Movement for the Abolition of War

International Peace Bureau

	Hague Appeal for Peace

Root causes of war

Culture of violence: The culture of violence pervades our society, glorifying war rather than educating for peace, nonviolence, and international cooperation.
Globalization: Economic globalization has marginalized broad sections of the world’s population, further widening the gap between rich and poor.
Use of environmental resources: The use of environmental resources is neither sustainable nor un-equitable. The world’s dominant consumers are overwhelmingly concentrated among the well off, but the environmental damage from it falls most severely on the poor.
Colonialism and neo-colonialism: Indigenous and un-represented peoples are suffering from the suppression of their right to self-determination, ethnic and cultural genocide, the violation of their cultural, language and religious freedoms, and the militarisation and nuclearisation of their lives, lands and waters.
Racial, ethnic, religious, and gender intolerance: Ethnic, religious and racial intolerance, and nationalism are among the principal sources of modern armed conflict.
Gender injustice: The costs of the machismo that still pervades most societies are high for men whose choices are limited by this standard, and for women who experience continual violence both in war and in peace.
Lack of protection and respect for children & youth: Children and youth continue to be exploited and victimized, particularly in violent conflict situations where harming children has become not only a consequence, but frequently a strategy of war.
Lack of democracy and just global governance: The promotion of democracy at all levels of society is a prerequisite for replacing the rule of force with the rule of law.
Belief that violence and warfare are inherent in human nature: It is commonly assumed that violence and warfare are inherent in human nature.
Local community violence: Violence in local communities paves the way for conflicts at national and international levels.
Religions: Religions have been a cause of war.

Top Home