What is the difference between insurrection and rebellion?

[Traab]

Im reading a story where this came up. Basically a daimyo has thoroughly ticked off several of his samurai lords in ways that dont matter to the discussion, but upon being asked if it has come to a rebellion the reply is, not yet, at the minute its still insurrection, but the entire nation is a tinder box right now.

[Razade]

Im reading a story where this came up. Basically a daimyo has thoroughly ticked off several of his samurai lords in ways that dont matter to the discussion, but upon being asked if it has come to a rebellion the reply is, not yet, at the minute its still insurrection, but the entire nation is a tinder box right now.

Insurrection is a small group of people, a rebellion is a march larger scale of revolution.

[Traab]

Ah, so its more a question of scale rather than a difference in meaning. Thanks, I was wondering.

[Aedilred]

In standard use I'm not actually sure there's a difference between the two.

Etymologically, "insurrection" derives from "insurgere", meaning "to rise up", whereas "rebellion" derives from "re-bellere" meaning effectively "to make war again" (specifically, after being defeated the first time). Whether that difference was ever actually relevant, I don't know.

If I had to define where I think the difference lies in my own mind, it's probably that "insurrection" implies social unrest, whereas "rebellion" implies a war. The line between the two is blurred, though, and I'm not sure that's a distinction actually borne out in usage anyway.

[Razade]

Ah, so its more a question of scale rather than a difference in meaning. Thanks, I was wondering.

Yes, pretty much.

[goto124]

As a laymanperson, I have not even heard of the word "insurrection".

[Fri]

As a laymanperson, I have not even heard of the word "insurrection".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Insurrection ?

[Tiffanie Lirle]

As a laymanperson, I have not even heard of the word "insurrection".

I've heard it a few times, but I'm also a giant geek. It's just one of those words people don't use anymore like Bunbury or Pannychis or even my personal favorite Gallimaufry.

[Traab]

I've heard it a few times, but I'm also a giant geek. It's just one of those words people don't use anymore like Bunbury or Pannychis or even my personal favorite Gallimaufry.

Disreputable tatterdemalion is another phrase im fond of. I came across it as a kid, pre internet era, and was able to use it to drive my sister insane as she couldnt find out what it meant when I kept calling her that. Its still one of my go to phrases for confusing people.

[tomandtish]

A lot of it is semantics, but politically (a dangerous term in this forum), the difference is as follows:

Insurrection: A limited scale conflict where the members are not recognized as belligerents by the government they are in insurrection against and do not have a recognized government. Sheridan's war with Earth in Babylon 5 (if you take out the alien connections on either side) started as this.

Civil War: Basically a large scale insurrection where the members are recognized as belligerents, but their leadership/proposed governing body is not recognized as such by the country in question AND has no previous basis for legitimacy. Browncoats in Firefly might be a good example (although unsuccessful).

Rebellion: The members are recognized as belligerents and their leadership/proposed governing body has a basis (real or perceived) for legitimacy. Classic example is the rebellion in Star Wars, since it was basing itself off of the Old Republic.

Again, a lot of this is semantics and is very subjective. Plenty of these things are defined after the fact and by the winner.

[sktarq]

I would agree agree with most of what tomandish (would flip Rebellion and civil war) and razade said above with regard to scale and degree of organization but would add that there is issue of scale of goals as much as numbers of people involved. Insurrections often are against subleaders or specific actions-they are looking for a list of grievances to be addressed and won't co-operate with authority figures until that happens. Rebellions on the other hand generally wish to replace various authority figures or systems with new ones.

As you can guess differing sides and individuals within a situation could see a situation differently and thus use differing terms.

[Knaight]

Again, a lot of this is semantics and is very subjective. Plenty of these things are defined after the fact and by the winner.

At least when they're not being defined in different ways by different outside observers.

[shawnhcorey]

Insurrection is open opposition to the government. Rebellion is open, armed opposition to the government. Ghandi's liberation of India was an insurrection, for the most part. America's war of liberation was a rebellion.

[Fyraltari]

Events that alledgedly* took place in the night of July the Fourteenth, 1789:

Manservant: Wake up, sire, the Parisians are in arms. They’ve stormed the Bastille and taken the gunpowder stored there.

Louis XVI: Is it a revolt?

Manservant: No, sire, a revolution.

*And by that I mean complete fiction.

[Otomodachi]

Insurrection is open opposition to the government. Rebellion is open, armed opposition to the government. Ghandi's liberation of India was an insurrection, for the most part. America's war of liberation was a rebellion.

I second this one.

[HouseRules]

Insurrection is not large enough to have an official base declared. Without an official "Capital", insurrection never lose.
Insurrection is more along the lines of social unrest. It phases away when the government solve the social issue.

Rebellion is large enough to have an official base declared. If the base is captured, they rebellion side loses.

[tyckspoon]

Events that alledgedly* took place in the night of July the Fourteenth, 1789:

Manservant: Wake up, sire, the Parisians are in arms. They’ve stormed the Bastille and taken the gunpowder stored there.

Louis XVI: Is it a revolt?

Manservant: No, sire, a revolution.

*And by that I mean complete fiction.

This seems particularly silly to me, even as just a fictional anecdote - nobody calls it a revolution while it's still in progress. It's a revolt. It becomes a revolution when the revolt *wins* and gets to record the history, when they go from "insurrectionists" or "rebels" to "revolutionaries."

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff: Thread necromancy is lame.