“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.” ~ Niccolò Machiavelli
“The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.” ~ Adolph Hitler
In order to survive, primitive
man had to use his strength to overcome hunger and other basic needs. He fought
over small rations he could find, until he realized that hunting in a group and
as a team could achieve better results. Cooperation meant sharing the spoil
equally. However, there were those who were not able to join the hunt and
needed a share, and that was the beginning of altruism. As man evolved, so did
his brain. To facilitate hunting they made tools. This, coupled with
agriculture (planting seed and growing and harvesting crops) put human being
one-step above animals. After many wars, leaders discovered that they could
enslave prisoners of war (instead of exterminating them) and exploit slaves’
labor for their own benefits. Hence, slavery became another reason for wars,
resulting subjugation of captured warriors. As societies developed into
civilizations, wars became a tool for ambitious leaders in order to expand
their empire and benefit toil of others. In the advent of a big empire such as
Iran, Greece, or Rome, the necessity of having a regular army was envisaged. In
order to recruit people into such armies, patriotism (regarding the government
or the king, not necessarily the populous) was encouraged. Although the
military was characterized to exist for defense of the mother nation, it has
always been utilized for attacking weaker nations when opportunity arose.
Ordinary people were still against wars, but they had no choice when the
dictator forced them to join his army. Afterwards, in addition to nationalism,
governments found separation and division (race, religion, creed, and even
sexual preferences) combined with propaganda, as suitable tools to persuade
people into acquiescence. When there was no enemy, it became necessary to
create one.
