Two Steps Forward and One Step Back: An Assessment of How Uneven Economic Development Affects the Number of Civil Wars

The effects of economic development are enormously important in understanding the causes of civil war and the requirements for successful post-conflict reconstruction. In recent decades we have seen an increase in the number of civil wars because of a phenomenon known as the conflict trap. I question why we see an increase in civil wars and what role unstable economic development plays in contributing to the conflict trap. This paper offers evidence to support the hypothesis that uneven economic development increases the risk of multiple civil wars occurring in a short amount of time. Based on the results of testing my hypothesis I suggest that the conflict trap can be broken, and the risk of civil war decreased, when economic growth is stabilized. I suggest participation in the global economic community as a mechanism for stabilizing economic growth. Comments This paper was written for Professor Caroline Hartzell's course, POL 351: The Political Economy of Armed Conflict, Fall 2015. This student research paper is available at The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College: http://cupola.gettysburg.edu/ student_scholarship/393 Two Steps Forward and One Step Back: An Assessment of How Uneven Economic Development Affects the Number of Civil Wars Cassandra Scheiber Professor Hartzell Pol 351: Economic of Armed Conflict November 18, 2015