Is Peace Possible?
“THERE will always be a war somewhere. That’s the sad truth about mankind.” This pessimistic view recently appeared in a letter from a reader in the magazine Newsweek. Do you agree with it? Is war inevitable and peace impossible? If history is any measure of the matter, it is difficult not to answer yes to both of these questions. As long as records have been kept, mankind has been embroiled in one war after another, and conflicts became more and more destructive as men developed more efficient ways of killing one another.
The 20th century has been no exception. Indeed, it has witnessed the bloodiest wars ever, but it has also witnessed something new. Fifty years ago the United States ushered in the nuclear age by dropping two atom bombs on Japan. In the five decades since then, the nations have built up massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons that could destroy humanity many times over. Will the existence of nuclear weaponry finally scare men off from waging war? The facts speak for themselves. Since 1945 many millions have died in wars—although as yet no more nuclear bombs have been dropped.
Why is the human race so warlike? The Encyclopedia Americana mentions some aspects of human society that historically have led to war. They include religious intolerance, racism, cultural differences, differing ideologies (such as Communism and capitalism), nationalism and the doctrine of national sovereignty, economic conditions, and a popular acceptance of militarism. When you read that list, do you see anything that is likely to change in the near future? Will the nations be less determined to preserve their sovereignty? Will men become less racist? Will religious fundamentalists be less fanatical? This is very unlikely.
Is there no hope at all, then, that some day things will be better and there will be lasting peace? Yes, there is hope. Despite the turmoil of this world, it is possible even today to find peace. Millions have done so. Let us tell you about a few of these people and see what their experiences can mean for you.
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Background cover and page 32: Reuters/Bettmann
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