Political unrest refers to the disruption of normal life caused by violence and protest. It can lead to social instability and a loss of confidence in government institutions. It is triggered by a combination of factors including economic disparity, corruption, authoritarianism and political repression. Ethnic and religious divisions can also contribute to the onset of political unrest. Weak institutions can be unable to mediate disputes, which can lead to escalated violence. In addition, long-standing grievances can resurface and fuel conflict.
Typically, political unrest is a result of a desire to change the way things are done. This can take the form of a civil war or more locally based issues such as protests and riots. Civil unrest can involve violent actions against property or people in the name of specific ideological beliefs, for example, anti-imperial, animal rights, or anti-abortion movements. In the United States, the rise of far-right groups that espouse white supremacy and militia beliefs has led to an increase in political violence against minorities, women, and federal agents.
There is no one definition of civil unrest and it is often difficult to identify when it occurs. In fact, many open source conflict data sets do not define this term in their databases, instead offering different definitions of riot and protest (Kalyvas, 2000). However, there are six driving causes of political unrest: climate change, economic inequality, globalisation, corruption, political oppression and identity politics, all of which can be exacerbated by resource scarcity, extreme weather and the increasing demands on dwindling natural resources.
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