ABSTRACT
A state’s very existence rests on its authority. Where sufficient authority is present, citizens believe it is in their interests to respect state institutions and conform to their laws. The result is a stable political order where individuals defer to their government. Conversely, if a state loses its authority, confusion reigns, and established channels of conflict resolution decay. Groups take advantage of this situation, and compete with the failing elite, and with each other, in their attempts to mould a new political order. Indeed, such an environment often results in the political process being abandoned altogether, with violence as a substitute.
