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The global system: Because the global system is anarchic,
states must engage in war to protect themselves.
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Economics and resources: Disputes over resources often
lead to war.
Just-War Theory
Debate has raged as long as wars have been fought as to whether a war can
be morally just. Some prominent thinkers have proposed a just-war
theory, which argues that wars should be fought for noble and
worthwhile reasons. Just-war theorists also try to establish ethical rules for
warfare. Of course, whether any war is justified is almost always a matter of
debate. But most just-war theorists agree on some basic ideas:
- War must be the last option. All peaceful means to resolve the
conflict must be exhausted before war breaks out.
- The cause of the war must be just (such as overturning aggression and
righting a great wrong).
- The war must be winnable.
- The war’s purpose must justify the cost in money and lives.
- The military must make every effort to prevent or limit civilian
casualties.
Types of War
Although all wars are violent, not all wars are the same. In fact, there
are many different types of wars, which can be classified according to which
people actually fight, the intensity of the conflict, and the extent of
combatants’ use of violence, among other factors.
Scholars generally describe five types of war:
- Total war
- Limited war
- Guerrilla war
- Civil war
- Proxy war
Total War
A total war is a war in which combatants use every
resource available to destroy the social fabric of the enemy. Total wars are
highly destructive and are characterized by mass civilian casualties because
winning a total war often requires combatants to break the people’s will to
continue fighting. World Wars I and II were total wars, marked by the
complete destruction of the civilian economy and society in many countries,
including France, Germany, the Soviet Union, Italy, Great Britain, and
Japan.
