Motivational Mysteries - Parte the Seconde

I've been spending a lot of time reading Histories of the MidRealm. It's interesting in and of itself, as well as revealing about the culture of various Baronies. (While I'm on the topic... anybody know where I can get a copy if Finvarr's book?)

More than one of these histories describes (generally with an effort at even-handedness) some significant conflicts of factional/political nature. Now, I'm pretty sure that nobody ever started out in the Society with the goal of being painted as the Evil Dictator or the Wicked Witch of the West. And some of that flavor comes through even in accounts that are making an effort to be fair. So I've been wondering: Where do these Battles come from?

You had to know there were ( theories: )