War and Peace Essay

Total Length: 808 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 3

Page 1 of 3

Sociologists do not see war as something humanity is genetically programmed to do, but the result of social forces. Why do they believe this? What is the evidence? If war is not caused by biology, what are some of the social forces that sociologists argue have contributed to it? Illustrate your points with concrete examples from the readings.

According to Howard Zinn, there is no evidence that human beings are innately predisposed to war, biologically or sociologically. War is generated by the actions of governments, not individuals. Zinn justifies his contention by the fact that citizens must be urged through propaganda and monetary rewards to die for the state. This shows that all wars are innately unnatural and totalitarian, given that the state demands that citizens act against their personal interests, such as living to see their children grow up, to die for an abstract concept such as 'national security.' If all human beings stopped fighting, then wars would cease (Zinn 2007: 190).

However, Zinn's idealistic analysis is belied by the fact that quite often people do seem to eager to engage in warfare. The resources of the world are scarce, and out of a desire, however foolish, to improve their nation's standing and their personal standing, people will often use state-sanctioned violence to achieve their objectives.
Rationally, if every soldier refused to fight for his or her government, war would cease, but fear that the enemy will not do so, combined with the desire for what might be gained if the enemy could be defeated, warfare continues. Even for citizens who are profoundly resistant to engaging in warfare, when faced with an aggressor, they may feel justified supporting war when their government resolves to arm itself.

There is an aspect of the infamous 'Prisoner's Dilemma' scenario in this: while it might be in two nations' mutual interest not to engage in war against one another, the fear that the other country will 'turn traitor' and betray the other by going to war causes one of the affected parties to engage in a first strike, in what it perceives as self-defense. The concept of self-defense is upheld even in the moral philosophy of the West. For example, according to Catholic doctrine, while Christianity is ostensibly a religion of peace, even an offensive war can be justified in defense of a moral objective, if the state has been injured. This is deemed analogous to the….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


Related Essays

The Impact of War on Iran

The Effects of War and Peace on Foreign Aid on Iran Prior to 9/11 and the invasion of the Middle East by the U.S., the countries in this region, from Afghanistan to Pakistan to Iraq, Egypt and Libya, had used foreign aid and investment to stabilize their governments and build up their economies. In the wake of 9/11 and with the threat of war and revolution, upheavals have occurred, governments have been toppled, and societies have been decimated. As Scott and Carter (2015) point out, “no region in the world has received more… Continue Reading...

Defence and National Strategy

in union with its armed forces for purposes of securing national objectives during war and peace times. National strategies are a key delivery mechanism for several new and existing nations. It was first introduced in the year 1998 with the aim of assisting in developing educational settings to improve the standards and life expectancy of children. Troops in the Air Force have today become experienced exceptional at applying space, air and cyber powers to achieve operational and tactical objectives (Bush, 2002). The Air Force plays a big role in national security. Some of the critical capabilities that determines what the Air Force is… Continue Reading...

Heart of Darkness Essay (Example Completed in 2019)

story but shorter than a novel. It is much less daunting than long tomes like War and Peace. Conrads work is also easy to understand, as the author uses straightforward language. The book Heart of Darkness became famous for good reason. It is still relevant because it discusses issues like social injustice and how people react to injustices like exploitation and racism. As a student, you will also benefit tremendously from learning about the historical context of the novel. Understanding why Conrad wrote the book can help you understand the deeper meanings you will be asked to analyze in class. Therefore, writing about Heart of… Continue Reading...

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"War And Peace" (2012, March 26) Retrieved June 3, 2026, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/war-peace-113478

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"War And Peace" 26 March 2012. Web.3 June. 2026. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/war-peace-113478>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"War And Peace", 26 March 2012, Accessed.3 June. 2026,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/war-peace-113478