If you’re new to politics, you may be wondering, “What is a civil war?” Often times, the term is used in reference to a war that occurs within a state. It can also be referred to as an intrastate war. This type of war occurs when organized groups fight each other within a country or state.
The American Civil War
The American Civil War was a major conflict between the northern and southern states of the United States. The southern states wanted to separate from the union, but the northern states wanted to remain as one country. As a result, the southern states created their own country called the Confederate States of America, which had its own constitution and president. It consisted of 11 southern states.
The South’s forces held out very well in the early stages of the war, but they couldn’t stand up to the massive Union forces. Although the Confederates had a large population and a vast industrial base, they didn’t have the capability to stand toe-to-toe with the northern army. However, the Union began to seize territory in 1863, and they managed to capture significant amounts of territory along the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers, and on strategic swaths of the Atlantic coast.
The Confederacy was the main cause of the war, but the Union ultimately won the war and preserved the country as one. The war cost more lives than any other conflict in the Western world combined, and it led to the criminalization of slavery. However, the war wasn’t without its drawbacks. In the long run, the war resulted in many changes in the U.S. and in other countries.
The abolition of slavery became a popular cause in the North two decades after the Civil War, despite opposition in the south. The newly-formed Liberty Party, for example, endorsed Kentucky lawyer James Birney for president in 1840. Though he got less than seven percent of the vote, he eventually received over 62,000 votes in 1844 – a massive rise from the previous election. The victory of the Liberty Party boosted abolitionist ideas in the North for the next two decades.
As the American Civil War progressed, it became clear that a settlement had to be reached. The Confederacy could not afford to pay the price of victory – and the Union was unable to do so without the support of the northern states. The Union won in the end, and Lincoln’s presidency lasted until his assassination, which ended the war.
The English Civil War
During the English Civil War, soldiers fought to challenge the social order. Although England had no standing army when the war broke out, both sides managed to raise large forces. In addition, both sides used foreign mercenaries and officers who had fought in the Thirty Years’ War. However, most recruits were from the working class.
In all, there were more than 600 battles and sieges fought during the conflict. The first major battle of the war took place in Edgehill, which involved artillery, cavalry, dragoons, pikemen, and musketeers. The battle resulted in the loss of over 1,500 lives. The Battle of Edgehill was one of the bloodiest battles in the English Civil War, with the Royalists claiming more than one-fifth of the lives.
Though the conflict was primarily about England, it affected several regions of the British Isles, including Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The conflict arose after King Charles I ruled without the assistance of a Parliament from 1629 to 1640. This resulted in a series of problems and civil war. In particular, King Charles was unable to pass laws or authorize taxes and instead, resorted to unpopular measures like ship money to raise funds.
The English Civil War was the result of a long struggle between Parliament and the monarchy. Parliament defended the traditional rights of the English people while the Stuart monarchy attempted to impose its will and dictate law arbitrarily. As a result, printed pamphlets became the main form of political debate, and over 2,000 political pamphlets were published in 1642. These pamphlets sparked public dialogue and allowed ordinary citizens to participate in political dialogue.
Parliamentary forces gained control of England. After Worcester, Charles II escaped to France and Parliament regained official power. Although the royalist forces were not defeated, their efforts to regain control were unsuccessful. The royalist forces had a period of resistance in Scotland and Ireland. The New Model Army and Parliament eventually restored the monarchy and Church of England in 1658.
The English Civil War was the deadliest conflict on British soil. The three-year conflict spanned three countries: England, Ireland, and Scotland.
The Iraqi insurrection
While the Iraqi insurrection has a number of factors that make it difficult to end, it is not a civil war, per se. There are internal and external factors that have led to the insurrection. After the legitimacy of the post-Saddam order was established and security structures Iraqified, the insurgency would not be able to continue. Shia autonomy would also be consolidated, and the political economy would expand.
The Iraqi insurrection is categorized into four main trends. These include the number of insurgents, the nature of their ideology, and their financial sustainability. Insurgents, in particular, use smuggling to gain funds. Moreover, their links with Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia provide them with economic independence. These insurgents are prepared to fight to the death.
The Sadrists are a large political group that began as an insurgency against the US occupation in 2003. The Sadrist movement is led by Muqtada al-Sadr, a cleric, social movement leader, and politician who wanted a majority government in Iraq. They coordinated with other groups in the country, including the Kurdish Democratic Party, which is the largest political party in Iraq.
A recent national election has changed the face of Iraq’s political landscape. Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr led an unlikely coalition with secular Sunnis and communists. A second, Iran-backed block was also formed. Parliament elected veteran Kurdish politician Barham Salih, as well as an economist named Adil Abdul Mahdi.
The United Iraqi Alliance won the most seats in the January 2005 national elections. However, it was not enough to form a government without a coalition. A secular list, headed by former Prime Minister Allawi, won 25 seats and two Sunni lists won the remaining seats.
After the violence, Muqtada al-Sadr holds a press conference where he apologizes to the Iraqi public for the violence. He also chastises his followers and says that both the victims and their killers are in hell.
In the beginning, the U.S. military intervention brought about a period of instability and violence. During that time, the Iraqi government was rendered unable to run its affairs, and the people continued to live in limbo. The violence continued to wreak havoc on life and government. During the eight-year U.S. intervention, at least 100,000 Iraqis died.
