Konfliktbenägen

Konfliktbenägen is a German adjective that describes a tendency or propensity toward conflict. The term is formed from the noun Konflikt ("conflict") and the suffix -benägen, which denotes inclination or predisposition. In practice, it is used to characterize people, situations, or policies that are prone to generate or intensify disputes.

In sociological and political writings, konfliktbenägen is often applied to describe parties or actors whose strategies or ideologies automatically lead to confrontations. For example, a negotiation model that insists on zero‑sum outcomes can be described as konfliktbenägen because it favours adversarial positions over cooperative solutions. In everyday language, a person who tends to argue over trivial matters may be called konfliktbenägen by their peers.

Linguistically, the suffix -benägen is derived from the verb benägen, meaning to incline or favour. It is a productive suffix in German, with counterparts such as lebensbenändig (life‑driven) or interessi­benprägt (interest‑oriented). While the adjective can be positive in contexts where a healthy debate is encouraged, it is usually neutral to negative in describing unnecessary or harmful conflict.

In academic contexts, konfliktbenägen is sometimes contrasted with kompromissbereit (willing to compromise) or kooperationsfähig (cooperative). The phrase is common in conflict‑resolution literature, diplomatic reports, and media commentary on political disputes. It captures the idea that certain actors or systems have a built‑in predisposition to generate conflict, rather than merely reacting to external pressures.