Rethinking armed groups and order: Syria and the rise of militiatocracies

Abstract In recent years, the relations between weak central governments and armed groups in periphery have attracted great attention. Rebels, warlords other actors not only undermined authorities' grip on power, but gradually come to shape nature of governance political system their countries. Warlordism, rebelocracies aliocracies are just a few systems identified by students conflict groups. However, literature has generally overlooked one category implications order: pro-government militias (PGMs). As PGMs become ubiquitous civil wars, this article identifies new order emerging countries where reliant counter-insurgency operations. The defines as militiatocracy. Unlike orders, do seek overthrow, undermine or replace government. Instead, militiatocracies, develop symbiotic relations, which hand help government survive an insurgency, allow militia leaders secure increasing presence politics. illustrates emergence militiatocracies employing case Syria during war.