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“In static terms, Relative Deprivation is a discrepancy between value expectations and value capabilities, its intensity and scope determinable in any accessible population by the use of survey and other techniques.”
-Ted Gurr 1970
The previous chapters have explored the occurrence of revolutionary situations through the lenses of Brinton, Marx, and Moore. This chapter will examine Dr. Ted Gurr’s works with an emphasis on the theories outlined within his 1970 text Why Men Rebel. In contrast to the theorists mentioned above, Dr. Gurr attempts to forge a theory out of nearly all the written works published at the time. By doing so, he introduces two crucial concepts: Relative Deprivation (RD) and Frustration-Aggression theory. This chapter will explore both concepts in order to create a better understanding of, at least in the mind of Gurr, why revolutionary situations occur.
Before exploring these concepts and theories proposed by Gurr, this chapter will highlight his background and influences that helped form his theory proposed in Why Men Rebel. Gurr attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, which provided a framework on why humans behave the way they do and gave him a foundation to build upon during his Ph.D. studies. Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Gurr attended New York University, where he received his Ph.D. in government and international relations, which ultimately led to a teaching position at Princeton University. (American Academy of Political & Social Science, 2020) During his time at Princeton, Gurr studied an array of theories surrounding human violence and political strife that would be influential in generating his own theories on why men do rebel.
Relative Deprivation
Gurr’s work’s most critical takeaway is the concept of “Relative deprivation” (RD). Relative deprivation is a term Gurr uses to denote tension that develops from what one “ought” to have and what one “does” have, which can lead men to violence. Gurr asserts that the deprivation does not have to be real for a revolutionary situation to occur. It just has to be seen as real by enough people (Gurr, 1970: p. 27). Perception matters in the theory of RD more than objective facts. When discussing RD, two central questions need answers for a proper examination of a potentially revolutionary situation: What is being deprived, and how is it being deprived?
Gurr defined RD as the perceived discrepancy between value expectations and value capabilities. Value expectations are the goods and lifestyle an actor believes they are entitled to obtain. On the other hand, value capabilities are the goods and lifestyle an actor believes they are capable of achieving. (Gurr, 1970: p. 27) That is to say, if an actor believes they should be able to feed a family of four with one job but is unable to, then he or she will feel frustrated. Similarly, what might be seen as “abject poverty” may not be considered unjust by the actor