The concept of war, which entails a fight between two countries, between one country and a group of countries, or between one group of countries and another, is not new to the history of mankind. During the Vedic times, there were rituals like ‘Rajasuya’ and ‘Ashwamedha’ followed by the kings and emperors. ‘Rajasuya’ was a ritual associated with the coronation and declaration of sovereignty with respect to an emperor or ‘samrat’, while ‘Ashwamedha’ entailed the release of a consecrated horse for one year which moved through various kingdoms, and if returned unchallenged, it would be sacrificed, thereby making it clear that the emperor had no rival and was supreme. Then he assumed the title of ‘Chakravartin Samrat’ or the emperor of emperors. In case the horse was checked by any king, it was a challenge for the emperor, who in turn would send his army to defeat the king. If his army was defeated, this posed a threat to the supremacy of the emperor.
Stretching much beyond the Vedic times, man’s propensity for skirmish, fight and war can be found through the ages. Even when he was not civilised and lived in the jungles as nomads, he fought with his fellow beings for food. Then he formed groups which in turn fought with each other. When civilisation started prospering, kingdoms came into being and fought with each other for supremacy. The Aryans fought against the Dravidians and drove them away to build up their territories and supremacy. In this way, fight or war has never come to an end at any point of time. Invaders have come and occupied territories. Bigger kingdoms have attacked smaller kingdoms and brought them under their subjugation. Invaders have also established empires over their conquered territories. Passing through the times of Alexander, Changez Khan, Tamerlane, Babur and Nadir Shah, we have reached the present age, where also war is always imminent.
Though we are much more civilised today and inhabit democracies, why is there always the threat of war hovering over our heads? Let us try to seek the reasons:
- Man’s inherent tendency to fight – Man is a social and gregarious animal. Since he lives in a society with other fellow beings, it has been his inherent tendency to fight since time immemorial. Heads of states and governments are human beings living in an international community and cannot be exceptions to this eternal rule. However, this is a debatable issue and the tendency is shaped by various factors.
Man is no longer living in an uncivilised society where there is room for aggression. Science has developed and there is no dearth of amenities. Leaders should therefore work towards social harmony in a congenial atmosphere. - Greed for power and territory – Greed for power and territory is another reason for war. Though the tendency has been on the wane after the Second World War, with the withering away of autocratic rulers and dictators, yet examples of forcible occupation of territories can still be seen.
Superpowers, developed and powerful countries should remain satisfied with their territories instead of having a covetous eye on the territories of others. Countries should learn to respect each other’s sovereignty. - Big Brother attitude – The Big Brother attitude in a region is natural, as certain countries are comparatively bigger in size and population. The smaller countries around remain in awe of the Big Brother, which often tries to influence them or interfere in their internal matters, thereby leading to war between countries.
Regional cooperation and better trade and economic relations amongst the countries will help in eradicating the Big Brother syndrome and generating an atmosphere of trust in the area. - Vested interests – Vested interests play a crucial role in leading to war or war-like situations in a region. When military and economic interests suffer, a country enters war or escalates it between countries.
Though colonialism has become a thing of the past, neo-colonialism is gradually taking its place, and bigger countries are trying to have control over the smaller countries through this method. Though it is really difficult to avoid such a scenario, countries should be careful in the matter. - Complicated international relations – Today the international relations have become so complicated that war and warlike situations may occur at any time. The superpowers have spread a network of alliances and affiliations, and any deviation in it may trigger a war or fight. Respecting other countries and having mutual trust for each other will bring about a change in the scenario.
The time has come for smoothening international relations. Countries should understand their strengths and weaknesses and accordingly draft their foreign policy. - Alliances under apprehension – It is seen that countries, particularly under the leadership of superpowers, have formed military pacts and alliances which always create a sense of fear for war in a region or around the world. As per terms and conditions of the alliances, any war or attack on a member country would involve all the members in it.
Military pacts and alliances should be done away with gradually with the consent of the countries. In its place, alliances for economic development should be encouraged. The UNO may also supervise the disbanding of such alliances. - Compilation of arms and ammunitions – The stockpiling of arms and ammunitions by countries around the globe always gives the impression of preparedness for war. Developed countries with better technology earn a lot in selling arms and ammunitions to other countries.
Countries should stop compiling arms and ammunitions in the interests of mankind. Biological and other deadly weapons may pose a serious threat to the very existence of mankind. - Nuclear weapons – Stockpiling of nuclear weapons by countries has been a matter of concern for the international community. Certain countries have already become nuclear powers, while others are trying to acquire it clandestinely despite international treaties and agreements in the matter. This has led to a sense of fear for war in future.
Nuclear weapons pose the most serious threat to the very existence of mankind. Countries trying to become nuclear powers should drop the idea, and those which have already acquired nuclear power should allow inspection and freezing of it under international inspection. - Dictatorial behaviour of rulers – Though after the Second World War, the domain of autocratic rulers and dictators has ended, yet the dictatorial behaviour of certain heads of states and governments has been alarming. Certain leaders try to stick to power by hook or crook and they can go to any extent for it.
Though autocratic rulers and dictators know no geographical limits, they can do less harm than their counterparts in developed and bigger countries. So the superpowers should be careful in the matter. - Economy and trade – Economy and trade play a crucial role in giving rise to war or a war-like situation. The Middle East can be taken as an example. Countries try to interfere in the politics of the area because of its oil reserves.
Trade and economic cooperation is a must amongst the countries for world development. Countries rich in natural resources should not exploit the situation and treat one and all equally. - Role of organisations – After the First World War, the League of Nations had been formed which could not prevent the Second World War. So the United Nations Organisation has been formed which has played a crucial role in maintaining international peace. But it has been seen that it has also not been able to prevent war totally and cannot be expected to prevent a probable Third World War in future.
International organisations, particularly the UNO, should be particular about international relations and peace and fight to the last in the matter. World peace should be the clarion call of the day.
After ascertaining the reasons for war and finding out the probable solutions, it is high time the world community started making an attempt in this direction. No doubt international relations have become very complicated and the countries cannot survive in isolation. But they should be careful in framing their foreign policies, oppose undue aggression of powerful countries on weaker ones and, last but not the least, strengthen international bodies like the UN. It is not for nothing that the countries are spending a major portion of their budget on military purchases, and nuclear and other weapons are being stockpiled. They will be used one day or the other. We have seen the holocaust of two world wars, including the use of nuclear power in the Second World War. A third or fourth world war will in no way be welcome by the world community. As somebody has put it, “In the fourth world war, man will fight with sticks and stones.” It is high time countries, irrespective of their power and position, should come forward and join the race for peace. Peace, not war, is the need of the day.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
Email: airprafulla61@gmail.com
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