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Why do human beings fight one another? In this exhilarating and
bracing book, we learn the common logic driving vainglorious
monarchs, dictators, mobs, pilots, football hooligans, ancient
peoples and fanatics. Distilling decades of economics, political
science, psychology and real-world interventions, and through his
time studying Columbia, Chicago, Liberia and Northern Ireland,
Christopher Blattman lifts the lid on the underlying forces
governing war and peace. Why did Russia attack Ukraine? Will China
invade Taiwan and launch WWIII? And what can any of us do about it?
'Captivating and intelligent' Tim Harford 'Wise, intriguing,
imaginative' Rory Stewart 'Nothing could be more relevant today
than war and peace . . . an outstanding and original book on this
topic' Martin Wolf, Financial Times 'Important, readable, radical'
David Miliband 'A great storyteller with important insights for us
all' Richard Thaler, co-author of Nudge 'Essential for
understanding the world we live in today' James A. Robinson,
co-author of Why Nations Fail
"Why We Fight reflects Blattman's expertise in economics, political
science, and history... Blattman is a great storyteller, with
important insights for us all." -Richard H. Thaler, winner of the
Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and coauthor of Nudge
"Engaging and profound, this deeply searching book explains the
true origins of warfare, and it illustrates the ways that, despite
some contrary appearances, human beings are capable of great
goodness."-Nicholas A. Christakis author of Blueprint: The
Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society Despite the Russian invasion
of Ukraine or the fear of another American civil war, most of the
time wars don't happen, and of the millions of hostile rivalries
worldwide, only a fraction erupt into violence. At this moment of
crisis in world affairs, this necessary book from a seasoned
peacebuilder and acclaimed expert in the field lays out the root
causes and remedies for war and explain the reasons why conflict
wins over compromise; and how peacemakers can turn the tides once
conflict threatens to or becomes war. Its message could not be more
urgent right now. Why We Fight draws on decades of economics,
political science, psychology, and real-world interventions to lay
out the root causes and remedies for war, showing that violence is
not the norm; that there are only five reasons why conflict wins
over compromise; and how peacemakers turn the tides through
tinkering, not transformation. From warring states to street gangs,
ethnic groups and religious sects to political factions, there are
common dynamics to heed and lessons to learn. Along the way,
through Blattman's time studying Medellin, Chicago, Sudan, England,
and more, we learn from vainglorious monarchs, dictators, mobs,
pilots, football hooligans, ancient peoples, and fanatics. What of
remedies that shift incentives away from violence and get parties
back to dealmaking? Societies are surprisingly good at interrupting
and ending violence when they want to-even gangs do it. Realistic
and optimistic, this is a book that lends new meaning to the adage
"Give peace a chance."
An acclaimed expert on violence and seasoned peacebuilder explains
the five reasons why conflict (rarely) blooms into war, and how to
interrupt that deadly process. It's easy to overlook the underlying
strategic forces of war, to see it solely as a series of errors,
accidents, and emotions gone awry. It's also easy to forget that
war shouldn't happen-and most of the time it doesn't. Around the
world there are millions of hostile rivalries, yet only a tiny
fraction erupt into violence. Too many accounts of conflict forget
this. With a counterintuitive approach, Blattman reminds us that
most rivals loathe one another in peace. That's because war is too
costly to fight. Enemies almost always find it better to split the
pie than spoil it or struggle over thin slices. So, in those rare
instances when fighting ensues, we should ask: what kept rivals
from compromise? Why We Fight draws on decades of economics,
political science, psychology, and real-world interventions to lay
out the root causes and remedies for war, showing that violence is
not the norm; that there are only five reasons why conflict wins
over compromise; and how peacemakers turn the tides through
tinkering, not transformation. From warring states to street gangs,
ethnic groups and religious sects to political factions, there are
common dynamics to heed and lessons to learn. Along the way, we
meet vainglorious European monarchs, African dictators, Indian
mobs, Nazi pilots, British football hooligans, ancient Greeks, and
fanatical Americans. What of remedies that shift incentives away
from violence and get parties back to deal-making? Societies are
surprisingly good at interrupting and ending violence when they
want to-even the gangs of Medellin, Columbia do it. Realistic and
optimistic, this is book that lends new meaning to the old adage,
"Give peace a chance."
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