How do we stop all the wars!

 

Wars are the biggest cause of grief and a curse to the entire humanity. There is always a high chance of some hot head pulling the trigger that starts a chain reaction that eventually wipes out the world as we know it today. Diseases, epidemics and natural disasters kill more people than wars. But, the human kind heals and recovers from these catastrophes. It is not long before the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami wiped out entire villages and killed close to 250000 people in just a few days. Still, we have forgotten it. However, we find it hard to forget the wars and the destruction it causes to our psyche. Love, which is the central force that binds all humans together is replaced by hate every time there is war. Where all other catastrophes are caused by nature and things not in our control, wars are clear handiworks of humans. They show the dark side of humanity.

How do we stop wars

This is a trillion dollar question that every one in the world is asking. The smartest minds in the world are thinking hard for ways to prevent nations from getting into conflict. Even small problems like stealing cattle can escalate into full scale wars that kill thousands of people and leave several generations scarred. But, we have not be able to stop wars. Wars are reason for creation of United Nations. But, has it stopped wars? Not even close! Large scale wars still exist like Invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, recent Lebanon-Israel conflict etc.  Many large wars have been replaced by low intensity conflicts that bleed nations for decades. Stronger powers don't really like to sit down and talk. They wish to use their might to enforce their writ. Smaller and weaker nations respond by initiating proxy war against these big nations by creating insurgents, terrorists, aligning with the competitors of these big nations etc. or supporting dissident groups inside these large nations to weaken them from inside.

Let us look at some of the attempts that have happened till now to prevent wars.

1. Formation of United Nations.
2. Greater communication mediums that use public opinion to prevent wars
3. Education right from school level about the horrors of war
4. Every time there is a conflict, world leaders try to interfere and resolve the issue by negotiated settlements.

I can go on with the list but the fact is that none of these measures have deterred countries from choosing war. It has always remained as a last option for most of the nations and as first for some.

I believe that the primary reason for failure of these measures is that none of these have really created a compelling reason for nations to not engage in wars. I am proposing a way here by which we can effectively stop all the major and possibly most of the minor wars. It is not easy and it might take a hundred years to achieve but this will deliver what we have not been able to achieve for thousands of years. A total cessation of wars and all major violent conflicts.

In order to explain my point, let me ask a few questions.

1. Has United States and Russia ever fought a direct war on each others soil.
2. Has China and the European union ever fought a direct war

The answers is no.  The reason for the lack of direct armed conflict between these nations is their huge sizes.  Even if one of these nations win, the other would be so devastated that it would only be a pyrrhic victory. The concept of mutual deterrence or Mutual Assured Destruction has been in effect since a long time and had between pretty effective since the beginning of Cold War. Instead of deterrence through Nuclear Weapons, if a conventional deterrence mechanism existed, that would be an ideal way to discourage wars.

The following are the essential steps that can reduce conflicts to a major extent all around the world

Creation of Large Nations

Nations need to unite by looking for similarities with their neighbors to create much larger nations based on a federal systems like the Russian Federation, Indian Union or the European Union. I am in favor of a EU like system as a loosely organized group of nations where nations don’t feel threatened about their loss of sovereignty and cultural identity.  A couple of organizations that I can think of are

1. European Union (Already exists and expanding)
2. North American Union of US and Canada)
3. Latin American Union
4. South Asian Union (SAARC)
5. South East Asian Union (ASEAN)
6. Arab Union
7. Chinese Union
8. Central Asian Union
9. Russian or Slavic Union
10. African Union

Every nation must work with its neighbors to identify the right union that will work for them. Every nation must take its own path consistent with its values and history. Every nation state will have its own parliament and a good degree of autonomy.

Such nations will be able to make progress by taking advantage of a diversely skilled population and vast natural resources that is inherent to large nations. Instead of relationship being of a stronger and a weaker nation, it will be that of equals.  This sense of justice itself can be a good deterrent against violent conflicts.  Also, regions fighting for independence can be given autonomy.  Since they cease to be part of an occupying country, insurgencies will reduce. Slowly, these nations can work on integrating the nation states into the much larger nation by education of the younger generation.  After a few generations, the larger nations will become real nations with loyal populations.

This will require a lot of sacrifices from member nation states. However, it will go a long way in uniting the humanity. People will learn to live to together as bigger nations by nature will have diverse populations.  

Reorganization of UN

United Nations will eventually become a grouping of these large nations. No resolution or law can be passed without the consent of all the nations.  That way, a powerful country imposing its view of a smaller country through UN cannot happen. Since, there are less number of nations in the world, it will be easier for UN to act as consensus is much easier to achieve. Every one will get an equal say in all the world affairs. UN can also host a world parliament that can pass rules that apply to entire humanity. These rules would be mandatory on every member nation.  These include rules on Human Rights, resolution of territorial disputes, personal freedoms etc. UN resolutions can become binding laws due to mutual consent.

Population Exchanges

Nations must promote inter nation state and international population exchanges based on a formula of free will and protection of identity and sovereignty of emigrant and immigrant nations.  The will benefit all the countries not only from economy and skill standpoint, but also as deterrent for war.  As every country will have a population from every country in the world, support for violent conflicts from local populations will reduce.  People will learn to appreciate and live with diversity. Also, insurgencies will reduce as population exchanges within nations will make it harder for nation states to demand separate country as wide spread support will not be possible.

Conclusion

Thus large nations will eventually deter and stop wars and conflicts. People will learn to live with others with tolerance.

I have to give a lot of thought before I can come up with my next blog on the same topic.  However, before I do that, I wanted my views to be open for discussion so that I can correct myself.  Please leave your comments and suggestions.

I hope that one day, all of us can live together without suspicion, prejudice and enmity. I hope that there will be a day without any war. People will understand and appreciate each other for what they are. Relationship will be based on equality, mutual respect and love. That will be the true golden age of humanity.