“Realism” part 2. Persuasion and militarization

 

Some national leaders look at the world through a so-called “realist” lens.


To them, power matters. The truth does not matter.


They will engage in foreign wars for power. Their wars require massive amounts of resources: people, money, and goods.


They will come up with reasons to convince their populations to provide the resources for their wars. These reasons won't necessarily be true, just persuasive. People hear their reasons and are persuaded to volunteer to fight and fund leaders' foreign wars for power.


In Iraq, it was to keep WMDs out of the hands of terrorists.

In World War II, it was the treatment of the German-speaking minority in the Sudetenland.

In Vietnam, is was attacks on the USS Maddox.

In Ukraine, it is the influence of neo-nazis in the Ukrainian military.


A “realist” leader would tell their populations they were going to war over reasons like these because these reasons would be persuasive. Reasons like this would convince men to enlist and money to flow to the war effort.


A “realist” leader knows that these reasons for war and invasion are not true. Instead, he knows that war is about power. He just needs such an enormous amount of men and money to fight his war for power that he'll launch a persuasion campaign, even using reasons that are false.


Mennonites realized this 500 years ago when encountering wars and power struggles in Europe.

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