Guerrilla warfare is usually a more bitter form of conflict than conventional combat because rebels and security forces ignore the “laws of war,” the border between combatants and civilians is blurred, and families of the opponents are victimized with deliberate cruelty to intimidate other civilians. However, apart from the warring parties, most people in rebellious regions “display a combination of weak preferences and opportunism, both of which are subject to survival considerations. Their association with risk-taking minorities tends to be loose and subject to the fortunes of the war and its impact on one's welfare.” A pragmatic government forfeits its desire for revenge and offers pardons to all those who joined the rebels because of accident or opportunistic considerations – and even to those who used to be committed to the cause but have lost faith in the victory; otherwise, desperate guerrilla remnants without alternatives will continue fighting for years. The success of amnesty hinges on a delicate balance of punishment and clemency, and a tilt toward either limits the effectiveness of counterinsurgency, as many governments have learned from experience. After Mexico won independence in 1820, its leaders regarded amnesties as the easiest way to undermine the armed contenders for power and to incorporate rebels and bandits into society.