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Spring 2023

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 38, Number 1

Categories: Spring 2023 | Discrimination | Ethnic groups

Costly Discrimination and Ethnic Conflict: The Case of the Liberian Civil Wars

Andrew T. Young , Texas Tech University

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TheJournalofPrivateEnterprise38(1),2023,49-69CostlyDiscriminationandEthnicConflict:TheCaseoftheLiberianCivilWarsAndrewT.YoungTexasTechUniversityAbstractGivenmoralcondemnationofethnicconflictandgiventhescarcityofresourcesandpoliticalwillforinternationalintervention,understandingtheconditionsunderwhichethnicconflictmayresolveitselfwithouttheeliminationorsubjugationofanethnicgroup(orgroups)isimportant.TheLiberiancivilwarof1989–90wascharacterizedbybrutalethnicconflict.However,thesubsequentcivilwarsof1992–93and1994–96werecharacterizedbyfactionalaffiliationincreasinglyindependentofethnicidentity.Iarguethatethnicdiscriminationbythewarringfactionsbecametoocostlyintermsofavailableout-grouplaborforbothconflictiveandproductiveactivities.Thoughdiscriminationwasunprofitableonnet,itsabandonmentcameatacost.Specifically,out-grouplaborwasanticomplementarytoin-grouplaborinconflictiveactivities.WhenCharlesTaylormovedtowardabandoningethnicdiscrimination,therewerebenefitsintheformofgreaterproductivityfromout-grouplabor;buttheywerepartiallyoffsetbydecreasingproductivityofin-grouplabor.TheseinsightsfromtheLiberiancasestudycanhelptoinformpolicydiscussionsregardingethnicconflictmoregenerally.JELCodes:Z10,D74,N40,N47Nethnicconflict,Liberia,politicaleconomyI.IntroductionWhileunsavory,fomentinghatredandchannelingitintoethnicconflictcanbeameansforpoliticalentrepreneurstoobtaintheirends.Becauseofthis,ethnicconflictoftenbecomesviolent.Inextremecases,itcanapproachgenocidal.Themassmurders,assaults,andrapesintheDarfurregionofwesternSudanareanunfortunateandwellknownexample.Andmodernhistoryisrepletewithsimilarexamples:theactionsoftheNazis,theKhmerRouge,andtheOttomanEmpireduringWorldWarI;morerecently,theslaughterofTutsisbyHutusinRwanda.Animportantquestionis:onceviolentethnicconflictbegins,whatcanorshouldbedonetostopit?Theinternationalcommunityhasdemonstratedanunwillingnesstointerveneinethnicconflicts(Power2003).Ifthereislittle

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Title	Costly Discrimination and Ethnic Conflict: The Case of the Liberian Civil Wars
Authors/Creators:	Andrew T. Young , Texas Tech University
Year:	2023
Volume:	38
Number:	1
Pages:	49 - 69
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles
Keywords:	ethnic conflict, Liberia, political economy

Citation:
Young, Andrew T. / 2023. "Costly Discrimination and Ethnic Conflict: The Case of the Liberian Civil Wars." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 38(1): 49-69.