War: An Indictment of Humanity

　　Bhikkhu Dr. Beligalle

　　Dr. Ven. Dhammajoti is the author of numerous books about Buddhism and its practical relevance, such as Buddhist Economic Philosophy and Modern Society and Buddhist Spirituality. He has lectured at various universities in Sri Lanka.

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　　In recent decades we have seen incredible progress in science and technology. Scientific progress has created technologically powerful nations. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, scientific paradigms have spread all over the world. At the same time, however, human values are being suffocated by the unprincipled, capitalist market economy. Misguided competition has given shape to consumerism and the global cutthroat struggle we see in the news every day.

　　With the potency of technology and wealth, some nations assumed themselves be the leaders of global society. If a country wished to civilize the world, it needed to win territory. Mottoes such as “the white man”s burden”highlight the hypocrisy and double-speak that came to serve politics. To civilize the world, nations needed armies and weapons to enforce their will. In the name of duty, powerful nations were to overpower weaker ones.

　　International Hatred

　　At the turn of the 20th Century, nations bayed for war even as they hosted peace conferences. The mass manufacturing of weapons gave birth to bitter intercontinental hatred. The shadow of guns and steel was spreading. It was the age of the First World War, the beginning of the end of the European empires.

　　There were no real victors. There was only rape, pillage, the physical pulverization of societies and communities, and the discontent that led to yet another World War. Everyone was a loser.

　　Supremacy and Neutral Nations

　　The antagonistic attitudes of certain countries frightened the whole of Europe. There were also crucial misunderstandings about the perceived enemy. Some feared attack from another. Unexpected news could galvanize public opinion for violent action. A country mobilized by showing her supremacy and martial prowess. Or it declared war against another country for violating the liberty of others. Here, it seems that everyone had a reason to go to war, but the excuses were simply such – excuses. These were the misguided and distorted approaches that eventually exasperated the European people. Even the neutral nations were forced to join in the machinations of the World Wars. Resources were devoured for the sole purpose of physically eradicating human beings.

　　Half-criminals

　　The two World Wars were extremely vicious, consuming millions of human lives. Science was exploited to provide venomous gases and chemical weapons. Planes became bombers, giant machines were used for mass killings, and families of the soldiers suffered from deprivation and enemy reprisals. Nobody could have imagined the heights of human suffering reached. Grief, distress, torture, and agony became part and parcel of human life. Otherwise normal human beings lost their mental balance and became criminals in the machine of violence and genocide, the most notorious case of which was the Shoah (Holocaust).

　　“Yearning for revenge”, “crazy hatred” and “triumph or invasion” over the enemy was the common political discourse of Europe”s unrepentant leaders. They never personally saw the heartbreaking state of soldiers on the Somme, or smelt the stench of mass graves or smoking ruins of cities. They only saw the statistics and continued to give their blustering speeches.

　　Patriotic Fervor

　　We know that throughout history, the only result of war is the devastation of every village and every family. Millions of people are horrifically affected. Ill-conceived patriotic fervor resulted in a devastated Europe. Africa and Asia also suffered unfairly. Do…

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