ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the nature of war and its human and material costs. The necessities of an effective war campaign require social control. In human history, the organisation of society in preparation for war contributed to the development of hierarchical state structures. Throughout history, war has caused great suffering to many who were subject to an extreme level of violence. Total destruction even resulted from primitive weapons. The level of destruction inflicted by war was well demonstrated by the great Peloponnesian War of 431–404 B.C. The chapter also looks at various types and causes of war as well as normative positions on war. In understanding the causes of war, it is important to note that the struggle for liberation, territorial disputes and ideological differences are often associated with cultural and religious animosities. Additionally, beneath simmering tensions and violence, political rivalries and historical hostilities play important roles in the initiation of inter-state and intergroup wars.
