The term “political unrest” covers a broad spectrum of human behaviour, from the personal unrest caused by a child’s birthday party spoiled by a class clown to societal upheaval in the form of angry public demonstrations. While there is no agreed definition of civil unrest, it is widely used by United Nations agencies, funds and programmes and is an important component of many conflict risk assessment processes.
Political unrest can manifest in various ways and is often triggered by other societal hazards or by an ineffective government response to them. It can also be exacerbated by economic factors, such as rising energy prices, food insecurity and hyperinflation. The increasing concentration of wealth in a few hands is a long-running driver of political unrest, as it increases the gap between rich and poor, and can lead to feelings of disenfranchisement.
In the most severe cases, political unrest can lead to political violence or internal conflict. The majority of these situations are found in fragile states, characterized by weak governance, security, social and environmental conditions and high population growth or rapid urbanisation. They are especially vulnerable to climate change, food insecurity and a combination of other factors including rising globalisation and cultural changes. These factors can lead to the emergence of social movements, such as the Chartists in the UK, or Black Lives Matter around the world, which seek to rectify perceived inequalities or injustices, and can quickly turn violent if the state appears to be repressing rather than reforming.