Labor, the state, and ethnic conflict: A comparative study of British rule in Palestine (1920--1939) and Northern Ireland (1972--1994)

This thesis is a political economy of ethnic conflict. It compares relations between and within three sets of actors---exclusivists, marginals, and the state---to develop an explanation of ethnic conflict. The dependent variable is ethnic violence, particularly marginals' attacks on the state and exclusivists. The independent variable is the construction and maintenance of institutions that collectively distribute jobs and other benefits to exclusivists as club goods. The intervening variable is local state officials' reliance on exclusivist support. The simple hypothesis is that ethnic violence by marginals is associated with the state's reliance on the support of solidary exclusivists.; Split labor market theory is employed to show how ethnic conflict in two cases, Palestine and Northern Ireland, was rooted in exclusivists' success in constraining marginals' opportunities in local labor markets. Economic exclusion fueled support among the marginals for violence directed against both exclusivists and the state. Collective action theory is used to explain the institutions that maintained ethnic solidarity among Jewish and Protestant exclusivists.; The key to the state's failure to reduce ethnic conflict, particularly marginals' exclusion and subordination, was its acquiescence in the maintenance of split labor markets. Where the state was dependent on the exclusivists for local support, it tacitly endorsed the split labor market. The Palestine Government's local dependence on Jewish immigration and investment for customs revenues compelled it to accept Jewish exclusivism in the labor market despite Arab protests and violence. In Northern Ireland, the state increased public service and security force employment for Protestants to insulate Britain from the conflict at the expense of continuing Catholic opposition. But declining Protestant solidarity and increasing British state power in the economy led gradually to the integration of labor markets and the conciliation of Catholics.; A most different systems research design is employed to identify the underlying causes of violent ethnic conflict in spite of state officials' efforts to control local society. The analysis is then expanded to compare and contrast developments in both cases overtime, accounting for the intensification of conflict in Palestine and its gradual reduction in Northern Ireland.