ABSTRACT
The case of Liberia has been selected in order to study trends in similarities and differences between the two phases of conflict and peacebuilding. This helps one to ascertain the underlying causes of conflict relapse amid attempts to negotiate peace settlements outside of established explanations. The role of conflict entrepreneurs and political elites in deciding the fate of power-sharing arrangements is well understood in the literature on spoiler violence. The Liberian case reveals that elite compacts reinforce structural conflict drivers that mostly benefit the 'guys with the guns' already in positions of privilege and status to subsequently entrench inequalities that will be increasingly difficult to remedy. Finally, the role of the international community as peace and security guarantors can be particularly important in the context of weak states with low institutional development such as Liberia. Ensuring the neutrality of third-party guarantors of peace agreements can be a key factor in avoiding conflict relapse.
