Violence
is an unfortunate facet of human existence. While violence is inherent in
humans, intelligence is not. No child is born with innate knowledge to solve
even the simplest of arithmetic problems as simple as two plus two, yet he is
capable of expressing frustration and anger when his desires are unmet. This
simple analogy underscores a fundamental truth; intelligence and non-violence
must be nurtured trough education. Failure to do so can lead to profound
violence with far-reaching consequences for individuals and societies alike. Such
violence extends beyond the individual level and can manifest in the actions of
states, resulting in dire consequences for humanity. Violence leads states to
problems such as political turmoil, governance challenges, economic downturn,
and environmental degradation. Indeed there are political, economic, social,
legal, and environmental factors that drive individuals to be violent; however,
proper education of soft skills with a level playing field for economic and
political participation will eradicate violence at an individual level. With
that, visionary leadership and global, regional, and local conflict resolution bodies
are essential to curbing the global proliferation of violence.
Every
problem has a solution when thoroughly understood and violence is no exception.
Violence is a complex reaction that stems as a result of different phenomena.
The individuals may turn to violence due to political coercion and
manipulation. Economic deprivation, social marginalization, and a lack of legal
rights can also push them to this extreme. Moreover, environmental factors may
further exacerbate the propensity for violence. Similarly, when states are
politically victimized and economically disadvantaged, they resort to violence
in their interactions with other nations.
Political
coercion is a primary motivator for individuals to resort to violence as a last
refuge. Every individual aspires to have access to basic amenities of life. However,
when specific groups, tribes, families, or social classes monopolize a state or
country’s resources, it compels people to demand their rights. All the
historical movements and uprisings are a proof and a consequence of such
political coercion. The most recent example is the Arab Spring when people refused
to be governed by autocrats who wielded absolute power and controlled all
resources. Fundamental rights such as the right to life, education, health, and
speech is everyone’s birthright. When these basic rights are denied,
individuals may turn to violence.
With
the evolution of human society, men developed methods of buying and accessing
natural resources. The division between the owner of the means of production
and the buyer of these products has made men earn more and more money to be
able to spend a lavish life. However, because of the unjust division of
resources and means of production, half of the global wealth is held by the top
one percent of the global population. While the poorest half of the world just
owns 0.75 percent of the global wealth. This stark wealth inequality drives
individuals to be violent because they find themselves unable to spend a more comfortable,
healthier, and prosperous life.
Another
important factor contributing to violence is the social marginalization of individuals
due to their low political and economic status. When Individuals cannot attain
a lifestyle comparable to that of the affluent, they experience social
discrimination. They remain uneducated and unhealthy because of the low
economic and political resources and influence. Another dimension to this
predicament is that such individuals never nourish in themselves the soft
skills of good communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution. These
deprivations often lead them to the guilt of inferiority complex and then they
are vulnerable to the exploitation and mistreatment by the privileged classes
of society.
People
may resort to violence when their legal rights are denied. It is important to
note that not every criminal is poor or uneducated. History is replete with
examples of heinous crimes committed by highly intelligent and affluent
individuals. The gruesome murder of Noor Muqadam by Zahir Jaffar, the son of a
prominent US-based business family; the suicide attacks carried out by university
students; and the cybercrimes perpetrated by highly creative and qualified
criminals all serve as reminders of this fact. However, there are instances of
killings when courts and society tend to be biased. This issue is particularly
pronounced in third-world countries such as Pakistan where people resort to
violence due the notion of “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Apart
from the political, economic, and social factors certain environmental factors
can drive man toward violence. Climate change and global warming have been
identified as root causes of various diseases and incidents. Global warming,
for instance, contributes to resource scarcity, displacement, and migration, all
of which ultimately result in political and economic instability. The changing
climate patterns result in the depletion of vital natural resources such as
water and arable land. This change triggers large-scale displacements of population,
both internally and externally. An example is the massive floods of 2022 in
Pakistan, impacting approximately 33 million people. Such catastrophic events often
lead to conflicts over limited resources and mass migration.
At a
state level, a complex interplay of the aforementioned political, economic,
social, legal, and environmental factors can collectively contribute to a state
becoming prone to violence, not only within its own borders but also toward
neighboring nations and the broader region. Regions like West and North Africa
and the Middle East are often driven to violence by their unequal and unjust
economic systems, limited political representation, external interventions, and
increasingly severe climate changes.
It's
worth noting that the economic disparities within and between nations can breed
resentment and frustration, which sometimes manifest as violence on both
domestic and international fronts. Additionally, a lack of meaningful political
representation within a state can lead to governance issues and a sense of
disconnection among certain segments of the population, potentially resulting
in aggressive actions towards neighboring states. External interventions,
whether overt or covert, can further exacerbate tensions and conflicts. These
interventions might take the form of military actions, economic sanctions, or
geopolitical maneuvers, often escalating existing hostilities. Furthermore, the
growing impacts of climate change, including resource scarcity and environmental
degradation, can contribute to instability within a state. This instability can
spill over into neighboring regions, resulting in conflicts over access to
water, arable land, or other vital assets. Consequently, the combination of
these factors can create a volatile environment at the state level, increasing
the likelihood of violence.
Another
important question at this juncture is “What renders a man incompetent to
handle his violent emotions?” Incompetence is the state where an individual is
unable to take the right course of action mostly because of his lack of
knowledge and mental capacity. Men who tend to be violent mostly lack soft
skills such as effective communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, or
problem-solving abilities. Another key element that renders man incompetent is
the ineffectiveness of non-violent approaches. Such deprivations contribute
highly to a man’s choice of opting for violent ways to achieve his legitimate
goals and desires.
As
far as the consequences are concerned, the most devastating and tragic
consequence of violence is the death and destruction of human life. Violence,
at the individual or state level, causes great harm to human life. Wars, civil
or national, result in the deaths of millions of people. The Second World War,
for instance, resulted in the death of more than six million people. Similarly,
the civil conflicts that erupted during the Arab Spring in countries like Syria
and Yemen resulted in the tragic loss of nearly eight million people. This
illustrates the profoundly destructive impact that violence can have on human
existence.
Wars
and violence inflict profound damage upon human civilizations. It dismantles
the very fabric of cultures and societies. One of the primary reasons for this
erosion of cultural identity is mass migration. As a result of mass migration, people
from different cultures and societies converge resulting in the emergence of
entirely new cultures and societies. Furthermore, it degrades historical places
and art pieces, ultimately, undermining the preservation of historical cultures
and societies.
Violence
also has greater political ramifications as it unsettles a nation’s political
landscape. The tragic loss of eminent leaders due to violent acts is not only
an irreparable loss in itself but can also trigger power vacuums and political
instability. It also leads to governance issues. Fear of moving safely and ease
of doing business is hampered by violence. Countries such as Pakistan are
grappling with the menace of violence at a national and regional level which
has badly affected the political and administrative class of the country.
Violence
also has greater economic consequences. As mentioned earlier there are greater
effects of fear on the ease of business. This causes mistrust of the business
class and economic activity is restricted. With that, violence is a great cause
of environmental degradation as well. The environment suffers badly due to the
exploration and testing of nuclear arms. This ultimately leads to global
warming causing massive natural disasters and mass migration.
As
mentioned earlier, every problem of the world is solvable. At the individual
level, violence can be effectively addressed through educating individuals with
essential soft skills. They include effective communication skills, negotiation
skills, and problem-solving skills. It is noteworthy that a significant portion
of violent acts stem from the lack of these skills; therefore, it is imperative
to educate the masses with these skills as a pivotal step toward mitigating
violence.
Moreover,
another major initiative could be establishing a level playing field for all
individuals. Disparity in economic and political terms leads to violence. Therefore,
economic and political policy transformations are imperative both at national
and global levels. Socio-economic disparities can be curtailed through
progressive taxation, robust social safety nets, and accessible education and
healthcare, ensuring that opportunities are accessible to all, irrespective of
their socio-economic background.
Additionally,
it is also imperative upon the governments to formulate strategies at the state
level for curbing violence. The presence of visionary leadership is nothing
short of a blessing. Women, in this perspective, have proven to be most
non-violent leaders across the world. Apart from that, history is replete with
examples of authoritarian leaders who have been responsible for immense human sufferings
and loss of life. Thus, there is a pressing need to realize whom the people
elect. The criteria for electing political representatives must not be their
populist slogans and manifestos, instead it should be their vision of a
harmonious and peaceful coexistence.
Furthermore,
the global community is in dire need of the revival of international bodies
such as the United Nations, as well as the leading nations like the United States,
China, and Russia to facilitate diplomatic dialogues between the warring nations.
Peace making organizations such as the United Nations and Security Council are
hijacked by global powers due to which the world remains in a constant state of
hot or cold conflicts. The grim
situation is that currently the contemporary great powers like the United States,
China, and Russia are entangled in a mutual cold war with one another that is
why they are least bothered to mediate among the warring states. Thus, the
world at present needs some influential entities and states to maintain the
status quo.
To
sum up, the world at large suffers from violence both at the individual and
state levels. The reasons vary from socio-political to multiple socio-economic
factors. Individuals may resort to violence due to a lack of certain soft
skills; however, states are embroiled to violence because of the inability and ineffectiveness
of the global peace-making bodies. Furthermore, the world is faced with a lack
of visionary leaders, often replaced with populist figures. The consequences of
violence, on the other hand, are far-reaching, including the loss of human
lives and the disruption of cultures. Socio-economic and socio-political
dynamics are also severely disturbed. A solution would be to have visionary
leaders who prefer peace to war, in particular, women who have proven to be
non-violent leaders. With that, the existence of vibrant international and
national bodies is a must for negotiating peace among the warring nations. This
holds the key to fostering a more vibrant society, a peaceful individual, and a
more developed and prosperous world at large.
Outline followed:
1. Introduction.
a. Thesis statement: There are political, economic, social, legal, and environmental factors that drive individuals to be violent; however, proper education of soft skills with a level playing field for economic and political participation will eradicate violence at an individual level. With that, visionary leadership and global, regional, and local conflict resolution bodies are essential to curbing the global proliferation of violence.
2. Why opt for violence?
a. At an individual level.
i. Politically coerced and manipulated.
ii. Economically disadvantaged.
iii. Socially marginalized.
iv. Deprived of legal rights.
v. Environmental factors.
b. Why states opt for violence?
3. What renders a man incompetent?
a. Lack of soft-skills.
b. Ineffectiveness of non-violent approaches.
4. The negative consequence of violence.
a. Loss of human lives.
b. Destruction of civilizations.
c. Political and governance issues.
d. Socio-economic consequence.
5. How to deal with violence?
a. At an individual level.
i. Educate the individuals with essential soft-skills.
ii. Provide individuals with level playing field.
b. At a state level.
i. Promote visionary leadership, in particular, women leaders.
ii. Global, regional, and local bodies for conflict resolution.
6. Conclusion.
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