Civil Society in the shadows of Nigeria’s Core Conflicts The Political Economy of Nigeria’s Core Conflict: Rural Banditry – Ayuba CALEB PhD Political Economy is simply defined as the relationship between economics and politics. According to the 20th Century London School of economic Scholar, Lionel Robin, economics is the distribution of scarce resources that have alternative uses. Politics on the other hand is concerned with who governs and how these are appointed; reference is here made to aristocracy, monarchy, democracy, or republicanism. Robin goes further to authoritatively assert that throughout the millenniums, the two recognized means by which scarce resources are distributed are(1) Trade: Which has to do with the exchange of goods and services and(2) Violent means including banditry and organized crime. The classical thinkers of the 17th Century had a good understanding of the working of the state. They understood that except certain measures are put in place; the state cannot function in peace and public order that gives occasion for trade as a legitimate means of resource distribution to thrive. The modern nation-state model became operational after the treaty of Westphalia was signed in Osnabruck in 1648. In spite of the institution of the state as a sovereign entity with defined geographical space and distinct population, the political ruling elites recognized that except certain measures were put in place Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Nigeria| 119