Paper short abstract:

This study explores the impact of economic change and state political capacity on the dynamics of violent intrastate conflict in India. Focusing on the Naxalite conflict in India the paper argues that state political capacity plays a critical role in the development of violent intrastate conflicts. Politically capable governments are able to mitigate violent state contestation by dissatisfied groups through the reduction of economic inequalities. Politically weak governments, however, are unable to foster economic change and emerge as focal points of violent insurgencies.

Paper long abstract:

Research in the study of violent intrastate conflict suggests that economic change particularly a reduction in income inequalities reduces the likelihood of such conflicts. Economic inequality is seen as a mechanism through which dissatisfaction among groups within a society are reduced thereby resulting in peace. This paper argues that state political capacity plays an important role in mitigating the onset of violent insurgencies against the state. A politically capable state is able to effectively reduce economic inequalities while politically weak states are unable to do so. Consequently, capable states are better able to manage the demands of its citizens while weak states become an arena of violent contests for control of the state apparatus. This paper studies the Naxalite conflict across India's states in order to demonstrate the critical linkages between state capacity, economic change and violent intrastate conflicts.