Final answer:
Ethnic differences can lead to conflict and violence due to cultural, economic, and political disagreements, particularly when leaders exploit these differences. Ethnocentric bias and historical grievances exacerbate these disputes, often fueled by competition over resources and the need for autonomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethnic differences often lead to conflict and violence due to a variety of cultural, economic, and political factors. Disagreement, inequity, or injustice related to ethnicity, religion, language, and economics can be the cause of most conflicts. These disputes are frequently rooted in a struggle for scarce resources or power, influenced by leaders who may use these differences to divide or unite a population.
Historically, conflict has been a part of human society, with basic human desires to protect or gain territory, wealth, and autonomy being central to most historical conflicts. The impact of ethnocentric bias can distort views and drive policies that lead to further inequality and conflict within multicultural societies. Moreover, prejudices and discrimination are often the foundation of such conflicts, as these biases can lead to the extreme of causing harm to others.
Environmental factors and random social phenomena, including ethnic bias and animus, play a role in creating ethnic regions and, consequently, regional conflicts. Additionally, the transmission of hatred across generations, often resulting from historical grievances or the clashing of different cultural beliefs and practices, exacerbates hostilities leading to violence.