Liberia's unique features should make it one of the most attractive countries for the examination of ethnicity. And yet, ethnicity in Liberia is heavily under-studied. Filling this gap, the author's comprehensive study, re-examines conventional wisdom about Liberian politics. Through analysing Liberia's historical background, its ethnic groups, the 1980 coup, and the 1989 Civil War, the author explains not only the Liberian predicament, but wider issues such as the age of a country and the capacity to manage ethnic conflicts; the implication for ethnicity of foreign control of the economy; the consequences of prolonged hegemonic rule on inter-ethnic relations, and the implications of cross-border ethnicity.