Rivalry | Meaning & Concept [Explained]

We explain what rivalry between people or groups is and what types exist. Also, famous examples of rivalry throughout history.

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What is rivalry?

The rivalry It is the relationship of antagonism, enmity or simple competition that may exist between two or more individuals, organizations or groups of people. This type of relationship occurs when rivals compete for a prize, an achievement or some type of reward, and it can manifest itself in very different ways.

The word “rivalry” refers to the relationship between rivals. This last term comes etymologically from the Latin word rivalstranslatable as “competitor”, but derived in turn from the word rivus (“river”). Thus, a rival It was that person who lived on the other side of the river and with whom there was competition or altercations regarding the available resources. It was common in ancient times for rivers and streams to serve as natural borders to demarcate the separation between towns and even countries.

Depending on how it manifests itself and its degree of intensity, rivalry can give rise to constructive situations in which effort leads to greater rewards, or it can end up becoming a declared enmity that gives rise to less than praiseworthy practices to guarantee superiority. from one side over the other. Sometimes, The degree of intensity may be determined by environmental pressure, the urgency of the resources being competed for, or previous history. between rivals.

Types of rivalry

Rivalry can occur in many different areas, such as:

Personal rivalry . That which arises between two or more people who compete with each other, either in a specific field (such as professional) or in life in general.
Family rivalry . That which arises within the family, for example, between siblings who compete for paternal attention and affection.
Labor rivalry . That which arises between people with the same profession, who strive to surpass the other in productivity, success in the field or simply recognition among their peers.
Sports rivalry . That which arises between sports teams or individual athletes, and that pushes them to always want to beat the other in the game or to win more medals or prizes than the other. The term also applies to enmity between fans, which can lead to episodes of confrontation and violence on and off the sports fields.
Business rivalry between competitors . That which arises between organizations and companies dedicated to the same field or commercial niche, and which is expressed through the use of strategies and tactics to corner the market and limit the income of competitors.

Famous examples of rivalry

rivalry examples cain and abel bible — The rivalry is portrayed in the Bible through the story of Cain and Abel.

Some famous cases of rivalry in different areas are the following:

The biblical rivalry between Cain and Abel . According to what the Old Testament establishes, the first two children of Adam and Eve were called Cain and Abel, and between them there was a very strong rivalry, because the first considered that God favored and appreciated the second more. This feeling of jealousy drove Cain to murder his brother, which is why he was exiled and condemned.
The rivalry between tennis players Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic . Both athletes, Spanish and Serbian respectively, have maintained one of the most important and famous rivalries in contemporary tennis since the 2010 United States Open. Nadal has beaten his opponent 29 times and Djokovic has done the same 30 times.
The rivalry between Pepsi and Coca-Cola . These two brands of soft drinks have competed with each other for almost the entire 20th and 21st centuries, given that they are very similar products and very powerful multinational companies (Pepsico on the one hand and The Coca-Cola Company on the other).
The rivalry between Argentina and England . This rivalry is expressed in the sporting field (especially football or soccer) but also has important historical roots, since both countries have faced each other diplomatically and militarily in the past.
The rivalry between the football clubs of Real Madrid and Barcelona . This is one of the great sporting rivalries in the football world, since both clubs are among the most important in the first division of the Spanish Professional Football League.
The rivalry between Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh . These two painters, originally friends, fell out during a coexistence in Arles, in the south of France, and cultivated a bitter rivalry ever since.
The rivalry between Democrats and conservatives in the US . The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the two major political trends in the United States, and there is a political rivalry between them that dates back to the 19th century, and is due to the fact that they profess opposing visions of how the country should be administered.