Governing for Revolution: Social Transformation in Civil War

This book explores how rebels govern to enhance their organizational capacity, but some undertake costly governance projects that can imperil their cadres during war. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) introduced challenging governance projects during the Chinese Civil War, creating a behavioral model that later rebels could imitate. The likelihood of this model being adopted is determined by the compatibility between the goals of the rebels and the CCP's objectives. Over time, ideational and material pressures encouraged conformity to the CCP's template, leading to the mimicry and ultimate convergence in revolutionary rebels' governance, despite vast differences in ideology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 18 March 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Prevailing perspectives suggest that rebels govern to enhance their organizational capacity. However, this book presents evidence that certain rebels embark on costly governance projects that can jeopardize their cadres during war. The origins of this choice can be traced back to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Chinese Civil War. Despite introducing challenging governance initiatives, the CCP strategically disseminated its approach globally, establishing a behavioral model that later rebels could readily adopt. The likelihood of later rebels emulating the CCP's governance model hinges on their compatibility with the CCP's revolutionary goals. Only rebels who share the CCP's ideological aspirations fully imitate its governance structure. Over time, ideational and material pressures further encouraged and occasionally rewarded revolutionary rebels' conformity to the CCP's template.

Governing for Revolution, through the use of archival data from six countries, primary rebel sources, fieldwork, and quantitative analysis, underscores the mimicry and ultimate convergence in revolutionary rebels' governance practices. This convergence persists even today, despite vast differences in ideology. The book highlights the enduring influence of the CCP's governance model on rebellions worldwide, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dynamics and factors that shape rebel governance strategies.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 7 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108826389