Revolt and Rule: Learning about governance from rebel groups

The document argues that rebel groups provide a unique 'laboratory' for understanding governance because they operate outside the Westphalian state system. It examines how rebels implement rule-making, enforcement, and service provision, and how these activities relate to their legitimacy and capacity. The authors propose a multi-dimensional framework for rebel capacity—military, economic, personnel, administrative, and social—and argue that territorial control is not always a prerequisite for governance. By comparing rebel and state behaviors, the paper suggests that governance is often multi-layered and that the relationship between territorial control and legitimacy is complex and non-linear.

• Rebel groups employ diverse governance strategies, ranging from 'rebelocracy' (deep intervention in social, political, and economic rules) to 'aliocracy' (minimal intervention in strategic areas like security and taxation while leaving other governance to local authorities).
• Rebel legitimacy is often built through appeals to pre-existing social factors such as religion, ethnicity, and tradition, rather than through legal frameworks, as rebels inherently challenge the state's legal authority.
• The authors propose a five-dimensional conceptualization of rebel capacity: military (armed confrontation), economic (material resources), personnel (human capital/expertise), administrative/bureaucratic (organizational structures), and social (leverage of cultural networks).
• There is no simple linear relationship between capacity and governance; some high-capacity groups (e.g., the RUF in Sierra Leone) engage in minimal governance, while some low-capacity groups (e.g., Nepalese Maoists) implement extensive governance structures.
• Territorial control is not always a prerequisite for governance; in some cases, providing governance in areas beyond their immediate control serves as a precursor to establishing subsequent territorial control.
• Intensive governance can be counterproductive to territorial control, as unpopular policies may provoke civilian resistance and overstretch rebel resources, leading to a collapse of control.
• Rebel groups seek external legitimacy through international recognition, diplomacy, and adherence to international law to ensure survival and achieve political goals, such as secession.

APA

Loyle, C. E., Braithwaite, J. M., Cunningham, K. G., Huang, R., Huddleston, R. J., Jung, D. F., & Rubin, M. A. (n.d.). Revolt and Rule: Learning about governance from rebel groups. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/384c9462-383a-4412-8786-2c2d4832e3f3/Revolt and Rule Learning about Governance from Rebel Groups.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Loyle, Cyanne E., Jessica Maves Braithwaite, Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, Reyko Huang, R. Joseph Huddleston, Danielle F. Jung, and Michael A. Rubin. Revolt and Rule: Learning about governance from rebel groups. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/384c9462-383a-4412-8786-2c2d4832e3f3/Revolt and Rule Learning about Governance from Rebel Groups.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Loyle |first1=Cyanne E. |last2=Braithwaite |first2=Jessica Maves |last3=Cunningham |first3=Kathleen Gallagher |last4=Huang |first4=Reyko |last5=Huddleston |first5=R. Joseph |last6=Jung |first6=Danielle F. |last7=Rubin |first7=Michael A. |title=Revolt and Rule: Learning about governance from rebel groups |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/384c9462-383a-4412-8786-2c2d4832e3f3/Revolt and Rule Learning about Governance from Rebel Groups.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{loylendrevolt, author = {Loyle, Cyanne E. and Braithwaite, Jessica Maves and Cunningham, Kathleen Gallagher and Huang, Reyko and Huddleston, R. Joseph and Jung, Danielle F. and Rubin, Michael A.}, title = {{Revolt and Rule: Learning about governance from rebel groups}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/384c9462-383a-4412-8786-2c2d4832e3f3/Revolt and Rule Learning about Governance from Rebel Groups.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }