Old and New Wars (M. Madej) Flashcards
Old wars
essentially European concept and ‘invention’ in the ’Westphalian era’
sociopolitical factors of old wars
- Monopoly on organized violence (Weber)
2. Requirements for effective monopolization of violence
Requirements for effective monopolization of violence (3)
- Centralization (legitimacy)
- Administration/bureaucracy (capability)
- Taxation (financing)
socioeconomical factors of old wars
- Urbanization and industrialization -> bigger volume,
2. french rev -> bigger and better motivated armies
Technological innovations of the old wars
steam engine and railways
traditional conception of war
essentially open confrontation of regular army vs. regular army, on the battlefield, civilians/rest of society not involved directly, sometimes not even affected
small wars were…
civil wars and violent engagement with non-state actors/guerillas etc
Clausewitzian trinity
Passions/emotions (People)
Reason (Governments/Political leaders)
Chance and probability (Armed forces and their commanders)
Fog of war
not having full information about the enemy and not knowing their location.
Concept of the center of gravity (Schwerpunkt)
winning by attacking/destroying enemy’s centers of gravity (usually his armed forces)
bigger armies and greater complexity of wars required…
need of strategic theory (systematic knowledge on war and its conduct)
the Growing destructiveness of wars/use of force motivated…
efforts to codify rules of war
Modern war
between states, gradually increasing emphasis on scale and mobility, ”rational” organization and ”scientific/positive” doctrine on force management (strategic art/knowledge)
the growing destructiveness lead to an emphasis on scale which produced a growing need of adequate logistical support which in turn motivated a…
statism in the economy (nationalization of some sectors, incl. railways, defense industry)
Important technological ”enablers” of ”totality of war”:
- Electricity (cheaper distribution of power)
- Electronic communication (telephone, radio->radar)
- Combustion and oil -> motor vehicles ->mobility in the land, air and sea.
- Assembly line (Henry Ford) -> wealthier workers/soldiers (?)
”Mature” form of the old wars refered to the interstate conflicts in…
the firt half of XXth Century
in general, ”Mature” form of the old war were…
still based on Clausewitzian principles and definition of victory, but much more intensive and ubiquitous.
in terms of size of the state in ”Mature” form of the old war, there was an increase in…
nationalization and general mobilization (of all sectors of state and society, and not only in times of war).
total wars
Broadening of scope of militarily relevant targets and egitimate/acceptable methods of fighting
”Mature” form of the old war gave special importance to information which lead to a…
electronic warfare
peak of the evolution of the old form of modern wars
Nuclear weapons
put in doubt utility of wars as a method to pursue state interests
Nuclear weapons
harbingers of the new model of wars
Decolonization wars of the second part of the Century, Mao’s and Vietnam guerilla war
in the Post Cold-War period which type of actor predominated as primary category of the fighting party
Non-state actors
communal wars based on identity politics
excluding and fragmenting societies, backward looking, stressing significance of earlier grievances – imagined or real); within traditional societies
new wars characteristics: participants
- Status: regular armed forces, paramilitary groups, self-defense forces, mercenaries + PMCs, [international forces (peacekeeping/intervening)]
- Military skills and organization: usually low level of military training and expertise, lack of discipline, low level/loose organization, limited size/numbers, phenomenon of so called sobels
- warlords
- Children-soldiers
- Role of young males
What is the role of young men in new wars?
issue of social status and possibility of personal ‘career development’; sexual fullfilment
Goals of fighting parties
Political control over population (rather than territory)
Ideology – usually used instrumentally
Economy – exploitation of resources, ”predation” on population
Conduct of atrocities, methods and means of warfare in new wars
- low intensity, often ”seasonal fighting, in intervals”
- Irregular warfare (no fronts, no battles) and concentration on civilians
- Weapons – primarily SALW
- Importance of psychological impact (terrorizing/coercion)
- ——–Brutalization
- ——–Sexualization
status of civilians in new wars
- main victims of violence
- Blurred lines between civilian and combatant status
- Communal warscivilians as ’legitimate’ and preferable
(easy) target - War economies and ‘predatory’ nature of armed groups attacks on civilians profitable
- Low level of military skills of combatants
- Consequences: casualties, refugees, IDP’s
”New wars economy”
- Greed
- Self-financing of wars (relatively low
costs of fighting, profits from continuous fighting) - Informal character of wars + weakness of central
governmentspersistence of informal/war economies - Opportunity to capture humanitarian/development aid (looting, ”paid protection”, extortions in return for access to societies in need)
- Opportunity to entry international markets
example of Opportunity to entry international markets in new wars economy
Bloody diamonds
