Which Theory Best Explains the Syrian Civil War?

If you are currently enrolled in a political science, a modern world history, or an international relations course, you will eventually address the civil war in Syria. And, to be certain, this is a hugely complex topic with many factors that play into the horrific conflict that has now lasted for three years. If you are asked to prepare any type of essay or paper on this civil war, it would be wise to consider all of the potential topics and complexities and choose one that really piques your interest.

A Brief History of the conflict

In 2011, the Middle East experienced what came to be known as the “Arab Spring,” attempts by certain Muslims groups to overthrow their autocratic dictators who were, usually, of a different Muslim sect, and persecuted opposing sect. The two largest sects are the Sunni and Shiite, and, in countries where the dictator was of the minority sect, these rebellions took place. Some were successful, some not.

Syrian rebels have sought to overthrow Assad, the current dictator and member of The Shiite sect, ruling over a majority of Sunni Muslims. The rebels began with peaceful protests, but it soon became ugly when sent his troops to massacre them. Civil war broke out immediately, but it is an extremely chaotic situation, because the rebels are divided into a number of factions that cannot get along themselves. In the meantime, Assad continues his slaughter, and refugees are pouring into neighboring countries in an attempt to stay alive.

Theories of Explanation for the Syrian Civil War are Diverse

This is an extremely simplistic explanation of only the most recent conflict within Syria, and there are a number of theories that speak to many other causes of the current conflict. Historians and political scientists argue about which theory best explains the Syrian civil war, and they all are probably correct to a degree. Among them are the following, any of which would make an excellent topic for a Syrian Civil War essay:

1. In 1918, the arbitrary carving up of the region by the Allied victors of World War I, put groups together in countries that never co-existed peacefully. This is true in Syria, as well as in Iraq and Iran. This theory states that it was only a matter of time, even though long in coming, when a civil war would occur.
2. Another theory is based upon a history of the geography in the Syrian Civil War. Syria has always been a poor country, with a difficult coastline for shipping and trading, and limited amount of arable land for farming. This geography has kept the majority in poverty for centuries, and the 21^st century is even worse. Drought and water mis-management have created a food crisis in the country, and it has not been successfully addressed by the current government. This theory places the “blame” for the civil war clearly on the geographical features of the country and the resultant unrest that it has caused.
3. A third theory, of course, is that democratic ideas have filtered into Syrian society, particularly among the youth who make a large segment of the rebel population, and that citizens simply because fed up with a dictatorship that continues to harass and murder a large segment of the population.

Because of the complexities of the topic, it is not unusual for students to have a difficult time sorting all of those complexities in order to come up with an appropriate topic and thesis for an essay. If this is your concern right now, you can get some help from degreed writers at EssayWriting.education – writers who have significant understanding of this conflict.