<P> Ethnic manipulation manifested itself beyond the personal and internal spheres . Scott Straus from the University of Wisconsin describes the ethnic identities that partially contributed to the Rwandan genocide . In April 1994, following the assassination of Rwanda's President Juvénal Habyarimana, Hutus of Rwanda turned on their Tutsi neighbors and slaughtered between 500,000 and 800,000 people in just 100 days . While politically this situation was incredibly complex, the influence ethnicity had on the violence cannot be ignored . Before the German colonization of Rwanda, the identities of Hutu and Tutsi were not fixed . Germany ruled Rwanda through the Tutsi dominated monarchy and the Belgians continued this following their takeover . Belgian rule reinforced the difference between Tutsi and Hutu . Tutsis were deemed superior and were propped up as a ruling minority supported by the Belgians, while the Hutu were systematically repressed . The country's power later dramatically shifted following the so - called Hutu Revolution, during which Rwanda gained independence from their colonizers and formed a new Hutu - dominated government . Deep - seated ethnic tensions did not leave with the Belgians . Instead, the new government reinforced the cleavage . </P> <P> Joel Migdal of the University of Washington believes weak postcolonial states have issues rooted in civil society . Rather than seeing the state as a singular dominant entity, Migdal describes "weblike societies" composed of social organizations . These organizations are a melange of ethnic, cultural, local, and familial groups and they form the basis of our society . The state is simply one actor in a much larger framework . Strong states are able to effectively navigate the intricate societal framework and exert social control over people's behavior . Weak states, on the other hand, are lost amongst the fractionalized authority of a complex society . </P> <P> Migdal expands his theory of state - society relations by examining Sierra Leone . At the time of Migdal's publication (1988), the country's leader, President Joseph Saidu Momoh, was widely viewed as weak and ineffective . Just three years later, the country erupted into civil war, which continued for nearly 11 years . The basis for this tumultuous time, in Migdal's estimation, was the fragmented social control implemented by British colonizers . Using the typical British system of indirect rule, colonizers empowered local chiefs to mediate British rule in the region, and in turn, the chiefs exercised social control . After achieving independence from Great Britain, the chiefs remained deeply entrenched and did not allow for the necessary consolidation of power needed to build a strong state . Migdal remarked, "Even with all the resources at their disposal, even with the ability to eliminate any single strongman, state leaders found themselves severely limited ." It is necessary for the state and society to form a mutually beneficially symbiotic relationship in order for each to thrive . The peculiar nature of postcolonial politics makes this increasingly difficult . </P> <P> European colonialism spread contagious diseases between Europeans and subjugated peoples . </P>

Who was a subject and who was a citizen and how were each treated before the law under colonial rule