What do you think is the most important reason for international conflicts among nations today?

Here are three main causes of international conflict:

1. competition over scarce resources

2. territorial disputes

3. Different Ideologies

CAUSES OF INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT

Competition over scarce natural resources

Natural resources such as land, water, oil and fish are unevenly distributed on Earth - some countries have a lot; others have none or very few.

WHY?

Moreover, some of these natural resources are in limited supply but are highly valued or in demand by many countries as they yield economic gains.

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• Countries lacking in natural resources may use force to gain possession or access for the sake of survival or economic development.

• Countries which have resources will see the competition as a threat to their national interests and seek to protect their own natural resources.


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• Iceland has few natural resources and is dependent on the fishing industry for survival.

• Iceland’s survival is threatened by overfishing by fishermen from other European countries, which has

caused her fish stocks to decrease.


1EXAMPL

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1 Competition over scarce natural resources

Iceland thus attempted to protect its depleting fish supply by declaring a 200-mile exclusive fishing zone around its shores to ban other fishermen. However, Britain refused to acknowledge the new boundary and continued fishing in Icelandic water. This led to clashes between Iceland’s Coast Guard and British fishing trawlers Iceland cut diplomatic ties with Britain in 1976

Competition over scarce resources leads to conflict because countries which do not have or need more of the resources may resort to military strength to coerce other countries into surrendering the scarce resources.Countries are more likely to enter into conflict over scarce resources if they are dependent on them for survival.


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Conflicts over scarce resources can be resolved through negotiations, compromise and sometimes third-part mediation but often countries are unwilling to negotiate and share territorial rights/claims over the resources, as in the disputes over oil resources in the Spratly Islands.


1RESOLUTION

• Two or more countries may contest for control of a territory because they see control of land as important to the country’s survival, defense or security since the land’s strategic location provides an edge/advantage in defense.

WHY?

Territorial disputes2

• Countries may try to take over a territory which does not belong to them to gain possession/ownership of the natural resources found within the territory.

• Usually, such conflicts arise because of vague borderlines, the wish to reclaim lost or stolen lands or purely out of greed.

Territorial disputes

• 1950s – China challenged India’s presence in several areas along the border but wasunwilling to negotiate seriously and didn’t want to commit to a definite boundary.

• Both India and China contested with each other for the undefined border areas (Aksai Chin plateau & North East Frontier Agency) in the Himalayas.

Territorial disputes2 EXAMPLE

• When China built a road on the Aksai Chin plateau, India protested that this was a violation of its territorial rights.

• By 1961, China had occupied even more border areas which India claimed as its own. India demanded their return but China refused.


• Competing claims over territories have been responsible for a lot of tension and conflict in the past and present. • Such conflicts are often long-lasting (e.g. that between China and India lasted over a century) as they are most difficult to resolve since no country is willing to give way.


• Territorial disputes which stem from historical animosity/baggage are unlikely to be resolved even with third-party intervention as national pride and sovereignty are at stake.


Conflicts can arise from different political or religious ideologies.

Countries holding different ideologies do not see eye to eye and will enter into conflict if they feel that their ideological beliefs are being threatened.

These different ideologies allow nations to make decisions in regards to use of natural resources which may be unacceptable to another culture.

Different Ideologies .3

This is because countries with different ideologies are usually suspicious of the opposing party and distrust each other. They perceive and fear that the other party will try to change their thinking and way of life.

Conflict breaks out when one country/ government tries to extend/impose its own ‘correct’ ideological beliefs and suppress the other’s.

Different Ideologies 3

• Political differences between democracy and communism after WW2 was the cause of distrust and distinct political and therefore social models between USA and USSR. • Even though they did not end up in a war, their political beliefs influenced and caused divisions within the international community.

• Differences in ideologies can intensify conflicts over other issues such as the use of natural resources.• Because of ideological differences, countries are less able to understand each other’s perspectives, making

conflict resolution very difficult.

What do you think is the most important reason for international conflicts among nations today?

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