TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour. Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible. THE AGE OF PEACE ROBIN FOX (b. 1934) is an Anglo-American anthropologist. In his article ‘Fatal Attraction: War and Human Nature’, he talks about war as one of obvious human enjoyments. On the other hand, he also mentions the factors that have made the modern times as one of ‘war is dead’ periods. Many arguments are put forth to bring home this point: that force is losing its efficacy as a means of extending policy; that democracy is now in worldwide demand and democracies are of their nature pacific; that the growth of transnational corporations aided by better transport and instant worldwide communications is creating a level of international interdependence that will not tolerate war; that all this raises the cost of war to an unbearable level. In ancient times there were two things in particular that made war seem necessary and unavoidable for those who chose to go to war. The first of these was family-based monarchical rule. The second was the agriculture-based or land-based economy. In the modern age, a major development completely transformed this situation, and that is what is called the Industrial Revolution. Because of this revolution, today innumerable new economic means and opportunities have become available, utilizing which a person can make great economic progress. Even without becoming a landowner he can become economically wealthy. This change is so massive and significant that it can, without any exaggeration, be called an ‘economic explosion’. It has completely transformed the entire political and economic scenario. Things that