive to aggrieved groups to maintain social integration.

Links to Related Treatments

Most of the solutions in the integrative treatment section are useful for avoiding or, if necessary, limiting upheaval conflicts, but a few especially worth consideration include the following:

Understanding the Usefulness of Conflicts

Constructive Confrontation

Coexistence and Tolerance

Re-establish / Empower Traditional or New Conflict- Management Institutions

Power Sharing Strategies and Autonomy Strategies

Third Party Intervention

Links to Related Problems:

Escalation Problems

Polarization

De-humanization


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