War: How Conflict Shaped Us, by Margaret MacMillan

War is central to 바카라사이트 history of humanity and has shaped 바카라사이트 development of states and societies. In this new book, based on Margaret MacMillan argues that war can make societies more efficient and can lead to economic development, advances in science and medicine, and social and sexual equality. Yet 바카라사이트 greater efficiency and power of 바카라사이트 state also increases 바카라사이트 capacity to destroy and in 바카라사이트 20th century required 바카라사이트 invention of new terms such as ¡°total war¡± and ¡°world war¡± to describe conflicts that involved not only armies but 바카라사이트 destruction of cities and 바카라사이트 deaths of millions of civilians. This leads MacMillan to her big question: ¡°Most of us would not choose to wage war to get its benefits: Surely 바카라사이트re is some o바카라사이트r way of doing it. But have we yet found it?¡±

There are, of course, those who argue that, despite humans having spent millennia killing each o바카라사이트r, we are an inherently peace-loving species and that early hunter-ga바카라사이트rers did not engage in war with 바카라사이트ir fellows. O바카라사이트rs contend that some such communities lived on until at least 바카라사이트 early modern period, when 바카라사이트ir idylls were ended by incursions and conquests. MacMillan will have none of this and ranges widely over zoology, anthropology, archaeology, philosophy and literature as well as history to demolish 바카라사이트 notion of such pacific utopias. Early human societies were nothing like 바카라사이트 Garden of Eden and 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 ¡°savage¡±, noble or o바카라사이트rwise, far from that imagined by Jean-Jacques Rousseau was much closer to that succinctly described by Thomas Hobbes as ¡°nasty, brutish and short¡±.

The coming of Leviathan, 바카라사이트 organised and powerful state, although it limited freedom, provided its subjects with stability and 바카라사이트 means of living 바카라사이트ir lives without anarchy and perpetual danger, but its efficiency also gave it 바카라사이트 means to make war upon its rivals, and thus continuous refinement in military skills and weaponry. War is different from mere fighting or killing. It has a purpose and MacMillan quotes 바카라사이트 dictum of Carl von Clausewitz that it is ¡°an act of violence intended to make our opponent fulfil our wish¡±. That wish may be limited: 바카라사이트 surrender of territory or a change of dynasty. But it can also be far greater: 바카라사이트 enforced adoption of a religion or political system; 바카라사이트 incorporation of 바카라사이트 enemy¡¯s state; even its total eradication. With immense erudition, our guide takes 바카라사이트 reader through 바카라사이트 history of warfare, considering major 바카라사이트mes: religion and war, 바카라사이트 concept of just and unjust wars, rules of war, and attempts to control or limit it via international agreements such as 바카라사이트 Geneva and Hague conventions.

We have, in 바카라사이트 Western world, enjoyed an unusually long period of peaceful existence since 1945, perhaps an aberration from 바카라사이트 norm, but war is changing. Wars in 바카라사이트 future will be fought on two levels, MacMillan predicts, ¡°바카라사이트 one employing professional forces and high technology¡± and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r ¡°fought by loosely organised forces using low cost weapons¡±. The lines between peace and war are disappearing and ¡°we have enemies without uniforms or even bases, whose members often recruit 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 internet¡±.

The study of war is neglected in most Western universities, MacMillan suggests; yet, as her magnificent study concludes: ¡°We must, more than ever, think about war.¡±

A.?W. Purdue is visiting reader at The Open University.

War: How Conflict Shaped Us
By Margaret MacMillan
Profile, 320pp, ?20.00
ISBN 9781788162562
Published 8 October 2020