Divide and conquer

In politics and sociology, divide and rule (also known as divide and conquer) is a combination political, military and economic strategy of gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy. In reality, it often refers to a strategy where small power groups are prevented from linking up and becoming more powerful, since it is difficult to break up existing power structures.

The phrase comes from the Latin divide et impera, which translates to "divide and rule".

Effective use of this technique allows those with little real power to control those who collectively have a lot of power (or would have much more power, were they able to unite).

Typical elements of this technique involve

creating or at least not preventing petty feuds among smaller players. Such feuds drain resources and prevent alliances that could challenge the overlords.
aiding and promoting those who are willing to cooperate with the overlords, often by giving them the lands and wealth of rebellious local rulers.
fostering distrust and enmity between local rulers.
encouraging expenditures on personal frivolities (e.g., showy palaces) that leave little money for political manoeuvering and warfare.

This technique requires a lot of skill and political finesse, as well as a good understanding of political science, history and psychology.

"Divide and rule" works only if the subjects of this technique are willing to go along with it (e.g., because it is to their personal advantage), or behave foolishly. It works best in societies where competition between noble families, clans or social classes was already fierce before the overlord took over.

The strategy was used to great effect by administrators of vast empires, including the Roman and British, who would play one tribe against another to maintain control of their territories with a minimal number of imperial forces. The concept of 'Divide and Rule' gained prominence when India was a part of the British Empire, but was also the strategy used by the Romans to take Britain, and for the Anglo-Normans to take Ireland. The British used the strategy to gain control of the large territory of India by keeping its people divided along lines of religion, language, caste etc. The British took control of petty princely states in India piecemeal.

Also mentioned as a strategy for market action in economics, it can be applied to get the most out of the players in a competitive market.

Examples of Divide and Conquer strategies

Middle East

The Israelis were the first to set up an alliance with the fascist Lebanese Katab Phalangist party which was Israel's proxy and ally during the the Israeli occupation of Lebanon. Israel used the Phalangists as their proxy to massacre Palestinian and Shia civilians and while destroying the PLO infrastructure.^{[citation needed]}

Africa

Western countries have used the divide and conquer strategy in Africa during the colonial and and post-colonial period.

Germany and Belgium ruled the Rwanda and Burundi in a colonial capacity. Germany used the strategy of divide and conquer by placing members of the Tutsi minority in positions of power. When Belgium took over in 1916, the Tutsi and Hutu groups were rearranged according to race rather than by occupation. Belgium defined "Tutsi" as anyone with more than ten cows or a long nose, while "Hutu" meant someone with less than ten cows and a broad nose. The socioeconomic divide between Tutsis and Hutus continued after independence and was a major factor in the Rwandan Genocide.

When the British Empire ruled Sudan, it restricted access between the North and the South. The British also neglected to develop southern Sudan or include southern Sudanese in governance. The disparity between the North and South helped lead to the First and Second Sudanese Civil Wars. See also History of the Anglo-Egyptian condominium.

A particularly important example has been oil-rich Nigeria which has had violent religious conflict between Christian and Muslim Nigerians. This has helped keep Nigeria weak and allowed the exploitation of its oil resources. ^{[original research?]} ^{[citation needed]}