Blog 8

J.C. Eastwood

Prof. Hawkins

PL SC 150

8 November 2012

Blog 8: Categorizing Political Violence

            “Political violence is defined as the use of force by states or non-state actors to achieve political goals” (Samuels 258).  While it may seem easy to define political violence, the categorization of different acts of political violence is a much different matter and is often argued.  In my example for today, we will be analyzing the ongoing conflict in Turkey between the Turkish national government and the various Kurdish insurgent groups (PKK).

            In Turkey, the Kurds represent a minority of the population and live primarily in the nation’s southeastern edge and have had a centuries-long tradition of uprisings against the Turkish governments.  The current conflict has been raging since 1978 and has reportedly claimed the lives of 6,653 on the Turkish side and 18,000 on the rebel side (Wikipedia).  This has been a long, tough war in a region of the world that has seen much conflict in recent decades and has caused the displacement of an estimated 3 million civilians from that region. 

            There are many different categories of political violence, ranging from interstate warfare to revolution, but this conflict in Turkey seems to match the definition of civil war the closest.  According to the textbook Comparative Politics by David J. Samuels, a civil war is categorized as armed conflict between the state and an opposing party within a nation.  Also, according to Samuels, civil wars are very prolonged and have to accumulate a certain number of deaths (approximately 1,000). 

            This Turkish conflict certainly seems to fit that description well with this 34 year old conflict taking the lives of well over 1,000 people over the course of it’s violent timeline.  What are the reasons for civil wars such as this and why are some nations more susceptible to civil wars within their borders?  While there are many reasons given in the book, what seems to be the case for Turkey is cultural grievances, geography, and individual psychology.  The Kurds have, for centuries now, been trying to set up their own, independent nation known as “Kurdistan” in an area that covers parts of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.  To add insult to injury, Turkey has largely looked down upon the Kurds and not given them equal rights in their nation with its other citizens.  Because of these factors, the Kurds feel discriminated against and have a strong resentment for the Turkish national government.  Also, their geography sets them apart because of their remoteness and distance from the main centers of population in Turkey.

            Others may call this a revolution or interstate conflict because of its goals and outside participation and involvement, but it is neither of these things for a few reasons.  For one, revolutions, according to Samuels, have to end in change of government.  Should the PKK be successful and actually depose of the Turkish government and take charge, this may become true.  However, the current aim of the PKK is to secede, not take over.  Also, this conflict would not become an interstate conflict because the definition for civil wars allows for outside influence.

            All in all, the conflict in Turkey can be classified as a civil war and the definitions given to us, both in class and in Comparative Politics hold true in this instance.

Works Cited

·      "Kurdish–Turkish Conflict." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish–Turkish_conflict>.

·      Samuels, David J. "Political Violence." Comparative Politics. NYC: Electronic Services, n.d. 257-84. Print.