Causes of War
What causes perfectly peaceful people to take up guns and shoot each other? War has been a feature of human behavior since times far before recorded history. Even now, in primitive cultures, different tribes of people still fight it out with rocks and spears. Why do people behave in such a destructive, unkind, and unproductive way?
People have probably been asking this question for as long as fighting has been a part of human behavior. Animals fight for territory, food, and mates. Animals, however, do not have complex language that enables them to cooperate. War is a very cooperative effort. It takes organization and the assignment of leadership to facilitate warfare. Without the ability to communicate it would be every man for himself.
Warlike behavior is almost inseparable from the development of weapons technology. The human body is not equipped with very effective natural weapons as were the Tyrannosaurus Rex. A weapon can be as simple as a rock or a stick, both naturally occurring objects. Chimpanzees have basic rock and stick technology, and sometimes engage in raiding competing bands for food. Chimps, however, have long canine teeth and do not use their tools as weapons. Monkeys also do not have complex language. Their groups do have clear leadership hierarchies, so they do have some cultural aspects in common with humans.
Modern man has far more advanced technology than primitive man, and has vastly more complex leadership structures. There are also a lot more humans on earth than there were in ancient times. Having the technology to fight organized battles and the social structure that separates one group of humans from another, all leads to a high potential for combative behavior. The central question I have in regard to war, is: Why is murder tolerated on a large scale by humanity, but punished when perpetrated on the scale of the individual?
No sane person would desire war. It is bad enough when houses and buildings are destroyed by natural catastrophes. To deliberately destroy property and life with explosive devices is beyond criminal. We have to look at who is perpetrating such destructive acts. Sometimes individual persons contrive bombs and destroy some things. We tend to call these kinds of persons terrorists. Yet, when a soldier, under orders from a government drops bombs on some city, we call that person a hero? Why is there such a dichotomy between the perceived character of persons perpetrating what is basically the same act?
It all boils down to the diverse governments of mankind. Individuals do not start wars. Individuals may commit acts of violence that precipitate a war, but it is governments which organize and perpetrate war. Right now there are something like 142 separate governments on earth, each with their own laws and leadership. Not only are humans categorized by what area they live in, there are many different languages, customs, and religions which alienate one group of people from another. With all of these different countries supporting some sort of military force, ostensibly for defense, there is vast potential for conflict.
What are the sources for conflict between whole groups of people? There are differing claims for territory. This is one of the most ancient sources of dispute. One government may claim sovereignty over the same area of land as another government. This is the main dispute between India and Pakistan, the disputed region of Kashmir. At many times in history, a country has decided to completely take over neighboring regions. The quest for power over large numbers of people is what motivated Adolf Hitler to start the second world war. Invasions like this are orchestrated for political reasons.
Different countries might have differing philosophical outlooks. Capitalist countries are diametrically opposed to communist countries. Because of these different political systems, these countries place themselves in competition for control of the wealth and resources of the planet. The differences in how these countries are administrated was the cause for many of the wars of the twentieth century. Korea and Vietnam were examples of wars caused by politics.
Differences in religious belief also causes some international conflict. One has only to look at the histories of the muslims, jews, and christians in the middle east to see this cause in action. When people assign political leadership to religious figures, this can cause conflict with leaders of regions who have different religious beliefs. People will fight to the death for no better reason than a difference of esoteric ideation.
In a world that is so technologically advanced that one person can grow enough food to feed a thousand others, why do we still have such idiotic customs as warfare? Wouldn’t it make more sense to apply fair laws and political systems to all persons of the earth regardless of where they happened to be born? Wouldn’t it make more sense to settle international disputes in a court of law, like personal disputes are settled, rather than to duke it out on the battlefield with weapons of mass destruction? Wouldn’t the people of the earth be better served by governments who spent tax money on ways to help people, rather than on research into better ways to kill people? Isn’t it time for the nations of the earth to get together and discuss ways we can live in peace, rather than to fight about who has the right to rule over which areas of lands and peoples?
