6 Reasons for War; Why do States Willingly Go to War?

It’s the 21st century and the world is smaller than it has ever been. We are at the strongest period of peace in human history and yet wars are still very much an issue. So why do states willingly go to war?

Stop War

There are many reasons that states go to war but which ones are more common?

Why do States Willingly Go to War?

Why do they never seem to learn that wars cause more harm than good and have a lasting negative impact on all involved parties? It’s not always easy to tell why a state goes to war but there are many reasons for it. These reasons can be either for the benefit of the state or for its betterment.

Also Read: Climate Change and Armed Conflicts

Sometimes, these two can overlap. The government may be able to “sell” a war to its citizens by convincing them that it is for their own good or that it is out of necessity, but in reality, there may be other motives. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why states go to war:

1. Security

Sometimes states will go to war if they feel like they are under threat from another state. This can be from a direct attack or from potential attacks. For example, you might be under threat from your neighbor because he has a larger army than you, or maybe your neighbor has been hostile toward you in the past. In both cases, you could go to war because of a real or potential threat to your security.

2. Religion

Some states will go to war if their religion is under threat. This can be from other religions or from non-believers in their religion. For example, some people might try to convert believers to their religion or sometimes even kill them for not believing and this could be seen as threatening enough that a state would want to go to war against them. If a state feels like its religion is under threat it might attack its neighbor and this could lead to a full-blown war between two countries with different religions.

3. Defense

One of the reasons that states go to war is to defend their own territory or people. If a state feels threatened or attacked by another state, it might feel that they need to go to war in order to protect itself against future attacks. The primary example of this was World War II when Nazi Germany invaded France. France then went on the offensive against Germany and together with allies like Great Britain and Russia, defeated Nazi Germany. This is one of the most obvious reasons for going to war and it’s often seen as a noble reason as well.

4. Influence

States want power. They want to be able to control their sphere of influence so that they can ensure their survival as well as ensure their dominance over other weaker states. Sometimes this is done by force such as invading weaker states or annexing smaller territories but sometimes this is done through proxy wars where states try to get stronger states to fight using its soldiers.

5. Wealth/Economy

Sometimes states go to war because they want access to new markets or they want more natural resources. Wars are expensive and if a state feels it can make money from a war, then it will be willing to start one. It won’t be too long before we see wars fought over water or oil in the future.

6. Revenge

States go to war with each other because they want revenge for a previous war. The most famous example of this would be World War 1 and World War 2. Germany was humiliated by the allies after WW1 and blamed their defeat on the Jews (which is why WWII became the Holocaust).

Final Thought

Why do States Willingly Go to War: War isn’t something that a state wants to go to. It’s a fight to protect and secure one’s territory, resources, and people. The most important thing for a state is the safety of its people. The stronger a state feels that it is able to defend itself and fight off any potential threats, the less likely one is going to go to war.