On the Marxist Theory of War and Peace

Karel Kára
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Karel Kára: Institute of Sociology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Praha, and International Peace Research Institute, Oslo

Journal of Peace Research, 1968, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-27

Abstract: This study strives to elucidate some fundamental problems of war and peace from the Marxist viewpoint. War and peace are understood exclusively as social phenomena, not manifestations of any super-natural power outside human society. The study emphasizes the explication of concepts used, and points out confusions on some terms in Marxist literature.The author examines the problems of war and peace, both in terms of relations among states and of national liberation and civil wars. Here he attempts to elucidate the relationship of war and revolution, notably the Marxist attitude to the so-called 'export of revolution' and the Marxist conception of peaceful and non-violent forms of revolution. He further deals with the avoidability and unavoidability of wars in our times and the problems relating to peaceful coexistence.The author points out that the tremendous changes in today's world make impossible any solution of these problems in terms of timeworn attitudes. The study also emphasizes the role of thermonuclear weapons in the structure of social phenomena. The emergence of nuclear missile war techniques has changed the social function of wars. Only non- nuclear wars have in essence retained their original social function; but even these involves new elements, and can easily grow into nuclear missile wars.The author concludes that peace and peaceful co-existence among states is not only possible, but a historical necessity. He outlines the views held by various groups in the international Communist movement on some basic issues and also confronts the Marxist conception of war and peace with the views of some non-Marxist scholars.

Date: 1968
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:joupea:v:5:y:1968:i:1:p:1-27

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