Does infectious disease cause global variation in the frequency of intrastate armed conflict and civil war?
Abstract
Geographic and cross-national variation in the frequency of intrastate armed conflict and civil war is a subject of great interest. Previous theory on this variation has focused on the influence on human behaviour of climate, resource competition, national wealth, and cultural characteristics. We present the parasite-stress model of intrastate conflict, which unites previous work on the correlates of intrastate conflict by linking frequency of the outbreak of such conflict, including civil war, to the intensity of infectious disease across countries of the world. High intensity of infectious disease leads to the emergence of xenophobic and ethnocentric cultural norms. These cultures suffer greater poverty and deprivation due to the morbidity and mortality caused by disease, and as a result of decreased investment in public health and welfare. Resource competition among xenophobic and ethnocentric groups within a nation leads to increased frequency of civil war. We present support for the parasite-stress model with regression analyses. We find support for a direct effect of infectious disease on intrastate armed conflict, and support for an indirect effect of infectious disease on the incidence of civil war via its negative effect on national wealth. We consider the entanglements of feedback of conflict into further reduced wealth and increased incidence of disease, and discuss implications for international warfare and global patterns of wealth and imperialism.
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Collectivism is concentrated at low latitudes.
“Third, collectivism is concentrated at low latitudes.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Collectivism is related negatively with societal wealth and associated technology.
“Fourth, collectivism is related negatively with societal wealth and associated technology.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Conservative and collectivist values are correlated positively with severity of infectious disease.
“First, conservative and collectivist values are correlated positively with severity of infectious disease.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Conservative and collectivist values include parochialism and associated closedness toward innovations.
“Second, such values include parochialism and associated closedness toward innovations.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Widespread reduction in parasite-stress through sanitation and healthcare improvements will evoke widespread liberal or egalitarian values.
“pointing to the increasing evidence that widespread reduction in parasite-stress through sanitation and healthcare improvements will not only offset morbidity and mortality, but will also evoke widespread liberal or egalitarian values.”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Parasite-stress reduction may promote all aspects of democracy in a region, ranging from improved sanitation and health care, to civil rights and liberties, social and educational opportunities, private property rights, and gender equality.
“Hence, parasite-stress reduction may promote all aspects of democracy in a region, ranging from improved sanitation and health care, to civil rights and liberties, social and educational opportunities, private property rights, and gender equality (Letendre et al. 2010; in press; Thornhill et al. 2009; 2010).”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Letendre et al. 2010
Countries with higher parasite prevalence are characterized by stronger family ties, increased intrastate ethnic conflict, and several indicators of increased ethnocentrism.
“countries characterized by higher prevalence of parasitic diseases are also characterized by stronger family ties, increased frequency of intrastate ethnic conflict, and several indicators of increased ethnocentrism [24], [25], [26]”
From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [25]
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- Authors
- Letendre, K., Fincher, C. L., & Thornhill, R.
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico (US)
- Corresponding author
- Letendre, Kenneth
- ORCID
- Fincher, Corey L.
- Venue
- Biological Reviews
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-07-08
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 669-683
- ISSN
- 0006-3231 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-7931
- 1469-185X
- OpenAlex
- W2155901464
- Cited by
- 90
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 4.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Political Conflict and Governance
- Social Sciences › Demography › Culture, Economy, and Development Studies
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Conflict Studies
- Keywords
- infectious diseases, intrastate armed conflict, civil war, xenophobia, ethnocentrism, national wealth, resource competition, public health investment, poverty, imperialism, cross-national variation
- MeSH terms
- Communicable Diseases, Culture, Humans, International Cooperation, Models, Theoretical, Organizational Objectives, Warfare, Global Health
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