摘要：The ¯ght for power is not only over immediate rents, but also over advantageous posi-
tions in future power struggles. When incumbency yields an extra ¯ghting edge, current
struggles involve high stakes as a victory today may guarantee the victory also tomor-
row. Such an incumbency edge may stem from the control of the army, the police and
other instruments reserved for the government. The conclusions drawn from static con-
°ict models are turned on their head when the ¯ght is also over the incumbency edge. A
sharper incumbency edge increases the implicit prizes of winning. The ¯ghting intensity
may therefore rise when the strength of each side becomes more unequal. Unbalanced
¯ghts can last long and become particularly severe. This is in contrast to the standard
result that equal strengths give the most intense ¯ghting.
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