Book contents
- The Peace Formula
- The Peace Formula
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Apocalypse No!
- 1 Smart Idealism and the Peace Formula
- 2 Loss of Lives, Livelihoods and Love
- 3 Vicious Cycles of Conflict
- Part II The Logic of Evil
- Part III Give Peace a Chance!
- Part IV The Art of Peace
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
3 - Vicious Cycles of Conflict
Why Wars Today Threaten Our Future
from Part I - Apocalypse No!
Published online by Cambridge University Press: aN Invalid Date NaN
- The Peace Formula
- The Peace Formula
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Apocalypse No!
- 1 Smart Idealism and the Peace Formula
- 2 Loss of Lives, Livelihoods and Love
- 3 Vicious Cycles of Conflict
- Part II The Logic of Evil
- Part III Give Peace a Chance!
- Part IV The Art of Peace
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter shows that violence today sows the seeds of future fighting through a series of vicious cycles. First, it is stressed that persistent poverty creates vicious cycles of deprivation and disputes. Namely, poverty provides the breeding ground for violence, as the lack of income and perspectives makes it relatively more appealing to join armed rebellion. This, in turn, further impoverishes the country. Secondly, wars tear apart the social fabric of society, which in turn hinders postconflict reconstruction. Put differently, hate and distrust in the aftermath of fighting often trigger revenge wars further down the road. The third vicious cycle studied concerns education, with low human capital fueling fighting and subsequent wars destroying schools. Last but not least, this chapter discusses the impact of war trauma on future crime propensity. These various vicious cycles are illustrated with the help of a series of historical examples, spanning Peru, Angola and Uganda to Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Switzerland. This discussion highlights the crucial importance of fostering peace right now, which leads to a powerful peace multiplier.
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- Information
- The Peace FormulaVoice, Work and Warranties, Not Violence, pp. 31 - 46Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024