Many are familiar with the term “civil war,” the definition of these events can be given not only by historians, but also by eyewitnesses. Such bloody events bring destruction and chaos. At the same time, hundreds and thousands of residents of a particular settlement suffer.
Clash members
Civil war is the definition of an intra-state armed conflict in which:
- two or more groups rallying around specific ideas;
- nations representing a multinational country.
Most often, each of the belligerents seeks in one case to influence the policy of the ruling circles, in the other - to change the central or regional power. In the latter case, separation of the region usually occurs.
As experience shows, the civil war in Russia (a definition that every historian can give) is one of the most brutal types of armed clashes. There is not only terror against representatives of the warring parties, but the worst thing is the casualties among the civilian population.
Civil war triggering factors
In the early years of the millennium, World Bank specialists drafted the so-called Collier-Höffler model. The subject of research was historical periods of five years during 1960-1999. with civil wars. They were opposed by the same periods, but without any kind of conflict. The purpose of the statistics was to establish a consistent relationship between various factors that provoke a civil war:
- To maintain it, a sufficient amount of financial resources is required. Often the source of their income is other states.
- The ranks of the militants are mainly replenished by poorly educated young people. Civil war definition in this case has a special. Much depends on the number of participants.
- The supremacy of one nation over others increases risk. When different ethnic groups cannot find a common language, in addition, there is a religious factor, a civil war is unlikely.
- Direct dependence on the terrain and inaccessible territories - in mountainous or desert areas, a high probability of civil war.
Signs of Civil War
Any civil war is (a definition from a history textbook: a large-scale armed confrontation between organized groups within a state) a number of signs:
- each of the parties involved in the conflict has elements of a military-political form of government;
- clashes that have begun drag on for years;
- almost all segments of the population and different nationalities of the country take part.
Sometimes, on the territory enveloped in the flames of civil war, taking advantage of the situation, other states send their troops. Partisan detachments are being created behind enemy lines. The fact that the state is often represented as one of the warring parties is not at all an obligatory criterion, as Ann Hironaka claims. It is very difficult to catch the moment when the hooligan actions of citizens develop into a real civil war.
What historians say
The opinions of political scientists regarding the definition of the term “civil war” were divided. If you start from how many people die during such conflicts, then in some cases their number exceeds a thousand, in others - hundreds of fighters of each of the warring parties can lose.
From 1816 to 1997, 213 facts of the outbreak of civil wars were recorded, during which a thousand people died in just one year. Almost half of them are from 1944-1997. From the end of World War II until 2007, putsches of a different nature arose 90 times in different parts of the world. Civil war (definition by history) is an acute configuration of the social struggle of the population within a state.
Criteria for Armed Conflict
Despite such sad statistics, nowhere in the Geneva Conventions is there an explanation of what civil war means. Instead, criteria are proposed that characterize an armed conflict that has no international connotation. There are only four of them:
- The boundaries of controlled territories, i.e. captured by the warring parties from time to time change.
- In fact, full civilian power should extend to a certain part of the country.
- Anti-government groups are partially recognized as a belligerent.
- Government forces are forced to fight with the rebels, which are well organized.
Any civil war brings a lot of pain. The definition of the term people give their own, indicating the inaction of the authorities.
The most famous civil wars from the time of Sparta to 1867
The history of civil wars, as they say, goes back to hoary antiquity:
- An example is the well-known revolt of slaves, the class of the humiliated and insulted, led by the gladiator Spartak between the 71st and 73rd years BC. It was a large-scale civil war. Definition in those days, such events were not even given.
- After the death of the English monarch Heinrich for almost nine years, starting in 1135, the struggle in the Anglo-Norman state of various factions for a vacant throne continued.
- On the North American continent in 1861-1865, a civil war broke out between the northern and southern states, putting an end to the shameful slave system.
- The years 1863-1867 in Japan raised a revolt of Christian samurai and peasants, who could no longer endure the difficult economic situation, as well as religious oppression.
October revolution and other battles
The civil war of 1918-1922, which was raging in the vast expanses of the vast Russian Empire after the October Revolution of 1917, was forever imprinted in history. Moreover, the new workers and peasants who came in had to fight not only with the White Guards, but also with the annoying invaders - the troops of the Entente and imperial Japan in the Far East. Civil war is (definition briefly: fights between classes) chaos throughout the rebel territory.
In 1936-1939, fierce hostilities were fought between the Spanish Republicans and supporters of General Franco. The first of them was informally assisted by the Soviet Union, and the second was supported by Nazi Germany.
It is not difficult to notice that all the described civil wars of the last two centuries lasted 3-4 years.
Civil war in Russia
Separately, attention should be paid to the civil war, which began in 1918 shortly after the overthrow of the Provisional Government in Russia. The events of the period 1917-1922 radically not only radically changed the face of the multinational state, but further influenced the course of world history.
The February Revolution of 1917 was not able to solve the accumulated problems and contradictions in the political and social spheres, as well as national and ethical issues. Two ideologically divided movements came together in a bloody battle: the defenders of the young country of the Soviets — the Red Army (or “Reds”) and the supporters of the old regime — the White Guards (or “Whites”).
The Bolsheviks managed to maintain power thanks to their cohesion around party leaders and organization. But a victory over the enemy would not have been possible without the support of the communist idea by the masses. A powerful wave of enthusiasm of the working class and peasantry contributed to the accelerated development of all sectors of the national economy. Stalin got the economy in ruins. In fact, he started from scratch. But under his leadership, the country of the proletariat that arose on a geographical map was transformed beyond recognition.
I had to go through the repression and hunger strike of 1932-1933, sacrificing millions of citizens, for the sake of a better life for future generations. But this, as they say, is a completely different story, which requires careful study in order to someday put all the points. In any case, the civil war is causing panic. The definition of this concept can be very brief - horror and pain!