July 17, 2004

CAUSES OF WAR

INTRODUCTION

The causes of war are innumerable. They converge and overlap. The following provides a framework for thinking about this illusive and all-important characteristic of human life.

MAJOR, UNCONSCIOUS FORCES

At least four major forces operate to make violent conflicts more probable. They can be summarized as follows.

1. Childhood

Unconscious rage and fear of the Aother@ are generated in children by mothers who do not have an ability for empathy, have themselves a fear of the Aother@ (the baby), and hence subject their children to torture under the guise of raising them. Behaviors such as the following traumatize the child and leave their mark on the individual through adulthood:

Infanticide (seen by siblings of the murdered child).

Abandonment and the use of wet-nurses.

Swaddling.

Harsh punishment, such as beating, starving and scaring, chaining, abandoning in a dark closet, and the giving of enemas.

Neglect.

Shaming, humiliating, down-grading, over-controlling.

Sexual exploitation, such as masturbating babies of both sexes and raping the baby girl.

Circumcision of the boy or girl.

The effect of these traumas on the individual include:

b. The need to project evil onto an Aother@ who is demonized, so that only the Agood child@ remains within B this Agood child@ then hopefully being acceptable to mother and worthy of mother=s love.

c. The need to sacrifice, that is, to die for mother (or the motherland) and hence remain forever a hero or an angel in mother=s eyes.

d. Making the individual more vulnerable to the manipulation of leaders able to tap into the adult=s dormant, now unconscious reservoir of anger, and deflect it toward the leader=s chosen target.

2. No Genetic Mutation for Empathy *

The mutation for intelligence in humans does not seem to have been accompanied by a similar genetic endowment for empathy. The long period of dependence in childhood (made necessary by the early birth of the young, when its head is still small enough to pass through the mother=s pelvis), is fraught with opportunities for fear, confusion, frustration and suffering B all producing a reservoir of anger. In matters of killing the Aother,@ humans may be driven by primitive instincts not well modulated by their newer capacity for thinking.

Humans have made only slow progress over the years in their ability to empathize with an Aother@ beyond their family, clan, band, tribe or state.

3. Degree of Stability of the ecosystem*

The stability of dynamically stable ecosystems is maintained by means of feedback loops which act both externally to their component species and internally to them.

a. Climax Stage Ecosystems: Ecosystems which have not been disturbed for long periods of time (either by humans or by natural disasters), reach a state of dynamic equilibrium B a Aclimax@ stage. Old growth forests provide an example. Organisms within such a Acommunity,@ have adapted themselves to one another in such a way as to:

i. Maintain relatively constant population levels (through the culling of prey species by predators and through internal feedback loops within the species themselves).

ii. Avoid direct competition.

iii. Keep energy flow-through to a minimum.

iv. Recycle to the maximum available energy and nutrients.

Ecosystems in the climax stage of development have less killing within them than any ecosystem at a stage of lesser stability. Disturbance of the equilibrium of climax stage ecosystems by natural disasters (such as a fire, flood, earthquake or volcano eruption), destabilizes them and causes increased killing within them.

Native Americans: At the time of the European invasion, Native peoples of North America lived in cooperation and harmony with other species. Over-hunting and wanton destruction of ecosystems were viewed as having negative moral as well as practical implications. Animals and plants used for food were regarded as sacred, and people recognized their responsibility to the rest of nature, considering:

Athe four-leggeds, the wingeds, the star people of the heavens, and all things as relatives.@

(Luther Standing Bear, My People, the Sioux, 1928, quoted in Heinberg, p. 22; and Heinberg, p. 22).

External Balancing Feedback Loops: External balancing feedback loops are exemplified by the predator-prey relationship. The loop keeps the population level of each species within a narrow range. An increase in numbers of the prey leads to an increase in numbers of the predator which in turn leads to a decrease in numbers of the prey. (Balancing feedback loops operate much like a thermostat).

Internal Balancing Feedback Loops within Species: In addition to the culling of prey species by predators, climax ecosystems keep population levels relatively in check through species acting on their own to limit their numbers via internal feedback mechanisms.

Examples of such internal feedback loops are as follows:

i. Fruit flies: Fruit flies placed in a bottle with an adequate source of food, stop reproducing at a certain population density.

ii. Rats: Rats evidence increased levels of fighting and killing as population densities increase, even though food remains plentiful (Keeley, p. 118).

iii. Elephants: Elephants experience delays in the onset of maturity at high population densities (Heinberg, p. 17).

iv. Mice: Female mice ovulate more slowly or cease to ovulate altogether at high population densities (Heinberg, p. 17).

v. Birds: The adults of many bird species do not breed when the available food-energy would not support population growth (Heinberg, p. 17).

vi. The Australian Aboriginals: Before the arrival of European colonizers, the aboriginals of ancient Australia had lived in an environment undisturbed for tens of thousands of years and had achieved a relative balance in their adopted environment. They lived in a climax ecosystem and people had developed myths, rites and taboos forbidding over-hunting and over-burning.

Australian aboriginals limited their population through extended lactation, the use of contraceptive herbs and infanticide (Heinberg, p. 22).

b. Unstable Ecosystems: Ecosystems which are disturbed, as for instance, by the introduction of a new, exotic species, cannot maintain population stability in their species. External feedback loops are self re-enforcing and cause more change in the same direction (much like the sound amplification produced when a microphone is too near an amplifier).

Populations in these disturbed or colonized ecosystems go through dramatic swings, especially at first. Over time, the waves of killing decrease in frequency and amplitude until a new equilibrium is reached which includes the new species.

Rabbits in Australia: The introduction of rabbits in Australia, in 1859, by Europeans provides an example of a reinforcing feedback loop. Australia was previously devoid of rabbits, there was plenty of food rabbits could eat and there were no natural predators capable of restraining rabbit population growth. The rabbit population overshot the food supply, eating the available vegetation faster than it could naturally regenerate itself. Because of the momentum of their population growth, rabbits actually reduced their environment=s rabbit-carrying capacity even as their numbers were still increasing. Their population crashed. Rabbits began to die-off. As the vegetation renewed itself, they again grew in number and again overshot their food supply. Seasonal population swings were dramatic until now the rabbits are being incorporated into Australia=s ecosystem.

Explosive Growth of the Human Population: The present explosive growth of the world=s human population and the massive extinction of other species, are signs that the world ecological system is not stable. By colonizing the entire world, the humans have destabilized its energy recycling system. Humans have:

Taken over land B by moving to new habitats, using fire, developing horticulture and then agriculture, domesticating animals and using tools.

Tapped into new energy sources B by trading, using other humans as slaves, and using wood, coal, oil, natural gas and uranium.

The Present Human Population: Even at its present level, the number of humans may be incompatible with the diminished energy supply that will be available with the depletion of wood, coal, oil, natural gas and uranium. The human population on the planet may be due for a sizeable decrease, one which may be achieved, at least partly, through wars (Heinberg, pp. 17-19 and 30).

4. Evolutionary Advantage to Violence*

People who refuse to kill have the options of either fleeing or letting the violent Aother@ exploit them B until perhaps this Aother@ is able to develop empathy. Fleeing is an option only for nomadic tribes living in areas where resources are widespread. Letting the violent have his way has the hope of producing results only in the long term. In the short term, the evolutionary advantage goes to the one who is willing to kill, that is, the one with the least ability for empathy.

Our present methods of mass destruction increase the evolutionary advantage of the violent since pacifist people have no place of refuge where they could continue to evolve and grow. They, like all others, will be engulfed in the consequences of any nuclear or other holocaust which might occur.

MEDIUM FORCES

1. Greed of Leaders: Leaders, whether elected or not, seek to increase their power by increasing their control over their subjects and enlarging the size of the territory over which they hold sway.

In the words of Lord Acton (?1736-1811):

APower tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.@

(Quoted in Rummel, p. 1)

2. Manipulation of the People by Leaders: Leaders are adept at manipulating the populace, often by making them feel insecure. They tap the reservoir of anger which resides within the people, and are expert at diverting it away from themselves, either toward a domestic group which is then scapegoated, or toward an outside Aother@ which is demonized and then perceived as the source of the threat.

3. Insufficient Democracy: Democracies have never waged war against each other. The greater the level of democracy in a country, the more control the population has over its leaders. The lack of a sufficient level of democracy in many countries of the world, was shown at the time of the 2002 war on Iraq. Many governments did send forces to help the United States in its self-declared, pre-emptive war, even though a large majority of their population was against participating in this illegal war.

4. Control of the Information by Leaders: In a complex society, people rely on the media of communication for their information. The greater control the leader has over these media, the more he is able to manipulate the population into doing what he wants them to do.

5. The Victorious write History: History is written by the victorious survivors of a war, that is, those for whom victory has brought an increased power to control others. History is not written by the dead, the refugees or the vanquished. It is to the advantage of the victorious to justify and glorify their deeds, cleansing their wars of any wrong doing, blood, murders, scenes of despair, massacres, torture and inhumane conditions. Most history books describe conquests and wars without any reference to the inhumanity of war.

PROXIMAL FORCES

1. Resources: The need for resources, most often land, water or energy sources (such as oil today), has often provided a plausible excuse for war. However, fighting entails severe costs to a society, in terms of young men wounded or killed, women raped, children neglected, the expense of caring for prisoners, if these are taken, increases in diseases, risks of diminishing food supplies and disruption of public services. No leader has ever been known to have tabulated these costs and made his decision to go to war on the basis of the results. The decision to go to war is always accompanied by a firm belief that one is going to win, no matter the odds.

For instance, Hitler declared war on Russia in 1941, despite the experience of Napoleon and despite the advice of his own military. That same year, Japan attacked the United States, despite the emperor=s advisers pointing out the suicidal nature of such an attack.

2. Physical and Psychological Violence: The anger engendered by violence begets violence. Wars have been fought to liberate the group from conquest, or to revenge a perceived injury or humiliation.

PERSONAL FORCES

1. Wish to start over again: The fantasy of the end of the world, doomsday, apocalypse and Armageddon, is common. Deluge stories resembling the biblical story are found in the folklore of many peoples, such as the Sumerian, Native Americans, Fiji Islanders and Australian aborigines. The fantasy may be sustained by a wish to cleanse this sinful (corrupt) world once and for all, and start anew B this time pleasing God (mother). [This is related to the child=s need to have mother=s love at all cost and cleanse him/herself of all sins (transgressions) once and for all].

2. Defiance of Death: The experience of staring death in the face and surviving it, feeds into our wish to defy death and have eternal life. For survivors in a war, having risked and escaped death boosts the feeling of control over one=s fate. The death of comrades amplifies the survivor=s own feeling of being alive B and perhaps also, of being special and having been chosen (by mother) over sibling competitors. Soldiers always hope that death will not happen, right there and then, right now, to them, yes, themselves.

3. Wish for Transcendence: For those whom fate has destined to live a dull routine, war may offer the opportunity for transcendence B living in an important age, in a glorious time, perhaps being a hero making a real difference in the history of the world.

4. Wish to intensify Feelings: Danger generates new, poignant and highly intensified feelings, cherished by those who participate in the danger together B camaraderie, closeness to buddies, overcoming fear of death, the chance to shine in the eyes of one=s commander and mates.

5. Opportunity for Rewards: Throughout the ages, soldiers have been rewarded by the opportunity for rape. In recent years, a $50,000 worth college education has provided an incentive to join the ranks of killers. Other rewards include the opportunity to participate in a rite of initiation and becoming a Areal man.@

6. Revenge of the Old on the Young Generation: Wars are waged by young men in their prime, often at the behest of leaders who are of the older generation. It is painful for the old to be displaced by the young, and leaders may lead the country into a sacrifice of some of its young, in hidden jealousy at their vitality and promise of yet a long life to come.

PRETEXTS, EXCUSES, RATIONALIZATIONS

The range of immediate pretexts to go to war is so wide as to include any reason whatsoever. If the population has been sufficiently brainwashed (by the culture, the educational system and, for soldiers, by the additional bootcamp training), and if the population is sufficiently afraid, it seems that any pretext can stand in to rally the populace into going on a killing spree.

Some of the more recent pretexts have been as follows:

1. To Apacify@ warring tribes.

2. To perform a Acivilizing mission.@

3. To make a Ahumanitarian intervention.@

4. To stop atrocities.

5. To bring about peace.

6. To bring democracy to the conquered.

7. To apprehend a drug addict.

8. To eliminate a perceived threat.

9. To pre-empt a possible attack.

10. To have more breathing space.

11. To combat terrorism.

12. To take revenge.

13. To avenge a humiliation.

In all cases, however, the result of war has been a change in power, energy and land relationships, sometimes accompanied by transfers of population groups.

CONDITIONS PROPITIOUS FOR WAR

The following are conditions conducive to the violent resolution of conflict but which do not in and of themselves cause violent conflict. Terrorism perpetrated by individuals or groups not representing any state, is excluded from this list because their violence does not consist of a war as usually defined, but rather of civilian murders, and as such demand police action, whether on a national or international scale.

Global Warming: The warming of the planet due to human emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is now producing dramatic changes, including the re-routing of ocean currents, more frequent extreme weather patterns, the disappearance of islands and coast lines, increased desertification, the spread of tropical diseases, and changes in species habitats. Like the explosive growth in human population and the massive extinction of animal and plant species, global warming is evidence of the present instability of the world ecosystem.

Reaching the Earth=s Carrying Capacity: There are many signs that the earth is unable to sustain the present population at its present level of resource utilization. The depletion of topsoil, fisheries, fresh water, wood, coal, oil and natural gas, all converge with the expanding population to make world conditions propitious for war.

The Impending Oil Crisis: The impending end of the cheap, flexible and abundant source of energy represented by oil, which has made industrialization possible, is likely to severely destabilize the world system. Many of the wars in the last half century have had as a component, to increase control over oil supplies.

Uncontrolled Experiments: The uncontrolled experiments represented by the introduction of new, untested chemicals and new, genetically-modified life-forms into the environment, may dramatically increase the instability of the world system.

Unnatural Boundaries between Countries: Many countries, particularly those that have been colonized, have boundaries which were drawn on a map in the military offices of the conquering countries, and illogically cut through ethnic population groups. Such boundaries represent festering sores which may well act as triggers to wider conflicts.

The System of States: The present world system of states duplicates the inherently competitive situation of siblings B without an all-powerful mother. The system fosters sibling-like rivalry between nations.

Socio-economic Inequality: The increasing disparity between rich and poor, within countries and between countries, engenders anger and resentment which can be deflected by oppressive leaders away from themselves and against Aenemies@ of their choice. From the point of view of resources, it is the rich who represent a burden to society, not the poor (whose demand on resources is minimal).

Nuclear Power and other Dangerous Technologies: The availability of nuclear power with its threat of a major accident, causing millions of deaths in a short period of time, and continued radiation danger of thousands of years, is a threat which increases insecurity in the world. The fact that it can happen unintentionally or due to misunderstanding, destabilizes all relationships within and between countries. Other dangerous technologies, such as Aweaponized@ chemical and biological agents, Aartificial intelligence,@ robots and nano-technology, all add to the level of anxiety experienced by the worlds= people.

The Death Penalty: Domestically, the death penalty is demonstration that the government has control over life and death. Acceptance of the death penalty by the population, facilitates assertions by the government that it also controls life and death on the international scene B through waging wars.

Capitalism: Insofar as capitalism is a political system based on permanent growth, it is unsustainable, and hence increases the conditions for war in the world.

Virtual Reality: Machines, cyberspace, robots, television, video games and movies, present us with a virtual reality which correspondingly decreases the time we spend negotiating and resolving conflicts with other humans. It may be that the wish to have real humans conform to the quiet docility of the machine is conducive to a culture of relative insensitivity to turning off, silencing B killing B other humans.

Note

* Asterisks denote ideas that are original, not read in any book.

Bibliography

MAJOR, UNCONSCIOUS FORCES

Childhood and War

Chorao, Kay, The Big Book for Babies (Barnes and Noble, New York, N.Y.), 1977, 1990.

Danieli, Yael (Ed.), International Handbook of Multi-generational Legacies of Trauma B A Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children (Plenum Press, New York, N.Y.), 1998.

deMause, Lloyd

The History of Childhood (Jason Aronson, Northvale, N.J.), 1974.

Foundations of Psycho-history (Creative Roots, Inc., P.O. Box 401, Planetarium Station, New York, N.Y. 10024), 1982.

Reagan=s America (Creative Roots, Inc., P.O. Box 401, Planetarium Station, New York, N.Y. 10024), 1984.

The Emotional Life of Nations (Karnac/Other Press, New York, N.Y.), 2002.

Lindquist, Sven, AExterminate all the Brutes@ B One Man=s Odyssey into the Heart of Darkness and the Origins of European Genocide (The New Press, New York, N.Y.), 1992. Translation, 1996.

Miller, Alice

Banished Knowledge B Facing Childhood Injuries (Anchor, Random House, New York, N.Y.), 1988. Translation, 1990.

Breaking down the Wall of Silence - The Liberating Experience of Facing Painful Truth (Meridian/Penguin, New York, N.Y.), 1990/1997.

Philip, Neil, The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales B Spellbinding Stories from around the World (DK Publishing, New York, N.Y.), 1997.

War (General)

Butler, Smedley, War is a Racket (Feral House, Los Angeles, CA), 1935/2003.

Chomsky, Noam, Hegemony or Survival B America=s Quest for Global Dominance (Metropolitan/Henry Holt, New York, N.Y.), 2003.

Elshtain, Jean, Women and War (University of Chicago, Chicago, IL), 1987.

Ehrenreich, Barbara, Blood Rites B Origins and History of the Passions of War (Owl/Henry Holt, New York, N.Y.), 1997.

Gioseffi, Daniela, Women on War B An International Anthology of Writing from Antiquity to the Present (The Feminist Press, City University of New York, New York, N.Y.), Second Edition, 2003.

Griffin, Susan, A Chorus of Stones B The Private Life of War (Anchor/Random House, New York, N.Y.), 1992.

Hedges, Chris, War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning (Anchor/Random House, New York, N.Y.). 2002.

Johnson, Chalmers, Blowback B The Costs and Consequences of American Empire (Owl/Henry Hold, New York, N.Y.), 2000.

Keeley, Lawrence, War before Civilization B The Myth of the Peaceful Savage (Oxford University, New York, N.Y.), 1996.

Keen, Sam, Faces of the Enemy B Reflections of the Hostile Imagination: the Psychology of Enmity (Harper & Row, San Francisco, CA), 1988.

Said, Edward, Freud and the Non-European (Verso, New York, N.Y.), 2003.

Stoessinger, John, Why Nations go to War, 8^th Edition ( Wadsworth/ Thomson Learning, Belmont, CA), 2001.

Van Creveld, Martin, The Transformation of War (The Free Press, New York, N.Y.), 1991.

MEDIUM FORCES

Leaders

Chomsky, Noam, Rogue States B The Rule of Force in World Affairs (South End, Cambridge, MA), 2000.

Insufficient Democracy

Rummel, R. J., Power kills B Democracy as a Method of Non-violence (Transaction, New Brunswick, N.J.), 1997.

Control of the Information by Leaders

Carey, Alex, Taking the Risk out of Democracy B Corporate Propaganda versus Freedom and Liberty, Andrews Lohrey, Editor (University of Illinois, Chicago, IL), 1995.

Chomsky, Noam

Necessary Illusions B Thought Control in Democratic Societies (South End, Boston, MA), 1989.

Media Control B The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Open Media/Seven Stories Press, New York, N.Y.), 1991/1997.

MacArthur, John, Second Front B Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War (University of California, Berkeley, CA), 1992/1993.

McChesney, The Problem of the Media B U.S. Communication Politics in the 21^st Century (Monthly Review Press, New York, N.Y.), 2004.

Rampton, Sheldon and John Stauber, Weapons of Mass Deception B The Uses of Propaganda in Bush=s War on Iraq (Jeremy Tarcher/Penguin, New York, N.Y.), 2003.

The Victorious write History

Parenti, Michael

History as Mystery (City Lights, San Francisco, CA), 1999.

The Assassination of Julius Caesar B A People=s History of Ancient Rome (The New Press, New York, N.Y.), 2003.

PROXIMAL FORCES

Resources

Klare, Michael, Resource Wars B The New Landscape of Global Conflict (Metropolitan/Henry Holt, New York, N.Y.), 2001.

PERSONAL FORCES

Apocalypse

Lifton, Robert, Destroying the World to save it B Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism (Owl/Henry Holt, New York, N.Y.), 1999.

PRETEXTS, EXCUSES, RATIONALIZATIONS

Chomsky, Noam

The New Military Humanism B Lessons from Kosovo (Common Courage, Monroe, ME), 1999.

A New Generation draws the Line B Kosovo, East Timor and the Standards of the West (Verso, New York, N.Y.), 2000.

CONDITIONS PROPITIOUS FOR WAR

Global Warming

Gelbspan, Ross, The Heat is on B The Climate Crisis, the Cover-up, the Prescription (Perseus Books, Reading, MA), 1997/1998.

Population Explosion

United Nations Human Development Programme, Human Development Report 2003 B Millennium Development Goals: A Compact among Nations to end Human Poverty (Oxford University, New York, N.Y.), 2003.

Massive Extinction of Species

Buhner, Stephen, The Lost Language of Plants B The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines to Life on Earth (Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT), 2002.

Reaching the Earth=s Carrying Capacity

Barlow, Maude and Tony Clarke, Blue Gold B The Fight to stop the Corporate Theft of the World=s Water (The New Press, New York, N.Y.), 2002.

The Impending Oil Crisis

Heinberg, Richard, The Party=s Over B Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies (New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada), 2003.

Roberts, Paul, The End of Oil B On the Edge of a Perilous New World (Houghton Mifflin, New York, N.Y.), 2004.

Uncontrolled Experiments

Anderson, Luke, Genetic Engineering, Food and our Environment (Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT), 1999/2000.

Dawkins, Kristin, Gene Wars B The Politics of Biotechnology (Open Media, Seven Stories Press, New York, N.Y.), 1997.

Kimbrell, Andrew, The Human Body Shop B The Cloning, Engineering and Marketing of Life (Gateway/Regnery, Washington, D.C.), 1997.

Kneen, Brewster, Farmageddon B Food and the Culture of Biotechnology (New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada), 1999.

Nestle, Marion, Safe Food B Bacteria, Biotechnology and Bioterrorism (University of California, Berkeley, CA), 2003.

Silver, Lee, Remaking Eden B How Genetic Engineering and Cloning will transform the American Family (Avon, New York, N.Y.), 1997.

Socio-economic Inequality

Phillips, Kevin, Wealth and Democracy B A Political History of the American Rich (Broadway Books/Random House, New York, N.Y.), 2002.

Nuclear Power and other Dangerous Technologies

Boyle, Francis, The Criminality of Nuclear Deterrence B Could the U.S. War on Terrorism go Nuclear? (Clarity, Atlanta, GA), 2002.

Caldicott, Helen, The New Nuclear Danger B George W. Bush=s Military-industrial Complex (The New Press, New York, N.Y.), 2002.

Dumas, Lloyd, Lethal Arrogance B Human Fallibility and Dangerous Technologies (St. Martin=s, New York, N.Y.), 1999.

Grossman, Karl, Weapons in Space (Open Media/Seven Stories Press, New York, N.Y.), 2001.

The Death Penalty

Lifton, Robert, Who owns Death? B Capital Punishment, the American Conscience, and the End of Executions (Perennial/Harper-Collins, New York, N.Y.), 2000.

Millet, Kate, The Politics of Cruelty B An Essay on the Literature of Political Imprisonment (W. W. Norton, New York, N.Y.), 1994.

Capitalism

Marable, Manning, How Capitalism underdeveloped Black America (South End, Boston, MA), 1983.

Rodney, Walter, How Europe underdeveloped Africa (Howard University, Washington, D.C.), 1972/1982.

Virtual Reality

Brook, James and Iain Boal, Eds., Resisting the Virtual Life B The Culture and Politics of Information (City Lights, San Francisco, CA), 1995.