Peace
introductionToday, peace has become an important value like justice, equality and rights. although arguments on want of peace in society is of recent evolution. Initially, thinkers have praised conflict as the growth of civilisation. For example: nietzsche glorified war as it would lead to growth of civilisation. Italian theorist vilfred pareto said that people who used force to achieve their goals , constitute governing elites. They are called lions.
What is peace?
Peace is defined as absence of war. Situations where there is no conflict, violence or war is defined as peace. this was defined as peace because society has witnessed two world wars and a cold war. They have also witnessed nagasaki and hiroshima bombing and have realised the importance of peace.
But now peace has assumed greater dimensions in terms of economic, political and social. By economic peace, it means removal of poverty and economic inequalities in society, minimum provision of necessities of life. Social peace means removal of discrimination on the basis of caste, religion and region. And political peace having democracy, everybody sharing equal rights and oppurtunities. Violence which is due to economic, social and political is defined as structural violence.
This is how peace is being defined in a broader because we , in society, has achieved considerable peace.
Forms of structural violence
Traditional caste system has discriminated between higher and lower
castes. Although it has been now abolished by constitution. But still
oppression and inequalities prevail.
Patriarchy: discrimination against women is still common even though
constitution has provided right to equality for all. Discrimination in
the form of lack of education, nourishment, child marriage, wife
battering etc.
Colonialism: it is the prolonged and direct subjection of people to
alien rule. Coloial rule has exploited people and oppressed them by
taking away their wealth. And also, people have been forced to perform
labor. Palestinian struggle against Israeli domination shows that
colonialism has not disappeared completely.
Racism and communalism: Racism has also been an evil in society.
Apartheid existed for long in South Africa. Blacks were discriminated
and were treated as inferior in compariosn to whites. Communalism has
also become a biggest evil because people are now discriminated on the
basis of religion and this is leading to conflicts in society.
Q&A
Q1. What is peace?
A1. Absence of war is defined as peace. and now definition of peace has
been broadened to include elimination of structural violence like caste
discrimination, building an equal society and eliminating patriarchal
society, eliminating communalism and racism.
Q2. What are forms of structural violence?
A2. Traditional caste system has discriminated between higher and lower
castes. Although it has been now abolished by constitution. But still
oppression and inequalities prevail.
Patriarchy: discrimination against women is still common even though
constitution has provided right to equality for all. Discrimination in
the form of lack of education, nourishment, child marriage, wife
battering etc. men are considered superior to women. They(men) are
treated in a bette way than women. They(men) are given preference in
food, nourishment, education etc.
Colonialism: it is the prolonged and direct subjection of people to
alien rule. Coloial rule has exploited people and oppressed them by
taking away their wealth. And also, people have been forced to perform
labor. Palestinian struggle against Israeli domination shows that
colonialism has not disappeared completely.
Racism and communalism: Racism has also been an evil in society.
Apartheid existed for long in South Africa. Blacks were discriminated
and were treated as inferior in compariosn to whites. Communalism has
also become a biggest evil because people are now discriminated on the
basis of religion and this is leading to conflicts in society.
Q3. Name two thinkers who promoted war?
A3. Nietzsche and vilfred pareto.
Q4.How can peace be promoted?
A4. By removing structural violence, we can create a democratic and just society.
Can violence promote peace?
This question might sound stange but we use violence to promote peace.
for example sentencing a culprit to death for the crime of murdering
another person is a form of violence. But this violence can be
self-defeating because society learns that killing and death is the only
way to rectify or correct a crime.
Pacifists say that non violence is the best way to bring about peaceful
society. They urge to take a moral stand against the use of violence
for attaining just ends. They say that through love and truth one change
the mind of oppressors.
Gandhi used civil disobedience method to have a non violence freedom
movement. Gandhi deployed satyagraha. He tried to evoke the moral
conscience of british. And if thatdidnot work then he put moral and
political pressure on them by launching a mass movement.
Q&A
Q1. What method gandhi employed to pursue freedom movement?
A1. He made use of satyagraha and launched civil disobedience movement to achieve independence.
Q2. What is pacifists view on violence?
A2. Pacifists say that non
violence is the best way to bring about peaceful society. They urge to
take a moral stand against the use of violence for attaining just ends.
They say that through love and truth one change the mind of oppressors.
Q3. What is Gandhi's view of non violence?
A3. Non violence for gandhi
meant not only causing physical harm but also avoiding mental harm or
loss of livelihood to other person. He also said that one must even give
up the thought of harming the other person. He also worked towards
eliminating structural violence.
State as an instrument of peace
State is considered as an instrument of peace because it protects our
life, liberty and our rights. But a state always act in its self
interest. It uses military, army, coercion and force to protect its
territory and its people. States, many times uses this instrument of
coercion to suppress their own people for example: in case of
authoritarian and dictatorships.
So we require an accountable and democratic states which protects life
and liberty of people but at the same time is also accountable to other
states and respect rights of other country as well.
Q&A
Q1. How state is an instrument of violence?
A1. Although state, protects our
life, liberty and our rights. But a state always act in its self
interest. It uses military, army, coercion and force to protect its
territory and its people from enemy country. States, many times uses
this instrument of coercion to suppress their own people for example: in
case of authoritarian and dictatorships.
Different approaches to peace
There are three significant approaches to peace.
Centrality to states: this approach talks about giving importance to
state and respecting their sovereignty. They want balance of power so
that no country dominates the other country and there is no prevailing
threat of attack also .
Second approach is nature of inter state rivalry: this approach says
that increase interdependence of countries. Lets have trade, cultural
exchange and social cooperation. This will help in promoting peace. and
cooperation will be established.
Third approach considers state to be a passing phase of human history:
this approach says that with passing time, state's importance will be
reduced and after some time diminished. This is because we are living in
an global and interdependent world. There is increasing interactions
among states. Multi national companies are coming up and incresaing
their presence in society. So role of state will diminish and it will
become a global world where borders will become irrelevant.
Q&A
Q1. What are three different approaches to peace?
A1. There are three significant approaches to peace.
Centrality to states: this approach talks about giving importance to
state and respecting their sovereignty. They want balance of power so
that no country dominates the other country and
there is no prevailing
threat of attack also .
Second approach is nature of inter state rivalry: this approach says
that increase interdependence of countries. Lets have trade, cultural
exchange and social cooperation. This will help in promoting peace. and
cooperation will be established.
Third approach considers state to be a passing phase of human history:
this approach says that with passing time, state's importance will be
reduced and after some time diminished. This is because we are living in
an global and interdependent world. There is increasing interactions
among states. Multi national companies are coming up and incresaing
their presence in society. So role of state will diminish and it will
become a global world where borders will become irrelevant.
Contemporary challenges
Although UN has made efforts in promoting and establishing peace, UN
has also made use of war to bring peace. war in iraq and afghanistan is a
clear example.
Terrorism : spread of terrorism has become a global problem. With even a
superpower like USA not being spared from it. September 9/11 shocked
the world.
Weapons of mass destruction: Nuclear weapons has really scared the
global community. As use of it will lead to masss destruction.
Environmental problems: This is also disturbing our peace as polluted
environment has led to disturbance of our health. This has also led to
migrations from vulnerable countries like maldives. Maldives is on the
verge of being drowned as it is the country which is at lowest sea
level.
Q&A
Q1. What are the challenges to achieving peace?
A1.
Although UN has made efforts in promoting and establishing peace, UN has
also made use of war to bring peace. war in iraq and afghanistan is a
clear example.
Terrorism : spread of terrorism has become a global problem. With even a
superpower like USA not being spared from it. September 9/11 shocked
the world.
Weapons of mass destruction: Nuclear weapons has really scared the
global community. As use of it will lead to masss destruction.
Environmental problems: This is also disturbing our peace as polluted
environment has led to disturbance of our health. This has also led to
migrations from vulnerable countries like Maldives.
NCERT SOLUTION
Exercise : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 142Q1 :Do you think that a change towards a peaceful world, needs a change in the way people think? Can mind promote peace and is it enough to focus only on the human mind?
Answer :
Any answer supported with argument or explanation would solve the purpose. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, a sample solution has been provided for your reference:
A change towards a peaceful world needs a change in the way people think for most conflicts arise in the minds of people. However, the mind by itself is insufficient to promote peace as the cause for violence also lies in the social structures. Thus, the creation of a peaceful society requires the elimination of structural violence.
Q2 :A State must protect the lives and rights of its citizens. However, at times its own actions are a source of violence against some of its citizens. Comment with the help of some examples
Answer :
It is true that at times government’s own actions are a source of violence against some of its citizens.
The Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura has been a source of violence against the citizens of these states.
The Act has resulted in large-scale violation of the rights of citizens under Articles 14, 19, 21, 22, and 25 of the Constitution.
The Act allows any officer of armed forces to arrest or shoot the person, use of force and to search any premise on the basis of suspicion.
The act also bestows legal immunity to the officials protecting them from prosecution.
Another example of state violence on civilians is related to land acquisition.
In the name of development, the state forcefully encroached upon the land of people in Nandigram and Singur in 2007.
When the civilians protested they had to face brutalities of police.
Q3 :Peace can be best realised when there is freedom, equality and justice. Do you agree?
Answer :
Any answer supported with argument or explanation would solve the purpose. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, a sample solution has been provided for your reference:
It is correct that peace can best be realised in the presence of freedom, equality and justice. Freedom in the society allows people to express themselves freely, while equality and justice help in removing the grounds for conflict.
Every person and group will be able to fulfil their basic needs in societies where equality prevails.
Justice ensures the prevention of oppression of individuals and groups based on class, gender, etc.
Thus, freedom for all, along with equality and justice addressing the aspirations of all individuals and groups help in removing insecurities that breed resentment among groups and cause conflicts.
Q4 :Use of violence does not achieve just ends in the long run. What do you think about this statement?
Answer :
Use of violence does not achieve just ends in the long run as violence tends to become out of control and causes a trail of death and destruction.
Violence involved in forcefully removing oppressors, liberation struggle and self-defence is often justified.
However, the removal of oppressors by the oppressed class through violent struggle leads to another cycle of violence fuelled by a feeling for revenge.
According to Mahatma Gandhi when violence is done for good, the good is temporary and the evil it does is permanent as violence breeds hatred and resentment and divides people instead of uniting them.
Q5 :Differentiate between the major approaches, discussed in the chapter, to the establishment of peace in the world.
Answer :
There are three major approaches for the establishment of peace in the world.
The first approach favours sovereignty and deals with fair competition between the states and the maintenance of a balance of power to contain conflict. This approach upholds the sovereignty of states as paramount and competition among them as a fact in order to promote peace.
The second approach deals with economic integration and interdependence that leads to political unification. Economic and social cooperation between states would lead to peace by promoting international understanding.
The third approach visualises the state as a transitory system and the emergence of a global community surpassing the state system to maintain world peace. The rise of people’s movements and multinational corporations is a step in this direction. The process of globalisation has contributed to this by reducing the influence of state and diluting the concept of sovereignty.
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