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Why did independence after colonial rule sometimes lead to conflict within new states?

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Map of North America in 1763 using color coding to show colonial territories: the 13 American colonies in red along the Atlantic coast, other British territory in orange across much of present-day Canada, Spanish territory in purple covering most of the southern and western regions, Russian territory in green in the northwest, and large areas of unclaimed land in white. Major bodies of water such as the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay are labeled. — Western colonialism North America during the colonial period.

Independence following colonial rule often led to internal conflict due to the structural and social legacies left by imperial powers. These challenges were frequently rooted in the following factors:

Artificial Boundaries and Lack of Unity: Colonial powers often drew borders that ignored existing ethnic, religious, or regional realities. Many new states lacked a shared sense of nationalism, civic tradition, or natural boundaries, making it difficult to forge a cohesive national identity after independence.1
Divide and Rule Strategies: Imperial powers, such as the British in India, frequently employed divide and rule tactics. By hardening social, religious, or caste-based boundaries—often through census categorization or favoring specific groups for administrative and military positions—colonizers created deep-seated divisions that persisted long after they departed.2
Weak Institutional Foundations: Many newly sovereign states were left with little more than a paper constitution and a flag. Without established, functioning state institutions, leaders often resorted to personal rule, one-party dictatorships, or charismatic authority to maintain control, which frequently triggered coups and civil unrest.1
Competing Identities: The process of nation building often clashed with pre-existing ethnic or regional identities that resisted being subsumed under a new, singular national identity.3