War and Its Causes

This interdisciplinary book provides an invaluable perspective on the causes of war, drawing on a thoughtful consideration of what war actually is—the key foundation for an analysis of its causes. Jeremy Black assesses the three main types of war—between cultures, within cultures, and civil—emphasizing the social and cultural factors leading to conflict. He argues that cultural factors have always been the key element, especially aggression in the shape of a willingness to kill and be killed, which alters rational assumptions of risk and overcomes deterrence. He assesses the predisposition of ideologies to think and act in terms of conflict, the functional dynamics of international relations systems, and the strengths and failures of diplomacy. Drawing on research from history, political science, and international relations, Black marshals global examples spanning the fifteenth century to the present. Contrasting wars within cultures and wars between cultures he considers the implications for ongoing and future conflict.

Table of Contents:
Abbreviations Preface 1 What Is War? 2 To 1500 3 War, 1500–1650 4 Limited War? 1650–1790 5 Imperialism and Revolutions, 1790–1913 6 World War I and Its Sequel, 1914–30 7 World War II and Its Origins, 1931–45 8 The Age of the Cold War, 1946–89 9 War since the Cold War, 1990– 10 Into the Future 11 Conclusions Selected Further Reading About the Author

About the Author :
Jeremy Black is professor emeritus of history at Exeter University and a 2018 Templeton Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His many books on modern war include The Age of Total War, A Century of Conflict: War, 1914–2014, and War and the World, 1450–2000.

Review :
A fascinating account of war as an institution by one of the preeminent students of the subject. By examining wars in their evolving cultural, political, and technological settings, Black offers important insights into the current practice of the use of force by states and intelligent speculation about the future. A wide-ranging, ambitious, and thought-provoking account of the history of war as a concept and a phenomenon. Jeremy Black sheds new light on a question of ongoing relevance, using the past to help us understand war today—and in the future. From Thucydides to Mary Kaldor, from Ming and Qing China to Donald Trump’s America, from the ‘Great Mutiny’ of 1857–59 to the July crisis of 1914, Jeremy Black offers the first treatment on a universal scale of a major historical problem. By one of the most accredited historians of war, this is a work rich in thoughts and information. Jeremy Black’s War and Its Causes is a sweeping and highly informed history of war from pre-history to the present with a detailed analysis of wars from 1500 on. It brings in the latest diplomatic history, as well as insights from social and cultural history. While not everyone will agree with his views, they are always thought-provoking and illustrated with many examples. Social scientists, in particular, will find this book very useful in their research and teaching. It is highly readable but well documented. Another gem! War can range from tribal conflict to global conflagration. The benefit of such a broad definition is its explanatory power, but its lack of clarity can erode its usefulness. Jeremy Black’s most recent book looks to provide some clarity and thus better understand war. He also seeks to place this understanding of war in a global context, not limited by geography or chronology.. . . . Black effectively argues that some historical models are too narrow, in terms of both geography and time. Sherman was right: War is hell. If we accept and take Sherman’s comment at face value, we should consider Black’s book, War and Its Causes, as valid without being questioned. Black started his book with a blank canvas but has left us with an image that is carefully crafted and offers a needed perspective on the causes of war. And, if we substitute reality for perception, we also might have a better idea about the effects of war. No one really wins. Indeed, war is hell. Sherman was right: War is hell. If we accept and take Sherman’s comment at face value, we should consider Black’s book, War and Its Causes, as valid without being questioned. Black started his book with a blank canvas but has left us with an image that is carefully crafted and offers a needed perspective on the causes of war. And, if we substitute reality for perception, we also might have a better idea about the effects of war. No one really wins. Indeed, war is hell.