How Civil Wars Start by Barbara F. Walters

“…the most powerful determinant of violence, researchers discovered, was the trajectory of a group’s political status. People were especially likely to fight if they had once held power and saw it slipping away. Political scientists refer to this phenomenon as ‘downgrading,’ and while there are many variations on the theme. it is a reliable way to predict—in countries prone to civil war—who will initiate the violence.”

-Barbara F. Walters