War Causes Essay, Research Paper

Individual level factors–Ethology is study on how humans and animals are equal.

They contend that humans have the instinct to fight like animals do. Fighting

would come when territory is intruded upon, for example. Frustration-aggression

theorists contend that an environment would frustrate a person, and then

aggression comes about. State Level–The type of political system is very

important. Democracies seem to be more peaceful while authoritarian/totalitarian

ones are more aggressive. Free trade also plays a factor with the commercial end

of a country does not want to deal with warring countries, thus making the

government slow down on wars with anyone, or slow relations with these warring

states. Nationalism is also a factor because it could result in ethnocentrism

and aggression could result from this. Protectionism (protecting goods and

services from one’s own country with tariffs and government restrictions) could

also lead to war. International level–Problems could result from the system in

which foreign policy is conducted. This would be an anarchy system. The long

cycles theory comes into play here too. A balance of power could also lead to

war like in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries.