Over the course of history, war has been defined as violence with a purpose. While traditional power struggles still continue in some regions of the world like Africa, the world has witnessed a change in the classic model of warfare as a titanic straggly between rival great powers.
In today's postcolonial world characterized by economic interdependence, there is little room and use of old agendas referring to the conquering and occupying of productive territory etc. Today, exhibits of modern war can be observed through examples like the United States unleashing high-tech arsenals to defeat dubious Third world regimes, or machete-wielding insurgents fighting brutal civil wars in Africa.
Not only has the purpose of war changed, but so has its nature. Since World war two, governments have avoided formal declarations of war as any formal declaration immediately leads to all the most inconvenient legal consequences kicking in. For this reason, governments have searched for euphemisms such as enforcement action or use of force.
While war may still exist as violence with a purpose, what has changed over the decades is whose purposes are being served and their nature.
4 comments:
I do not think the purpose of waging wars has changed. The ultimate purpose of war was superiority and it remains the same. The nature might have changed from traditional warfare to economic sanctions and proxy wars but the purpose behind them is still ideological or is meant to improve or sustain the influence of one over another.
I disagree with your point that the purpose of war has changed. Its true that ways to declare and conduct wars have changed and this is largely being done by misusing the word 'terrorism', however the purpose remains the same and that is supremacy.
I think that War is more associated states' egos. In order to prove supremacy and become the cultural hegemon, states wage war against each other. Like other concepts, the concept of war has also evolved. The current age of warfare is what could be termed the "post nuclear age". The time of huge battles is overand doen with. Western warfare is dominated by projecting power to trouble spots around the world and fighting insurgents
I think that War is more associated states' egos. In order to prove supremacy and become the cultural hegemon, states wage war against each other. Like other concepts, the concept of war has also evolved. The current age of warfare is what could be termed the "post nuclear age". The time of huge battles is overand doen with. Western warfare is dominated by projecting power to trouble spots around the world and fighting insurgents
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