Top 4 Reasons Why Protests in Third World Countries Often Escalate into Violence

The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in the constitutions of various democratic countries. It empowers citizens to publicly express their grievances against potential threats to their fundamental rights and freedoms. On a global stage of civilization, protest is a democratic right respected and protected by the people, government, law enforcement agencies, and other parties. However, in third-world countries, what often starts as a fundamental democratic fight against imminent threats to the constitution or the denial of fundamental rights and freedoms typically ends in violence, marked by loss of life and destruction of property.

Why? Here are some reasons:

1. Nature of Third-World States The nature of these states tends to serve a section of the population—the ruling class. Protests against any action, event, or policy do not receive significant consideration from the state. The state structure does not care about the perspective of the masses, leading the masses to resort to violent means to express their grievances, which is then met with a response from law enforcement.
2. Demographic Composition of Demonstrators Powerful demonstrations usually occur in urban centers, involving primarily jobless youth or seasonally employed individuals living hand-to-mouth lifestyles. These non-agricultural consumers survive on meager earnings. Protests disrupt their sources of income, making it difficult for them to sustain themselves. Consequently, they turn to looting to make ends meet.
3. Ignorance of the Law Many people believe that protests are a war between the masses and law enforcers. Police, on their part, often aim to show their superiority over the masses, leading to confrontations.
4. Subjective Law Enforcers Law enforcement agencies in such countries are subject to government directives, protecting the interests of the government or the ruling class in disguise. Their primary intention is often to discontinue the protests to maintain a good international image.

Underdeveloped countries, unlike developed ones, struggle to achieve democratic stature due to a lack of strong political will from their leaders. Poverty is rampant, leading to widespread exploitation, which keeps the population poor while their leaders become rich. The corrupt receive plum jobs and state protection, while those who attempt to stop corruption are arrested and arraigned on trumped-up charges. In such places, where corruption is killing the future and tribalism is stealing potential, peaceful protests cannot be expected.

The democratic transformation these countries deserve requires a generation of leaders with the courage to confront and defeat corruption and tribalism and to direct public resources to public causes without discrimination. It also needs leaders who stand firm on solid values and can recognize when the nation is taking the wrong turn. Leaders must listen to the people, not the other way around.