Is World Peace Achievable?

Is World Peace Achievable?

From ancient philosophers to modern theorists, analyzing human nature and its relationship within a social, and political world has been an ongoing process. The light at the end of the tunnel being world peace.To achieve world peace, where war ceases to exist and harmony is present within an international system may seem out of reach. To determine peace prospects within international relations, one must understand why war happens so frequently within nation states, their actions, reactions, hostility, and peace between other states in an international system.(Lickerman, www.psychologytoday.com) However, theories such as liberalism, realism, and constructivism, shed light on what makes these nations tick, their interactions with each other, why they go to war, and their motivations to establish peace with one another. In this paper I will analyze each of the principal theories previously mentioned, answering the central questions posed, and in conclusion discuss wether or not world peace is possible.

The first theory of international relations to be discussed is liberalism. Liberalism is a political practice that focuses on freedom of individuals ie. human rights, and equality. One of the most famous developments within liberal theory is known as the democratic peace theory, which originated from German philosopher Immanuel Kant. (Slaughter) Kant’s peace theory implies that liberal democracies are hesitant to go to war with one another. Liberals argue that democracies are generally peaceful states and because of this war is a rare occurrence. Democracies being a form of government in which the citizens are involved in the decisions made by the state by electing a leader. “When citizens who bear the burdens of war elect their governments, wars become impossible. Furthermore, citizens appreciate that the benefits of trade can be enjoyed only under conditions of peace. Thus, the very existence of liberal states, such as the United...