ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 analyses the relationship between statebuilding and peacebuilding. Some of the mainstream literature on peacebuilding and statebuilding (PBSB) maintains that harmony prevails between the two; other elements of the literature refute this. Much of the literature argues that they complement each other, or that one is the necessary condition for the other. This chapter, however, argues that discordance is rather the defining feature of the relationship. The basis for the discord is that statebuilding as a political project concerns power, and creates winners and losers – which is a source of conflict. The losers are certainly inclined to look for ways and means to address their grievances that might be far from peaceful. Peacebuilding, on the other hand, strives to bring together and reconcile all stakeholders and to forge peace among them. This presupposes the avoidance of classes of winners and losers. Therefore, at least initially, there is discord between peacebuilding and statebuilding. Moreover, the chapter contends, although in the long run the two may converge, in the transitional period, however, divergence characterises the relationship. The chapter concludes that neoliberal PBSB is designed to foster discord between the two, unlike the popular progressive model, which aims at reconciling them. A final section of the chapter provides some concluding remarks.
