define world peace essay

Essay on Peace

500 words essay peace.

Peace is the path we take for bringing growth and prosperity to society. If we do not have peace and harmony, achieving political strength, economic stability and cultural growth will be impossible. Moreover, before we transmit the notion of peace to others, it is vital for us to possess peace within. It is not a certain individual’s responsibility to maintain peace but everyone’s duty. Thus, an essay on peace will throw some light on the same topic.

Importance of Peace

History has been proof of the thousands of war which have taken place in all periods at different levels between nations. Thus, we learned that peace played an important role in ending these wars or even preventing some of them.

In fact, if you take a look at all religious scriptures and ceremonies, you will realize that all of them teach peace. They mostly advocate eliminating war and maintaining harmony. In other words, all of them hold out a sacred commitment to peace.

It is after the thousands of destructive wars that humans realized the importance of peace. Earth needs peace in order to survive. This applies to every angle including wars, pollution , natural disasters and more.

When peace and harmony are maintained, things will continue to run smoothly without any delay. Moreover, it can be a saviour for many who do not wish to engage in any disrupting activities or more.

In other words, while war destroys and disrupts, peace builds and strengthens as well as restores. Moreover, peace is personal which helps us achieve security and tranquillity and avoid anxiety and chaos to make our lives better.

How to Maintain Peace

There are many ways in which we can maintain peace at different levels. To begin with humankind, it is essential to maintain equality, security and justice to maintain the political order of any nation.

Further, we must promote the advancement of technology and science which will ultimately benefit all of humankind and maintain the welfare of people. In addition, introducing a global economic system will help eliminate divergence, mistrust and regional imbalance.

It is also essential to encourage ethics that promote ecological prosperity and incorporate solutions to resolve the environmental crisis. This will in turn share success and fulfil the responsibility of individuals to end historical prejudices.

Similarly, we must also adopt a mental and spiritual ideology that embodies a helpful attitude to spread harmony. We must also recognize diversity and integration for expressing emotion to enhance our friendship with everyone from different cultures.

Finally, it must be everyone’s noble mission to promote peace by expressing its contribution to the long-lasting well-being factor of everyone’s lives. Thus, we must all try our level best to maintain peace and harmony.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Peace

To sum it up, peace is essential to control the evils which damage our society. It is obvious that we will keep facing crises on many levels but we can manage them better with the help of peace. Moreover, peace is vital for humankind to survive and strive for a better future.

FAQ of Essay on Peace

Question 1: What is the importance of peace?

Answer 1: Peace is the way that helps us prevent inequity and violence. It is no less than a golden ticket to enter a new and bright future for mankind. Moreover, everyone plays an essential role in this so that everybody can get a more equal and peaceful world.

Question 2: What exactly is peace?

Answer 2: Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in which there is no hostility and violence. In social terms, we use it commonly to refer to a lack of conflict, such as war. Thus, it is freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.

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December 2, 2021

Peace Is More Than War’s Absence, and New Research Explains How to Build It

A new project measures ways to promote positive social relations among groups

By Peter T. Coleman , Allegra Chen-Carrel & Vincent Hans Michael Stueber

PeopleImages/Getty Images

Today, the misery of war is all too striking in places such as Syria, Yemen, Tigray, Myanmar and Ukraine. It can come as a surprise to learn that there are scores of sustainably peaceful societies around the world, ranging from indigenous people in the Xingu River Basin in Brazil to countries in the European Union. Learning from these societies, and identifying key drivers of harmony, is a vital process that can help promote world peace.

Unfortunately, our current ability to find these peaceful mechanisms is woefully inadequate. The Global Peace Index (GPI) and its complement the Positive Peace Index (PPI) rank 163 nations annually and are currently the leading measures of peacefulness. The GPI, launched in 2007 by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), was designed to measure negative peace , or the absence of violence, destructive conflict, and war. But peace is more than not fighting. The PPI, launched in 2009, was supposed to recognize this and track positive peace , or the promotion of peacefulness through positive interactions like civility, cooperation and care.

Yet the PPI still has many serious drawbacks. To begin with, it continues to emphasize negative peace, despite its name. The components of the PPI were selected and are weighted based on existing national indicators that showed the “strongest correlation with the GPI,” suggesting they are in effect mostly an extension of the GPI. For example, the PPI currently includes measures of factors such as group grievances, dissemination of false information, hostility to foreigners, and bribes.

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The index also lacks an empirical understanding of positive peace. The PPI report claims that it focuses on “positive aspects that create the conditions for a society to flourish.” However, there is little indication of how these aspects were derived (other than their relationships with the GPI). For example, access to the internet is currently a heavily weighted indicator in the PPI. But peace existed long before the internet, so is the number of people who can go online really a valid measure of harmony?

The PPI has a strong probusiness bias, too. Its 2021 report posits that positive peace “is a cross-cutting facilitator of progress, making it easier for businesses to sell.” A prior analysis of the PPI found that almost half the indicators were directly related to the idea of a “Peace Industry,” with less of a focus on factors found to be central to positive peace such as gender inclusiveness, equity and harmony between identity groups.

A big problem is that the index is limited to a top-down, national-level approach. The PPI’s reliance on national-level metrics masks critical differences in community-level peacefulness within nations, and these provide a much more nuanced picture of societal peace . Aggregating peace data at the national level, such as focusing on overall levels of inequality rather than on disparities along specific group divides, can hide negative repercussions of the status quo for minority communities.

To fix these deficiencies, we and our colleagues have been developing an alternative approach under the umbrella of the Sustaining Peace Project . Our effort has various components , and these can provide a way to solve the problems in the current indices. Here are some of the elements:

Evidence-based factors that measure positive and negative peace. The peace project began with a comprehensive review of the empirical studies on peaceful societies, which resulted in identifying 72 variables associated with sustaining peace. Next, we conducted an analysis of ethnographic and case study data comparing “peace systems,” or clusters of societies that maintain peace with one another, with nonpeace systems. This allowed us to identify and measure a set of eight core drivers of peace. These include the prevalence of an overarching social identity among neighboring groups and societies; their interconnections such as through trade or intermarriage; the degree to which they are interdependent upon one another in terms of ecological, economic or security concerns; the extent to which their norms and core values support peace or war; the role that rituals, symbols and ceremonies play in either uniting or dividing societies; the degree to which superordinate institutions exist that span neighboring communities; whether intergroup mechanisms for conflict management and resolution exist; and the presence of political leadership for peace versus war.

A core theory of sustaining peace . We have also worked with a broad group of peace, conflict and sustainability scholars to conceptualize how these many variables operate as a complex system by mapping their relationships in a causal loop diagram and then mathematically modeling their core dynamics This has allowed us to gain a comprehensive understanding of how different constellations of factors can combine to affect the probabilities of sustaining peace.

Bottom-up and top-down assessments . Currently, the Sustaining Peace Project is applying techniques such as natural language processing and machine learning to study markers of peace and conflict speech in the news media. Our preliminary research suggests that linguistic features may be able to distinguish between more and less peaceful societies. These methods offer the potential for new metrics that can be used for more granular analyses than national surveys.

We have also been working with local researchers from peaceful societies to conduct interviews and focus groups to better understand the in situ dynamics they believe contribute to sustaining peace in their communities. For example in Mauritius , a highly multiethnic society that is today one of the most peaceful nations in Africa, we learned of the particular importance of factors like formally addressing legacies of slavery and indentured servitude, taboos against proselytizing outsiders about one’s religion, and conscious efforts by journalists to avoid divisive and inflammatory language in their reporting.

Today, global indices drive funding and program decisions that impact countless lives, making it critical to accurately measure what contributes to socially just, safe and thriving societies. These indices are widely reported in news outlets around the globe, and heads of state often reference them for their own purposes. For example, in 2017 , Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, though he and his country were mired in corruption allegations, referenced his country’s positive increase on the GPI by stating, “Receiving such high praise from an institute that once named this country the most violent in the world is extremely significant.” Although a 2019 report on funding for peace-related projects shows an encouraging shift towards supporting positive peace and building resilient societies, many of these projects are really more about preventing harm, such as grants for bolstering national security and enhancing the rule of law.

The Sustaining Peace Project, in contrast, includes metrics for both positive and negative peace, is enhanced by local community expertise, and is conceptually coherent and based on empirical findings. It encourages policy makers and researchers to refocus attention and resources on initiatives that actually promote harmony, social health and positive reciprocity between groups. It moves away from indices that rank entire countries and instead focuses on identifying factors that, through their interaction, bolster or reduce the likelihood of sustaining peace. It is a holistic perspective.  

Tracking peacefulness across the globe is a highly challenging endeavor. But there is great potential in cooperation between peaceful communities, researchers and policy makers to produce better methods and metrics. Measuring peace is simply too important to get only half-right. 

Tips on how to Create a Perfect Essay on World Peace

You are probably here because you do not know what to write in your world peace essay. Well, your visit was predetermined, and it is the very reason we have this guide on how to write a world peace essay.

To start us off, we can agree that world peace is among the most debated topics. Although achieving absolute world peace is a challenge, various stakeholders have fronted diverse efforts.

It is a great honor for a student to write a world peace essay finally. Although general a topic, it is always a chance to remind the audience that peace is not the absence of war and that there is more to it.

As such, whether it comes out as a synthesis, argumentative, persuasive, narrative, or descriptive essay, you must ensure that it is a creative piece of writing.

Now, let us go on a discovery journey for helpful tips and ideas on how to create a winning world peace essay.

Steps to Writing an Outstanding World Peace Essay

1. Study the world peace essay prompt and rubric.

The requirements for writing creative essays differ from college to college and from professor to professor. Therefore, instead of assuming, as most students do, concentrate on the rubric and the essay prompt. These documentations help you understand the formatting style for your essay, whether it is to be submitted in MLA, APA, or Chicago. They also entail information on the list of potential topics. Most importantly, they also guide you on the expected word count for the essay. Therefore, instead of asking whether a world peace essay is a 500-word or 1000-word essay , the rubric can help.

2. Pick a topic that interests you.

Although we have said this almost in every guide we have written, we emphasize its importance as it aids in writing an essay that gets you communicating with the audience (the marker). Think about a topic in the news, peace in a given country, or draw from your experience. Sometimes, even a movie can be the genesis of a world peace topic. Be whatever it may, ensure that you choose a topic you are comfortable to spend hours researching, writing, and reading about.

3. Research and choose credible sources.

The hallmark of writing an excellent essay is doing research. A well-researched and organized essay tickles grades even from the strict professor. The secret of creating a winning peace essay lies in the depth and scope of your research. With the internet awash with sources, choosing credible scholarly sources can define an A+ peace essay from a failing one. Now, as you research, you will develop insights into your chosen topic, generate ideas, and find facts to support your arguments. Instead of just plain or flat paper, proper research will birth a critical world peace essay. By critical, you will consider the models of peace, theories of peace, some treaties and global laws/legislations, and the process of peace where necessary.

4. Create a detailed outline.

One of the most straightforward strategies to write an essay fast is to have an outline for the essay. The outline offers you a structure and guide when you finally start writing the essay on world peace. Like a roadmap to the best world peace essay, the outline entails the skeleton of what you will fill to make the first draft. An excellent outline makes you logically organize your essay. Thus, skipping this step is disastrous to your grade pursuit.

5. Write the rough draft.

The first draft is a bouncing baby of the essay outline. To complete the first draft, fill in the spaces in your outline. With the essay hook, background, and thesis in the introduction, it is now a great time to polish up the introduction to make it outstanding. Besides, with the topic sentences and main points for each paragraph identified in the outline, when writing the first draft, it is your turn to support each paragraph with facts from the resources identified in the research phase. As this is your first draft, do not focus much on grammar and other stylistic and methodological essay writing errors: leave those for the next phase, proofreading.

6. Proofread the rough draft and turn it into a final draft.

Proofreading is as important as writing an essay. You cannot skin an entire cow and eat it whole. Now, with the analogy, proofreading helps dissect the essay. It helps you identify the grammar and stylistic errors as well as logical essay mistakes and weed them out. When proofreading, always endeavor to make every page count by making it perfect. If you are not as confident with your proofreading skills, try using software such as RefWorks (to check correctness and consistency of citations) and Grammarly or Ginger Software to check your grammar. You can also use plagiarism checkers to identify some areas with similarities and paraphrase further. If you feel all this is too much work, especially given you have written for hours, you can hire an editor to correct your essay .

115 Interesting World Peace Essay Topics to write about

• The importance of world peace treaties
• The significance of the International Peace Day
• Is peace the absence of war?
• Define peace
• Benefits of living in peace
• Is global peace attainable?
• Like war, can peace be human-made?
• Can humans and nature live without conflicts?
• Distinguishing hybrid war and hybrid peace
• Defining peace in contemporary society
• The role of community policing in peace within the community
• The role of criminal justice and law enforcement systems in peace management
• Is world peace a dream or an attainable phenomenon?
• The process of peacemaking
• The role of mediation in the political peace-making process
• Peace in Southern Sudan
• Peace in Iraq
• Impediments of peace between Israel and Palestine
• Role of political leaders in creating peace
• Role of peacekeepers in maintaining peace
• Could free hugs day make the world peaceful
• Can ceasefires bring peace
• Causes of lack of peace
• Why people should always give peace a chance
• Human rights and freedoms
• Strategies to prevent the telltale signs of war
• The role of the United Nations in global peace
• Solving conflicts between human and animals
• The importance of national peace
• Terrorism as a threat to world peace
• The stance of Mahatma Gandhi on peace
• How poverty and hunger combine as barriers to a world truce
• Role of Nelson Mandela and Dalai Lama in world peace
• Relationship between peace and freedom
• Humanitarian interventions as a means of achieving peace
• Can religion be the genesis of peace in the world?
• Factors limiting peace in countries at war
• Is it possible to intervene between the two warring countries?
• The origins of peacekeeping
• Does the peacemaking process work?
• Conflict transformation versus conflict resolution
• Does a peaceful world mean a peaceful world?
• Techniques for peacekeeping
• International law and peacemakers
• Prospects of peacemaking
• How the sale of weapons affects world peace
• Military intelligence and peace
• Impacts of technological development on global peace
• The role of social media in promoting world peace
• Nuclear disarmament and world peace
• Is it worth being a superpower and funding wars in other areas?
• Imagine a world without weapons; what would it be like?
• The most peaceful city in the world
• Does peace have its roots in culture
• Impacts of cultural beliefs on world peace
• The annex between peace and development
• Is the rainbow a sign of peace?
• Pros and cons of having a peace sign tattoo
• Role of street arts and graffiti in global peace
• Can art be used to rally support for global peace?
• The place of leaders in achieving global peace
• Peace declaration and traditions of Native Americans
• Dove with an olive branch as a symbol of peace
• Why flags should unite a nation
• Nationalism, patriotism, and national peace
• Political correctness and global peace
• Communication and negotiation as key skills to attaining peace
• Pacifist Nations
• Us versus them as a genesis of war
• Pacifists representation in movies
• The implications of the Stanford Prison Experiments
• Counterculture and pacifism
• Profits of peace
• The impact of the cold war between China and the United States
• Why the UAE remains peaceful and developed
• The role of the United States, UK, and Russia in the world peace
• Has globalization worsened or created a peaceful world?
• How individuals can contribute to world peace
• Role of peace in the development of Rwanda
• Lessons on peace the world can learn from the Rwanda Genocide
• Creating a peaceful society through cyber peace
• How to convince ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other Terrorist groups to bring peace
• Peace in Syria
• The future of peace in the world full of individualism
• How social skills can help inspire peace
• Architecture as an expression of peace
• Pacifist representation in fiction
• Pacifist lyrics
• Can music be used to create world peace?
• How global peace awards can inspire peace
• The role of Novel Price on Peace in promoting peace
• Why a peaceful world depends on a peaceful community
• Role of Interpol in maintaining world peace
• Interprofessional collaboration to achieve world peace
• How learning different languages can promote peace
• Can interracial marriages bring peace to the world?
• Why training children on peace as they are young is important
• Role of the Catholic church in attaining world peace
• The role of Oman as a regional mediator in the Middle East
• Peace in Yemen
• The biblical basis of peace
• Peace as defined by the Quran
• Gender equality as a means to global peace
• Can equal wealth distribution bring world peace?
• How removing exclusion can bring national and global peace
• The role of climate change in world peace
• How Hubris has affected policy-making process and global peace
• Addressing intergenerational relations as a means to global peace
• The significance of the Global Peace Index
• The role of preventive diplomacy in attaining global peace
• Preventive disarmament as a strategy toward world peace
• How natural resources contribute to conflicts
• The blood minerals in Congo and global peace
• Role of MNCs in promoting international peace
• Embracing global citizenship as a strategy to ensure global peace

Related: how to write a perfect descriptive essay

Even with the world peace essay topics at your disposal, it is possible to face challenges with writing. All these topics on world peace are only great if you know how to write papers. GradeCrest has essay writers to help you with creating great essays from scratch. If you feel like you need a hand because you have been struggling with writing, place an order, and we will help you. Go to our home page and fill the order form to get instant help.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

• Get involved

World peace is not only possible but inevitable

September 20, 2020.

Nika Saeedi

Team Leader, Prevention of Violent Extremism, UNDP's Global Focal Point on MHPSS; Religion; and Hate Speech

COVID-19 has shifted our world. Over the last six months, no matter where we live, our lives, assumptions, and relationships have changed. Now, more than ever, we have witnessed people from all backgrounds and all ages rise to assist each other

While communities have formed networks of mutual support, many of the institutions mandated to support them have failed to fully harness and amplify the wealth of capacities and support structures that already exist. In international development in particular, a key blind spot that limits the effectiveness of our work exists in the rhetoric we use to understand the communities we work with.

UNDP, along with many other partners, continues to advance new approaches to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, but our continued use of terminology that fails to fully embrace the power of people impedes the transformative potential of our work. This can also lead to inadequate policy and programming, or to insufficient – or inappropriate – action. One of the most prominent examples of this is our tendency to target support to individuals and communities facing poverty, conflict, or other sources of instability by identifying them as ‘vulnerable’ people.

For example, the problem with categorizing  women as vulnerable group project women’s passivity and helplessness, denying them agency and power in the processes of change. A radical reaction to portraying women as vulnerable in recent years has been an over glorification of women’s role as fighters in support of violent extremist groups, hindering their capacity and role as peacebuilders.

Words matter. They shape mindsets, and mindsets shapes approaches and outcomes. There is an important distinction between a vulnerable person and a person living in a vulnerable circumstance. When we define people by their circumstances, we fail to engage with them as multidimensional beings. It’s time for UNDP to move from using ‘vulnerability’ as a means of defining the people it supports, to considering all people as protagonists for change.

This might allow us  to meet people’s aspirations  and assist us in assessment and conceptualization of where inequality stems from and who has a role in combating it. By moving away from a deprivation perspective, which leads to divisive mentalities about the capacity of particular groups of people, we are better positioned to recognize the reality of humanity’s common journey in building a peaceful world, and the role of each individual as a protagonist in it. We can start this journey by changing the words we use and therefore the whole narrative from vulnerability to empowerment and constructive resilience.

Whether this reconceptualization of what unites us to be reached only after a global crisis such as this pandemic has revealed the cost of humanity’s stubborn clinging to old patterns of behaviour, or is to be reached through consultation and dialogue, is the choice before all.

We can choose to graduate from the idea of labeling women, youth, racial, religious and ethnic minorities as ‘vulnerable groups in the discussions that guide our decision-making. We can embark on a journey with greater clarity of vision and determination to question and reflect on how our policy and programming promote the nobility of them and draw on their experience.

To accept that the individual, the community, and the institutions of society are the protagonists of civilization building, and to act accordingly, opens up great possibilities for human happiness and allows for the creation of environments in which the true powers of the human spirit can be released.

Several opportunities to enhance our work with peacebuilders, activists, and other populations in bringing about sustainable change and to ensure we recognize and articulate with greater clarity their latent capacity may include the following:

• To  stand with women peacebuilders to ensure they are recognized for their work and courage, have full inclusion and representation in local and global peace and recovery processes and are protected against threats and are receiving the resources  to carry out their work. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of WPS, and UNDP is proud to join the International Civil Society Action Network(ICAN) and the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) as they launch the global #shebuildspeace call to action and campaign building on our partnership on Invisible Women .  
• To recognize the powers endowed in people of faith, especially women of faith, at all levels. Women of faith are actively engaging in the local peace process and they are advocating against hate speech, initiatives addressing issues connected to the environment, like climate. UNDP and UN Women report on Conflicting Identities: The Nexus between Masculinities, Femininities and Violent Extremism in Asia recommend Programming take a whole-of-family and hole-of-community approach when designing interventions. 
• To recognize the essentiality of community-based peacebuilding as parallel or pre-requisite to high-level negotiations. The effects of COVID-19 proved that local trust, access and resilience is essential part of social cohesion .  
• To include and appreciate young climate change advocates , environmental defenders and environmental journalists who have recognized that creation is an organic whole and they are promoting systems required to respect the earth and to organize and fully utilize its raw materials. Their inclusion in essential in programs that promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. 
• To acknowledge the role of storytellers who provoke conversations, initiate reflections and ; and work of volunteer online defenders  and work of volunteer online defenders from across the globe combating trolls who spread hate speech.
• To show gratitude to the unique contribution of Indigenous peoples to our planet and our common future. 
• To recognize persons with disabilities as having significant experience and innovative approaches to navigating barriers in their daily lives.
• To learn how people make decisions and act on them, how they think about, influence, and relate to one another, and how they develop beliefs and attitudes. We are working with young people to apply behavioral insights to address violent extremism in countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The innovation and resilience shown by communities amidst the pandemic have underscored the need for more expansive understandings of human relationships, and to place more emphasis on identifying the latent capacities and desires of those we hope to serve. This means believing in people and their desires to be sources of peace and justice. This means opening our eyes to the extent of people’s capacity so that we can see more peacebuilders and changemakers in more places. This means embracing the oneness of humankind and human nobility as a foundation for how we develop our policies and programmes.

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World Peace Essay: Prompts, How-to Guide, & 200+ Topics

Throughout history, people have dreamed of a world without violence, where harmony and justice reign. This dream of world peace has inspired poets, philosophers, and politicians for centuries. But is it possible to achieve peace globally? Writing a world peace essay will help you find the answer to this question and learn more about the topic.

In this article, our custom writing team will discuss how to write an essay on world peace quickly and effectively. To inspire you even more, we have prepared writing prompts and topics that can come in handy.

• ✍️ Writing Guide
• 🦄 Essay Prompts
• ✔️ World Peace Topics
• 🌎 Pacifism Topics
• ✌️ Catchy Essay Titles
• 🕊️ Research Topics on Peace
• 💡 War and Peace Topics
• ☮️ Peace Title Ideas
• 🌐 Peace Language Topics

🔗 References

✍️ how to achieve world peace essay writing guide.

Stuck with your essay about peace? Here is a step-by-step writing guide with many valuable tips to make your paper well-structured and compelling.

1. Research the Topic

The first step in writing your essay on peace is conducting research. You can look for relevant sources in your university library, encyclopedias, dictionaries, book catalogs, periodical databases, and Internet search engines. Besides, you can use your lecture notes and textbooks for additional information.

Among the variety of sources that could be helpful for a world peace essay, we would especially recommend checking the Global Peace Index report . It presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis of current trends in world peace. It’s a credible report by the Institute for Economics and Peace, so you can cite it as a source in your aper.

Here are some other helpful resources where you can find information for your world peace essay:

• United Nations Peacekeeping
• International Peace Institute
• United States Institute of Peace
• European Union Institute for Security Studies
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

2. Create an Outline

Outlining is an essential aspect of the essay writing process. It helps you plan how you will connect all the facts to support your thesis statement.

To write an outline for your essay about peace, follow these steps:

• Determine your topic and develop a thesis statement .
• Choose the main points that will support your thesis and will be covered in your paper.
• Organize your ideas in a logical order.
• Think about transitions between paragraphs.

Here is an outline example for a “How to Achieve World Peace” essay. Check it out to get a better idea of how to structure your paper.

• Definition of world peace.
• The importance of global peace.
• Thesis statement: World peace is attainable through combined efforts on individual, societal, and global levels.
• Practive of non-violent communication.
• Development of healthy relationships.
• Promotion of conflict resolution skills.
• Promotion of democracy and human rights.
• Support of peacebuilding initiatives.
• Protection of cultural diversity.
• Encouragement of arms control and non-proliferation.
• Promotion of international law and treaties.
• Support of intercultural dialogue and understanding.
• Restated thesis.
• Call to action.

You can also use our free essay outline generator to structure your world peace essay.

3. Write Your World Peace Essay

Now, it’s time to use your outline to write an A+ paper. Here’s how to do it:

• Start with the introductory paragraph , which states the topic, presents a thesis, and provides a roadmap for your essay. If you need some assistance with this part, try our free introduction generator .
• Your essay’s main body should contain at least 3 paragraphs. Each of them should provide explanations and evidence to develop your argument.
• Finally, in your conclusion , you need to restate your thesis and summarize the points you’ve covered in the paper. It’s also a good idea to add a closing sentence reflecting on your topic’s significance or encouraging your audience to take action. Feel free to use our essay conclusion generator to develop a strong ending for your paper.

4. Revise and Proofread

Proofreading is a way to ensure your essay has no typos and grammar mistakes. Here are practical tips for revising your work:

• Take some time. Leaving your essay for a day or two before revision will give you a chance to look at it from another angle.
• Read out loud. To catch run-on sentences or unclear ideas in your writing, read it slowly and out loud. You can also use our Read My Essay to Me tool.
• Make a checklist . Create a list for proofreading to ensure you do not miss any important details, including structure, punctuation, capitalization, and formatting.
• Ask someone for feedback. It is always a good idea to ask your professor, classmate, or friend to read your essay and give you constructive criticism on the work.
• Note down the mistakes you usually make. By identifying your weaknesses, you can work on them to become a more confident writer.

🦄 World Peace Essay Writing Prompts

Looking for an interesting idea for your world peace essay? Look no further! Use our writing prompts to get a dose of inspiration.

How to Promote Peace in the Community Essay Prompt

Promoting peace in the world always starts in small communities. If people fight toxic narratives, negative stereotypes, and hate crimes, they will build a strong and united community and set a positive example for others.

In your essay on how to promote peace in the community, you can dwell on the following ideas:

• Explain the importance of accepting different opinions in establishing peace in your area.
• Analyze how fighting extremism in all its forms can unite the community and create a peaceful environment.
• Clarify what peace means in the context of your community and what factors contribute to or hinder it.
• Investigate the role of dialogue in resolving conflicts and building mutual understanding in the community.

How to Promote Peace as a Student Essay Prompt

Students, as an active part of society, can play a crucial role in promoting peace at various levels. From educational entities to worldwide conferences, they have an opportunity to introduce the idea of peace for different groups of people.

Check out the following fresh ideas for your essay on how to promote peace as a student:

• Analyze how information campaigns organized by students can raise awareness of peace-related issues.
• Discuss the impact of education in fostering a culture of peace.
• Explore how students can use social media to advocate for a peaceful world.
• Describe your own experience of taking part in peace-promoting campaigns or programs.

How Can We Maintain Peace in Our Society Essay Prompt

Maintaining peace in society is a difficult but achievable task that requires constant attention and effort from all members of society.

We have prepared ideas that can come in handy when writing an essay about how we can maintain peace in our society:

• Investigate the role of tolerance, understanding of different cultures, and respect for religions in promoting peace in society.
• Analyze the importance of peacekeeping organizations.
• Provide real-life examples of how people promote peace.
• Offer practical suggestions for how individuals and communities can work together to maintain peace.

Youth Creating a Peaceful Future Essay Prompt

Young people are the future of any country, as well as the driving force to create a more peaceful world. Their energy and motivation can aid in finding new methods of coping with global hate and violence.

In your essay, you can use the following ideas to show the role of youth in creating a peaceful world:

• Analyze the key benefits of youth involvement in peacekeeping.
• Explain why young people are leading tomorrow’s change today.
• Identify the main ingredients for building a peaceful generation with the help of young people’s initiatives.
• Investigate how adolescent girls can be significant agents of positive change in their communities.

Is World Peace Possible Essay Prompt

Whether or not the world can be a peaceful place is one of the most controversial topics. While most people who hear the question “Is a world without war possible?” will probably answer “no,” others still believe in the goodness of humanity.

To discuss in your essay if world peace is possible, use the following ideas:

• Explain how trade, communication, and technology can promote cooperation and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
• Analyze the role of international organizations like the United Nations and the European Union in maintaining peace in the world.
• Investigate how economic inequality poses a severe threat to peace and safety.
• Dwell on the key individual and national interests that can lead to conflict and competition between countries.

✔️ World Peace Topics for Essays

To help get you started with writing, here’s a list of 200 topics you can use for your future essTo help get you started with writing a world peace essay, we’ve prepared a list of topics you can use:

• Defining peace
• Why peace is better: benefits of living in harmony
• Is world peace attainable? Theory and historical examples
• Sustainable peace: is peace an intermission of war?
• Peaceful coexistence: how a society can do without wars
• Peaceful harmony or war of all against all: what came first?
• The relationship between economic development and peace
• Peace and Human Nature: Can Humans Live without Conflicts ?
• Prerequisites for peace : what nations need to refrain from war?
• Peace as an unnatural phenomenon: why people tend to start a war?
• Peace as a natural phenomenon: why people avoid starting a war?
• Is peace the end of the war or its beginning?
• Hybrid war and hybrid peace
• What constitutes peace in the modern world
• Does two countries’ not attacking each other constitute peace?
• “Cold peace” in the international relations today
• What world religions say about world peace
• Defining peacemaking
• Internationally recognized symbols of peace
• World peace: a dream or a goal?

🌎 Peace Essay Topics on Pacifism

• History of pacifism: how the movement started and developed
• Role of the pacifist movement in the twentieth-century history
• Basic philosophical principles of pacifism
• Pacifism as philosophy and as a movement
• The peace sign: what it means
• How the pacifist movement began: actual causes
• The anti-war movements: what did the activists want?
• The relationship between pacifism and the sexual revolution
• Early pacifism: examples from ancient times
• Is pacifism a religion?
• Should pacifists refrain from any kinds of violence?
• Is the pacifist movement a threat to the national security?
• Can a pacifist work in law enforcement authorities?
• Pacifism and non-violence: comparing and contrasting
• The pacifist perspective on the concept of self-defense
• Pacifism in art: examples of pacifistic works of art
• Should everyone be a pacifist?
• Pacifism and diet: should every pacifist be a vegetarian ?
• How pacifists respond to oppression
• The benefits of an active pacifist movement for a country

✌️ Interesting Essay Titles about Peace

• Can the country that won a war occupy the one that lost?
• The essential peace treaties in history
• Should a country that lost a war pay reparations?
• Peace treaties that caused new, more violent wars
• Can an aggressor country be deprived of the right to have an army after losing a war?
• Non-aggression pacts do not prevent wars
• All the countries should sign non-aggression pacts with one another
• Peace and truces: differences and similarities
• Do countries pursue world peace when signing peace treaties?
• The treaty of Versailles: positive and negative outcomes
• Ceasefires and surrenders: the world peace perspective
• When can a country break a peace treaty?
• Dealing with refugees and prisoners of war under peace treaties
• Who should resolve international conflicts?
• The role of the United Nations in enforcing peace treaties
• Truce envoys’ immunities
• What does a country do after surrendering unconditionally?
• A separate peace: the ethical perspective
• Can a peace treaty be signed in modern-day hybrid wars?
• Conditions that are unacceptable in a peace treaty

🕊️ Research Topics on Peace and Conflict Resolution

• Can people be forced to stop fighting?
• Successful examples of peace restoration through the use of force
• Failed attempts to restore peace with legitimate violence
• Conflict resolution vs conflict transformation
• What powers peacemakers should not have
• Preemptive peacemaking: can violence be used to prevent more abuse?
• The status of peacemakers in the international law
• Peacemaking techniques: Gandhi’s strategies
• How third parties can reconcile belligerents
• The role of the pacifist movement in peacemaking
• The war on wars: appropriate and inappropriate approaches to peacemaking
• Mistakes that peacemakers often stumble upon
• The extent of peacemaking : when the peacemakers’ job is done
• Making peace and sustaining it: how peacemakers prevent future conflicts
• The origins of peacemaking
• What to do if peacemaking does not work
• Staying out: can peacemaking make things worse?
• A personal reflection on the effectiveness of peacemaking
• Prospects of peacemaking
• Personal experience of peacemaking

💡 War and Peace Essay Topics

• Counties should stop producing new types of firearms
• Countries should not stop producing new types of weapons
• Mutual assured destruction as a means of sustaining peace
• The role of nuclear disarmament in world peace
• The nuclear war scenario: what will happen to the world?
• Does military intelligence contribute to sustaining peace?
• Collateral damage: analyzing the term
• Can the defenders of peace take up arms?
• For an armed person, is killing another armed person radically different from killing an unarmed one? Ethical and legal perspectives
• Should a healthy country have a strong army?
• Firearms should be banned
• Every citizen has the right to carry firearms
• The correlation between gun control and violence rates
• The second amendment: modern analysis
• Guns do not kill: people do
• What weapons a civilian should never be able to buy
• Biological and chemical weapons
• Words as a weapon: rhetoric wars
• Can a pacifist ever use a weapon?
• Can dropping weapons stop the war?

☮️ Peace Title Ideas for Essays

• How the nuclear disarmament emblem became the peace sign
• The symbolism of a dove with an olive branch
• Native Americans’ traditions of peace declaration
• The mushroom cloud as a cultural symbol
• What the world peace awareness ribbon should look like
• What I would like to be the international peace sign
• The history of the International Day of Peace
• The peace sign as an accessory
• The most famous peace demonstrations
• Hippies’ contributions to the peace symbolism
• Anti-war and anti-military symbols
• How to express pacifism as a political position
• The rainbow as a symbol of peace
• Can a white flag be considered a symbol of peace?
• Examples of the inappropriate use of the peace sign
• The historical connection between the peace sign and the cannabis leaf sign
• Peace symbols in different cultures
• Gods of war and gods of peace: examples from the ancient mythology
• Peace sign tattoo: pros and cons
• Should the peace sign be placed on a national flag?

🌐 Essay Topics about Peace Language

• The origin and historical context of the word “peace”
• What words foreign languages use to denote “peace”
• What words, if any, should a pacifist avoid?
• The pacifist discourse: key themes
• Disintegration language: “us” vs “them”
• How to combat war propaganda
• Does political correctness promote world peace?
• Can an advocate of peace be harsh in his or her speeches?
• Effective persuasive techniques in peace communications and negotiations
• Analyzing the term “world peace”
• If the word “war” is forbidden, will wars stop?
• Is “peacemaking” a right term?
• Talk to the hand: effective and ineffective interpersonal communication techniques that prevent conflicts
• The many meanings of the word “peace”
• The pacifists’ language: when pacifists swear, yell, or insult
• Stressing similarities instead of differences as a tool of peace language
• The portrayal of pacifists in movies
• The portrayals of pacifists in fiction
• Pacifist lyrics: examples from the s’ music
• Poems that supported peace The power of the written word
• Peaceful coexistence: theory and practice
• Under what conditions can humans coexist peacefully?
• “A man is a wolf to another man”: the modern perspective
• What factors prevent people from committing a crime?
• Right for peace vs need for peace
• Does the toughening of punishment reduce crime?
• The Stanford prison experiment: implications
• Is killing natural?
• The possibility of universal love: does disliking always lead to conflicts?
• Basic income and the dynamics of thefts
• Hobbesian Leviathan as the guarantee of peace
• Is state-concentrated legitimate violence an instrument for reducing violence overall?
• Factors that undermine peaceful coexistence
• Living in peace vs living for peace
• The relationship between otherness and peacefulness
• World peace and human nature: the issue of attainability
• The most successful examples of peaceful coexistence
• Lack of peace as lack of communication
• Point made: counterculture and pacifism
• What Woodstock proved to world peace nonbelievers and opponents?
• Woodstock and peaceful coexistence: challenges and successes
• Peace, economics, and quality of life
• Are counties living in peace wealthier? Statistics and reasons
• Profits of peace and profits of war: comparison of benefits and losses
• Can a war improve the economy? Discussing examples
• What is more important for people: having appropriate living conditions or winning a war?
• How wars can improve national economies: the perspective of aggressors and defenders
• Peace obstructers: examples of interest groups that sustained wars and prevented peace
• Can democracies be at war with one another?
• Does the democratic rule in a country provide it with an advantage at war?
• Why wars destroy economies: examples, discussion, and counterarguments
• How world peace would improve everyone’s quality of life
• Peace and war today
• Are we getting closer to world peace? Violence rates, values change, and historical comparison
• The peaceful tomorrow: how conflicts will be resolved in the future if there are no wars
• Redefining war: what specific characteristics today’s wars have that make them different from previous centuries’ wars
• Why wars start today: comparing and contrasting the reasons for wars in the modern world to historical examples
• Subtle wars: how two countries can be at war with each other without having their armies collide in the battlefield
• Cyber peace: how cyberwars can be stopped
• Information as a weapon: how information today lands harder blows than bombs and missiles
• Information wars: how the abundance of information and public access to it have not, nonetheless, eliminated propaganda
• Peace through defeating: how ISIS is different from other states, and how can its violence be stopped
• Is world peace a popular idea? Do modern people mostly want peace or mainly wish to fight against other people and win?
• Personal contributions to world peace
• What can I do for attaining world peace? Personal reflection
• Respect as a means of attaining peace: why respecting people is essential not only on the level of interpersonal communications but also on the level of social good
• Peacefulness as an attitude: how one’s worldview can prevent conflicts
• Why a person engages in insulting and offending: analysis of psychological causes and a personal perspective
• A smile as an agent of peace: how simple smiling to people around you contributes to peacefulness
• Appreciating otherness: how one can learn to value diversity and avoid xenophobia
• Peace and love: how the two are inherently interconnected in everyone’s life
• A micro-level peacemaker: my experiences of resolving conflicts and bringing peace
• Forgiveness for the sake of peace: does forgiving other people contribute to peaceful coexistence or promote further conflicts?
• Noble lies: is it acceptable for a person to lie to avoid conflicts and preserve peace?
• What should a victim do? Violent and non-violent responses to violence
• Standing up for the weak : is it always right to take the side of the weakest?
• Self-defense, overwhelming emotions, and witnessing horrible violence: could I ever shoot another person?
• Are there “fair” wars, and should every war be opposed?
• Protecting peace: could I take up arms to prevent a devastating war?
• Reporting violence: would I participate in sending a criminal to prison?
• The acceptability of violence against perpetrators: personal opinion
• Nonviolent individual resistance to injustice
• Peace is worth it: why I think wars are never justified
• How I sustain peace in my everyday life

Learn more on this topic:

• If I Could Change the World Essay: Examples and Writing Guide
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions
• Choosing and Narrowing a Topic to Write About
• Introduction to Research
• How the U.S. Can Help Humanity Achieve World Peace
• Ten Steps to World Peace
• How World Peace is Possible
• World Peace Books and Articles
• World Peace and Nonviolence
• The Leader of World Peace Essay
• UNO and World Peace Essay
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A very, very good paragraph. thanks

Peace and conflict studies actually is good field because is dealing on how to manage the conflict among the two state or country.

Keep it up. Our world earnestly needs peace

A very, very good paragraph.

• World Peace

A Human Approach to World Peace

When we rise in the morning and listen to the radio or read the newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad news: violence, crime, wars, and disasters. I cannot recall a single day without a report of something terrible happening somewhere. Even in these modern times it is clear that one's precious life is not safe. No former generation has had to experience so much bad news as we face today; this constant awareness of fear and tension should make any sensitive and compassionate person question seriously the progress of our modern world.   It is ironic that the more serious problems emanate from the more industrially advanced societies. Science and technology have worked wonders in many fields, but the basic human problems remain. There is unprecedented literacy, yet this universal education does not seem to have fostered goodness, but only mental restlessness and discontent instead. There is no doubt about the increase in our material progress and technology, but somehow this is not sufficient as we have not yet succeeded in bringing about peace and happiness or in overcoming suffering.   We can only conclude that there must be something seriously wrong with our progress and development, and if we do not check it in time there could be disastrous consequences for the future of humanity. I am not at all against science and technology - they have contributed immensely to the overall experience of humankind; to our material comfort and well-being and to our greater understanding of the world we live in. But if we give too much emphasis to science and technology we are in danger of losing touch with those aspects of human knowledge and understanding that aspire towards honesty and altruism.   Science and technology, though capable of creating immeasurable material comfort, cannot replace the age-old spiritual and humanitarian values that have largely shaped world civilization, in all its national forms, as we know it today. No one can deny the unprecedented material benefit of science and technology, but our basic human problems remain; we are still faced with the same, if not more, suffering, fear, and tension. Thus it is only logical to try to strike a balance between material developments on the one hand and the development of spiritual, human values on the other. In order to bring about this great adjustment, we need to revive our humanitarian values.   I am sure that many people share my concern about the present worldwide moral crisis and will join in my appeal to all humanitarians and religious practitioners who also share this concern to help make our societies more compassionate, just, and equitable. I do not speak as a Buddhist or even as a Tibetan. Nor do I speak as an expert on international politics (though I unavoidably comment on these matters). Rather, I speak simply as a human being, as an upholder of the humanitarian values that are the bedrock not only of Mahayana Buddhism but of all the great world religions. From this perspective I share with you my personal outlook - that:

1. Universal humanitarianism is essential to solve global problems; 2. Compassion is the pillar of world peace; 3. All world religions are already for world peace in this way, as are all humanitarians of whatever ideology; 4. Each individual has a universal responsibility to shape institutions to serve human needs.

Solving Human Problems through Transforming Human Attitudes

Of the many problems we face today, some are natural calamities and must be accepted and faced with equanimity. Others, however, are of our own making, created by misunderstanding, and can be corrected. One such type arises from the conflict of ideologies, political or religious, when people fight each other for petty ends, losing sight of the basic humanity that binds us all together as a single human family. We must remember that the different religions, ideologies, and political systems of the world are meant for human beings to achieve happiness. We must not lose sight of this fundamental goal and at no time should we place means above ends; the supremacy of humanity over matter and ideology must always be maintained.   By far the greatest single danger facing humankind - in fact, all living beings on our planet - is the threat of nuclear destruction. I need not elaborate on this danger, but I would like to appeal to all the leaders of the nuclear powers who literally hold the future of the world in their hands, to the scientists and technicians who continue to create these awesome weapons of destruction, and to all the people at large who are in a position to influence their leaders: I appeal to them to exercise their sanity and begin to work at dismantling and destroying all nuclear weapons. We know that in the event of a nuclear war there will be no victors because there will be no survivors! Is it not frightening just to contemplate such inhuman and heartless destruction? And, is it not logical that we should remove the cause for our own destruction when we know the cause and have both the time and the means to do so? Often we cannot overcome our problems because we either do not know the cause or, if we understand it, do not have the means to remove it. This is not the case with the nuclear threat.   Whether they belong to more evolved species like humans or to simpler ones such as animals, all beings primarily seek peace, comfort, and security. Life is as dear to the mute animal as it is to any human being; even the simplest insect strives for protection from dangers that threaten its life. Just as each one of us wants to live and does not wish to die, so it is with all other creatures in the universe, though their power to effect this is a different matter.   Broadly speaking there are two types of happiness and suffering, mental and physical, and of the two, I believe that mental suffering and happiness are the more acute. Hence, I stress the training of the mind to endure suffering and attain a more lasting state of happiness. However, I also have a more general and concrete idea of happiness: a combination of inner peace, economic development, and, above all, world peace. To achieve such goals I feel it is necessary to develop a sense of universal responsibility, a deep concern for all irrespective of creed, colour, sex, or nationality.   The premise behind this idea of universal responsibility is the simple fact that, in general terms, all others' desires are the same as mine. Every being wants happiness and does not want suffering. If we, as intelligent human beings, do not accept this fact, there will be more and more suffering on this planet. If we adopt a self-centred approach to life and constantly try to use others for our own self-interest, we may gain temporary benefits, but in the long run we will not succeed in achieving even personal happiness, and world peace will be completely out of the question.   In their quest for happiness, humans have used different methods, which all too often have been cruel and repellent. Behaving in ways utterly unbecoming to their status as humans, they inflict suffering upon fellow humans and other living beings for their own selfish gains. In the end, such shortsighted actions bring suffering to oneself as well as to others. To be born a human being is a rare event in itself, and it is wise to use this opportunity as effectively and skillfully as possible. We must have the proper perspective that of the universal life process, so that the happiness or glory of one person or group is not sought at the expense of others.   All this calls for a new approach to global problems. The world is becoming smaller and smaller - and more and more interdependent - as a result of rapid technological advances and international trade as well as increasing trans-national relations. We now depend very much on each other. In ancient times problems were mostly family-size, and they were naturally tackled at the family level, but the situation has changed. Today we are so interdependent, so closely interconnected with each other, that without a sense of universal responsibility, a feeling of universal brotherhood and sisterhood, and an understanding and belief that we really are part of one big human family, we cannot hope to overcome the dangers to our very existence - let alone bring about peace and happiness.   One nation's problems can no longer be satisfactorily solved by itself alone; too much depends on the interest, attitude, and cooperation of other nations. A universal humanitarian approach to world problems seems the only sound basis for world peace. What does this mean? We begin from the recognition mentioned previously that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one's own happiness oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others also when pursuing our own happiness. This will lead to what I call 'wise self-interest', which hopefully will transform itself into 'compromised self-interest', or better still, 'mutual interest'.   Although the increasing interdependence among nations might be expected to generate more sympathetic cooperation, it is difficult to achieve a spirit of genuine cooperation as long as people remain indifferent to the feelings and happiness of others. When people are motivated mostly by greed and jealousy, it is not possible for them to live in harmony. A spiritual approach may not solve all the political problems that have been caused by the existing self-centered approach, but in the long run it will overcome the very basis of the problems that we face today.   On the other hand, if humankind continues to approach its problems considering only temporary expediency, future generations will have to face tremendous difficulties. The global population is increasing, and our resources are being rapidly depleted. Look at the trees, for example. No one knows exactly what adverse effects massive deforestation will have on the climate, the soil, and global ecology as a whole. We are facing problems because people are concentrating only on their short-term, selfish interests, not thinking of the entire human family. They are not thinking of the earth and the long-term effects on universal life as a whole. If we of the present generation do not think about these now, future generations may not be able to cope with them.

Compassion as the Pillar of World Peace

According to Buddhist psychology, most of our troubles are due to our passionate desire for and attachment to things that we misapprehend as enduring entities. The pursuit of the objects of our desire and attachment involves the use of aggression and competitiveness as supposedly efficacious instruments. These mental processes easily translate into actions, breeding belligerence as an obvious effect. Such processes have been going on in the human mind since time immemorial, but their execution has become more effective under modern conditions. What can we do to control and regulate these 'poisons' - delusion, greed, and aggression? For it is these poisons that are behind almost every trouble in the world.   As one brought up in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, I feel that love and compassion are the moral fabric of world peace. Let me first define what I mean by compassion. When you have pity or compassion for a very poor person, you are showing sympathy because he or she is poor; your compassion is based on altruistic considerations. On the other hand, love towards your wife, your husband, your children, or a close friend is usually based on attachment. When your attachment changes, your kindness also changes; it may disappear. This is not true love. Real love is not based on attachment, but on altruism. In this case your compassion will remain as a humane response to suffering as long as beings continue to suffer.   This type of compassion is what we must strive to cultivate in ourselves, and we must develop it from a limited amount to the limitless. Undiscriminating, spontaneous, and unlimited compassion for all sentient beings is obviously not the usual love that one has for friends or family, which is alloyed with ignorance, desire, and attachment. The kind of love we should advocate is this wider love that you can have even for someone who has done harm to you: your enemy.   The rationale for compassion is that every one of us wants to avoid suffering and gain happiness. This, in turn, is based on the valid feeling of '1', which determines the universal desire for happiness. Indeed, all beings are born with similar desires and should have an equal right to fulfill them. If I compare myself with others, who are countless, I feel that others are more important because I am just one person whereas others are many. Further, the Tibetan Buddhist tradition teaches us to view all sentient beings as our dear mothers and to show our gratitude by loving them all. For, according to Buddhist theory, we are born and reborn countless numbers of times, and it is conceivable that each being has been our parent at one time or another. In this way all beings in the universe share a family relationship.   Whether one believes in religion or not, there is no one who does not appreciate love and compassion. Right from the moment of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our parents; later in life, when facing the sufferings of disease and old age, we are again dependent on the kindness of others. If at the beginning and end of our lives we depend upon others' kindness, why then in the middle should we not act kindly towards others? The development of a kind heart (a feeling of closeness for all human beings) does not involve the religiosity we normally associate with conventional religious practice. It is not only for people who believe in religion, but is for everyone regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. It is for anyone who considers himself or herself, above all, a member of the human family and who sees things from this larger and longer perspective. This is a powerful feeling that we should develop and apply; instead, we often neglect it, particularly in our prime years when we experience a false sense of security.   When we take into account a longer perspective, the fact that all wish to gain happiness and avoid suffering, and keep in mind our relative unimportance in relation to countless others, we can conclude that it is worthwhile to share our possessions with others. When you train in this sort of outlook, a true sense of compassion - a true sense of love and respect for others - becomes possible. Individual happiness ceases to be a conscious self-seeking effort; it becomes an automatic and far superior by-product of the whole process of loving and serving others.   Another result of spiritual development, most useful in day-to-day life, is that it gives a calmness and presence of mind. Our lives are in constant flux, bringing many difficulties. When faced with a calm and clear mind, problems can be successfully resolved. When, instead, we lose control over our minds through hatred, selfishness, jealousy, and anger, we lose our sense of judgement. Our minds are blinded and at those wild moments anything can happen, including war. Thus, the practice of compassion and wisdom is useful to all, especially to those responsible for running national affairs, in whose hands lie the power and opportunity to create the structure of world peace.

World Religions for World Peace

The principles discussed so far are in accordance with the ethical teachings of all world religions. I maintain that every major religion of the world - Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism - has similar ideals of love, the same goal of benefiting humanity through spiritual practice, and the same effect of making their followers into better human beings. All religions teach moral precepts for perfecting the functions of mind, body, and speech. All teach us not to lie or steal or take others' lives, and so on. The common goal of all moral precepts laid down by the great teachers of humanity is unselfishness. The great teachers wanted to lead their followers away from the paths of negative deeds caused by ignorance and to introduce them to paths of goodness.   All religions agree upon the necessity to control the undisciplined mind that harbours selfishness and other roots of trouble, and each teaches a path leading to a spiritual state that is peaceful, disciplined, ethical, and wise. It is in this sense that I believe all religions have essentially the same message. Differences of dogma may be ascribed to differences of time and circumstance as well as cultural influences; indeed, there is no end to scholastic argument when we consider the purely metaphysical side of religion. However, it is much more beneficial to try to implement in daily life the shared precepts for goodness taught by all religions rather than to argue about minor differences in approach.   There are many different religions to bring comfort and happiness to humanity in much the same way as there are particular treatments for different diseases. For, all religions endeavour in their own way to help living beings avoid misery and gain happiness. And, although we can find causes for preferring certain interpretations of religious truths, there is much greater cause for unity, stemming from the human heart. Each religion works in its own way to lessen human suffering and contribute to world civilization. Conversion is not the point. For instance, I do not think of converting others to Buddhism or merely furthering the Buddhist cause. Rather, I try to think of how I as a Buddhist humanitarian can contribute to human happiness.   While pointing out the fundamental similarities between world religions, I do not advocate one particular religion at the expense of all others, nor do I seek a new 'world religion'. All the different religions of the world are needed to enrich human experience and world civilization. Our human minds, being of different calibre and disposition, need different approaches to peace and happiness. It is just like food. Certain people find Christianity more appealing, others prefer Buddhism because there is no creator in it and everything depends upon your own actions. We can make similar arguments for other religions as well. Thus, the point is clear: humanity needs all the world's religions to suit the ways of life, diverse spiritual needs, and inherited national traditions of individual human beings.   It is from this perspective that I welcome efforts being made in various parts of the world for better understanding among religions. The need for this is particularly urgent now. If all religions make the betterment of humanity their main concern, then they can easily work together in harmony for world peace. Interfaith understanding will bring about the unity necessary for all religions to work together. However, although this is indeed an important step, we must remember that there are no quick or easy solutions. We cannot hide the doctrinal differences that exist among various faiths, nor can we hope to replace the existing religions by a new universal belief. Each religion has its own distinctive contributions to make, and each in its own way is suitable to a particular group of people as they understand life. The world needs them all.   There are two primary tasks facing religious practitioners who are concerned with world peace. First, we must promote better interfaith understanding so as to create a workable degree of unity among all religions. This may be achieved in part by respecting each other's beliefs and by emphasizing our common concern for human well-being. Second, we must bring about a viable consensus on basic spiritual values that touch every human heart and enhance general human happiness. This means we must emphasize the common denominator of all world religions - humanitarian ideals. These two steps will enable us to act both individually and together to create the necessary spiritual conditions for world peace.   We practitioners of different faiths can work together for world peace when we view different religions as essentially instruments to develop a good heart - love and respect for others, a true sense of community. The most important thing is to look at the purpose of religion and not at the details of theology or metaphysics, which can lead to mere intellectualism. I believe that all the major religions of the world can contribute to world peace and work together for the benefit of humanity if we put aside subtle metaphysical differences, which are really the internal business of each religion.   Despite the progressive secularization brought about by worldwide modernization and despite systematic attempts in some parts of the world to destroy spiritual values, the vast majority of humanity continues to believe in one religion or another. The undying faith in religion, evident even under irreligious political systems, clearly demonstrates the potency of religion as such. This spiritual energy and power can be purposefully used to bring about the spiritual conditions necessary for world peace. Religious leaders and humanitarians all over the world have a special role to play in this respect.   Whether we will be able to achieve world peace or not, we have no choice but to work towards that goal. If our minds are dominated by anger, we will lose the best part of human intelligence - wisdom, the ability to decide between right and wrong. Anger is one of the most serious problems facing the world today.

Individual Power to Shape Institutions

Anger plays no small role in current conflicts such as those in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the North-South problem, and so forth. These conflicts arise from a failure to understand one another's humanness. The answer is not the development and use of greater military force, nor an arms race. Nor is it purely political or purely technological. Basically it is spiritual, in the sense that what is required is a sensitive understanding of our common human situation. Hatred and fighting cannot bring happiness to anyone, even to the winners of battles. Violence always produces misery and thus is essentially counter-productive. It is, therefore, time for world leaders to learn to transcend the differences of race, culture, and ideology and to regard one another through eyes that see the common human situation. To do so would benefit individuals, communities, nations, and the world at large.   The greater part of present world tension seems to stem from the 'Eastern bloc' versus 'Western bloc' conflict that has been going on since World War II. These two blocs tend to describe and view each other in a totally unfavourable light. This continuing, unreasonable struggle is due to a lack of mutual affection and respect for each other as fellow human beings. Those of the Eastern bloc should reduce their hatred towards the Western bloc because the Western bloc is also made up of human beings - men, women, and children. Similarly those of the Western bloc should reduce their hatred towards the Eastern bloc because the Eastern bloc is also human beings. In such a reduction of mutual hatred, the leaders of both blocs have a powerful role to play. But first and foremost, leaders must realize their own and others' humanness. Without this basic realization, very little effective reduction of organized hatred can be achieved.   If, for example, the leader of the United States of America and the leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics suddenly met each other in the middle of a desolate island, I am sure they would respond to each other spontaneously as fellow human beings. But a wall of mutual suspicion and misunderstanding separates them the moment they are identified as the 'President of the USA' and the 'Secretary-General of the USSR'). More human contact in the form of informal extended meetings, without any agenda, would improve their mutual understanding; they would learn to relate to each other as human beings and could then try to tackle international problems based on this understanding. No two parties, especially those with a history of antagonism, can negotiate fruitfully in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and hatred.   I suggest that world leaders meet about once a year in a beautiful place without any business, just to get to know each other as human beings. Then, later, they could meet to discuss mutual and global problems. I am sure many others share my wish that world leaders meet at the conference table in such an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding of each other's humanness.   To improve person-to-person contact in the world at large, I would like to see greater encouragement of international tourism. Also, mass media, particularly in democratic societies, can make a considerable contribution to world peace by giving greater coverage to human interest items that reflect the ultimate oneness of humanity. With the rise of a few big powers in the international arena, the humanitarian role of international organizations is being bypassed and neglected. I hope that this will be corrected and that all international organizations, especially the United Nations, will be more active and effective in ensuring maximum benefit to humanity and promoting international understanding. It will indeed be tragic if the few powerful members continue to misuse world bodies like the UN for their one-sided interests. The UN must become the instrument of world peace. This world body must be respected by all, for the UN is the only source of hope for small oppressed nations and hence for the planet as a whole.   As all nations are economically dependent upon one another more than ever before, human understanding must go beyond national boundaries and embrace the international community at large. Indeed, unless we can create an atmosphere of genuine cooperation, gained not by threatened or actual use of force but by heartfelt understanding, world problems will only increase. If people in poorer countries are denied the happiness they desire and deserve, they will naturally be dissatisfied and pose problems for the rich. If unwanted social, political, and cultural forms continue to be imposed upon unwilling people, the attainment of world peace is doubtful. However, if we satisfy people at a heart-to-heart level, peace will surely come.   Within each nation, the individual ought to be given the right to happiness, and among nations, there must be equal concern for the welfare of even the smallest nations. I am not suggesting that one system is better than another and all should adopt it. On the contrary, a variety of political systems and ideologies is desirable and accords with the variety of dispositions within the human community. This variety enhances the ceaseless human quest for happiness. Thus each community should be free to evolve its own political and socio-economic system, based on the principle of self-determination.   The achievement of justice, harmony, and peace depends on many factors. We should think about them in terms of human benefit in the long run rather than the short term. I realize the enormity of the task before us, but I see no other alternative than the one I am proposing - which is based on our common humanity. Nations have no choice but to be concerned about the welfare of others, not so much because of their belief in humanity, but because it is in the mutual and long-term interest of all concerned. An appreciation of this new reality is indicated by the emergence of regional or continental economic organizations such as the European Economic Community, the Association of South East Asian Nations, and so forth. I hope more such trans-national organizations will be formed, particularly in regions where economic development and regional stability seem in short supply.   Under present conditions, there is definitely a growing need for human understanding and a sense of universal responsibility. In order to achieve such ideas, we must generate a good and kind heart, for without this, we can achieve neither universal happiness nor lasting world peace. We cannot create peace on paper. While advocating universal responsibility and universal brotherhood and sisterhood, the facts are that humanity is organized in separate entities in the form of national societies. Thus, in a realistic sense, I feel it is these societies that must act as the building-blocks for world peace. Attempts have been made in the past to create societies more just and equal. Institutions have been established with noble charters to combat anti-social forces. Unfortunately, such ideas have been cheated by selfishness. More than ever before, we witness today how ethics and noble principles are obscured by the shadow of self-interest, particularly in the political sphere. There is a school of thought that warns us to refrain from politics altogether, as politics has become synonymous with amorality. Politics devoid of ethics does not further human welfare, and life without morality reduces humans to the level of beasts. However, politics is not axiomatically 'dirty'. Rather, the instruments of our political culture have distorted the high ideals and noble concepts meant to further human welfare. Naturally, spiritual people express their concern about religious leaders 'messing' with politics, since they fear the contamination of religion by dirty politics.   I question the popular assumption that religion and ethics have no place in politics and that religious persons should seclude themselves as hermits. Such a view of religion is too one-sided; it lacks a proper perspective on the individual's relation to society and the role of religion in our lives. Ethics is as crucial to a politician as it is to a religious practitioner. Dangerous consequences will follow when politicians and rulers forget moral principles. Whether we believe in God or karma, ethics is the foundation of every religion.   Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency, wisdom, and so forth have been the foundations of all civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and sustained through systematic moral education in a conducive social environment so that a more humane world may emerge. The qualities required to create such a world must be inculcated right from the beginning, from childhood. We cannot wait for the next generation to make this change; the present generation must attempt a renewal of basic human values. If there is any hope, it is in the future generations, but not unless we institute major change on a worldwide scale in our present educational system. We need a revolution in our commitment to and practice of universal humanitarian values.   It is not enough to make noisy calls to halt moral degeneration; we must do something about it. Since present-day governments do not shoulder such 'religious' responsibilities, humanitarian and religious leaders must strengthen the existing civic, social, cultural, educational, and religious organizations to revive human and spiritual values. Where necessary, we must create new organizations to achieve these goals. Only in so doing can we hope to create a more stable basis for world peace.   Living in society, we should share the sufferings of our fellow citizens and practise compassion and tolerance not only towards our loved ones but also towards our enemies. This is the test of our moral strength. We must set an example by our own practice, for we cannot hope to convince others of the value of religion by mere words. We must live up to the same high standards of integrity and sacrifice that we ask of others. The ultimate purpose of all religions is to serve and benefit humanity. This is why it is so important that religion always be used to effect the happiness and peace of all beings and not merely to convert others.   Still, in religion there are no national boundaries. A religion can and should be used by any people or person who finds it beneficial. What is important for each seeker is to choose a religion that is most suitable to himself or herself. But, the embracing of a particular religion does not mean the rejection of another religion or one's own community. In fact, it is important that those who embrace a religion should not cut themselves off from their own society; they should continue to live within their own community and in harmony with its members. By escaping from your own community, you cannot benefit others, whereas benefiting others is actually the basic aim of religion.   In this regard there are two things important to keep in mind: self-examination and self-correction. We should constantly check our attitude toward others, examining ourselves carefully, and we should correct ourselves immediately when we find we are in the wrong.   Finally, a few words about material progress. I have heard a great deal of complaint against material progress from Westerners, and yet, paradoxically, it has been the very pride of the Western world. I see nothing wrong with material progress per se, provided people are always given precedence. It is my firm belief that in order to solve human problems in all their dimensions, we must combine and harmonize economic development with spiritual growth.   However, we must know its limitations. Although materialistic knowledge in the form of science and technology has contributed enormously to human welfare, it is not capable of creating lasting happiness. In America, for example, where technological development is perhaps more advanced than in any other country, there is still a great deal of mental suffering. This is because materialistic knowledge can only provide a type of happiness that is dependent upon physical conditions. It cannot provide happiness that springs from inner development independent of external factors.   For renewal of human values and attainment of lasting happiness, we need to look to the common humanitarian heritage of all nations the world over. May this essay serve as an urgent reminder lest we forget the human values that unite us all as a single family on this planet.   I have written the above lines To tell my constant feeling. Whenever I meet even a 'foreigner', I have always the same feeling: 'I am meeting another member of the human family., This attitude has deepened My affection and respect for all beings. May this natural wish be My small contribution to world peace. I pray for a more friendly, More caring, and more understanding Human family on this planet. To all who dislike suffering, Who cherish lasting happiness - This is my heartfelt appeal.

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World Peace in One Hour

About the author.

Nenad Bach   is a musician, composer and peace activist.

18 September 2020 Y ou may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one                       - John Lennon

Is this just a song or wishful thinking? Are these just words or is it prophecy? Is humanity capable of achieving sustainable, everlasting peace?

I say YES, and the time is NOW.

You can't say that there has been a lack of declarations and resolutions on peace: 1948:  Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1978:  Declaration on the Preparation of Societies for Life in Peace 1984:  Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace 1999:  Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace 2011:  The Bruxelles Declaration, “Pledge to Peace” 2016:  Annex to Declaration on the Right to Peace 2018:  The Global Resolution for the Establishment of Infrastructures to Support the Culture of Peace  (not a United Nations resolution)

In 1984, the year I arrived in New York, the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 39/11, adopted the Declaration of the Right of Peoples to Peace, in which United Nations Member States solemnly proclaimed that the peoples of our planet had a sacred right to peace. Let me repeat this: We all have a sacred right to Peace

Too many leaders, no one to follow Too many clouds, not enough rain Too many words and promises, too hard to swallow Too many innocents died in vain                                 -  “I Will Follow You”  by Nenad Bach

Previous efforts to achieve global peace have all been full of good intentions, but they resulted in too many declarations and not enough action. This is a historic moment, and if we do not seize it, maybe we do not deserve to survive. As is the case when launching a rocket to meet the International Space Station in orbit, there is a very small window of opportunity to make world peace happen. Protecting the existence of all species, sustaining life on Earth, exploring outer space, tackling disease and mortality, solving the pollution problem, coexisting with the environment, electing more women to leadership positions and creating real freedom that includes true private property: world peace is a prerequisite for all of these objectives.  This pandemic should open our eyes to the fact that the First World War ended with the Spanish flu pandemic. So why not use the same modality to end all current wars—now. For this project, I do not rely exclusively on intellectuals or artists or politicians or peace activists. We are all in it—from truck drivers to nurses, from presidents of companies to presidents of countries. Whoever understands the plan and the steps needed to be taken is welcome. I just want to communicate the idea to whomever this resonates with, whether that be the Pope, Paul McCartney, Bono, a hot dog vendor on the corner of First Ave. and Houston St., the Nobel Institute, or any essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all in it. Easier said than done? Hear me out. In order to achieve global economic stability and sustainable growth, we should take the following steps and anticipate positive outcomes: 1. Military budgets should stay as they are, amounting to  around $2 trillion  globally, or maybe even increase, but... 2. Fifty per cent of new arms production should be rewired/transformed to build infrastructure and support research and development. 3. If the G20 countries do that, the current global power structure and balance will remain the same, because those countries represent  two thirds of the world’s population and 80 per cent of world-wide gross domestic product . 4. Balance equals peace. 5. Mother Earth will get real infrastructure: tunnels between continents, etc. 6. Viruses will be controlled or even better, they will be used as a vehicle for something good. Imagine a virus that spreads knowledge, immunity, long life.  7. We as a species will be able to unlock our true human potential, respecting all living creatures.

Facts: 1. Twitter goes around the world in a second. The number of smartphones and digital cameras in the world now number about 4 billion . Violence can no longer be easily hidden. Technology is on our side. 2. During the twentieth century, it has been estimated that up to  200 million people were killed by war, oppression and other atrocities . There have been just over  1 million deaths due to conflict in the first 20 years of this century . If this trend were to continue over the next 80 years, it would result in an approximately 40-fold decrease in such deaths. 3. The Western Hemisphere has been a war-free zone since the end of the internal conflict in Colombia in 2016. 4.  There are an estimated 110 million active landmines and an equal amount in stockpile .  5. According to the  Stockholm International Peace Research Institute , the estimated nuclear warhead count for the top five countries with the most nuclear weapons in 2020, based on available information, is as follows: Russia, 6,375 United States, 5,800 China, 320  France, 290 United Kingdom, 215

Rough estimates of the cost of building and maintaining these terrible weapons are in the trillions of dollars . Cutting these costs in half would defuse a lot of anxiety and free up cash. And again, the power structure and balance would remain the same.

6. The Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed on 15 September 2020, bring us one step closer to world peace in 2021. These are not just words anymore, and the planet is more than ready!

I am actually very impressed by humanity; world leaders paused everyday life on Earth in an effort to save our brothers and sisters from COVID-19. You may be cynical, but almost no one could have predicted this outcome, which proves that the past doesn't equal the future. One day, all the wars will stop permanently. Knowing this, we should capitalize emotionally and unleash unlimited human creativity. A few days ago, I found companies that already exist for mining asteroids. If that is happening now, imagine what a free flow of creativity could produce in the near future.

Pandemics have happened before, but never were we as connected as we are today. Good, bad, but not indifferent, our social media structure should be used not just for sharing what you ate for breakfast this morning, but as a potent vehicle to drive world peace. Yes, it could happen in one hour; if we put the leaders of the G20 countries in one room or on Zoom, and don't give them cookies, it may take only 45 minutes. And yes, I am trying to be funny, but in reality, with the proper preparation, I believe it will happen fairly quickly. In the present state of war, we could dabble in attempts to solve the mysteries of life for the next thousand years, or we could proclaim peace and move forward on all fronts in the next hundred years. You wonder how? Just ask Elon Musk; he’ll produce the plan in two weeks.

“You may say I'm a dreamer/But I'm not the only one/I hope someday...” actually, let that day be 21 September 2021, at United Nations Headquarters in New York: the signing of a world peace declaration. And if you would allow me to dream just a minute longer, two days before, a ping pong tournament could be held in New York between all the presidents, prime ministers and other world leaders at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. Ping pong has long been seen as a proven method of diplomacy. And after the signing ceremony, the World Peace in One Hour Orchestra, with all the instruments of the world, will perform “ Everything Is Forever ” and “Stand by Me”, and close with John Lennon’s “ Imagine ”. With our present life span, we cannot travel beyond our solar system, never mind explore the Milky Way. So giddy-up, humanity—there is plenty to be accomplished by the creative class. First stop: the moon; next: Mars; and then the stars, to discover what we are all about and when, how and why it all began. There is no time to waste, and yet, “Time Is All We Have” and “love is all we need”. 

For more information on World Peace in One Hour, visit  https://worldpeaceinonehour.com/history .

Click here for a full audio recording of this article.

The UN Chronicle  is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

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essay on world peace

Category:  Essays and Paragraphs On November 22, 2018 By Mary

World peace

World peace can be referred to as the state of people from all countries in the world being happy and living harmoniously with each other.

World peace creates one international community that can concentrate on greater issues that are affecting the planet like climate change.

When countries work together, they benefit their citizens since they can freely move from one country to another for employment, education or tourism.

Importance of world peace

• World peace leads to  increased globalization . Globalization is the act where people from different countries are able to interact freely with each other in various aspects.
• World peace also leads to the  promotion of tourism . With peace, people are freer to tour any country of their choice without fear of violence.
• World peace also contributes to  cultural exchanges . People are able to interact freely with each other and they can learn different cultures from other people.
• World peace also contributes to  more   developed economies . This is because people are able to carry out both domestic and foreign investments without fear of the risk of future violence.
• World peace also contributes to the  unification of people to fight unfair vices.  People are able to speak with one voice to get rid of vices like racism, religious discrimination and gender inequality.
• World peace also contributes to the  reduction of wars . Warring countries or internal nation conflicts can be reduced if world peace existed. War is the main cause of human suffering in the world.
• With world peace, you are also assured of  increased freedom of people . People get more freedom whether they are from different religions, race or country. This promotes global cohesion.

How to achieve world peace

• We can achieve world peace through having  international bodies  that will ensure that every nation upholds world peace. Such a body is United Nations and other world organizations that ensure every country has the responsibility of promoting peace.
• We can also achieve world peace through  upholding democracy . The main cause of world violence is dictatorship. When countries have the freedom to vote, they are able to choose the right leaders who are peace friendly.
• World peace is also achieved through  globalization . When globalization is encouraged, countries will uphold peace since they will avoid going into war with countries that have economic ties with them.
• We achieve world peace when there is  equal representation of nations in international bodies.  This will ensure that no nation is oppressed and no nation is left behind. When some nations are not represented, it creates inequality which may stir violence.
• World peace can also be achieved by  raising awareness  of the importance of world peace. Nations can create awareness to their citizens by teaching them on the benefits that they will get when they have peaceful coexistence with other nations.
• World peace can also be achieved by  sharing the country’s wealth equally . This is by giving equal opportunities to all and not overtaxing the poor. This will reduce the cases of rebel movements.

World peace is very important in the growth and prosperity of the entire global community. This is because with world peace, we are able to have more social cohesion and interactions that are beneficial to everyone.

Defining the Concept of Peace » Positive & Negative Peace

In this excerpt from our IEP Peace Academy, learn why understanding the different definitions of peace is crucial for peacebuilders.

Learn why understanding the concept of peace from both a negative peace and positive peace perspective is crucial for peacebuilders.

Defining the Concept of Peace: Positive and Negative Peace

There are two common conceptions of peace — Negative Peace, or actual peace, and Positive Peace.

What is Negative Peace?

IEP’s definition of Negative Peace is understood as ‘the absence of violence or fear of violence — an intuitive definition that many agree with, and one which enables us to measure peace more easily.

Measures of Negative Peace are the foundation of the IEP’s flagship product, the Global Peace Index .

However, while the Global Peace Index tells us how peaceful a country is, it doesn’t tell us what or where we should be investing in to strengthen or maintain levels of peace.

This leads us to Positive Peace , derived from the data contained within the Global Peace Index . Positive Peace provides a framework to understand and address the many complex challenges the world faces.

What is Positive Peace?

Positive Peace is defined as the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.

It provides a framework to understand and then address the multiple and complex challenges the world faces. Positive Peace is transformational in that it is a cross-cutting factor for progress, making it easier for businesses to sell, entrepreneurs and scientists to innovate, individuals to produce, and governments to effectively regulate.

Difference between Negative and Positive Peace

In addition to the absence of violence, Positive Peace is also associated with many other social characteristics that are considered desirable, including better economic outcomes, measures of well-being, levels of inclusiveness and environmental performance.

A parallel can be drawn with medical science; the study of pathology has led to numerous breakthroughs in our understanding of how to treat and cure disease.

However, it was only when medical science turned its focus to the study of healthy human beings that we understood what we needed to do to stay healthy. This could only be learned by studying what was working.

Are you interested in learning more about peace? Sign up for the free, online Positive Peace Academy

Vision of Humanity

Editorial staff.

Vision of Humanity is brought to you by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), by staff in our global offices in Sydney, New York, The Hague, Harare and Mexico. Alongside maps and global indices, we present fresh perspectives on current affairs reflecting our editorial philosophy.

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Peace: Definition and Philosophic Meaning Essay

Peace is the absence of agitation or any form of disturbances leading to a state of serenity within an environment or in a person. The calmness and serenity that lead to an individual sense of peace are known as inner peace. To a nation, it is the normal state of harmony without incidence of hostility, violent crimes, or conflicts.

Inner peace is achieved when there is no conflict within the three most important aspects of a person, that is the body, mind, and soul. The feeling of inner peace does not depend on any external forces, the place we are in, the time, the current situation, the environment surrounding us, or the attitude of the people we are associating with at a particular moment. One can experience inner peace amid a hostile environment brought about by the negative attitude of people, war, and/or sickness. A person who has inner peace experiences justice, inner life balance, restfulness, resolution, freedom, harmony, and contentment. This inner peace should be strong enough to overcome anything that opposes it.

Peace is the cornerstone element that makes all other elements exist. Without peace in an area, a Nation, or the world, no development can take place. Political, economical, and cultural developments only take place when there is peace. On the other hand, development brings about peace. A good example is a scenario in poor countries in the world. Without economical, cultural, and political development, these nations are characterized by war and unending conflict. Modernization, economic funding, and political support from developed nations bring about peace in these nations. When there is proper health care, good governance, improved infrastructure, and the rule of law, the peace of a nation is realized. In turn, this national peace promotes inner personal peace.

The concept of peace

Peace is not an end to itself, but a way to peace. This concept has been used by many political activists in their quest to demand justice from the governing authority. There can never be peace in a person or Nation, without justice. Just as Martin Luther observed when he led the civil rights movement back in the 1960s, “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice” To promote world peace, various organizations across the globe have been established. The United Nations Peace Keeping Mission is mandated in peace promotion in nations where there is internal conflict. The Nobel Peace Prize was established to award individuals who promote and help achieve peace through ethical leadership.

Peace is the absence of conflict or violence, within a person or environment. Peace contributes to the development and is also achieved by development. Peace is not an end to itself but a way to achieving it. When justice is done, peace is achieved, in essence, peace exists everywhere, it is only because of limitations put by human beings that peace is not felt and realized. Inner and outer peace can be realized and expanded in everything that we do, as we learn to change our way of thinking.

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* Scanned from Chapter 1 in R.J. Rummel, The Just Peace , 1981. For full reference to the book and the list of its contents in hypertext, click book . Typographical errors have been corrected, clarifications added, and style updated. 1 . Alphonse de Lamartine, Meditations Poetiques (1820). 2 . Desiderius Erasmus, Adagio . 3 . Martin Luther, On Marriage (1530). 4 . Cicero, Letters to Atticus . 5 . Benjamin Franklin, Letter to Josiah Quincy (September 11, 1773). 6 . Irenology = the scientific study of peace. See Starke (1968). 7 . See Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Section 8.3 of Chapter 8 ). I classify and discuss relevant types of concepts in Section 2.4.3 . See also Note 48 . 7a . These volumes are: Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field ; Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ; Vol. 3: Conflict In Perspective ; and Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace . 8 . These principles are presented in Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 20 ), and are each the subject of chapters in In The Minds of Men (1979a; republished as The Conflict Helix ). 9 . On the nature and variety of powers, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Chapters 19 , 20 , and 21 ). On interests, capabilities, and wills, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Chapters 6 , 27 , 28 , and 29 ). For mathematical definitions, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 8 and Section 9A.1 of Appendix 9A ). On conflict as balancing of powers, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Section 29.3 of Chapter 29 ) and Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace (Part V). Note that I define an interest broadly as any situation--want (or goal)--means complex, which includes sentiments, roles, values, and ethics. Interests are activated attitudes, stimulated by particular needs, Thus, as treated here, interests are basic motivational variables. See Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Chapters 19 , 20 , 21 , particularly Section 20.3 of Chapter 20 ). 10 . For the development of different types of social behavior, see Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Part III). For the mathematical development, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 and Section 9A.1 of Appendix 9A ). Empirical applications are given in Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 4 ). 11 . Note that the balance of powers is not necessarily of coercion and force, but may combine exchange, intellectual, authoritative, altruistic, and manipulative powers. Moreover, regardless of power's form: Power = interests X capabilities X will. And the balancing of these powers takes place in a perceived situation. The balance of powers is thus a multidimensional balance in the minds of the parties involved and should not be confused with any mechanical and physical balance. 12 . In the words of Henry Kissinger (1974: 643), "two world wars and an era of involvement and conflict should now have taught us that peace is a process, not a condition." 13 . This is clearly a dialectical view of conflict and peace. See, for example, Mao (1954: Vol. 2, p. 45): As everybody knows, war and peace transform themselves into each other.... All contradictory things are interconnected, and they not only coexist in an entity under certain conditions-this is the whole meaning of the identity of contradictions. 14 . Elsewhere (see Note 8 ) I refer to "peace" rather than "cooperation" in the principle. Since I am leading to a definition of peace here, however, I have substituted "cooperation" for "peace." 15 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 29 ) and Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 18 , particularly Figures 18.1 , 18.2 , and 18.3 ). This conception overlaps Boulding's, although expressed within a different theory and by different theoretical terms. According to Boulding, peace is a property of conflict systems and a homeostatic or cybernetic property that enables the system, in the course of its dynamic path, to remain in some stated boundary. Where the boundary is drawn is not so important as the machinery by which the system stays within it wherever it is drawn. Most conflict systems exhibit what might be called a "Break boundary" at which the system suddenly changes into another or passes some point of no return in its dynamic processes. Thus, marital conflict may lead to separation or divorce, industrial conflict may lead to strikes, personal conflicts may lead to fisticuffs at the lower end of the social scale or to litigation at the upper end, and international relations may degenerate into war. ----1963:73 16 . Here it is unnecessary to distinguish interpersonal and international contracts. Therefore, I am combining what I have called elsewhere (see Note 8 ) the Third and Fourth Master Principles. 17 . See Note 15 . 18 . With the understanding that societies and organizations are structures of expectations (social contracts), see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Chapters 30 , 31 , 33 and 34 ) for theoretical and empirical analysis of types of societies and political systems, and Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field ( Chapter 33 ) for structures of expectations within states. For structures of expectations within the international society, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Section 4.3 ). 19 . See Note 28 . 20 . Expectations weigh behavioral dispositions. See Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Sections 15.2 and 18.1 of Chapter 15 and Chapter 18 ), Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 and Section 8.2 of Chapter 8 ). 21 . Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 24 ; Section 29.4 of Chapter 29 ); Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Section 16.9 of Chapter 16 , Status Quo Disruption Proposition 16.10 , Violence Principle 20.16 , and War Principle 20.22 ). 22 . Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Proposition 16.10 ). 23 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Sections 23.1 and 23.3 of Chapter 23 ). 24 . These dimensions are meant to cover all forms of contracts and to discriminate among their qualitatively significant aspects. To my knowledge, little quantitative empirical work on the dimensions of contracts has been done. For an exception, see Russett's factor analysis of international alliances (1971). 25 . "Actuality ... .. latent," "manifest" are basic ontological categories of these volumes. For their development and discussion, see Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field ( Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 ). 26 . See Note 28 . 27 . This is the myth of "rational constructivism" well elaborated by Hayek (1973 Vol. 1, Chapters 1 and 2). In general, this is the belief that societies are rationally constructed; that they are organizations. This is an intellectual error underlying the current emphasis on governmental (i.e., socialist) intervention in and planning of all or major aspects of society. While some societies are, of course, organized (such as a communist state, the military, or a university), not all are or need be. Societies can be spontaneous and self-regulating--that is, social fields, in which patterns and institutions of cooperation, communications, and the division of labor, evolve to satisfy individual needs and maintain peace. This characterizes the exchange society and its free market. See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 22 , Chapter 30 , Chapter 31 , and Chapter 32 ). International relations form such an exchange society. See Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 2 ). 28 . The price of goods is a narrow social contract. In a free market it is the resolution of diverse overlapping balances between buyers and sellers. In a command market the price of goods is set by government managers and planners, but is still a social contract (even more obviously so) resulting from multiple overlapping and ascending bureaucratic and political balances. Of course, the price of coffee on the market shelf seems qualitatively different from the signed peace treaty in hand, and it seems odd to call both social contracts. But this is because they are manifestly different kinds of social contracts. Besides being narrow, a price is an informal, implicit, subconscious, indirect, and collective social contract, whereas a peace treaty is formal, explicit, conscious, and possibly middle range. They therefore display the essence of social contracts quite differently, as whale and mouse manifest qualitatively distinct "mammalness" among animals. However, the price of goods and peace treaties are one in being a structure of expectations based on a balance of powers which is the outcome of a balancing process. For a free market price, the balance is among exchange powers; for a command price it is among coercive and authoritative powers. 29 . For the application of these distinctions to social behavior, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Section 10.4 of Chapter 10 ). 30 . The more appropriate term, as used by Pitirim Sorokin (1969), is "contractual" (see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix , Section 10.5 of Chapter 10 ). However, I could only confuse the issue by referring to, for example, contractual social contracts. By contractual Sorokin meant behavior that was narrow, utilitarian, businesslike. 31 . I am expressing a summary view of the good here sufficient only to orient the subsequent discussion. 32 . See Section 3.9.3 , where I present Johan Galtung's idea of positive peace. 33 . Defined as the absence of violence, negative peace may involve "positive" or non-"positive" peace. This not only entails calling a state of negative peace "positive" if social equality obtains (thus we would have a "positive, negative" peace), but also uses "positive" in an affective, desirable sense, while treating its opposite as affectively neutral. Thus, to denote an undesirable absence of violence (e.g., slavery), one must say something like "a bad, negative peace." All this hardly leads to clarity. 34 . I am using "causal-functional" in the same sense here as in previous volumes, which is as defined by Sorokin (1969:145-146). The basic idea is that diverse objects or events are united or connected by their relationship to an external agency (as all the objects in my house are interrelated through their functional relationship to me), by their manifest causal dependence and functional interdependence (as with diverse aspects of a university or government), or by their meaningful causal and functional interrelationships (as in the interconnection between all the diverse events, objects, agents, and actions comprising a war). 35 . I have differentiated among types and dimensions of groups in Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 23 ), especially in relation to the concept of antifield. 36 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Table 23.1 ), which shows the profiles of the different types of groups across these characteristics. 37 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 22 and Section 23.3 of Chapter 23 ). 38 . Chapter 30 of Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix . 39 . Chapter 33 and Chapter 34 of Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix . 40 . "The fundamental social phenomena is the division of labor and its counterpart human cooperation" (Mises, 1966: 157). And: "Society is joint action and cooperation in which each participant sees the other partner's success as a means for the attainment of his own." (p. 169). 41 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 32 ). I have also elaborated, perhaps more clearly, this crucial relationship between type of society and conflict in my book, In the Minds of Men (Chapters 16-19; republished as The Conflict Helix ). 42 . See Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 2 ). 43 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Sections 32.5 and 35.5 of Chapter 32 and Chapter 35 ). 44 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 26 ). 45 . I separate concepts in meaning from percepts and perceptibles. The latter are stimuli that reach the brain, transformed and carried via our neurological receptors. Percepts are perceptibles endowed with perceptual meaning and value through our cultural matrix. It is the percept that we consciously perceive. For example, the perceptible may be a "piece of wood, sharpened at one end and with a rubbery substance at the other." The percept would be of a "pencil." Thus, "crossed sticks" become perceived as a "Christian cross"; a "hairy sphere" as a "tennis ball." Concepts are then the cognitive structures we impose on percepts. Thus, "pencil," "cross," or "tennis ball" are concepts correlated with, but not identical to, percepts. Concepts add meaning, schema, value to percepts, as is most clearly seen by the concept "cross" or "tennis ball," while also losing some of the phenomenological richness of the percept. On all this, see Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Part II, esp. Section 11.3 of Chapter 11 on concepts). 46 . I find no consensus on the best taxonomy for concepts. Generally, however, scientists discriminate, as I do here, between those concepts close to the observational level and those which are theoretical in some sense. See, for example, Hempel (1952) and Price (1953). 47 . This is also called an observational concept. 48 . In essence, all concepts are defined within some theory or cognitive framework, even such commonsense concepts as dog and house. To see this, in part, consider how languages differ significantly in the concepts developed to cover even everyday phenomena. As one who speaks more than one language knows, often a common idea or thing conceptualized in one language will have no counterpart in another. Languages are informal, implicit theories of reality that evolve as cultures attempt to meet the demands and surmount the challenges of a particular reality. On concepts and theory, see Heath (1967). See also Hempel's (1952) useful analysis of concepts. For the a priori nature of such commonly accepted concepts as cause and effect, see Kant's The Critique of Pure Reason (1952: Book I, Chapter II, Section III, 3B, Book II, Section II, Third Conflict; Section IX, III). In this Section I am not concerned with the philosophy of concepts, but with usefully distinguishing different conceptions of peace. I have treated concepts more generally in Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Part II). 49 . The use of "construct" varies among philosophers of science. Some prefer to call my "construct" a "theoretical concept" or "theoretical term," and my "abstract concept" a "construct." But this is a terminological disagreement, not one of underlying ideas. 50 . A much more sophisticated version of such an arms theory has been developed by Richardson (1960) and elaborated by others. For an example of the latest of such work, see Gillespie and Zinnes (1977: Part II, and the citations therein). 51 . The clear exception is Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace (Chapters 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , and 9 ). 52 . For the tight theory, see my Field Theory Evolving (1976), and Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace (Chapters 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , and 9 ). 53 . For example, the construct of a "dimension of international behavior space" requires substantive interpretation in order to test or apply social field theory. One way of providing this interpretation is through a factor analysis of the attributes of states, as done in my Field Theory Evolving (1977b: Chapter 5) and National Attributes and Behavior (1979c: Chapter 6). For their interpretation within these volumes, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 4 ). To avoid misunderstanding, since factor analysis is often considered an empirical measurement technique, the construct of a dimension in field theory is a mathematical vector given numerical content by factor analysis as an axis through a cluster of independently, empirically measured attributes. The dimension is not itself measured, therefore, but depends on other measured concepts for its content; nor is dimension in the tight theory simply an abstraction, for as a concept it is integral to the equations of field theory and plays a deductive role therein. 54 . See Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Appendix 9A , especially Figure 9A.1 ). The technical development is given in Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 5 ). 55 . Hayek (1979: Vol. 3, p. xii) has (quite rightly, in my view) pointed out the appropriateness of this term to the society of freely interacting individuals. 56 . "Component" is a central philosophical concept for me. See Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Section 10.3 of Chapter 10 ). A component defines a common latent function underlying phenomena. 57 . For greater clarification than warranted here, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 33 ), and Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 4 and Chapter 7 ). See also Note 53 . 58 . See Section 3.9.3 . 59 . "The Lord Be With You," Book of Common Prayer. 60 . The ethics implicit in this paragraph will be made clear in Part II by my definition of a just peace. 61 . For my relevant view of reality, see Vol. 1: The Dynamic Psychological Field (Parts II and VII). Reality comprises potentiality and actuality, with the latter divided into dispositions (or powers) and manifestations. Expectations are dispositional, as are interests and will. Capabilities may be only dispositional (as with intelligence) or may combine both dispositional and manifest levels (as with armaments). A social contract, and thus peace, is actual, always tied to the dispositional level through its expectations, but also partially manifest, reaching the surface of reality via, at least, observable behavior. 62 . See Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix ( Chapter 26 ). 63 . Regarding international conflict, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace (Sections 4.3 , 4.4 and 11.3 ); for patterns of international peace, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace (Sections 4.3 and 4.4 ). For patterns of peace (structures of expectations) internal to states, see Vol. 2: The Conflict Helix (Section 33.4 of Chapter 33 ). 64 . See Section 2.5.4 and Section 3.3.1E . 65 . This holds whether peace is an abstraction in the loose theory or a construct in the tighter version. As a construct, peace is empirically defined by components of social behavior. Each component may vary in the amount of variance in behavior correlated with it, but mathematically each is a dimension (a vector of a basis) of the space of behavior. And there is either a dimension of a space or there is not. 66 . See Sections 2.3.2 , 2.3.3 , and 2.3.4 . 67 . See Note 34 . 68 . See Note 61 . 69 . See Note 29 in Chapter 3 . 70 . For the precise relationship between these concepts, see Vol. 4: War, Power, Peace ( Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 ). 71 . Peace as a social contract = a structure of expectations. Such structures have been empirically defined. See Note 18 . 72 . Along these lines I have tried to specify principles and rules for waging peace, as here defined. See Chapter 10 . 73 . Each of these principles is the subject of separate chapters in my In The Minds of Men (1979a: Part I--book republished as The Conflict Helix ).

100, 150, 200, 250, & 300 Word Paragraph & Essay About Peace

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A Paragraph about Peace in 100 Word

Peace is a beautiful state of calm and harmony in the world. It is when there is no fighting, no arguments, and no wars. In a peaceful world, people treat each other with kindness and respect. There are no bullies, and everyone is safe and free to be themselves. In a peaceful world, animals roam freely, without fear of being hunted or harmed. Nature flourishes, with clear blue skies and clean rivers. When there is peace, children can play and go to school without worrying about violence. People work together to solve problems and make the world a better place. Peace is a precious treasure that we should all strive for.

A Paragraph about Peace in 150 Word

Peace is a beautiful thing that brings happiness and harmony to our lives. It is like a calm river flowing peacefully, where there is no hate or violence. Imagine a world where people respect and accept one another, a world where conflicts are resolved peacefully. This is the world we all crave. Peace can be found in small acts of kindness, like sharing a smile or helping someone in need. It can also be achieved through understanding and forgiveness. When we learn to listen to others without judgment, we promote peace. Peace can be found in nature too, where birds chirp, rivers gurgle, and flowers bloom without any disputes. We can find peace within ourselves by practicing mindfulness, being grateful, and letting go of anger and resentment. By promoting peace in our own lives and communities, we contribute to a more peaceful world. Let us all strive to make peace our constant companion and spread its joy to everyone we meet.

A Paragraph about Peace in 200 Word

Peace is a wonderful feeling that everyone wishes for. It is when there is no fighting or violence, only happiness and calmness. In a peaceful world, people are kind to each other and help one another. They solve their problems by talking and listening, without hurting others. Peace allows us to live in harmony with everyone, no matter where they are from or what they believe in.

When we have peace, we can play and learn without fear. We can walk outside with a smile on our faces, knowing that we are safe. Peace helps us to focus on important things like education and friendships. We can express ourselves through art, music, and sports without any worries.

Peace also brings together people from different cultures and backgrounds. It helps us to appreciate our differences and learn from each other. In a peaceful world, we can celebrate our traditions and share our stories without judgment.

In conclusion, peace is a beautiful thing that we should always strive for. It makes our lives better and the world a happier place. Let’s work together to create peace and spread love and understanding everywhere we go.

A Paragraph about Peace in 250 Word

Peace is a beautiful and serene feeling that brings harmony and happiness to our lives. It is like a gentle breeze flowing through the air, calming our souls and filling our environment with tranquility. When there is peace, people work together, respecting and understanding one another. There are no conflicts, fights, or wars. Instead, there is cooperation, empathy, and love.

In a world filled with peace, children can play freely in the parks, laughing and sharing their joys without fear. They can grow and learn in safe and nurturing environments, surrounded by the support of their families and communities. Adults can pursue their dreams and ambitions, knowing that they are free to express themselves without facing discrimination or violence.

Peace is not just the absence of war, but also the presence of justice and equality. It means that everyone, regardless of their race, religion, or gender, has the same opportunities and rights. People are treated with fairness and kindness, knowing that their opinions and beliefs are respected.

In conclusion, peace is a state of harmony and calmness that brings people together and creates a better world for everyone. It is a precious gift that we must strive to achieve and preserve. Let us all work towards building a world where peace reigns and where every person can live their lives to the fullest, free from fear and hatred. Let us work for a future in which war and conflict are a thing of the past. Together, we can create a world of love and understanding. Let us strive for a world in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

A Paragraph about Peace in 300 Word

Peace is a beautiful word that brings warmth and happiness to our hearts. It is a feeling of calm and serenity that fills the air. In a world that can sometimes be chaotic, peace is like a little oasis where everything is harmonious. Imagine a world without wars, without arguments, without conflicts. That is what peace brings to our lives.

Peace means living in harmony with others and treating one another with love and respect. It means finding solutions to problems through peaceful and non-violent means. In a peaceful world, people can communicate and understand each other without resorting to violence. It is about listening to each other’s opinions and finding common ground.

In a peaceful world, we can go to sleep at night knowing that we are safe and secure. We don’t have to worry about our homes being destroyed or our loved ones getting hurt. Everyone can enjoy their basic rights and live without fear.

Peace is not just about the absence of war, it is also about inner peace. When we have inner peace, we feel calm and content within ourselves. We are able to manage our emotions and handle conflicts in a peaceful manner. Inner peace helps us live a happier and more fulfilling life.

As a 4th grader, it is important to understand the value of peace and how we can contribute to creating a peaceful world. We can be kind to others, help those in need, and resolve conflicts peacefully. We can spread love and positivity wherever we go.

In conclusion, peace is a wonderful thing that we should all strive for. It brings happiness, safety, and harmony to our lives. Let’s work together to create a peaceful world where everyone can live in unity and prosperity.

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Essay on Peace 500+ Words

Peace is a simple word, but it holds immeasurable significance in our lives and in the world. It’s a state of harmony and tranquility, where there is no violence or conflict. In this essay, we will explore the importance of peace, its profound impact on individuals and societies, and why it is a goal worth pursuing.

Thesis Statement : Peace is the foundation of a harmonious world, where people live free from fear and violence, and where cooperation and understanding prevail.

The Meaning of Peace

Before we dive into the importance of peace, let’s understand what it means. Peace is not just the absence of war; it’s a state of well-being where individuals and communities coexist in harmony. It’s about respecting differences, resolving conflicts peacefully, and promoting cooperation.

The Individual Impact of Peace

Peace has a significant impact on individuals:

a. Mental Well-being : In a peaceful environment, people experience less stress and anxiety, leading to better mental health.

b. Physical Health : Reduced violence and conflict contribute to better physical health and longer life spans.

c. Education : Peaceful societies tend to invest more in education, leading to better opportunities for personal growth and development.

Peace and Relationships

Peace is vital for building strong and lasting relationships:

a. Family : Peaceful homes are nurturing environments where love and understanding thrive. It’s a place where children can grow up feeling safe and loved.

b. Friendships : In peaceful friendships, trust is the foundation. Friends can rely on each other, and conflicts are resolved through communication, not confrontation.

c. Global Relationships : On a global scale, peaceful countries can cooperate, trade, and work together to address common challenges like climate change and poverty.

Peace in Society

Peace also plays a crucial role in societies:

a. Economic Prosperity : Peaceful nations tend to have stable economies. When there’s less conflict, businesses can thrive, creating jobs and prosperity.

b. Political Stability : Peace is essential for political stability. When there is less violence, people can participate in democratic processes without fear.

c. Safety : In peaceful societies, people can go about their daily lives without fear of violence or crime.

The Price of Conflict

Understanding the importance of peace is easier when we consider the consequences of conflict:

a. Loss of Life : Wars and conflicts lead to the loss of countless lives, leaving behind grieving families and communities.

b. Destruction : Conflict destroys homes, infrastructure, and economies, making it challenging for communities to recover.

c. Refugees : Conflicts often create refugees who must flee their homes in search of safety and shelter.

The Role of Peacebuilders

Peace does not happen on its own; it requires dedicated individuals and organizations:

a. Nelson Mandela : The late Nelson Mandela is an iconic peacebuilder who worked tirelessly to end apartheid in South Africa through nonviolent means.

b. United Nations : The United Nations is an organization that promotes peace and security worldwide. It mediates conflicts, provides humanitarian aid, and fosters cooperation among nations.

Everyday Acts of Peace

Peace is not just for world leaders and organizations; everyone can contribute to peace:

a. Conflict Resolution : We can learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully by talking, listening, and finding compromises.

b. Kindness : Acts of kindness, like helping someone in need or being friendly to a new classmate, promote peace on a small scale.

c. Tolerance : We can embrace our differences and treat everyone with respect, regardless of their background.

Challenges to Peace

While peace is a noble goal, it faces challenges:

a. Misunderstanding : Misunderstandings can lead to conflicts. To overcome this, we need to improve communication and empathy.

b. Inequality : Social and economic inequality can lead to unrest and conflicts. Addressing inequality is a crucial step towards peace.

The Path Forward

Achieving and maintaining peace requires effort and commitment:

a. Education : Educating ourselves and others about the importance of peace is the first step.

b. Conflict Resolution : Learning how to resolve conflicts peacefully is a valuable skill that we can all acquire.

c. Empathy : Developing empathy for others can help us understand their perspectives and reduce conflict.

Conclusion of Essay on Peace

In conclusion, peace is not just a distant dream; it’s an attainable goal that benefits individuals, communities, and the world. It’s the key to better mental and physical health, stronger relationships, and prosperous societies. While challenges to peace exist, we can overcome them through education, empathy, and a commitment to resolving conflicts peacefully. Let us all work together to build a world where peace prevails, where differences are celebrated, and where cooperation and understanding lead us to a brighter and harmonious future. Peace is not just a wish; it’s a journey we can all embark upon.

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Milton Rinehart

Our popular concept of peace has failed. It is concepts of peace such as "peace is not war" or "not conflict" that I accuse of failure. Not withstanding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty , we continue our drift towards unparalleled catastrophe as many nations continue unprecedented arms races including nuclear ones. As those nuclear arms become more technologically sophisticated the margins of equipment and human error become dangerously small. Yet the prospect of annihilation has not made the world more peaceful. On the contrary, we seem to have as much armed conflict now as ever. This is due in part to a failing of our commonly used concepts of peace to direct our pursuit of peace. Reardon (1988), Hall (1984) and, Darnton (1973) suggest a relationship between peace definitions and peace action. Peace definitions or concepts are the basis on which we decide how to make peace. For example, if I define peace as not war , then I would attempt to make peace by attempting to eliminate war or at least mitigate its severity. On the other hand, if I defined peace as inner harmony, I would meditate as much as possible in order to make peace. The point is that concepts or definitions of peace are the basis for peacemaking . What one does to achieve peace depends on how one images, defines, or conceptualizes peace. If our present peace efforts are in danger of catastrophic failure then our concepts may need revision. Perhaps it is also our inability to make those concepts clear that has led to their failure. Indeed "peace" has proven difficult to define. Perhaps because it has rhetorical uses for political leaders who benefit from the ambiguity of the term (Cuzzort, 1989). Also there are socially constructed cultural differences in peace concepts. Usually citing Ishida's (1969) work, a variety of authors have discussed these differences. The need here is obvious. If we as a world of diverse yet increasingly interdependent people are to survive the drift towards unparalleled catastrophe that Einstein (1980) forewarned, we must maintain some type of peace. To do so we must reach some level of agreement on what that peace might be. Therefore, we must know our options and be careful to understand each other.

PURPOSE - This paper tries to clarify our concepts of peace and to expand the range of our peace thinking by identifying additional and possibly more adequate concepts. In this paper my main purposes are to 1) analyze some categorizations of peace concepts, 2) extract two paradigms of peace concepts from those categorizations and, 3) provide a theoretical basis for those paradigms. These paradigms are broad categories of peace concepts that are based in different peace orientations. Not all peace concepts will fit easily into one paradigm or the other. But most do.

ORGANIZATION - This paper is organized into three sections. In the first I will analyze selected categorizations of peace concepts as a short cut to sampling peace concepts in the literature, and I will extract the two paradigms from them. In the second, I will present Wilber's (1983, 1985, 1986) transpersonal sociology and locate the peace paradigms in it. In the final section I will attempt to show how we can move from the Popular paradigm to the Numinar one.[1]

Categorization of Peace Concepts

In this section I will summarize and analyze categorizations of peace concepts from the literature. These categorizations were selected through an extensive but not exhaustive, literature search. To be included a categorization had only to meet two simple criteria; 1) refer to concepts or definitions of peace and 2) contain at least two of them. All the categorizations that I found are summarized below.

Takeshi Ishida - Through an examination of the original meanings of peace in the world's main cultures (excluding Islam), Ishida examines the main emphasis of each word for peace in order to help reduce the semantic differences that can create problems between different cultures negotiating peace. Table 1 presents Ishida's approach. Western concepts of peace originate in 1) the Ancient Judaism concept of shalom, 2) the Greek concept of eirene, and 3) the Roman concept of pax. Here the most common elements are prosperity and order where order refers primarily to rule of law. The Easter concepts of peace emphasize order and tranquility of mind. Here order refers both to the political and cosmic order achieved through individual conformity.

Analysis -- Ishida's work has influenced several of the conceptual schemes below, most notably Rummel's. Ishida suggests an east - west dichotomy of peace concepts where the eastern concepts see peace achieved through individual conformity to customs, norms, etc. as an outcome of individual internal harmony. Western concepts see peace more as a property of social systems functioning to assure prosperity. This dichotomy has been further developed by Galtung (1981) who sees the difference between east and west as one of "social cosmology".

Anatol Rapaport - Starting from the view that war, especially nuclear war, is the greatest threat to the survival of humanity, Anatol Rapaport (no date) examines international cooperation aimed at "controlling" war. His conceptual scheme of peace images includes peace through strength, balance of power , collective security , peace through law , revolutionary pacifism, and personal pacifism. His conceptual scheme analyzes these images in relation to a) the problem that is seen as fundamentally important, b) the conceptualization of a solution, c) the identification of actors expected to cope with the problem, d) modalities of social control, or the mechanisms the actors are expected to use to implement the solution to the problem. Here Rapaport uses threat, trade, and integrative modalities (from K. Boulding, 1987). Where a threat system emphasizes sanctions such as reduction in trade; a trade system depends on promises of benefits in return for reciprocated benefits, such as the U.S. selling F-16's to Saudi Arabia in exchange for their moderating influence in that region of the world; and an integrative system where members share common goals and see each other as co-members, as seems to be the case between the U.S. under Reagan and Great Britain under Thatcher. The remaining aspects of Rapaport's conceptual scheme are e) induced attitudes or psychological states which harmonize with the particular peace image, such as fear and pugnacity in the peace through strength image, and f) the role of international cooperation envisaged in the particular image that will help bring about peace or preserve it.

Analysis - In this scheme the formulation of the problem is the fundamental determinant of the concept of peace. The solution follows logically from the problem as do the principle actors from the solution. Modalities of social control and roles of international cooperation follow from the construction of problem, solution and principle actors combined. Induced attitudes, in this scheme, appear as useful artifacts of the image or concept of peace itself. It is not clear what relationship induced attitudes has to the formulation of the fundamental problem. Does fear create a perception of threat or threat, fear? A possible solution to this is to look for relationships between world- views and peace concepts. By world-view I mean the cognitive, normative, and affective biases or tendencies to which we are largely socialized that greatly determine the meanings we ascribe to our experiences, or the ways in which we co-create our realities.[2] Rapaport implies this relationship but does not explicate it, and thus leaves the question of which is more fundamental - the problem or the emotion. A world-view approach attempts to avoid this question since world-view largely determines both, one's perception of a problem and one's emotional response to it (as I have defined world-view).

Interestingly Rapaport implies a range of peace concepts that are based on threat, induced fear and no international cooperation at one end (peace through strength), and based on integration, induced love and no international cooperation at the other end (personal pacifism). In Rapaport's scheme, the conception of peace as "peace through strength" perceives external threat, uses threat as a means of control, and maintains an attitude of fear. While the conception of peace as "personal pacifism" perceives the problem of human aggressiveness responded to by individuals through self-perfection and an attitude of love.

Rudolph Rummel - Beginning with the view that conflict is ubiquitous and a necessary part of social life (1981, p.16)[3], Rummel develops a definition of peace as a social contract from social field theory. Conflict, in Rummel's view does a number of important things; 1) it is the means for establishing and adjusting social order, 2) similarly, it establishes the balance of powers between what people want and what they can get[4], and 3) through the resolution of conflict agreements are reached. These agreements are implicit or explicit in the resolution of conflict and constitute social contract. Thus Rummel's definition of peace is closely related to those that define peace as conflict resolution or conflict management.

In arguing the merits of his definition of peace, Rummel discusses other concepts and compares them to his. Rummel organizes other concepts of peace that he has identified into two major categories: a) Cultural-Religious concepts which consists of those concepts identified by Ishida (1969), and b) Secular, Cross-Cultural Concepts. These secular concepts he further divides into Empirical, Abstract and Normative. Additionally, Rummel identifies seven underlying principles of these concepts of peace. These principles identify peace concepts as a state of either; a) no conflict, violence or war, b) order, c) mind, d) law, e) (coercive) power, f) divinity or, g) goodness. He attempts to group the concepts of peace under these seven principles.

Analysis - Rummel's work is fairly disorganized. Certain parts, such as his organizational and analytical schemes, which I have not summarized, are not clearly connected. He does use some of the conceptual dimensions (e.g., empirical, abstract, normative) as sub-categories of secular, cross-cultural concepts. But he does not use all of them. And he does not explain his usage. He focuses instead on what he sees as the underlying principles of all these peace concepts, apparently to demonstrate how his definition superiorly meets five out of seven of these principles (1981, pg. 65, table 3.3).

However, Rummel's work does have merit. Rummel illustrates the importance of social level in distinguishing concepts of peace. Some concepts see the starting point at international relations, some at interpersonal relations, and some are in between. Further, while there seems to be no empirical basis for it, Rummel has created the most complete list of peace concepts I have found. Additionally Rummel gives some legitimacy to some "principles" such as peace is a state of mind, divinity and goodness. In my view we need to intellectually explore those aspects of peace further if we are to develop concepts of peace that are successful in the sense that they provide a basis for successful peacemaking .

Gunnar Johnson - With the clear purpose of adding intellectual depth to the field of peace studies, Johnson (1976) presents three major concepts of peace, abstracts elements of these concepts into theoretical categories, then explores the scientific, ethical and political uses of these concepts. For the purposes of this paper I will discuss only his major concepts.

Apparently Johnson has identified major concepts of peace from his own readings, in this case in the field of peace studies. Johnson's three categories, are 1) peace as a world without war, 2) peace as world justice , and 3) peace as world order.

The peace is not war category, championed in recent times by Quincy Wright (1942) and Anatol Rapaport (1968), is concerned with disarmament , control of or elimination of war, understanding the root causes of war , and the control of or elimination of war-like violence (oppressive, bloody regimes like Idi Amin in Uganda or the Khemer Rouge of Cambodia). To these ends most of peace research has been dedicated, according to Johnson[5]. Johnson identifies three conceptual groups under this world without war view of peace. First are those concerned with eliminating causes of war . Second are those committed to finding non-violent ways of settling conflict. And third, those who wish to remove the instruments of war and mediate confrontations which might lead to war (p.17). Johnson is clearly including under the peace is not war category such concepts as 1) peace through no violence, 2) peace through conflict resolution, and 3) peace through disarmament.

The peace is world/social justice category, championed by Johan Galtung (1967), critiques the peace is not war category as reinforcing the status quo, preserving patterns of international dominations, and further legitimizing the justification of warlike behavior by governments by claiming the necessity of such behavior to achieve peace (ex. "War to end all wars"). Besides the charge that the peace is not war category maintains the status quo, the peace is social justice category, according to Johnson, contains two other important themes. First, the awareness of the presence of structural violence, or violence perpetrated by social systems. And second, the preference for research directed towards strategies of non-violent change (p.24). The peace as social justice school has shifted focus from the causes of war to the conditions of violence and peace. In doing so it has continued to define peace in terms of violence and has added conflict theory to peace theory.

The peace as world order category, championed by the Institute for World Order in New York, including Greenville Clark and Louis Sohn (1966), attempts to address the problem of human survival in the face of increasingly complex world problems such as nuclear war, and ecological disaster. The primary problem under this category, is the existence of autonomous, independent nation-states which, except for the influence of an emerging world economy, function largely in response to their own internal needs. Thereby, some countries use DDT while others don't, some countries kill whales while others don't, some countries have nuclear attack capability while others don't. The solution is the establishment of some world governing body, perhaps an enhanced United Nations to implement some sort of world law . Methodologically this school uses "relevant utopias" to explore the techniques and details of achieving such a goal. While Johnson credits this "world order school" with the realization that peace cannot be studied productively apart from global concerns, he criticizes them for being uncritical in their usage of the term peace (p.35).

Analysis - Johnson assumes without sufficient support that the appropriate level of analysis of peace is that of international relations. This is an assumption of the Popular peace paradigm and the international relations approach to peace making (Boulding and Vayrynen, 1980). By making this assumption he unnecessarily limits his scope to only a few concepts of peace, indeed those that predominate peace studies literature, according to him. It is ironic that while he intended to add some intellectual depth, he did so at the expense of intellectual breadth.

John Macquarrie - Macquarrie's (1973) conceptual scheme is a dichotomy. He contrasts a Christian concept of peace to a Hobbesian (1934) view. His Christian view of peace includes the healing of fractures[6], the distinction between peace as a process and peace as an end-state, and the importance of world view in shaping one's peace concept.

"Healing fractures" has to do with estrangement, alienation, bitter division and war. Fractures occur in many if not all aspects of human life including; a) war between and within nations, b) Industry, in the form of Hegel's alienation, c) marriage and family with problems of creating and sustaining intimate relationships, d) alienation from nature as a result of overpopulation and increased technology creating an environmental crisis, e) alienation from reality itself in the sense of loss of existential meaning, and f) finally fractures occur within the individual such as indecision, conflicting emotion, and mental illness. The Christian concept of peace is the healing of fractures. In the Hobbesian view, fractures are taken as an inescapable part of existence and must be dealt with, perhaps preserved, or peace is not possible.

Peace is viewed as a process of creating a more peaceful world, or of manifesting the latent true nature of humanity, where that peaceful world or latent nature are ideal states or goals. The actual attainment of the goal or the existence of the goal is taken as a matter of faith, or of transcendent experience. However the process of creation is seen as more immediately important. On the other hand the Hobbesian view sees peace as an end-state, the end of violence, war, and misery. How this end is achieved is not as important as the end itself.

In his Christian world view the world is not seen as truly fearsome and threatening and full of competition, as in the Hobbesian world view, but rather nurturing and promising and full of cooperation. This nurturing, promising, cooperativeness is the true nature of the world that it is our job to make real for all by healing fractures, according to Macquarrie. The problem of peace is one of fractures. The process of peace is one of healing fractures. This world view is the basis for the concept of peace as a process and the definition of peace as healing fractures. On the other hand, the Hobbesian world view leads to an end-state concept of peace as not violence or war. Macquarrie's Christian peace concept includes the Hobbesian but goes far beyond it to heal all fractures, not just those causing war and violence.

Analysis - Macquarrie's discussion of fractures is important for two reasons. First, wholeness[7] is a fundamental aspect of the Christian concept of peace and healing fractures promotes wholeness. Secondly, because fractures can be within the individual, the pursuit of peace implies inward as well as outward effort. Thus peace is both an internal and an external phenomena.

But more importantly Macquarrie illustrates the importance of world view in determining concepts of peace. A world view that does not have a basic orientation of fear leads to a concept of peace that is integrative. Integrative in the sense that creation of peaceful relations and creation of peaceful social structures are incorporated. Also integrative in the sense that the Hobbesian concept of peace is incorporated.

Gray Cox - Cox (1986) contrasts peace as static absence (an end-state), to peace as harmony in order to show the limitations of each and thereby the need for his definition, peace as action (a process). Peace as an end-state, he argues, is based on eristic[8] reasoning characterized by disputations. Rational argument, he points out, often incorporates metaphors of war. Knowledge is viewed as external and absolute. Individual claims must be either true or false based on how well they correspond with fixed reality. Logic is a tool to dissect argument, assess the truth of individual claims, and determine that fixed reality which exists outside of the interaction. Emotions get in the way of reason and effective argument. The approach is an instrumental one in Weber's (1968) concept of means-ends rationality. A rational act is one that uses the most efficient means to achieve a given end.

This leads, according to Cox, to a "culture of conflict" where truth can only be determined through argument and life requires a true understanding of reality to survive. Conflict is seen as essential to life and has been institutionalized to the extent that we find it hard to conceive of human activity in ways which do not make conflict an essential part of it (p.61). This culture of conflict conceptualizes peace as a "static absence". Peace is seen as the absence of war, violence, or conflict. Curiously, there is a contradiction; if conflict is essential to life, and if peace is the absence of conflict, then peace means death, according to Cox.

The peace as action concept is based on maieutic[9] reasoning. Here knowledge is seen as something constructed through the sharing of meanings. Emotions do not get in the way, rather they are additional sources of information to be shared in the development of truth. Truth and meaning are emergent and to some extent situational. Truth is not external to the interaction but emerges through it. Individual claims can be both true and false depending on the situation to which they are applied. Or they can be partly true and partly false depending on the specific aspects of the shared meanings. In other words truth is not absolute. Discussion, as opposed to disputation, often employs analogies to growth rather than metaphors of war.

Maieutic reasoning leads to a view of life that does not see conflict as essential. Life is seen as an occurrence of being not a state of conflict. Peace is viewed as a different phenomena from war.[10] Peace is the action or process of realizing the meaning of being.

Analysis - I find Cox's assertion that we live in a culture of conflict to be similar to Virilio and Lotringer's (1983) concept of pure war in that nearly everything in our culture maintains the existence and necessity of conflict.[11] "We live in a culture in which predominant conceptions of reason, feeling, meaning, value, truth, and the self characterize activity in terms of conflict, and this view is buttressed by conceptions of knowledge and action which are entrenched in the dominant institutions of our society" (Cox, 1986, p.61).

Also, Cox attempts to show the underlying assumptions that determine his two approaches to peace. These assumptions can be referred to as world views . So Cox argues, as does Macquarrie, that world views determine peace concepts. Cox also relates world view to the process/end-state differences among peace concepts. I think however that Cox's world views are more similar to Gergen's (1982) exogenic and endogenic world views. Those who favor an exogenic world view see knowledge as objectively grounded, which enables common agreement based on objectively correct and incorrect answers. Reality is seen as independent of the observer, and fact should be separated from value. Endogenic thinkers, on the other hand, see knowledge as primarily a product of the processing agent and therefore objectivity is questionable. Because multiple interpretations are possible, total agreement is suspicious. Reality is a construction of the observer and fact and value are inseparable (p.176-7).

All of the above conceptual schemes imply two basic ways of conceptualizing peace. Rapaport, Rummel and Johnson focus mostly on the popular ways, yet suggesting that there may be others. Macquarrie and Cox focus on the other ways of conceptualizing peace using the popular ways to contrast and illustrate them. So what generalizations can be made about these two paradigms of peace?

The Popular paradigm includes concepts of peace that are largely materialistic, international, and external. Materialistic in the sense that peace is associated with prosperity; war and violence reduce prosperity. International in that the appropriate starting point for peace is at the level of relations between nations. External in the sense that peace, if it is possible, must exist outside the individual or the relationship (individual to others/society); peace is more the product of social structures than of interactional patterns or subjective states. The problem of obtaining peace is seen as war or  violence (physical and structural). In this paradigm peace concepts come out of world views that have a basic orientation of fear , and are exogenic. Human nature is seen as fundamentally conflictual, although humans can choose to behave non-conflictually. And separation[12] is maintained. Defenses are necessary in a world that appears to be rife with conflict. Separation is a means of defense.

The Numinar paradigm includes concepts of peace that are more idealistic, inter- and intra-personal, and both internal and external. Idealistic in that non-material goals and processes are valued in the achievement of peace; peace is not necessarily related to prosperity. Additionally, peace is idealistic in that like other aspects of social reality, it is constructed and maintained through social processes (Berger and Luckmann, 1966) and can be revised through those same processes. Inter- and intra-personal in that the best level at which to begin peacemaking is seen as developing internal peace with which one then interacts more peacefully with others. Internal in the sense that peace must first exist within the individual in relationship to others; peace is more the product of interactional patterns or subjective states than of social structures. Yet external concepts of peace are not excluded. Social structures must also be changed to institutionalize changes in interactional patterns or subjective states. In this paradigm, peace concepts come out of world views that have a basic orientation other than fear, and are endogenic. Elements of fear may still be present in those world views but fear is not the basic orientation. Consequently the world is not assumed to be a threatening, competitive, hostile place, and human nature is not seen as fundamentally conflictual. And peacemaking is aimed at reducing separation, the barriers and divisions needed to defend one's self against the fundamental conflict of the popular world view. This paradigm integrates but goes radically beyond the Popular paradigm.[13]

A few comments about these examples are necessary. First, there is some "gray area" between the paradigms. Some peace concepts are not clearly in one paradigm or the other but combine aspects of each. I have included "peace as conflict resolution" in the Popular paradigm but one could argue that it is not clearly so. Conflict resolution can be viewed as beginning at the interpersonal level rather than the international level. But I maintain that in its usual usage it implies resolving conflict for mutual economic gain or to minimize loss, and therefore is materialistic. This gray area is, I believe, the result of the as yet incomplete differentiation of the Numinar from the Popular. Second, Peck's concept of peace is that peace is approached as a group becomes and operates as a community where community is characterized by inclusivity, consensus, commitment, realism, being a safe place, being a group of all leaders, etc. This concept, like other truly Numinar ones, includes Popular concepts like not doing violence (either physical, structural or psychological) yet goes radically beyond them by integrating them (at a minimum). And third, some Numinar concepts of peace such as "peace is oneness" and "peace is harmony" are too vague to serve as a meaningful basis for peacemaking but clearly belong in this paradigm according to the criteria I have given.

The above discussion raises some questions. Cox (1986) and others point out that concepts of peace, such as not war or not violence, are useful in several ways. First there is general consensus that peace is at least not war (Boulding, 1978). And second, such concepts are empirically useful so long as one can operationally define "war", "violence" or "conflict". But is there an equally useful concept of peace in the Numinar paradigm that will not fail to guide successful peacemaking, and that does not logically imply peace = death? Additionally, what is the relationship between world views and the paradigms? What is the relationship between the paradigms themselves? What is the sociological basis for the Numinar paradigm? And finally, what larger theoretical structure embodies these peace concepts? I will attempt to answer these questions in reverse order.

Transpersonal Sociology

This theory[14] comes primarily from the work of Ken Wilber (1985, 1986, and especially 1983). Wilber's work was initially in other areas, so his ideas are still sociologically sketchy. His major sociological presentation (1983) does attempt to integrate his previous work.[15] In My summary of Wilber I will focus on his major concepts.

While Marx and Engles (1848) view all history as the history of class conflict Wilber sees history as the record of the development or evolution of human consciousness. It is the emergence or expansion of human consciousness that is the basic process of human social development in Wilber's view. Wilber describes several stages that we have already gone through up to the present "rational-egoic" stage and he predicts several stages to come.

At the collective level, each stage represents the level of consciousness at which most people are at. This average level of consciousness reproduces itself through exchange of the elements of that level analogous to the way the body reproduces itself through sex. The average level of consciousness and the elements available to it constitutes a basic mode of relational exchange which is different for each stage. (Each stage is able to access different elements that Wilber refers to as "mana" which will be described below.) This average level of consciousness is maintained through social processes and evolves dialectically through social reconstruction.[16] In our present rational-egoic stage, our structures of relational exchange, for example, are the scientific method and bureaucratic organization both based on means-ends rationality.

At the individual level, Wilber sees us as compounded basically of mind, body and spirit. The compound individual emerges through a social dialectic in which each aspect is reproduced, body through sex, mind through communication and, spirit through communion. For reproduction there must be relational exchange. Each aspect, therefore, is a process of relational exchange.

Each stage differentiates from the ground unconsciousness[17] and is related to the others hierarchically. Each stage can be described as encompassing greater "areas" of awareness, eventually including the ground unconsciousness thus completing the circle. In this hierarchical theory each higher level emerges from the lower but is not "caused" by it. Before it emerges, the higher is initially fused and confused with the lower. As it emerges, the higher first differentiates from then integrates the lower. The higher can, according to Wilber, repress the lower as mind can repress the body's drive to reproduce, but not vice versa. However, distortions in the lower can distort the higher. According to this theory, Marx showed how material distortions can distort all other stages, and Freud demonstrated how emotional distortions can distort all higher levels. What we need, Wilber says, is a sociological theory that examines; a) distortions in exchange within levels (horizontal exchange) and b) distortions between levels (vertical exchange). Wilber employs Habermas (1971) to begin to do this (as I will discuss in the next subsection entitled "Habermas' theory").

Major Concepts - Wilber distinguishes between deep structures and surface structures. Deep structures are the stages of consciousness referred to above. They are ahistorical. To use the game checkers as an analogy, deep structures are the rules of the game. It doesn't matter what moves you make or what you use for pieces, if you follow the rules then you are playing checkers and not chess. Surface structures are the variable components of those stages or deep structures. They are historically conditioned. In the game of checkers, they are the pieces and the sequence of moves in a particular game that can vary. You can use rocks or coins for pieces, and the sequence of moves will probably vary from game to game, but such modifications do not involve you in playing a different kind of game.(pp. 45-46)

Translation refers to the relation between the surface structures of a given level. Transcription refers to the relation between deep structures and surface structures within a given stage. I think world view is a transcriptive mechanism. Transformation refers to changing from one deep structure to another (from one level of consciousness to another). This change may be evolutionary, inexorable but slow, or revolutionary, fast but requires intentionality. If the stages are pictured as the various floors of a building, then translation is moving furniture around on one floor; transcription is the relation of the furniture to the floor; transformation is moving to a different floor (Wilber, 1983, p.45). The specific aspects of each deep structure, or the givens of each floor in our analogy, such as load bearing walls, plumbing, windows, and heating systems, limits not only the relationship of the furniture to the floor but also what furniture (surface structures) can be put on the floor.

The propelling force behind translation, transcription and transformation is the effort to obtain "mana" and to avoid "taboo". Mana is that which is exchanged at a given level. It is the food or truth of a level. It is analogous to the relationship between; a) meat and vegetables to the physical body, b) feeling, warmth and companionship to the emotional body, c) symbolic exchange and communication to the mind, and d) illumination and insight to the spirit. Since it is the medium of exchange, Wilber sees it as constituting a social glue that can be integrative or disintegrative. Each stage requires a type of mana specific to that stage, so higher stages have access to higher mana. Vertical growth is a process of a) finding the present stage's mana inadequate and b) learning to access and utilize the higher stage's mana.

Taboo, on the other hand, is the death anxiety of the separate self contemplating the end of its existence existential terror.[18] It is something to be avoided. The self, in cooperation with other selves, creates immortality symbols to repress taboo. Culture is an example of an immortality symbol (or perhaps many of them) constructed and reproduced to preserve an illusion of immortality and there by avoid existential terror. To reduce this to a psychological explanation is inaccurate. The self operates in relational exchange with other selves to avoid taboo.

Translation, transcription and transformation have several functions. Translation functions in horizontal growth to integrate and stabilize a level. It integrates by assimilating level specific mana, food, or truth. It stabilizes by avoiding taboo. Growth is also a process of the eventual inadequacy of translation to provide sufficient and appropriate mana to avoid taboo at a given level, thus causing the self to look elsewhere. Transcription's function is essentially like RNA which "reads" the cell's DNA (deep structure) and synthesizes protein (surface structure) accordingly. Transformation's function is to provide vertical growth by gaining access to higher mana. Vertical growth requires the self to cease exclusive identification with the present level. What makes transformation "kick in" is vertical emancipatory interest which I will describe below.

Habermas' Theory

To explain how transformation works, Wilber (1983) uses Habermas' (1971) three modes of knowledge /inquiry. The empirical analytic mode deals with objective processes. The historical hermeneutic mode deals with interpretive understanding of symbolic configurations. And the critical reflexive mode apprehends cognitive operations and subjects them to a measure of insight (Wilber, 1983, pp 111). Because knowledge is always moving (e.g. expanding through learning and contracting through forgetting) each mode is linked to a type of interest or why you want to know something. The empirical analytic employs technical cognitive interest to predict and control. The historical hermeneutic employs practical cognitive interest for understanding and sharing the mutualities of life, morality, purpose, goals, values, etc. The critical reflexive employs emancipatory interest to release distortions and constraints of labor, language, etc. that result from non-transparency.

However, Habermas is looking only at horizontal emancipation, according to Wilber. To explain vertical emancipation, Wilber examines the modes of cognition of the complex self. Recall that the complex self consists basically of body, mind, and spirit. The body possesses a pre-symbolic, sensory knowledge, perhaps instinct; the mind, symbolic knowledge; and the spirit deals with trans-symbolic knowledge or gnosis[19]. The mind can form symbols of all three (Wilber, 1983, p.112). Figure 1 is Wilber's illustration of these modes of cognition. Note that emancipatory interests are not shown.

Wilber sees these as arising from tension. Either tension within levels creating horizontal emancipatory interest. Or tension between levels creating vertical emancipatory inter est. In other words, as the level specific mana becomes inadequate and taboo harder to avoid, tension is created between the present level and the next higher level, which generates vertical emancipatory interest, which "kicks in" transformation.

Peace Paradigms and Transpersonal Sociology

I will attempt to illustrate the above presentation of transpersonal sociology by applying it to the peace paradigms. In my opinion peace concepts are surface structures transcribed by world views from deep structures. These deep structures provide the limits for world views and surface structures. The rational egoic self generates a world view partly on its own and partly from interaction with others. This world view thereby is shaped to some degree by socialization and other interactive forms but its basic features are given by the rational egoic stage. The rational egoic stage is the stage of maximum separation from the ground unconscious (Wilber, 1985, 1986). It creates a world view that perceives the world as full of separation and therefore, conflict.[20] Thus the world appears fearsome, competitive and dangerous. Interaction with other rational egoic selves reinforces this view. The "truth" of this level is that separation, conflict and competition exist. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of a Darwinian and Hobbesian world. Peace then is viewed as a state in which conflict is somehow abated if only temporarily. Yet conflict, violence and war are perceived as inevitable, indeed necessary to life. The only permanent peace is death. Therefore, life and peace are incompatible, peace is impossible and peacemaking is illogical (Cox, 1986). In today's terms that means that the only way we will have peace is through nuclear annihilation probably through an inevitable war.[21] As we consider this, we are faced with the termination of all our immortality symbols and thereby the death of our separate self. We will be unable to live on through our children, our buildings and our publications. In short we are unable to avoid taboo or existential terror. There are two ways out. One is to repress this terror and turn back to our immortality symbols.[22] In the short run it may "work". The other way is to grow to the next level, vision logic. And this is, I believe, what Einstein (1980) tried to tell us; we must change our mode of thinking to avoid the unparalleled catastrophe of total annihilation.

In my opinion, the existence of nuclear weapons, and the threat of annihilation they pose, is causing the realization that the rational egoic mana is no longer adequate to avoid taboo. This I feel is why Numinar peace concepts are becoming differentiated and more useful. People are seeking higher mana, creating inter-level tension and generating transformative processes[23]. Vision logic world views are beginning to replace rational egoic fearful ones. These new world views in turn transcribe new surface structures such as peace concepts. This creates intra-level tension with old surface structures and other new ones so that translation operates to integrate the old. Thus the Numinar paradigm includes the Popular but goes radically beyond it; it has to in order to assimilate the new higher mana or truth. This new truth is in part, I believe, the realization that what we perceive as reality is constructed and can be reconstructed. In other words, the conflictual, competitive world where separation is maintained does not have to be so; we can stop reifying it. Ironically, as the average level of consciousness moves up to the vision logic stage reality is reconstructed, the culture of conflict (Cox, 1986) will evolve to a more integrative one based on different modes of relational exchange.

Peace as Reducing the Separation

Among the emerging Numinar peace concepts are "peace as community" (Peck, 1987), "peace as action" (Cox, 1986) and peace as reducing separation. Of these, I feel peace as reducing separation may be the most useful. Partly because it incorporates "community" and "action"; community is by definition less separated than non community and reducing implies action. But this peace concept is useful for other reasons as well.

First, peace as reducing separation may resolve the cross cultural semantic problems that Ishida (1969) points out. Ishida describes the Ancient Judaism concept of shalom as emphasizing the will of God, justice and prosperity; the Greek concept of eirene as emphasizing prosperity and order; the Roman concept of pax and the Chinese and Japanese concept of ho ping and heiwa respectively, order and mental tranquility; and the Indian concept of shanti as emphasizing tranquility of mind. Essentially these are different ways of achieving peace. Reducing separation may be a common intention among them. Clearly more research is needed here.

Secondly, peace as reducing separation includes what is left out of popular peace concepts (Galtung, 1981). Popular concepts that focus on the macro-international level ignore the micro, inter, and intra personal levels. While there is general agreement that peace is at least not violence, war, etc. there is also a feeling that this leaves too much unsaid.[24] Peace as reducing separation applies easily to all levels of analysis as Macquarrie (1973) pointed out. And it says more about everyday life than peace is not war or violence does.

Finally, I argue that peace as reducing separation may have empirical utility similar to that of peace is not war, violence or conflict. Once a theoretical structure of separation is developed, it should be possible to operationalize the concept.[25]

Our popular concepts of peace have failed as our peacemaking efforts, based upon them, have failed to assure peace and thus assure the avoidance of nuclear catastrophe. We need to understand how to promote movement to the next developmental step identified by Wilber. One way is to explore other concepts of peace such as peace is reducing separation, to see what we can learn from them. To do so we will need to develop a theory of separation beginning perhaps with Wilber's work. Another is to confront the inadequacy and illogic of our old ways of thinking about peace. There is clearly something wrong with concepts of peace that logically include "peace is death". Additionally, we need to better understand world view, how it is formed and how it operates in constructing our peace concepts. I have suggested some ways in which world view is formed and works, but this needs much deeper analysis than I have given. Finally, I see this movement to the next developmental step as happening now, but at an evolutionary rate. Perhaps we have enough time for this evolution, but if Kenneth Boulding is right (1983), we do not. If not, then we must intentionally promote this development by employing our reality construction and maintenance theories. As social scientists and peace researchers we carry much of this burden.

__________________________

[1] Popular paradigm refers to the general approach to peace that is expressed in the popular concepts of peace. This paradigm has its intellectual roots in Western philosophy and political thought. It is truly a popular paradigm as evidenced not only in the wide usage of its concepts by the media and our political leaders but also by many of our major peace thinkers such as K. Boulding, Rapaport, and Galtung. The Numinar paradigm refers to the general approach to peace that is expressed in the "other" concepts of peace that I have already referred to. Its intellectual roots are in the teachings and writings of various numinous individuals throughout history. I will elaborate these paradigms later in the paper.

[2] Other authors have different definitions of world-view. David Statt defines world-view as "A way of understanding the world; a philosophy of life" (1982, p.130). Horace and Ava English define world-view as "Any comprehensive explanation of external reality and of Man's relation to it" (1958, p.592). M. Scott Peck defines world-view as "our understanding of what life is all about... our religion" (1978, p.185). Here Peck is using religion in a very broad sense. Some attempt has been made to measure world-view. Gilford Bisjak (1983) attempts to use philosophical orientations to measure world view.

[3] Also see Simmel (1955).

[4] Ted Gurr (1970) offers a good discussion of relative deprivation which is what Rummel is getting at, I think.

[5] Boulding and Vayrynen (1980) disagree. They see most of peace research focusing on the creation of peaceful social structures where "peaceful" seems to mean both social justice (Galtung, 1969) and controlled conflict.

[6] "Fractures" is Macquarrie's term, but I prefer "separations". However, while summarizing and analyzing Macquarrie's work, I will use "fractures". In the rest of the paper, I will use "separation". I see constructed reality as fundamentally maintaining separation. So "healing fractures" is nearly synonymous to "reducing separation".

[7] In this sense wholeness refers to leaving nothing out, inclusivity, the total picture, as well as integration.

[8] From the Greek eris meaning "strife".

[9] From the Greek maieusis meaning "midwifery".

[10] Geoffrey Darnton (1973) comes to the same conclusion, that peace and war are different phenomena, by arguing that they are based on different social systems.

[11] Within that "culture of conflict" conflict can be functional as Coser (1956) points out.

[12] See footnote 6.

[13] Some examples of peace concepts from each paradigm may help illustrate the differences. From the Popular paradigm: peace is not war, violence, conflict; peace is social justice; peace is conflict resolution. From the Numinar paradigm: peace is community (Peck, 1988); peace is action (Cox, 1986); peace is healing fractures (Macquarrie, 1973) and reducing separation; peace is oneness with God, others, the Universe; peace is harmony. A concept of peace that belongs in neither paradigm is peace is death. If peace refers to relations between people, and if death is used in its absolute sense (the end of both physical and spiritual existence) then death cannot logically be peace.

[14] I am using the word "theory " in the more general sense of a plausible set of principles used to explain something. I am not suggesting that Wilber's work is a true theory in the scientific sense. It cannot yet be expressed as a series of propositions and corollaries from which testable hypotheses can be derived.

[15] For a critique of Wilber's theory see Washburn (1988).

[16] Therefore, I argue that this theory is not psychologically reductionistic.

[17] The ground unconscious may be defined as the undifferentiated and potential state of consciousness contained in humanity (Wilber, 1986, pp 31).

[18] In discussing the need for symbolic universes, Berger and Luckmann state, "On the level of meaning, the institutional order represents a shield against terror. ...the symbolic universe shelters the individual from ultimate terror by bestowing ultimate legitimation upon the protection structures of institutional order. ...The primacy of the social objectivations of everyday life can retain its subjective plausibility only if it is constantly protected against terror" (1966, pp.101 2). This terror is the deep fear of absolute aloneness or annihilation of the self through the loss of the social structures that protect against absolute death. It is communicated and perhaps to some degree constructed socially. It is similar to Durkheim's anomie (1951; Parsons, 1949). Indeed Berger and Luckmann call it anomic terror.

[19] In this usage gnosis means unmediated understanding or understanding beyond the meanings of the symbols involved.

[20] We perceive what we create as objectively real by reifying it or forgetting that it is a construction (Berger and Luckmann, 1966) and therefore can be reconstructed.

[21] Kenneth Boulding (1983) also sees war as inevitable, within the current superpower relations, and uses the analogy of a 100 year flood to illustrate his claim.

[22] Lifton's (1967) psychic numbing is an example of this.

[23] These transformative processes are the subject of Ferguson's The Aquarian Conspiracy (1980). Building on Thomas Kuhn's (1970) work, Ferguson describes wide scale paradigm shifts in most sectors of our society, based on her own field research. These paradigm shifts occur through transformative processes. And it is these transformative processes that Wilber is describing.

[24] At this time I can only base this statement on discussions with my students. However, I am currently analyzing the results of a survey study to, in part, verify this.

[25] In my mediations, I see reducing separation as a) making it possible for people to reach agreement where it was not possible before, b) resolving the conflict, and c) enabling the people to communicate on a friendly basis where often they begin mediation as mutual antagonists (this is not always completely successful but usually partially so). I do not mean to suggest that reducing separation is the same as conflict resolution. It includes conflict resolution but is more than that. Reducing separation implies a degree of healing relationships, of bringing people closer together emotionally as well as cognitively. Conflict resolution does not.

Use the following to cite this article: Rinehart, Milton. "Toward Better Concepts of Peace." Beyond Intractability . Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: May 2005 < http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/peace >.

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