Unit 5 – Violence in Anarchy

War: What is it good for? War is: –Open armed conflict –About power or territory –Involving centrally organized fighters and fighting –With continuity between clashes –Resulting in at least 1000 battle deaths Between 1990 and 1995, 70 states were involved in 93 wars which killed 5.5 million people There has been no interstate war for 2 years now.

Post Cold War conflict

War: What is it good for? Conflict Escalation –Intrastate Conflict Civil Disorder Rebellion Civil War –Interstate Conflict Dispute Militarized Dispute Clash or limited engagement War

Why war? Realist explanation – A world of scarcity in an environment of anarchy leads to conflicting interests. War results when the balance of power is in doubt. A war demonstrates to all the reality of the balance, at which point the war ends.

Why war? Idealist Explanation – Conflict is inevitable due to a world of scarcity in an environment of anarchy, but conflict can be peacefully resolved. War is the result of miscalculation, miscommunication, or misperception. War is almost always avoidable, which is why is should always be a last resort. Cult of the Offensive / Cult of Defensive

Calculus of War Costs of war Costs of peace

Just War Theory Thomas Aquinas among others Causus Ad Bellum – Motive –Threat of war must originate in other –Core interests threatened –War must be last resort Causus In Bello – Consequences –Principle of proportionality –Protection of noncombatants, discrimination Modern addition of legality