There isn’t always a trade-off between depth and breadth; some authors achieve both. The Romans didn’t decrease violence because of benevolent motives; they did so out of self-interest. When they were particularly piqued, Roman soldiers destroyed opponents so thoroughly that entire towns disappeared for decades. Many families lose loved ones in times of war. War has not only made us safer, but richer, too. this was really helpful thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Over the long sweep of human history, savage wars did bring peace. As wars turned productive, a series of new technologies and strategies conferred temporary advantages that were soon challenged by other advances. As co-editor of the book, "Buddhist Warfare" he said that, "Buddhism differs in that the act of killing is less the focus than the 'intention' behind the killing" and "The first thing to remember is that people have a penchant for violence, it just so happens that every religion has people in it." From Aeon Essays online, article titled, "Monks with guns" by Michael Jerryson. The Crusades actually fall under defensive wars. I've referred back to this website several times already!! War what is it good for on December 04, 2019: why do we war wow so mean to people who don't want to war. 3 When a war has several purposes, we can ask whether a particular reason is good enough by itself to justify the war. Racism can also be linked to nationalism, as can be seen in Hitler’s Germany. This article really helped me a lot it was just something I was looking for and I think this could help a lot of other students to that need help with the subject.War is started because it exists. Answer: It depends on the political system that the leader operates in, but in most cases, the answer is yes. War (What is it good for?) War is started because it exists. Answers depend on your view of human nature. Example B.? I like your writing and it helped me a lot thank you very much. Also, why do people choose to go to war instead of taking other peaceful measures to resolve conflict? There are many historical examples of irregular fighters engaging in combat. The horror of war is a reality I have experienced firsthand. However, in an area such as that, the Buddhists have been the minority and fear for their lives from militant Muslims. (What is it good for?) A country might decide that it needs more land, either for living space, agricultural use, or other purposes. Whitfield first produced the song – an obvious anti-Vietnam War statement – with The Temptations as the original vocalists. What is it good for. Just as he did in Why the West Rules—For Now, Morris breaks beyond the blinkered specialization so common in academia and advances an important thesis in an engaging and lucid style. Connect with: LinkedIn Please login with linkedin to comment brand war . The disagreement can be about who rules, how the country should be run or the people's rights. The prospect that China, India, Russia, and America might replay the power struggles of World War I with potent biological and nuclear weapons is terrifying. Related to buffer zones are proxy wars. Answer: In the modern age, people rarely think that war is good, but often they can see it as necessary. There is a common term for it: when a country has a pact with a country that it will go to war against a given third country if it is attacked. Answer: The roots of the Napoleonic wars lie in the French Revolution. Nice and easy.Psychology can answer this question a bit. Now, with two high-profile conflicts that have dragged in the West, the sector is once again being seen as a good bet – but for different reasons. This info really helped me with my assignment! While Buddhism is less associated with religious warfare than both polytheistic and monotheistic religions, some exceptions exist such as in southern Thailand where the killing of a Buddhist monk is considered such a sacrilege as to prompt a furious call for immediate killing of the murderer. Thinkers have long grappled with the relationships among peace, war and strength. It appears to me that to classify a war as one type or another, one must evaluate objectives of both warring parties. Some of the injuries are so severe that people never fully recover. no, there is only three causes for war : Land, power and money, others are only pretexts to obtain the three that I mention . These occur when a large section of the population of a country revolts against the individual or group that rules the country because they are dissatisfied with their leadership. Most wars are not fought for reasons of security or material interests, but instead reflect a nation's spirit. As long as opinions exist, there will always be conflict. Agriculture supported larger populations and gave them more goods to fight over. Hobbes lacked the data of archaeology and anthropology to inform his theories about the dangerous nature of pre-state existence. War is good for making a point or trying to get change to happen like the American revolution or the Vietnam or Korea war. Absolutely nothing Say it again, war What is it good for? But it wasn’t long before fortified settlements began to succumb to newly developed siege tactics. The rise of large and organized states seems to be a universal response to caging. Medical researchers tapped into the available government resources, and during World War II, a major area of targeted funding was for the investigation of chemical warfare agents, particularly mustard gas and the nitrogen mustards. US troops on the move. But the Roman orator Cicero felt that Calgacus and the peoples vanquished by Rome were missing a broader point. Revolutionary War is how Islam describes turning a nation that has been taken over by Muslims also take over the nation. This was not quite how things appeared to the Caledonian chieftain Calgacus before he fought the invading Roman army in AD 83. He now works as a freelance writer in Florida. Partisan and guerrilla forces can engage in warfare too, without necessarily belonging to a regular army. So the Indians fought for survival while the aggressor fought for economic gain, along with egocentric ideas regarding religion and culture. Up until the late 19th century, wars were usually fought as a series of set piece battles. Absolutely nothing. The American Civil War saw the first signs of mechanized warfare, which would become more apparent with the onset of World War I later in Europe. For the enslaved and colonized, the fact that their descendants may eventually live in more peaceful and prosperous societies than the violent and poor world of their ancestors is a weak consolation. Answer: War is a state of armed conflict between two or more countries or groups within a country. While Buddhism is less associated with religious warfare than both polytheistic and monotheistic religions, some exceptions exist such as in southern Thailand where the killing of a Buddhist monk is considered such a sacrilege as to prompt a furious call for immediate killing of the murderer. Thank you. this was kind of helpful but not that good. Most had no idea of the concept of owning land until the English introduced it. Many people see a great deal of evidence to support this myth. Proxy wars were particularly common during the Cold War. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "war" is defined as. um... i left this on but it was ok, so i think this goes good. African American soldiers fighting in the American Civil War. ( or part of it anyways ) Thanks!! U.K.-born Paul has worked as a librarian and bookseller since graduating from university. Question: What were the causes of the Napoleonic wars? EGGS EGGS E DOUBLE G S EGGS on May 11, 2020: Your boi the writer (pls respond) on May 08, 2020: Hey guys I’m looking into writing a book about a space war but I’m sure exactly how to make it because I know that its sorta unrealistic that there would be some giant empire star wars style (no offense I love star wars) so I was wondering if there are any ideas for how a space war could erupt, yea this was kinda helpfull thanks, needs more info thou. Thank you, this an a great source for an essay I am writing in my Honors World History class! On small timescales, counterexamples of wars driving spikes in violence abound. Keep up the good work. These internal rifts often turn into chasms that result in violent conflict between two or more opposing groups. Whatever the other reasons for a war may be, there is almost always an economic motive underlying most conflicts, even if the stated aim of the war is presented to the public as something more noble. Hiii,This is nice information and this information is helpful.Thank you so much . Before the restraining effects of governments, he argued, we lived in “continual fear and danger of violent death.” The intellectual descendants of Hobbes and Rousseau tend to regard government as either a cure for or a cause of violence. If troops abandon the empire’s borders, raiders seize the chance to strike unprotected areas. "War" is a counterculture era soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969. A state of competition or hostility between different people or groups. This is sooo great because i'm doing an essay right now and it's been such a great help. This often takes the form of an invasion. “In reality, the 10 scariest words are ‘There is no government, and I’m here to kill you.’”. They make a wasteland and call it peace!” He was articulating an objection to Morris’ thesis with dozens of parallels from different periods: From the standpoint of the conquered, war hardly seems to promote peace. Advertise with us. A self-feeding loop arose: conquest by larger political units prevented smaller groups from fighting, and this peace enabled prosperity that funded further conquest. What stories the skeletal remains of our century will tell remains to be seen. The primary goal was to curb Islamic raids on villages in eastern European towns. Question: Can violence ever solve conflicts? Absolutely nothing War It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker War Friend only to the undertaker War is the enemy of all mankind The thought of war it just blows my mind Handed down from generation to generation Induction, destruction, who wants to die? What we do know is that the first recorded war was between Sumer and Elam in Mesopotamia in 2700 BCE. Seeking to punish, redress a grievance, or simply strike back for a perceived slight can often be a factor in the waging of war. Answer: There are many potential reasons, including: competition over territory and resources, historical rivalries and grievances, and in self defense against an aggressor or a perceived potential aggressor. Revenge also relates to nationalism, as the people of a country which has been wronged are motivated to fight back by pride and spirit. This faulty belief stems from a misunderstanding of the economic way of thinking. These defensive wars can be especially controversial when they are launched preemptively, the argument essentially being that: “We are attacking them before they inevitably attack us.”. Conflict and the Progress of Civilization from Primates to Robots. I like the examples you use for the different types of war. Many injuries are incurred during war as well. The self-feeding loop switches from expansion to contraction, and this eventually creates the fractured and violent conditions necessary for a new series of productive wars. Whether eventual gains in safety and prosperity can excuse cruelty and violence in the short term is a difficult question, and it’s complicated by the unquantifiable cultural losses that result from the absorption of dozens of distinct societies into broader political structures. I thought the crusades were for economic gain. But the percentage of humans who died a violent death continued to drop from the Stone Age rate of 10 to 15 percent. What Is It Good For? Hi I'm a fifth grader and completely over 10 thank you. The last 15 years demonstrate that no matter the military strength at your command, war no longer translates into power. Question: What is a "buffer zone" in a war? Very good writing, and it will help me big time in my Inquiry Project for AP English. This song attempts to portray the war as completely negative by focusing on everything that is lost during, or because of the war. Kipling’s belief in the racial inferiority of non-Europeans motivated his faith in colonialism. A 6 WAR player might be worth between 5.0 and 7.0 WAR, but it is pretty safe to say they are at least an All-Star level player and potentially an MVP. Historically, revenge has been a factor in many European wars. War can be seen as a growth of economic competition in a competitive international system. Wars have been a part of human history for thousands of years, and have become increasingly destructive as industrialization and technology have advanced. They would either be annexed to a larger unit after defeat, or they would form one preemptively to avoid defeat. The period of battle between Calgacus’ men and the Roman army was incredibly violent. Ooh, war Is an enemy to all mankind The thought of war blows my mind War has caused unrest. Nationalism in this context essentially means attempting to prove that your country is superior to another by violent subjugation. Thanks! Adolf Hitler went to war with Russia partly because the Russians (and eastern Europeans in general) were seen as Slavs, or a group of people who the Nazis believed to be an inferior race. Many theories have been put forth over the years as to why wars happen, and some of the greatest minds have offered their take on the subject. The core argument of ‘War: What is it Good For?’ is that over the very long term (thousands of years) war has brought about the creation of larger and more organised societies that have been increasingly good at suppressing internal violence, the paradoxical result being that war has progressively decreased the likelihood of people dying violently. WWETHEUNDERTAKERFAN on December 15, 2019: hunter.bright@education.nsw.gov.au on December 08, 2019: why did the Nazis leader Hitler want to rule the world? This helps me to complete my assignment. Only through warfare has humanity been able to come together in larger societies and thus to enjoy security and riches. Although Mark Twain apparently didn’t … It was re-recorded by Motown soul singer Edwin Starr and released as a single in 1970. The mechanisms and developments that lead to war vary considerably, however, and are often complex, only understandable through the study and interpretation of human history. Answer: The different types of war include civil wars, revolutionary wars, wars to achieve economic gain or capture territory, wars of revenge, religious wars, nationalistic wars, defensive or preemptive wars. In pre-industrial times, the gains desired by a warring country might be precious materials such as gold and silver, or livestock such as cattle and horses. I think this is really good for note taking in a history class. Answer: A "buffer zone" in this context is a neutral area, the purpose of which is to keep apart hostile forces or nations. War What is it good for? While nomadic hunter-gatherers could simply migrate if they lost a violent conflict, agrarians were more invested in the crops and dwellings of a single location. We seem to be gradually evolving into less violent creatures, but the deep history of conflict in our past should temper excessive optimism. i think countries go to war only because lack of resorses, very helpful thank you so much .. i would like to read more. I will be referring to this again thank you for your hard work. Thx I had to wright speech, I chose to Wright about war and this is probably the most helpful website by far, Extremely useful for story writing/worldbuilding purposes. I am currently working on an essay about the effects of war and needed some background information about the main causes for armed conflict.This article has been a great help, thanks! Answer: Wars are usually destructive, causing loss of life and damage in many other ways. The only reason we go to war is to pay back and give money to the backers of all the people that are in Washington DC so they can put money in their pockets and who cares about how many young people you kill that's it there's no philosophy here. Without the protection and authority of a strong ruling government, provinces would endure endless local and civil wars and remain vulnerable to raiders and invasions. A long temporal lens is essential to understanding Morris’ argument. THE GREAT SECRET The Classified World War II Disaster That Launched the War on Cancer By Jennet Conant. It is fair, because most defenders of the war claim that the Iraq War’s role as a preventive war is enough to justify it apart from any other reasons for the war. Question: Is the purpose of all wars peace? Unfortunately, this can lead to an endless chain of retaliatory wars being set in motion which is very difficult to stop. A sustained campaign against an undesirable situation or activity. The sociologist Michael Mann called this process by which wars create larger and more productive societies “caging.” Winners absorbed losers into larger political units more capable of absorbing still other small groups or inspiring the formation of rival states for defense. One of the more enduring myths in Western society is that wars are somehow good for the economy. Ooh war, Good God (h'uh) y'all! However, in an area such as that, the Buddhists have been the minority and fear for their lives from militant Muslims. To Bush and Cheney--Good God ya all! It is bloody, expensive, and decimates populations. Controversy often revolves around those that think a particular conflict to be justified and those that don't. How can human own parts of the universe? In his essay "Most wars are not fought for reasons of security or material interests, but instead reflect a nation's spirit," he writes: "[Literature on war and its causes] assumes security is the principal motive of states and insecurity the major cause of war. India is unhappily a hotbed of religious violence between Muslims and Hindus (whoever is in the minority but might also be increasing, the majority violently attacks; so too with Christians when they're the minority - and when they are the attackers, it must not only be noted what sect they belong to, but that they - like many Hindus and Muslims - don't all take seriously their master's teaching of 'Turn the other cheek' and 'Love your enemy as yourself' [plus the Golden Rule, as in all belief systems]. While different religions fighting against each other can be a cause of war, different sects within a religion (for example, Protestant and Catholic, or Sunni and Shiite) battling against one another can also instigate war. But history professor Ian Morris also argues that war has made humanity safer and richer over the last 10,000 years. And yet an analyst must never give in to his or her emotions. Funny how old the song is yet the lyrics fit the Iraq war to a perfectly. The earliest clear evidence of a human killed by a spear dates to roughly 100,000 years ago. Because it means destruction. War on Terror - Began in Afghanistan (2001) A commom mistake. Examples of a necessary war might be defending your country against foreign invasion, or fighting a revolution against an unjust government. Answer: It really depends what you mean by "solve". The rise of professional armies using sophisticated war technologies gradually decreased the number of small-scale societies that could fight one another. The Sumerians won, it is recorded, and they: “carried away as spoils the weapons of Elam.” However, archaeology suggests that warfare was taking place much earlier in the Mesopotania/Egypt area, quite possibly as early as 10,000 BCE. Within the younger generation Induction, then destruction Who wants to die? But, it does not have direct definitions. thanks so much! The technologies of war became more deadly and the planet grew more populous, so the death tolls were often enormous. Wars can also be fought within a country in the form of a civil or revolutionary war. Given the many potential causes for conflict, the list does not attempt to be exhaustive, but does intend to give the most common reasons. Civil War has been a factor of Islamic warring as different factions of Muslims war over which faction should be in control. Territory can also be used as “buffer zones” between two hostile enemies. Russian soldiers in ceremonial uniforms. Listen to me. Question: What are the different types of war? Tribes killing their neighbors and burning their fields were now depriving the Romans of soldiers to conscript and produce to tax. War has also been linked to economic development by economic historians and development economists … Certain types of war, for example, a "defensive" war, might be fought with the desired outcome being peace. When a culminating point is passed, productive wars turn counterproductive and begin to splinter empires into smaller political units that are typically more impoverished and violent than their predecessors. Does government enhance or diminish the safety of the governed? Many darker possibilities, however, are also being modeled and considered by military strategists and analysts. Seems to me that all the 8 reasons are associated one way or another with ownership of one thing or another, which can be said to be due to ignorance? Ohhh, war, I despise. Darrell from Eugene Yes, war is good for absolutely nothing. In the modern world, where military aggression is more widely questioned, countries will often argue that they are fighting in a purely defensive capacity against an aggressor, or potential aggressor, and that their war is therefore a “just” war. War! Huge new global markets emerged, and people became both richer and safer. War means tears. Question: Why do countries fight against each other? This is very helpful in my holiday homework . That is my question here. U have expanded my research capacity. Human beings have ego,some a bit higher and they want to dominate others and that's their way of showing they are more powerful.A sort of animalistic trait though.When this combines with materialistic needs (greed) wars happen. was an anti-Vietnam War protest song, written by Norman Whitfield and recorded by Whitfield and the Temptations in 1969. 5 , 10 Question: Why do some people believe that war is a good thing? As technologies advance, wars can be fought increasingly with automated weaponry, such as drones and missiles, with less and less need for a traditional army. The 19th-century military strategist Carl von Clausewitz coined the term “culminating point” to describe the moment at which the costs of continued military expansion outweigh the benefits. For example the American Indians fought for food and water which required land. War! As the costs of conquering additional territories increase and the returns diminish, governments often struggle to raise the revenue to pay troops. Many people consider wars to be ethically wrong and most people consider them to be deeply undesirable. While WAR is not as complicated as some might think, it does require a good bit of information to calculate and understand. Thank you!! ginger lives don't matter on December 06, 2018: This will help me get back into harvard which I lost my scholarship to when I called a ginger a cheezit and she got me expelled from my high school, Thanks for the info i have a test about it tomorrow, this website is a very good source for my project im doing at school thank you. why war is going on in Afghanistan;how can we finish war in Afghanistan and why NATO forces cannot end Afghanistan's war. In the article below, I'll provide a general overview of the eight main reasons for war. precious materials such as gold and silver, or livestock such as cattle and horses. Cyber warfare is also on the rise. After all, World War II came directly after the Great Depression and seemed to cure it. Rousseau maintained that humans are peaceful in their natural state; wars result from the corrupting influences of civilization. In War! If the source of a conflict doesn't go away, however, there is every possibility that the conflict will erupt again, violently or otherwise. In modern times, the resources that are hoped to be gained from war take the form of things like oil, minerals, or materials used in manufacturing. Following Plato and Aristotle, I posit spirit, appetite and reason as fundamental drives with distinct goals. Answer: Although wars are typically fought between two or more armies, that is not always the case. Revolutions can begin for a variety of reasons, including economic hardship amongst certain sections of the population or perceived injustices committed by the ruling group. Religious conflicts often have very deep roots. Revolutionary wars can easily descend into civil wars. you vergot Pride and prejudice, also:honor and Insults. In this view wars begin as a pursuit of markets for natural resources and for wealth. No other beings that we know of kill their own kind like we do, and its because of having intelligence, souls, and opinions. If another global war does occur, they argue, symbolic skirmishes between machines would involve humans only as spectators and remote strategists. Regional powers and empires soon swallowed many of the squabbling local tribes and enforced some level of peace, even if only as a means to further war. Missed one in the list. Deb from Coppell, Texas on July 26, 2020: Well written, easy to understand, and great examples, Very clear, understandable and to the point, which can be challenging to some that write about History! The novels of authors like Chinua Achebe and Chris Abani might ultimately be better means of exploring them than a data-driven work of historical analysis. Thank you for the information. Of innocent lives. Wars, even the most ruinous wars, have heroes, those often of low station who sacrifice out of proportion to how the society has treated them. Morris, however, marshals a wide array of evidence from both disciplines to calculate a violent death rate of 10 to 15 percent in Stone Age societies. A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. Question: Why is war considered a controversial issue? Governments played an essential role in this process: “War made governments, and governments made peace.”. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. A similar pattern occurred when metal swords, armor, cavalry charges and dense infantry ranks developed. When Rudyard Kipling evoked “the savage wars of peace” in his infamous poem The White Man’s Burden, he described the same paradox of violent conquest that, however circuitously, led to long-term reductions in violence. Thank you very much it is very very helpful. His mastery of multiple fields is not only impressive, it’s what enables him to perceive fundamental patterns in human history. Paul K Francis from east coast,USA on August 24, 2018: I see a common thread of one wanting to have some kind of power over another running through the multiple reasons for war. Read on for my 8 common causes for war. Religious wars can often be tied to other reasons for conflict, such as nationalism or revenge for a perceived historical slight in the past. War & Peace War, What Is It Good For? There were also numerous conflicts associated with the revolution and in an attempt to resolve these, Napoleon ended up fighting the other major European powers, especially the United Kingdom. Morris elucidates this pattern with an abundance of case studies.