Gwynne Dyer: War Institution

Posted by admin on Monday, May 3, 2021

Gwynne Dyer Money Quote saying it has always ben assumed that war must exist as a necessary institution even when the cost is high. Gwynne Dyer said:
 

 

“For most of history, war has been a more or less functional institution, providing benefits for those societies that were good at it, although the cost in money, in lives, and in suffering was always significant. Only in the past century have large numbers of people begun to question the basic assumption of civilized societies that war is inevitable and often useful” — Gwynne Dyer

 

 

In this quote, Gwynne Dyer is analyzing changing views of war throughout history. His interpretation is that for much of the past, war was generally seen as an accepted and even beneficial part of society by those who excelled militarily, despite the immense human and economic costs.

However, Dyer notes that only in the last 100 years have significant portions of populations started doubting the long-held assumption that war is either unavoidable or can be useful at times. He suggests growing skepticism toward the inevitability and utility of armed conflict as a means of resolving issues or advancing interests.

The overall message seems to be that perspectives on war have evolved over the last century to increasingly question its legitimacy and costs, rather than accept it as a “functional institution” for some as was commonly believed for most of civilization.