Every civilized society has stories and traditions which laud the gallant defenders of the state, oblivious of or winking at the barbarities and excesses committed by every army of which there is any documented record. But the insidious nature of the traditions and the historical centrality in most states can never be escaped. It acts as a giant block against the supposed aim - the abolition of war. These three are interdependent, indeed almost different sides of the same coin, but without them no movement will be powerful enough to shift the world from its current nationalist, militaristic course, however cogent or however logical are the appeals of federalists and others. Our present reckless use of land and natural resources is folly.
Desertification following the steady destruction of rain-forests is a growing menace.
The headlong race by warlike states to develop nuclear energy has put humankind at risk, perhaps for the next 10,00 years and it exacerbates all these problems. To compound these concerns, climatic change is now at the forefront of thinking in non-military scientific circles. Pollution is often evident, but its insidious effects in poisoning our environment may prove yet more dangerous. And the threats from well-intentioned scientific progress, such as genetic engineering, could turn out to be even worse. All this is seemingly well-known, but in the face of it, the response of peace organizations is pathetically inadequate.