In most cases, wars serve a collective purpose. Conflicts emerge due to the interaction of people concerning the available resources. This paper seeks to establish how wars arise from an evolutionally point view, provide previous cases, and the emergence of conflict theories.
According to Jha (1), a study in Uganda found that Chimpanzees form rival groups and attack each other to secure a larger territory. A similar situation of the Chimps occurred in Virunga Park, Tanzania. The researchers noted that the primary reason for conflict among the Chimps was to have a bigger place for food and interaction within the winning group. Evolutionists believe that humans exhibit the behavior of the Chimpanzees. Many wars all over the world have particular resources at the center of the conflict such as water, oil, grazing land, and minerals among others. The resources humans need for survival are limited. As a result, their exploitation put the users in a coalition lane as they diminish. War theories tend to have pointed out the interaction of species in the ecology as the primary cause of conflicts.
For example, the male warrior hypothesis argues that men evolved to be warlike to secure women and resources. The male warrior hypothesis agrees with the basic tenet of Darwin’s evolution theory “survival of the fittest.” In this regard, weak species die as the struggle for space, light, food, and water stiffen. It is the same behavior exhibited by the Chimps as mentioned earlier. Besides, Malthus theory holds that overpopulation leads to wars as expanding populations fight over resources. The competition inherent in species, and in particular humans causes tensions that escalate to wars. Moreover, the ecological imbalance theory is almost similar to overpopulation. It contends that once the high population exploits the resources at a faster rate than they can replenish naturally or with human interventions, competition for the little available materials leads to tension and wars. Further, the youth bulge hypothesis holds that a large population of men without gainful employment begin wars; get killed resulting in a reduction of the population. Lack of jobs in a highly capitalist environment make the jobless people weak and vulnerable to misuse by politicians and owners on means of production. The following cases support the above propositions on the causes of war.
In Ivory Coast, conflicts occurred from the mining of diamonds, and cultivation of cocoa and cotton. The rebels mined diamond and exported them to the international market through Mali and Guinea. With time, the government began mining and growing cocoa and in the process increased internal competition. The land for cultivation dwindled, the people encroached virgin forest for farming, and communities started fighting for them. The fact that not all people could meet their needs from the land led to war. Iraq claimed Kuwait was stealing its oil and invaded the country to take control of the oil fields. Argentina and UK have been conflicting because of Falkland Island for its oil. In 2010, the British began mining oil off the shore Falklands leading to heightened tensions. The relative power concerning economy and military also influence the way nations make decisions. The powerful nation just like the case of Argentina and UK are more aggressive to take the resources from the less powerful a clear indication of Darwin’s survival for fittest aspects.
The above propositions and cases indicate that humans evolved to compete for the available resources. War is inevitable as long there is a just reason like protecting communities as was the case for the Rwanda genocide (Wilson), and resources keep decreasing as the population increase.
Works citied
Jha, Alok. Chimpanzees expand their territory by attacking and killing neighbors. The Guardian. The Guardian 21 June 2010. Available at <ttps://www.theguar di an.com/sci ence/2010/j un/21/chi mpanzees ter r i tor y ki l l i ng nei ghbour s>
Wilson, E. Is War Inevitable? The Discovery Magazine. The Discovery Magazine June 2012. Availed at <http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jun/07-is-war-inevitable-by-e-o-wilson/>
