We all desire peace but not the things that make for peace
It is of course true that nobody would openly advocate the cause of war unless it is forced upon him. At bottom we are lovers of peaceful life, and yet the chances of peace in the world are not always very bright. The reason is not far to seek. We talk of peace in the abstract and fear of facing the practical aspect of the problem. Mere desire for peace or talking about it is not enough to rid the world of the horrors of war. We have to work hard for it. Apart from the immediate and subsidiary causes of war, the chief cause is man’s selfishness, cruelty and injustice. There is plenty of political, economic and racial exploitation in the world and yet little attempt is made to remove these evils. If all the nations are able to enjoy freedom and independence, both political and economic, and there is equality of opportunity and social justice, war will automatically disappear. So long as imperialism, colonialism and economic exploitation of the backward and weaker nations by the stronger and the advanced ones continues, no amount of pious thinking for peace will yield any tangible results. It is action, and not mere good intention or pious talk, which is required to banish the monster of war from our midst.
