Ending civil war in Colombia

Civil war is one of the most studied phenomena in political science. Its impact on human lives and economic development makes it one of the most destructive events known to mankind. Yet no scholarly consensus has emerged over what causes a civil war to be brought to a resolution. This master's report, relying on a case study of Colombia, shows that two of the most popular theories for explaining the continuation of civil war, the international context and the availability of drugs or other resources, are inaccurate. Instead, the continuation of civil war depends on the state's capacity to obtain military success against the armed groups and it's capability to guarantee the safety of the demobilized rebels. This report uses Weber’s concept of state capacity as the monopoly over the use of legitimate violence.