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This book examines the driving forces that lead to civil wars and revolutions. The authors approach differs from the familiar historical narrative, as they differentiate between causes or actions of great men and mechanisms that arise from social activity and behaviour. The latter include early-stage conflicts or outbreaks of violence which, if not checked, can lead to social division and more violent incidents.
The approach rooted in methods used in physical experimentation is illustrated in part one using the Fire of London and American war of Independence. Part two examines narratives for uprisings in a range of occupied countries across both the world. Part three implements the approach developed in part one on a broad basis to explore common features of invasions and conflict. A separate chapter looks at the lifetime of political empires and explores why religious empires have much greater longevity. The scientific methods lead to the possibility of prediction and some observations are made of current events in the middle east and Ukraine.
List of contents
Cliophysics and the Spirit of Physics.- The approach to science.- The Fire of London.- The American Revolution.- From Invasion to Independence: Ireland s Saga of Rebellions.- Defiant Dragon: Wales Enduring Struggle Against English Domination.- The Thistle s Defiance: Scotland s Enduring Quest for Sovereignty Amid English Union.- The Fleur-de-Lys Unfurled: Quebec s Relentless Pursuit of Autonomy Amid Canadian Union.- The Stolen Crown: Hawaii s 19th-Century Struggle Against American Annexation.- The Cuban Revolution: A Concise Overview.- Puerto Rico - Another Ireland.- The Story of Sri Lanka.- Conflict and Resilience: Indigenous Resistance and Global Parallels with North America.- Over-Tourism: Local Resistance, Societal Dynamics, and Global Parallels.- A Universal Law Governing Social Phenomena?.- The Nature of a Social Force.- War and Conquest as a Strategic Process.- Engines of Revolution.- The Rally Round the Flag Effect.- The Defeat Effect and Quantitative Predictors of Government Stability.- The Road to Partition: An Analysis of Conflict Dynamics Leading to State Division.- The Road to Partition: The Finance and Impact Engine.- Empires of Faith and Power: Why Religions Endure While Kingdoms Crumble.- Final Thoughts and Conclusions.
