For me the noblest of human motivations is greed. I don't mean theft, fraud, tricks, or misrepresentation. By greed I mean being only or mostly concerned with getting the most one can for oneself and not necessarily concerned about the welfare of others. Social consternation might cause one to cringe at the suggestion that greed might possibly be seen as a noble motivation. I prefer greed since it is far more descriptive and less likely to be confused with other human motives.
Evidence suggests that violence is a very effective way of settling things.
Let's look at a few examples. In 1776, violence settled whether the 13 colonies would be independent or remain under King George's thumb. In 1865, violence settled whether there'd be a Confederacy and a Union or just a Union. Between 1941 and 1945, violence settled whether Japan would control the Far East and whether Germany would control Europe. Violence settled whether American Indians owned and controlled the land now called United States or whether it would be European settlers and their progeny.