new internationalist
issue 261 - November 1994
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EDUCATION
More co-operative and less competitive ways of learning and playing may encourage
future generations to share resources rather than fight over them. Traditionally,
children have been taught that human history consists of a series of wars and
battles. A non-militaristic education would look at the benefits of peace and
the social impact of violence rather than raise warmongers to hero status. And
a non-sexist education would release boys from the stereotypes that make them
feel they have to be 'fighters'.
INDUSTRY
Defence company Dowty Aerospace (UK) has diversified into civil production,
making landing gear for Airbus. A GEC-Marconi subsidiary has successfully moved
into making TV satellite dishes. But the former USSR has undergone the most
dramatic conversion programme - with 778 establishments and 347 research organizations
converted since the Cold War ended. There were major job losses, but two-thirds
of the 877,000 defence workers affected were rehired on civil work. The IMF
suggests that an internationally co-ordinated 20 per cent cut in defence spending
would actually boost world trade.
POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY
Supporting the forces for democracy - human-rights groups, women's groups and
unions - is one way of helping to maintain peace. Early support for democratic
government structures at a time of mounting tension can help halt social and
political deterioration to warlordism and civil strife. More democracy in North-South
relations is crucial to peace too. If the countries of the South are exploited
by those of the North, internal conflicts and tensions will develop in the South.
Reducing Third World debt and Northern over-consumption of resources would help
create real security and the conditions under which peace can flourish.
PEACE THEORY AND
PRACTICE
Funding peace researchers and campaigners, and founding peace academies devoted
to the study and development of mediation methods, might not only help to resolve
conflicts but prevent them flaring up in the first place. The savings, in both
human and economic terms, would far outweigh the cost. At the global level,
an invigorated and more democratic UN (not controlled by the current Security
Council veto-holders, who are the main arms producers anyway) could enforce
and oversee progressive disarmament. Researchers and campaigners have an important
role to play in raising public awareness and developing a more positive consciousness.
CREATIVE ECONOMICS
Turning military economies into civilian ones requires planning. But the benefits
could be tremendous. The 'peace dividend' (the money saved from not having to
build up vast Cold War arsenals) could be used to finance education, job-creation
and international programmes to deal with other social and environmental needs.
Global economic relations could be restructured to enable developing countries
to have access to greater resources, and many of the problems that lead to war
and conflict in the first place might then be avoided. Economic inequality is
one of the main sources of conflict in the world - so converting from an economy
of inequality to one of equality could mean converting from a war to a peace
economy.
VIOLENCE BLOCKERS
Weapons need not kill or maim. They could just halt violence in its tracks.
Research is underway - especially in the US - into non-lethal defence weapons
that could be used for peace-keeping purposes. These include spraying foam,
stun guns, foul-smelling vapours, sleep inducing fog, lubricants and super-strong
adhesives to spread across roads to impede the passage of tanks or troops, or
on airstrips to stop aircraft taking off. Jamming electronics is already happening
to enforce UN-mandated no-fly-zones in former Yugoslavia.
GREEN GUARDIANS
Military technology and scientific know-how could be put to good use clearing
up the huge mess militarism has made - 400 million dollars' worth in the US
alone. Companies could be given incentives; soldiers could do the cleaning up
and become 'green guardians'. Then 'defence' would become 'defence of the environment'.
DIFFERENCE
Accepting and respecting difference - be it racial, gender, cultural, religious,
class or other - can help prevent conflicts from developing and escalating into
violence and oppression. Many conflicts arise because people fail to communicate
across each others' differences. Drawing from different philosophies - such
as Buddhism or Quakerism - which offer approaches to violence and peacemaking
different from the mainstream may also provide new ideas - and hope.
