Perhaps most important, they erode the institutions of civil society, such as respect for the law.
Civil wars vary greatly in the amount of economic damage they do.
Nigeria's relatively short civil war appears to have caused only a small loss of output, and much of this loss was recovered after three years of peace. Angola and Mozambique suffered similarly dramatic declines. Even eight years after peace Uganda's economy remains far below its prewar peak. The fiscal implications of peace also are discouraging. Because civil wars often do not end decisively, military expenditure cannot easily be reduced.