Rebel Governance and Civilian Abuse : Comparing Liberia's Rebels Using Satellite Data

Rebel groups exhibit significant variation in their treatment of civilians, with profound humanitarian consequences. This paper proposes a new theory of rebel group behavior based on resources and delegation within rebel organizations. Rebel leaders have incentives to maintain order in their territories but are constrained in their ability to control group members. Leaders establish control through spot payments and promises of future rewards to top commanders. The leader's ability to offer these incentives is determined by the group's partnerships with external patrons. The theory's implications are examined through a spatial analysis of Liberia's civil war using an original dataset derived through remote sensing methods