War.©

    War, often framed as a “necessary evil,” is a multifaceted phenomenon that reflects underlying economic, political, and psychological dynamics. At its core, war arises from unresolved conflicts of interest, typically when negotiation fails or is never truly attempted in earnest. Yet, is war truly necessary, or is it a manipulation of our baser instincts and systemic pressures that could be transcended?

Economic Perspective

From an economic standpoint, war can appear as both a tool for accumulation and destruction. Historically, war has been driven by competition for resources—land, raw materials, and, in modern times, even access to technological or intellectual capital. For some, war becomes a direct path to wealth, either through outright conquest or the stimulation of wartime industries. The military-industrial complex is a perfect illustration, where economies reliant on arms manufacturing and defense contracts have a vested interest in the perpetuation of conflict. War economies create a demand for production that fuels GDP growth in a way that peace and diplomacy rarely do. This makes war profitable for certain sectors and, by extension, war becomes incentivized.

The irony is that while war may generate short-term economic booms for a few, it results in long-term destruction for many. Infrastructure, human capital, and entire generations are devastated. The cost of rebuilding and the societal strain it leaves behind often outweigh any initial economic gains. The question, then, isn’t just whether war can be avoided economically—it’s whether societies are willing to shift away from systems that profit from conflict in favor of those that incentivize sustainable peace.

Political Perspective

Politically, war is often seen as the ultimate failure of diplomacy, but that’s not always the full story. Some leaders see war as a way to assert dominance, both externally and internally. War can unify a fractured nation, redirect internal discontent, and bolster nationalistic pride. Leaders who are weak domestically may use war as a distraction, to consolidate power or to appear strong on the global stage. The language of "necessity" can be deceptive here. What appears to be a fight for freedom, security, or justice is sometimes a cover for power games and territorial ambitions.

Historically, treaties and negotiations have often only been possible after a demonstration of power. Does this mean war is necessary to achieve peace, or is it simply a result of power-hungry systems that default to violence when they cannot get their way through softer means? War, in this sense, becomes less about survival and more about asserting a place in the political hierarchy, where might dictates right.

The quality of peace that follows war, as you ask, is often shaped by how conflicts end. A war that ends in total domination tends to produce a fragile peace, one held together by fear and resentment. Conversely, negotiated settlements that address the underlying grievances tend to create longer-lasting peace, though they may not be as “clean” or conclusive in the eyes of those seeking absolute victory. Ultimately, war as a political tool often perpetuates cycles of violence and unresolved tensions rather than providing lasting solutions.

Psychological Perspective

Psychologically, war taps into the darker aspects of human nature—fear, tribalism, and the drive for dominance. At its root, war often comes from a perception of threat or the need for self-preservation, both of which can be distorted by collective psychology. Groupthink, us-versus-them mentalities, and fear-mongering can push societies toward conflict. Leaders manipulate these psychological tendencies, turning fear of the "other" into a reason for war, framing it as inevitable or righteous.

For some, war becomes a way of reinforcing identity—who we are against who they are. It taps into the primal instincts of fight-or-flight, magnified on a collective scale. On an individual level, soldiers may enter war out of duty, loyalty, or fear of shame, but war leaves lasting psychological scars—trauma that ripples through generations. Even societies that emerge as "victors" are often haunted by the psychological toll of war. The repetition compulsion you’ve studied in trauma shows how war, once initiated, often leads to cycles of conflict that are hard to break. The unresolved wounds of one war frequently set the stage for the next, a testament to humanity’s difficulty in truly processing collective trauma.

The Bottom Line

So, is war a necessity? From these perspectives, it seems more accurate to say that war is a result of human systems—economic, political, and psychological—that have yet to evolve beyond it. In some cases, war is a deliberate choice, a manipulation of circumstances by those who stand to gain wealth, power, or control. In others, war is the failure of negotiation, diplomacy, and collective psychological resilience.

Negotiation is always an option, but it requires a fundamental shift in how we value peace over power, cooperation over competition. War determines the quality of peace only because our systems have allowed it to; it does not have to be so. The true test of humanity's progress may not be in how we wage war, but in how we avoid it. 

The Gentile!

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