Conflict is a constant factor in human history. Warfare has devastated many lands and populations. Society has advanced technologically, socially, and politically, yet humanity cannot live in peace. There are numerous factors why war starts. The desire for resources, belligerent governments, ethnic and racial hatreds are the major factors. There also is a major economic incentive, which as formed a vast military industrial complex that profits from destruction. The United Nations which proclaims itself to be the supporter of international law, authorizes aggression and continues to be dominated by major world powers. Aggression is now disguise under the cover of humanitarian intervention. Some still maintain that world peace can be attainable in the distant future. They believe that if there are governments that respect rights and the rule of law this would reduce tension around the world. However, the absence of war does not mean peace in society. The world functions on conflict and there is limited chance it shall cease. Society is full of racial and class struggle. Oppression, racism, and reduced social mobility create a void of discord in various communities. When examined from this perspective world peace cannot be attained simply because of the discontent that festers internally with nation states. Another dynamic is that every nation wants to compete for global influence and dominance that would inevitably lead to confrontation. International power politics is the system in which the world functions and it could ultimately result in the eradication of human civilization itself. Pacifism has been suggested as a solution to problem of chronic international violence, but in terms of praxis not feasible.
The arms industry has become a lucrative business. The export of weapons and their production has been tied so deeply that it is causing instability. Arms find their way to conflict zones enabling warring parties to inflict damage. The United States, China, and Russia are major powers that distribute arms around the world. Other countries are attempting to catch up in the global arms trade. The United States is a fascinating example due to the fact it evolved a military-industrial complex. Business and the US military have converged in a common interest of profit. The US military, Pentagon, and the Department of Defense employs many people and if a permanent peace were to come their services would no longer be needed. The arms industry is dependent on constant conflict. The end of the Cold War made it seem as if the arms industry would be troubled by a world of reduced tension. However, new threats were either imagined or new wars were induced. The Gulf War gave the US a new imperialistic mission : be the enforcer and policeman of the world. Invading authoritarian regimes was not enough to justify aggressive war; it had to be presented in the context of human rights. This was a falsehood that benefited the arms industry. When the War on Terrorism was declared by the Bush administration, this was essentially a license for perpetual warfare. Lockeed Martin and Boeing were the two corporations that had the most to gain from the September 11th attacks. Planes, tanks, and new drone technologies make the arms industry a billion dollar business. The irony is that many guns and weapons fall into the hands of the terrorist organizations that the US claims to be fighting. There is always some existential threat that is manufactured to justify the creation of more lethal weapons. This is but one part of the economic dynamic that stops peace.
There are economic and resource related factors for conflict. The prevalent source is for fossil fuel . Oil and natural gas are sought after by various nations even though it is a finite resource. This reliance on such fuels will one day become obsolete due to technological advancements. However, the companies that are involved in the oil and gas industry do not want to accept this fact. The control of fossil fuel and which nations they reside in has been a major source of war. Nations that are rich in natural resources are targeted by Europe and the majority of the West for military action. This pattern of behavior goes back to the age of European colonial empires. Countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium colonies various ares in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. When they arrived and embarked on conquest they extracted the natural resources of various lands without developing the colonized areas. When a wave of national liberation movements emerged in the Third World, many attained political independence, but not economic independence. There were factories and industries still owned and operated by the vary same countries that were former colonizers. There were attempts and some success of gaining economic independence. Libya was able to use oil revenue to fund development projects under Muammar Qaddafi. Singapore under Lee Quan Yew instituted a level of protectionism and emerged as an economically powerful nation. China went through a period of radical change under Mao Zedong and after a rapid shift toward economic liberalization. Non-Western countries that become economically competitive will either be demonized or attacked. When countries of the global south attempt to beak free of a Western directed economic system they face the threat of violence. The wars waged in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Somalia are connected to the fact major world powers are fighting for control of oil and natural gas reserves. The US and China are in this contest of control. This explains why the West seems alarmed about China's foreign policy in Africa and abroad. The consumption of numerous natural resources continues to increase for these two nations.
Neo-liberal capitalism cannot be compatible with world peace. This dominant economic system requires the rapid expansion of new markets. Vladimir Lenin stated that imperialism was the highest stage of capitalism. Colonized subjects provide a cheap labor force, which therefore enhances profit maximization. A free independent nation-state will not be subject to a conquering power. While colonization has ended, nations such as the US, UK, and France seek to have nations of the global south economically dependent. The nations of the global south that do not have the wealth of the West either have to turn to the International Monetary Fund or World Bank for assistance. Structural Adjustment Programs are implemented to make a particular nation more suitable for foreign investment. The problem is that social services are cut in terms of education and healthcare, while loans are difficult to pay off. When global south nations look to other nations such as Russia and China they could face forms of economic and diplomatic isolation. The neo-liberal capitalist system demands that there should be no alternatives to the free market. If it demonstrates that it can provide for people better than what it can do, the credibility is damaged. Yugoslavia a federal socialist republic was dismantled not solely due to ethnic strife, but by the US, Germany, UK, and France who did not want to see an economic alternative. Instead of being mediators in the conflict they aided its collapse during a period of civil war. This culminated in the bombing of Kosovo in 1999. Yugoslavia ceased to exist by 2003. The democratic socialist countries of Scandinavia although not as fanatic about neo-liberal capitalist policies, were more so reformers rather that being in favor of a restructuring of the economic system. New markets will not open unless military force is applied. The Eurasian landmass has not been fully exploited. The Central Asian states and Russia itself remain untapped areas for neo-liberal capitalist projects. The Soviet Union no longer exists,yet Russia is being viewed as an international threat. The sudden attention and the subsequent sanctions are designed to weaken Russia enough to make it proper for foreign investment by Western powers. Dismantling Russia would allow for greater access to the oil and natural gas of Central Asia. if tariffs were adjusted US and other Western products could be sold in these territories. The desire to open new markets will cause war. Neo-liberal capitalism cannot survive without war or some form of conflict. This drives consumption and profits favoring the business elite.
Hate is a destructive emotion. Racism and ethnic tension continue to cause disturbances globally and locally. The horrible combination of both hate and aggressive nationalism have cause major confrontations. World War II saw immense destruction driven by an ideology of intolerance and aggression. Fascism by its nature believed that were nations to be conquered and their superior rulers . Although such an ideology has been rejected in the mainstream political discourse, its remnants still live. Terms that are used such as "the civilized world" and "uncivilized world" demonstrates the social darwinist philosophy. This term is used in relation to certain regions, such as the Middle East. The West wants to believe that it is the most advanced and superior form of civilization. This ignores that historical fact that Africa, Asia, and Latin America have civilizations that are far more ancient. The nations of Europe and the United States operate their foreign policy in the context of white supremacist agenda. No African, Asian, or South American country should be allowed to peacefully rise or assert its national sovereignty. The nations that are in compliance with Western objectives are either protected or shielded from certain abuses that would otherwise be criticized by various international bodies. Israel continues to violate basic human rights of the Palestinian people. The UN does not sanction the country nor pass harsh resolutions condemning war crimes in the Gaza Strip. While there is a war being waged by the West on the global south , there are also ethnic conflicts within particular nations. South Sudan has conflict between the Nuer and Dinka. Myanmar has been in a state of civil war among its ethnic groups. The Rohingya are being persecuted seeking safety in Bangladesh. The Arab, Kurdish, and Persian ethnic hatreds further fuel conflict in the Middle East. The hate becomes so pervasive it also morphs into hate against a different culture. This strife can be explained by ancient civilizations, European imperialism, and the artificial boundaries that were from from previous time periods. The rise of ethnic nationalism makes it impossible to accept others into a new state. Civic nationalism seems to be more accepting of different ethnic groups, because it puts emphasis on the principles of the state rather than race. The problem with ethnic nationalism is that it will foment hatred of the other. The tension between Hutus and Tutsis in both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrate the destructive force of ethnic nationalism. Genocide and civil war were the product of that hatred. Ethnic cleansing has been done in the Balkans, Turkey , Myanmar, and parts of the former Soviet Union. Ethnic conflict continues to destabilize South Asia in the context of the long standing Indo-Pakistani conflict. Aggressive nationalism and intolerance are the main causes of war in the modern world.
The world functions on a system of international power politics. This system is a contest in which each nation of the world competes for some form of dominance. The struggle is for political, cultural, and economic influence. Smaller nations which are not as powerful either seek to become dominant in their own region, rather than internationally. Weaker ones in terms of economic and military power tend to align with a stronger nation as a form of security. This vicious competition between nations further increases the chances for mass global conflict and wars of proxy. Rival alliance systems are a threat to peace, which forces nations to choose a side of foreign policy alignment. The end of World War II the world was divided into three blocks. There was the First World consisting of the Western democracies, which were in conflict with the Second World communist states. The Third World consisted of the former colonies of the European colonial empires. The Third World was in a struggle to maintain its independence, while the rivalry between the US and U.S.S.R was for control of the world. When World War II ended there was a spirit of cooperation between the US, U.S.S.R, France, China, and Great Britain. The United Nations was founded on the basis of preserving peace and upholding international law. These ideals were destroyed mainly because the mindset of the most powerful nations did not change. International power politics was still in place and the US and U.S.S.R let the wartime alliance deteriorate. Nations are driven by the desire for power and this will cause friction. The US remains the sole superpower after the Soviet collapse, but this has cause other complications. The US wants to maintain sole dominance and that has cause numerous reactions. Russia and China are reacting to this viewing it as an act of belligerence. They have also become engaged in boosting their military power in response to the United States. Nations should not compete with each other in such a manner. This antiquated system is the product of past empires both ancient and 19th century based. The contemporary world is the product of globalization and is more interconnected than ever. If there is a serious desire for stability and security nations from all over the world must collaborate. If not, then another violent world conflict will be unavoidable.
World peace considering historical and sociological factors is not attainable. It is a goal in terms of foreign policy that is unrealistic. If there is no internal peace in a nation-state, then proposing such an agenda does not seem likely. Countries like Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia , Libya, and South Sudan are in states of civil war or failed state status. It attracts foreign states who either intervene and cause more damage and instability. The United Nations has failed every time to prevent abuse from major world powers. This demonstrates a level of weakness and hypocrisy the institution has been facing for the past half century. It seems that the military industrial complex has become global with an ever growing arms trade. The fight against international terrorism has been used as a justification on fighting wars all over the world. This obviously cannot be done due to the fact terrorism is a tactic. Terrorism can never be fully eliminated and that is not the desired goal. Neo-liberal capitalism needs the military industrial complex and new markets to opened by aggression to survive. The cycle of warfare and avarice continues with the business elite and their interest. The unfortunate reality is that most of the public is convinced that war can be humanitarian. Such violent acts are referred to as liberation or promotion of democracy. This clever public relations method plays on ignorance and emotion to get the US public to support conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Somalia. Humanitarian intervention is another example of imperialism updating itself and presenting a more acceptable face. This does not disguise that same brutality and atrocities that occur regularly.The mainstream media either ignores or promotes the war agenda. Seeing as this is the only source of information for some individuals it distorts their thinking. Political leaders are also persuaded as well. The world is explained in terms of simple binary opposition in the context of good versus evil. A simplistic view creates perilous results. The pursuit of power has caused much devastation. World peace is not attainable, but the reduction of conflict is possible.It can only happen with a radical change in foreign policy thought.
The arms industry has become a lucrative business. The export of weapons and their production has been tied so deeply that it is causing instability. Arms find their way to conflict zones enabling warring parties to inflict damage. The United States, China, and Russia are major powers that distribute arms around the world. Other countries are attempting to catch up in the global arms trade. The United States is a fascinating example due to the fact it evolved a military-industrial complex. Business and the US military have converged in a common interest of profit. The US military, Pentagon, and the Department of Defense employs many people and if a permanent peace were to come their services would no longer be needed. The arms industry is dependent on constant conflict. The end of the Cold War made it seem as if the arms industry would be troubled by a world of reduced tension. However, new threats were either imagined or new wars were induced. The Gulf War gave the US a new imperialistic mission : be the enforcer and policeman of the world. Invading authoritarian regimes was not enough to justify aggressive war; it had to be presented in the context of human rights. This was a falsehood that benefited the arms industry. When the War on Terrorism was declared by the Bush administration, this was essentially a license for perpetual warfare. Lockeed Martin and Boeing were the two corporations that had the most to gain from the September 11th attacks. Planes, tanks, and new drone technologies make the arms industry a billion dollar business. The irony is that many guns and weapons fall into the hands of the terrorist organizations that the US claims to be fighting. There is always some existential threat that is manufactured to justify the creation of more lethal weapons. This is but one part of the economic dynamic that stops peace.
There are economic and resource related factors for conflict. The prevalent source is for fossil fuel . Oil and natural gas are sought after by various nations even though it is a finite resource. This reliance on such fuels will one day become obsolete due to technological advancements. However, the companies that are involved in the oil and gas industry do not want to accept this fact. The control of fossil fuel and which nations they reside in has been a major source of war. Nations that are rich in natural resources are targeted by Europe and the majority of the West for military action. This pattern of behavior goes back to the age of European colonial empires. Countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium colonies various ares in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. When they arrived and embarked on conquest they extracted the natural resources of various lands without developing the colonized areas. When a wave of national liberation movements emerged in the Third World, many attained political independence, but not economic independence. There were factories and industries still owned and operated by the vary same countries that were former colonizers. There were attempts and some success of gaining economic independence. Libya was able to use oil revenue to fund development projects under Muammar Qaddafi. Singapore under Lee Quan Yew instituted a level of protectionism and emerged as an economically powerful nation. China went through a period of radical change under Mao Zedong and after a rapid shift toward economic liberalization. Non-Western countries that become economically competitive will either be demonized or attacked. When countries of the global south attempt to beak free of a Western directed economic system they face the threat of violence. The wars waged in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Somalia are connected to the fact major world powers are fighting for control of oil and natural gas reserves. The US and China are in this contest of control. This explains why the West seems alarmed about China's foreign policy in Africa and abroad. The consumption of numerous natural resources continues to increase for these two nations.
Neo-liberal capitalism cannot be compatible with world peace. This dominant economic system requires the rapid expansion of new markets. Vladimir Lenin stated that imperialism was the highest stage of capitalism. Colonized subjects provide a cheap labor force, which therefore enhances profit maximization. A free independent nation-state will not be subject to a conquering power. While colonization has ended, nations such as the US, UK, and France seek to have nations of the global south economically dependent. The nations of the global south that do not have the wealth of the West either have to turn to the International Monetary Fund or World Bank for assistance. Structural Adjustment Programs are implemented to make a particular nation more suitable for foreign investment. The problem is that social services are cut in terms of education and healthcare, while loans are difficult to pay off. When global south nations look to other nations such as Russia and China they could face forms of economic and diplomatic isolation. The neo-liberal capitalist system demands that there should be no alternatives to the free market. If it demonstrates that it can provide for people better than what it can do, the credibility is damaged. Yugoslavia a federal socialist republic was dismantled not solely due to ethnic strife, but by the US, Germany, UK, and France who did not want to see an economic alternative. Instead of being mediators in the conflict they aided its collapse during a period of civil war. This culminated in the bombing of Kosovo in 1999. Yugoslavia ceased to exist by 2003. The democratic socialist countries of Scandinavia although not as fanatic about neo-liberal capitalist policies, were more so reformers rather that being in favor of a restructuring of the economic system. New markets will not open unless military force is applied. The Eurasian landmass has not been fully exploited. The Central Asian states and Russia itself remain untapped areas for neo-liberal capitalist projects. The Soviet Union no longer exists,yet Russia is being viewed as an international threat. The sudden attention and the subsequent sanctions are designed to weaken Russia enough to make it proper for foreign investment by Western powers. Dismantling Russia would allow for greater access to the oil and natural gas of Central Asia. if tariffs were adjusted US and other Western products could be sold in these territories. The desire to open new markets will cause war. Neo-liberal capitalism cannot survive without war or some form of conflict. This drives consumption and profits favoring the business elite.
Hate is a destructive emotion. Racism and ethnic tension continue to cause disturbances globally and locally. The horrible combination of both hate and aggressive nationalism have cause major confrontations. World War II saw immense destruction driven by an ideology of intolerance and aggression. Fascism by its nature believed that were nations to be conquered and their superior rulers . Although such an ideology has been rejected in the mainstream political discourse, its remnants still live. Terms that are used such as "the civilized world" and "uncivilized world" demonstrates the social darwinist philosophy. This term is used in relation to certain regions, such as the Middle East. The West wants to believe that it is the most advanced and superior form of civilization. This ignores that historical fact that Africa, Asia, and Latin America have civilizations that are far more ancient. The nations of Europe and the United States operate their foreign policy in the context of white supremacist agenda. No African, Asian, or South American country should be allowed to peacefully rise or assert its national sovereignty. The nations that are in compliance with Western objectives are either protected or shielded from certain abuses that would otherwise be criticized by various international bodies. Israel continues to violate basic human rights of the Palestinian people. The UN does not sanction the country nor pass harsh resolutions condemning war crimes in the Gaza Strip. While there is a war being waged by the West on the global south , there are also ethnic conflicts within particular nations. South Sudan has conflict between the Nuer and Dinka. Myanmar has been in a state of civil war among its ethnic groups. The Rohingya are being persecuted seeking safety in Bangladesh. The Arab, Kurdish, and Persian ethnic hatreds further fuel conflict in the Middle East. The hate becomes so pervasive it also morphs into hate against a different culture. This strife can be explained by ancient civilizations, European imperialism, and the artificial boundaries that were from from previous time periods. The rise of ethnic nationalism makes it impossible to accept others into a new state. Civic nationalism seems to be more accepting of different ethnic groups, because it puts emphasis on the principles of the state rather than race. The problem with ethnic nationalism is that it will foment hatred of the other. The tension between Hutus and Tutsis in both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrate the destructive force of ethnic nationalism. Genocide and civil war were the product of that hatred. Ethnic cleansing has been done in the Balkans, Turkey , Myanmar, and parts of the former Soviet Union. Ethnic conflict continues to destabilize South Asia in the context of the long standing Indo-Pakistani conflict. Aggressive nationalism and intolerance are the main causes of war in the modern world.
The world functions on a system of international power politics. This system is a contest in which each nation of the world competes for some form of dominance. The struggle is for political, cultural, and economic influence. Smaller nations which are not as powerful either seek to become dominant in their own region, rather than internationally. Weaker ones in terms of economic and military power tend to align with a stronger nation as a form of security. This vicious competition between nations further increases the chances for mass global conflict and wars of proxy. Rival alliance systems are a threat to peace, which forces nations to choose a side of foreign policy alignment. The end of World War II the world was divided into three blocks. There was the First World consisting of the Western democracies, which were in conflict with the Second World communist states. The Third World consisted of the former colonies of the European colonial empires. The Third World was in a struggle to maintain its independence, while the rivalry between the US and U.S.S.R was for control of the world. When World War II ended there was a spirit of cooperation between the US, U.S.S.R, France, China, and Great Britain. The United Nations was founded on the basis of preserving peace and upholding international law. These ideals were destroyed mainly because the mindset of the most powerful nations did not change. International power politics was still in place and the US and U.S.S.R let the wartime alliance deteriorate. Nations are driven by the desire for power and this will cause friction. The US remains the sole superpower after the Soviet collapse, but this has cause other complications. The US wants to maintain sole dominance and that has cause numerous reactions. Russia and China are reacting to this viewing it as an act of belligerence. They have also become engaged in boosting their military power in response to the United States. Nations should not compete with each other in such a manner. This antiquated system is the product of past empires both ancient and 19th century based. The contemporary world is the product of globalization and is more interconnected than ever. If there is a serious desire for stability and security nations from all over the world must collaborate. If not, then another violent world conflict will be unavoidable.
World peace considering historical and sociological factors is not attainable. It is a goal in terms of foreign policy that is unrealistic. If there is no internal peace in a nation-state, then proposing such an agenda does not seem likely. Countries like Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia , Libya, and South Sudan are in states of civil war or failed state status. It attracts foreign states who either intervene and cause more damage and instability. The United Nations has failed every time to prevent abuse from major world powers. This demonstrates a level of weakness and hypocrisy the institution has been facing for the past half century. It seems that the military industrial complex has become global with an ever growing arms trade. The fight against international terrorism has been used as a justification on fighting wars all over the world. This obviously cannot be done due to the fact terrorism is a tactic. Terrorism can never be fully eliminated and that is not the desired goal. Neo-liberal capitalism needs the military industrial complex and new markets to opened by aggression to survive. The cycle of warfare and avarice continues with the business elite and their interest. The unfortunate reality is that most of the public is convinced that war can be humanitarian. Such violent acts are referred to as liberation or promotion of democracy. This clever public relations method plays on ignorance and emotion to get the US public to support conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Somalia. Humanitarian intervention is another example of imperialism updating itself and presenting a more acceptable face. This does not disguise that same brutality and atrocities that occur regularly.The mainstream media either ignores or promotes the war agenda. Seeing as this is the only source of information for some individuals it distorts their thinking. Political leaders are also persuaded as well. The world is explained in terms of simple binary opposition in the context of good versus evil. A simplistic view creates perilous results. The pursuit of power has caused much devastation. World peace is not attainable, but the reduction of conflict is possible.It can only happen with a radical change in foreign policy thought.
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