Why do Wars Still Exist?
War has been a side business of policymakers, politicians, and head of states, provided political communities exist. Most people relate to war to periods when there were no proper boundaries and weak political organizations. The leaders used the events to express their powers and expand their areas of jurisdiction. Though the World Wars are the most famous events, more battles were fought around the globe. Since most nations are now stable, the obvious expectation is fewer wars. Ahluwalia & Miller (2016) posit that since 1950 there has been a surge in wars within states. This situation calls for an investigation to enquire why wars still exist even in the presence of political tranquillity and economic success.
The first step to understanding why wars still exist is to evaluate the theoretical perspectives of war. Political science institutions suggest that power transition theories, power theories, the correlation between war and economy, conflict divisionary theories, decision making risks, and domestic coalition theories are the leading cause of present wars (Ahluwalia & Miller, 2016). These theories spark conflict among the elements of a heterogeneous society. Though people try to live in harmony, cultural dimensions associated with economy, ethnicity and religion are still sensitive. Most cases of war arise from inequalities leading to unemployment, poverty, poor government services, and environmental degradation (Ahluwalia & Miller, 2016). So long as such problems continue to exist the war is far from over.
Another reason for the increasing cases of wars is the increase in awareness of historical injustices. The growth in feminism and environmental protection activism has highlighted the structural inequality of communities that led to the abuse of minorities leading to other forms of war (Lopez & Johnson, 2017). People get into conflict with the status quo when they realize how much the other section has abused their fundamental rights. According to Lopez & Johnson (2017), capitalist consumer mentality that had dominated the political arena is also a source of war after the realization of the selfish nature of upper social class and developed nations. The realizations of these injustices create a psychological disturbance that radicalizes people to war.
The existence of war is a result of conflict theories that are working through different elements. Historically, wars were tools for settling injustices. The persistence of social inequality creates awareness and the need for people to resist social injustices. Not unless the political and socio-economic structures become fair, war will still exist.