5.    Problem: War*

War is, of course, waged for numerous reasons but all of these reasons can be summed up into two basic camps.  First, there is the need and desire for resources, and then there is the desire for political power.  These two often coincide with each other.  Of course, the problem of war is steeped in human limitations (greed, arrogance etc…) as well.  As the population grows, the world becomes smaller, and more and more nations become richer, resources will continue to grow in importance.  The obvious problem here is that there is limited resources and a seeming exponential growth in population.  The other side of the population growth is that more and more people desire to live in more and more luxury: more things, more tech, more consumerism.

Secondly, the desire for political power is a ubiquitous problem for those in power.  And, as political power often equates to economic power, war is often waged for money.  Money and politics rarely mix well, especially when business and government coincide.  Oligarchical and plutocratic tendencies are as old as human society.  So common and accepted is the idea of corporately-corrupt politicians that a new term has been bandied: corporatocracy.  But these problems have now become even more dangerous with the easy spread of disinformation coupled together with public fear and ignorance.

War is often the result of the sordid soup of politics, money, and power, but it is almost always based upon fear and ignorance.  While we may never rid ourselves of our warlike tendencies, we can at least accept that we are a violent species and start changing from there.

Solution: National governments/Global Economies (the UN)

            The solution to war is, of course, a complicated one.  Not so easily come to and won’t happen quickly.  But, in order to create a workable basis government(s) must work together, which they rarely do on a larger scale.  For this reason, an international government is needed.  This sets the stage for two things.  First, national interests become cultural and social, not economic; and secondly national interests are separated from the economic interests.  The European Union is, perhaps, an example of this on a smaller scale.  Each country keeps its autonomy to an extent, but economic needs and desires are defined on a larger scale.

            With an economic “government” on a global scale, economic power and decision-making are spread over numerous countries, which still maintain power and decision-making on a cultural and social level.  The idea is the separation of political power while maintaining a global interest economically.  With a global economic system, each country will hopefully have a more vested interest in each other while at the same time being separate countries.  A global economic government which is comprised of both economic and political powers will only be larger cauldrons in which the same old problems cook.