The Zapatista "social netwar" in Mexico / David Ronfeldt ... [and others].

"MR-994-A."

"Prepared for the U.S. Army by RAND's Arroyo Center."

This study was prepared for a research project on "Stability and the Military in Mexico." The research was sponsored by Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence and was conducted in RAND Arroyo Center's Strategy and Doctrine Program. The Arroyo Center is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the United States Army. The study reports on a case of "netwar," a concept that we have been developing for the purpose of understanding the nature of conflict in the information age (Arquilla and Ronfeldt, 1996b). Although the focus is on the Zapatista movement in Mexico, and on the responses thereto of the Mexican government and army, the study also identifies some implications for possible future netwars elsewhere around the world. This study focuses mainly on the 1994-1996 period, in part because that was the heyday of this social netwar, but also because the study's preliminary findings were initially briefed to the sponsor in June 1996, and the first draft appeared in December 1996. This final publication is much revised and updated from the draft.

Also available in electronic form via the RAND Corporation Web site.