Why Wars Happen

Addressing the question of what causes wars, this work spans more than five centuries and encompasses history, politics and international relations. Do wars reflect the bellicosity of particular societies and states, or do they arise largely as a result of the breakdown of diplomatic systems? How are the causes of war related to changes in the nature of warfare, of the international system, of the internal character of states? The author explores wars both deliberate and accidental, and analyzes the three main forms: war across cultures, war within cultures and civil war. He concludes by assessing the current state of warfare and speculates on where the world is heading in terms of future conflicts.