What Are Some Common Causes of War?
Quick Answer
The most common cause of war is desire for ideological change, followed by separatist and independence concerns, and then resources and territory. Determining an exact cause for war is difficult due to the many factors at work and differences between the stated aims of the combatants and their actions.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
Clausewitz said that war is simply the continuation of politics by other means. By this, he meant that the same goals that drive leaders in peacetime drive them to war when other avenues have failed to provide the desired results. These political disputes historically have been over economic and demographic factors, as with the Donbass War, ongoing as of 2015.
International Relations theories seek to expose the causes of relations and interactions between countries, including warfare. Under the liberal school of thought in International Relations theory, it is primarily ideological concerns, or differences in governing philosophy, that drive war, not economic or demographic concerns. The liberal school of thought points to the rarity of war between liberal democracies as an example of evidence for this idea.
Other schools of thought in international relations theory hold different opinions on the nature of war and international relations. Realist schools agree that real, practical concerns like economics and demographics control international relations, whereas constructivist theories point towards the cultural and symbolic history of countries to explain relations between them.
Learn more about Modern HistoryRelated Questions
-
Q:
What Was the Cause of the Haitian Revolution?
A: The cause of the Haitian Revolution was the inherent cruelty of slavery and the desire for Haitian blacks and multi-racial people to be treated with respec... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Was the Scramble for Africa?
A: The Scramble for Africa was the invasion and annexation of African territory by European colonial powers between 1880 and the beginning of World War I in 1... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Did Julius Caesar Accomplish?
A: Julius Caesar was a successful general and statesman, conquering the territory of Gaul, defeating Pompey in a civil war, and declaring himself dictator for... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Is the History of the Bloods and Crips Gang Rivalry?
A: The Bloods and Crips gang rivalry began in the Compton area of Los Angeles during the early 1970s, when the newer Bloods encroached on territory that was u... Full Answer >Filed Under:
