Agitation over public education in Colombia contributes…

Agitation over public education in Colombia contributes to the outbreak of a brief but bitter civil war between Conservatives and Liberals in 1876.

The government prevails, but this is only one of an almost constant round of civil conflicts.

Most are struggles for the control of particular state governments, pitting Conservatives against Liberals or simply different Liberal factions (with or without Conservative help) against each other; and the national authorities, taking a strict interpretation of states' rights, usually let the fighting run its course.

Few people take part in general, casualties are few, and not much properly is destroyed.

However, the climate of insecurity clearly works against the creation of new wealth.

The state of public order thus contributes to a growing reaction against the Liberal regime, in which dissident Independent Liberals receive support from the Conservatives and in 1880 see their foremost leader, Rafael Núñez Moledo (president, 1880-82, 1884-86, 1887-88, 1892-94), elected to the presidency.