Governments are nothing more than collections of humans though, it's humans (in charge) that cause the war. Over time, especially in the last 75 years or so, it's larger and larger governments that have prevented more war. 1,000 years ago, 5,000 years, 10,000 etc we had lot's and lot's of little governments and a lot more war. Take it ba…
Governments are nothing more than collections of humans though, it's humans (in charge) that cause the war. Over time, especially in the last 75 years or so, it's larger and larger governments that have prevented more war. 1,000 years ago, 5,000 years, 10,000 etc we had lot's and lot's of little governments and a lot more war. Take it back to the earliest days of humans and it was tribal warfare.... because humans are humans.
So, while you could make the case that governments perpetrate war, government collaboration also prevents it. We are in the single most peaceful era of all human history right now and that's largely thanks to government cooperation like NATO. Bad people in bad governments (like Putin) can perpetrate war, but large scale cooperation like NATO, and the EU (government) can and does prevent it.
Government may not always be palatable, but it has largely been a good thing for humanity
The sheer amount of war and violent death in human history is astounding. Are you forgetting about Genghis Khan and viking raids, and the crusades, and tribal warfare before we even created modern civilization?
Yes there are wars going on right now in various parts of the world, but the probability of a random human dying from war in 2024 is significantly lower than 100 years ago, 2 thousand, 4 thousand, or 10 thousand years ago.... it's possible it's slightly worse right now than the 1990s, maybe, but on the scale of human history we are currently in the most peaceful era.
Oh, that's not what I meant, I think we read history very differently too. But I gotta get my facts straight if I'm gonna respond intelligently to the idea that things are better now than before — the whole myth of progress thing. It's a good challenge.
Mostly men, sure, but not only men. There have been plenty of women in power that were part of or incited war and tyranny, Elizabeth the 1st of England, Isabella of Spain, Catharine the Great in Russia, etc etc.
Governments are nothing more than collections of humans though, it's humans (in charge) that cause the war. Over time, especially in the last 75 years or so, it's larger and larger governments that have prevented more war. 1,000 years ago, 5,000 years, 10,000 etc we had lot's and lot's of little governments and a lot more war. Take it back to the earliest days of humans and it was tribal warfare.... because humans are humans.
So, while you could make the case that governments perpetrate war, government collaboration also prevents it. We are in the single most peaceful era of all human history right now and that's largely thanks to government cooperation like NATO. Bad people in bad governments (like Putin) can perpetrate war, but large scale cooperation like NATO, and the EU (government) can and does prevent it.
Government may not always be palatable, but it has largely been a good thing for humanity
"single most peaceful era"? Sorry, how do you figure?
The sheer amount of war and violent death in human history is astounding. Are you forgetting about Genghis Khan and viking raids, and the crusades, and tribal warfare before we even created modern civilization?
Yes there are wars going on right now in various parts of the world, but the probability of a random human dying from war in 2024 is significantly lower than 100 years ago, 2 thousand, 4 thousand, or 10 thousand years ago.... it's possible it's slightly worse right now than the 1990s, maybe, but on the scale of human history we are currently in the most peaceful era.
inchresting. i think you and i define "peace" very differently. it seems i've discovered a whole genre of post i didn't know i needed to write.
Highly possible. Human history has been pretty violent, and it's a lot less so now.
Oh, that's not what I meant, I think we read history very differently too. But I gotta get my facts straight if I'm gonna respond intelligently to the idea that things are better now than before — the whole myth of progress thing. It's a good challenge.
How has the progress been a myth?
working on another post in answer to that question! unfortunately that one's a bit far down the pipeline.
Maybe governments are a step on the way to something better in the history of humanity. Also when you said humans what you actually meant was “men.”
Mostly men, sure, but not only men. There have been plenty of women in power that were part of or incited war and tyranny, Elizabeth the 1st of England, Isabella of Spain, Catharine the Great in Russia, etc etc.