VIOLENCE. (L. violentia, from violens (-entis), violent). The simplest, most frequently employed, and most effective mode for maintaining power and supremacy, for imposing one’s will on others, for usurping the power, property, and even the lives of others. According to Marx, v. is "the midwife of history," i.e., all of human history, even progress, is the result of v. – wars, appropriation of territory, conspiracies, murders, revolutions, etc. Marx claimed that all important problems of history have generally been resolved by force. Intelligence, reasoned discussion, or reforms have played a secondary role. In this sense, Marx is right; he is wrong, however, to the extent that he confers absolute priority on the role of v., denying the advantages of evolution without v. Neither is he correct when he justifies v. with some noble end (although he himself on many occasions expressed reservations about v., saying that no good end can excuse the use of evil means to attain it). Advocates of v. of every persuasion justify it as a means to achieve "good" or "useful" ends and results. That focus is dangerous and mistaken, however, since it leads to apologies for v. and the rejection of non-violent means.

It is customary to categorize v. as direct, as individualized (authority of father over child), or as indirect (permutational), "codified," usually corresponding to social institutions and official policies (wars, power of a dictator, single-party power, religious monopoly). There are also other ways of categorizing v.: as physical or psychological; as open or concealed. In society, other more precise gradations of v. can be observed: at the level of the family, of the nation, of world politics, as well as in the relation of the human being with nature, with other animal species, etc. All around we can observe one or more of these elements, manifestations, or states of v., carried out to resolve problems or to achieve desired results, at the cost of harming or inflicting suffering on another group or individual. V. is not necessarily oriented toward any specific enemy (though such cases do occur), rather it is exercised to obtain certain concrete results, and therefore it is regarded as necessary and useful. Often, the one exercising violence believes he or she is acting in a just manner. This is the origin of the concept of distinguishing v. as "black" (unjustified) or "white" (justified).

V. is multifaceted. In the majority of cases it is viewed as an ethical category, as an evil, or a "lesser evil." Today, v. has penetrated all aspects of life: it appears continually and on a daily basis in the economy (exploitation of some human beings by others, coercion by the State, material dependency (*), discrimination (*) against women in the workplace, child labor, unjust taxes, etc.); in politics (domination by a single or small number of parties, the power of certain leaders, totalitarianism (*), the exclusion of citizens from real participation in decision-making, war, revolution (*), armed struggle for power, etc.); in ideology (the imposing of official viewpoints, the prohibition of free thought, subordination of the communications media to particular interests, the manipulation of public opinion, propaganda for ideas that are inherently violent and discriminatory but convenient to the ruling elite, etc.); in religion (subjection of the interests of the individual to clerical edicts, stringent thought-control, prohibitions against divergent beliefs, persecution of heretics, etc.); in the family (exploitation of women, dictatorial control or stifling of children, etc.); in education (authoritarianism of teachers, corporal punishment, prohibition of diversity in curricula and teaching methods, etc.); in the armed forces (arbitrariness of officers, unthinking obedience of soldiers, punishment, etc.); in culture (censorship, the prohibition of innovative currents and movements, prohibitions against publishing or performing certain works, edicts by the bureaucracy, etc.).

If we analyze the sphere of life of contemporary society, we continually encounter v., which abridges our liberty; for this reason it is practically impossible to determine which classes of prohibitions and overpowering of our will are truly rational and useful, and which have an affected and anti-human character. For those forces that are authentically humanist, it is a task of special importance to overcome the aggressive features of contemporary social life: to build harmony, non-violence, tolerance, and solidarity.

When people speak of v., generally what they mean is physical v., the most overt expression of corporal aggression (*). Other forms of v., among others, economic, racial, religious, and sexual v., can sometimes take place while their character is hidden, nevertheless resulting in the submerging or enslavement of human intention and liberty. In cases where these forms of v. are exercised openly, they are also at times then applied through physical coercion. Every form of v. has discrimination (*) as a correlate.

WAR. (ME. werre; OHG. werra, confusion, strife, quarrel). Open, armed conflict between tribes, clans, states, large social, religious, or ethnic groups; the strongest form of violence.

There have been more than 2,500 wars recorded in world history, among them two world wars. In the First World War, more than 20 million people died; in the Second World War, more than 50 million.

Wars are conducted to redistribute social goods by means of armed violence, seizing them from some human beings and delivering them to others.

In earlier times, this selfish motive was not only not concealed but was displayed openly. In modern times this motive is hidden behind ostensible religious, geopolitical, or other motives (e.g. the defense of religious beliefs, access to sacred sites or the sea, restoring the rights of ethnic minorities, "ethnic cleansing" of territories, and many other such pretexts).

In principle, it is possible to avoid the transformation of smaller conflicts into wars, but in contemporary society there are powerful social forces, including the military-industrial complex, chauvinist and nationalist groups, crime syndicates, etc., that have a vested interest in wars. In today’s world, the arms trade continues to be one of the most lucrative export businesses for the United States, France, England, Russia, China, and a number of other powers.

Hopes that the League of Nations following the First World War, and the United Nations following the Second World War, would erect effective barriers to prevent the outbreak of war have been frustrated. Armed conflicts today grip the Balkans, the Middle East, Africa, as well as republics formed out of the collapse of the USSR. Notwithstanding this, humanity has created certain international principles and legal processes to punish war crimes and war criminals. The international tribunals at Nuremberg and Tokyo established a precedent of great importance that is now being carried on in the International Tribunal of the Hague under the charter of the UN.

Although the anti-war movement is no longer as large as it once was, this phenomenon has not died out and continues to develop. N.H. works to support the revival of the anti-war movement in order to bring peace to regional and local conflicts such as those in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Tadjikistan, Chechenia and other places in the Caucasus; Rwanda and Burundi; Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico; Cambodia, and East Timor.

The international campaign "2000 Without Wars" which the Humanist Movement initiated and is now carrying forward, seeks to achieve in the year 2000 a cessation of hostilities throughout the whole world for one week as a practical demonstration, which can then be extended in time.

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We invite everyone to participate with us in putting into practice the moral principle that says: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
More information:
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