Introduction
A study on the causes of war and enhancing peaceful coexistence in the world has been a critical issue in international relations. Scholars and students alike have to look at the root of what makes countries go to war, as well as the modalities that can help restore and boost peace in the world. In this aspect, a deep study of comparative politics and peace studies proves pertinent. Understanding the political system of different nations is important; it helps students, scholars, and international relation officials to know differences in ideologies on critical issues.
Comparative politics helps explain why things are the way they are in one country and not in another country (Rummel par. 8). For example, countries with different political ideologies will automatically have different public policies. In this dimension, understanding the spirit of nationalism is vital in mitigating disagreements over national and international affairs, which do arise between two nations. Peace and conflict studies, on the other hand, proves worthwhile in enhancing peace in the world as it helps in finding approaches for a just and sustainable peace. This field identifies, analyzes, and comprehends the causes of conflicts and violent behaviors.
It comes up with structural mechanisms to mitigate as well as provide long lasting solutions to the conflict. According to Kopstein and Lichbach (57), peace studies aims at offering victory to all parties involved in the conflict. In essence, the two fields of international relations are critical in addressing the desired objectives of the report. The essay seeks to prove that the study of comparative politics and peace studies are most applicable in understanding the causes of war and ways of enhancing peace in the world. In researching on these issues, three questions arise – Why do nations go to war? Why do nations stop fighting? and How can peace be made to last forever?
The Essence of Comparative Politics
Understanding and appreciating the political ideologies of other countries can as well reduce xenophobic attitudes. Ethnocentrism has also been a factor that makes certain nations view others as less-human (Caramani 73). This makes it difficult for ideas of the despised groups to receive recognition at the international front. This is evident with most Middle East nations. The West and other European nations view them as uncivilized and backward. This feeling has caused resentments among states like North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Palestine such that any slight controversial issue can result in war (Richmond 106).
Clearly, the thinking of a person can easily enhance conflict in case of disagreements. Therefore, appreciating the existence of globalization in comparative politics can mitigate chances of nations going to war. Clearly, the concept of globalization comes into play under comparative politics; scholars come to understand the operations of different political systems and through public awareness, people learn to tolerate and appreciate differences in ideologies (Rummel par. 12). For example, communism and capitalism are policies of conservatisms and liberalisms respectively. The two systems may propagate different policies on various affairs, as well as views and perceptions on conflict resolution.
Dating back to the time of the writing of the Bible, comparative politics has been eminent, especially in the Old Testament where the prophets frequently compared the Israelites to other people like the Syrians (Atack par. 4). Such comparisons helped to understand the way of life of the people of Israel and their neighbors. Another dimension of comparative politics is evident in the works of two ancient Greeks – Aristotle and Plato.
Aristotle’s Politics and Plato’s Republic touched on various forms of government, leadership, and power. In the field of comparative politics, Aristotle studied close to 150 constitutions mostly from Greek city-states and other regions (Atack par. 6). In these collections, the author looked at the causes of instability by finding the stable form of government. The study of the forms of government can help student and scholars to determine the main causes of disagreements that can arise between two nations with same or different forms of government.
Conceptualizing the political culture of nations in the world is vital in assessing and harmonizing pertinent issues that are likely to cause conflict among nations. If all nations can understand the political system across their borders, there are high chances of not experiencing wars in the world. Political leaders, especially in the developed nations will understand the need not to “shower” their own leadership styles on other nations. Agar Adamson in his article, Why the study of comparative politics is important, gives an example of the failure by the US to have sound knowledge of the political and religious system of Iraq.
The oversight made the two nations go to war. Another instance is the Vietnam War, 1945-1954. World leaders at the time subscribed to their national ideologies, failing to give room for other countries’ ideologies. In this aspect, comparative politics could have helped different nations to neutralize the concept of the domino theory that guided the communist movements. This Communism theory stated that the fall of one state in a region would result in the fall of other states in the region to Communism too (Adamson par. 16). The US and France took great interest of isolating communism of the Soviet Union and its Allies like China.
In this analysis, understanding the dynamics of Communism and Capitalism at the time could have been essential in understanding the causes of the Vietnam War. According to Lichbach (177), with comparative politics comes wisdom in reasoning, as well as respect for other nations’ cultural structures. Both China and the US have various forms of government that possess autonomy over their citizens and territory. Notably, the two countries are not ruled in the same way. These differences affect the perceptions of the citizens and their leaders such that in case of negotiations, they can have divergent and even contradicting opinions (Diamant 87).
The Significance of Peace Studies
For complete mitigation of war, peace studies helps in critical analysis of war as a deeply rooted factor affecting the lives of people across the globe. The study does not only enable researchers and students understand the causes of war, but also offer them deep knowledge of how to resolve or end the phenomena effectively (Richmond 117). One is able to comprehend the lively relationship between the theoretical and practical aspects of peace. This approach provides enlightenment on how to mitigate the issues of war that are currently having huge impacts both on the national and global fronts.
Markedly, the practical aspect of peace deals in the nature of intervention measures effective in making the world a more peaceful place. A study of Johan Galtung’s three components of violence under peace studies helps scholars to understand deep relation with armed conflict and war (Ohlson 135). Inequality and poverty form key components of peace. Therefore, studying different dimensions of violence like cultural violence helps students and scholars understand issues of discrimination and racism.
These attitudes and beliefs support repressive practices like the caste system that was wide spread in South Asia, as well as the apartheid in South Africa. Analyzing the concept of peace from a wide perspective helps in dealing with conflicts that could cause war. In putting forward holistic approaches and causal analysis to examine conflicts, peace education proves to be an important tool for conflict resolution. Doucey (1) notes that the study reports on the need to meet basic human needs and address collective fears.
Preeminent scholars like Mary Kaldor and Paul Collier have noted there are changes in factors that characterized past decade conflicts and current conflicts. Lack of democracy, strains on natural resources, and poor economic performance are key variables that cause war. These are the key elements that drove Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia into war. Doucey (3) believes that collective fears and needs rather than national interests should drive resolution of conflict. This approach helps in finding a long lasting solution to numerous conflicts across the globe.
Conclusion
From the foregoing analysis, it is evident that comparative politics and peace studies can help in identifying causes of war, as well as instituting effective methods to resolve conflicts. The current society needs to appreciate the differences in culture, religious beliefs, and political ideologies that exist across the borders. This is possible by studying comparative politics. In addition, peace studies as a field of international relations, has proved vital in conflict resolution. This is evident in the ceasefire witnessed in the recent Israel and Palestine crisis, Zimbabwe, and Kenya’s political violence. War has destructive aftermaths. Therefore, the entire world should adopt strategies that attempt to bring peace at all time.
Works Cited
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Atack, Iain. Peace studies and social change: The role of ethics and human agency. N.p., 2009. Web.
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Diamant, Alfred. “The Relevance of Comparative Politics to the Study of Comparative Administration.” Administrative Science Quarterly 5.1 (1960): 87-112. Print.
Doucey, Marie. “Understanding the root causes of conflict.” International Affairs Review 20.2 (2011): 1-12. Web.
Kopstein, Jeffrey, and Mark Lichbach. Comparative Politics: Interests, Identitites, and Institutions in a Changing Global Order. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print.
Lichbach, Mark. Democratic Theory and Causal Methodology in Comparative Politics. London: Cambridge UP, 2013. Print.
Ohlson, Thomas. “Understanding Causes of War and Peace.” European Journal of International Relations 14.1 (2008): 133-160. Print.
Richmond, Oliver. Peace in International Relations. London: Routledge, 2008. Print.
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