My answer to your question is no, peace does not mean only the absence of war.
According to Dictionary.com, the word peace has the following meanings:
1. the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
2. an agreement or treaty between warring or antagonistic nations, groups, etc., to end hostilities and abstain from further fighting or antagonism.
3. a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations.
4. the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community; public order and security.
5. cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension.
6. freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility; serenity.
7. a state of tranquility or serenity.
8. a state or condition conducive to, proceeding from, or characterized by tranquility.
Peace is a comprehensive and broad concept. At the macro parochial level, peace is the absence of conflict and war. At micro-level, peace is subjective, depending on the internal states of mind, body, and perceptions. Overall, peace is dependent on economic, political, religio-cultural, geographical, climatic and international systems. International balance of power is crucial for peace and cooperation.
For me peace is tolerance towards others, who have different colors of their skin, different religion, different culture, different mindset, different socioeconomic status, different educational status, different geography; with doing no harm to them, and expecting no harm in return.
Clausewitz´s definition is worth studying and making some reflections. He does not make a strict disctinction between war and peace. War and peace keep a dialectical relationship because they have politics as a common element. War is the politics with violent means and diplomacy is politics with peaceful means. However, this distinction is not enough because Clausewitz understands that war has different possibilities, varying since an armed observation untill an extermination one. Therefore, any situation, with its different historical elements belongs either to war as well as peace.
Peace, in the modern world, means a state of competition short of open hostilities. Instead of looking at a binary war/peace choice, we need to view our era as one where we measure conflict on a continuum. There are varying degrees of competition from mild to openly hostile.
The absence of war and direct violence is the concept of negative peace. Positive peace is not only the absence of direct violence but of structural and cultural peace (Johan Galtung dixit).
PEACE IS A CONDITION IN WHICH A PERSON CAN SURVIVE WITH HONOUR AND DIGNITY. ABSENCE OF WAR AND CONFLICT ARE PRE-REQUISITE OF PEACE. FOR DEFINITION OF PEACE ONE CAN REFER TO GALTUNG.
The understanding of peace is based on justifications and descriptions of individuals. As we know that peace is the absence of unfairness and discrimination that develop wildness, also Peace is the understanding religions and respecting its rules, while misapprehending it play a vital role in increasing violence
Peace is what every normal person dreams of.
By the United Nations Resolution of 2001, September 21 is designated as the Day of Nonviolence and the End of Hostilities on a Global Level.
That is why the modern world marks this date as the International Day of Peace.
Peace is a type of satisfaction. it may be negative or positive.
According to Johan Galtung, peace is the sum of the satisfaction of these needs: survival needs (negation: death, mortality); well-being needs (negation: misery, morbidity); identity, merrning needs (negation: alienation); and, freedom needs (negation: repression). Positive peace. You can find more here:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/423472?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF WAR IS ALSO PEACE. ACCORDING TO MORGENTHAU, WAR IS CONTINUATION OF STATE POLICY BY OTHER MEANS. WAR IS VIOLENT MEAN TO ESTABLISH PEACE. BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE FIRST OPTION TO ESTABLISH PEACE. ACCORDING TO LIDDLE HART, IF YOU WANT TO PEACE, UNDERSTAND THE WAR.
Peace is more than the absence of war. It also means various ways of cooperation between states. Without it, there is no real peace, there is only a sort of truce. Also, there is difference between local, regional or world peace. If we speak about the world peace, in the strict sense, it is a stable state characterized by a complete absence of war and developed cooperation among states and other international subjects i.e. a reality in which the war has definitely become a historical category, an ugly part of the past. In other words, something that really does not exist for now, something that weighs and hopes. On the other hand, peace is also one of basic human rights (one of so-called third-generation human rights).
I agree with Professor Boris Krivokapic, certainly peace is more than the absence of war. I believe peace would be achievable if we try to decentralize the state and put focus on the marginalized people (ethnical, racial, and gender). Correspondingly, Nature should be assumed as one of the significant pillar of peace.
Peace as a term against war; that it is the absence of unrest and violence, and wars, such as terrorism, religious, sectarian or regional conflicts, for political, economic or ethnic considerations. Peace is also defined as security, stability and harmony. On the basis of this definition, peace is a desirable positive state, sought by human groups or States, to reach agreement among themselves to achieve a state of calm and stability.
Peace is a stress-free state of security and calmness that comes when there's no fighting or war, everything coexisting in perfect harmony and freedom. ... When you feel at peace with yourself, you are content to be the person you are, flaws and everything.
The definition of peace means being free from disturbance. ... True peace includes personal wholeness, righteousness, political justice, and prosperity for all creation. That's the way God intended things to be when he created his garden, his paradise.
Peace is the concept of harmonious well-being and freedom from hostile aggression. ... “Psychological peace” (such as a peaceful thinking and emotions) is perhaps less well defined yet often a necessary precursor to establishing "behavioral peace." Peaceful behavior sometimes results from a "peaceful inner disposition."
What is the best definition of peace?
Peace is a state of harmony within an individual or transcend across the entire society or country. In order to achieve peace we need to think win-win, do good to others & forgive others who wronged you.
"World peace will be realized one day, not because people will become better (we must not hope for that), but because one new order of things, new science and new economic needs will force them to live in peace."
(Anatole France)
For me peace is a stress-free state of security and calmness that comes when there's no fighting or war, everything coexisting in perfect harmony and freedom.
"Real peace is not reflected in the cessation of tension, but in the presence of justice." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Dear all,
The best is the peace that encompasses every individual, every family, every state, and all humanity. Is this a Utopia? Unfortunately maybe it is.
But we must move through peace and establish cooperation, friendly relations and co-existence - individually and collectively, locally and globally.
The sometimes wrong agreement between the conflicting sides may be the cause of destabilization and the destruction of peace.
German politician Doris Pak told today for the Sarajevo daily newspaper DNEVNI AVAZ: Balkan region again, as well as in the beginning of the 1990s, is caught in chaos! If the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo on the new borders in the Balkans is realized, Bosnia will be immediately targeted, I believe Macedonia ...
The region of the Western Balkans is in a very, very dangerous situation. Announcements about a possible settlement of the division of Kosovo, the exchange of population and territory with Serbia create a very dangerous precedent and threaten to return us to the 1990s, warns Doris Pak (Pack), a prominent German politician and member of the Governing Council of the European People's Party (EPP).
- I think that in the EU we have to be very careful and not destroy all the achievements that we have achieved after the crazy situation in the Balkans in the nineties. Of course, the issue of Kosovo and Serbia must be solved. But what we are seeing now (attempting to negotiate a change or so-called border correction) is not a solution at all - says Pak.
https://avaz.ba/vijesti/bih/460434/doris-pak-regionu-prijeti-haos
No.
It may be defined at different ways, like 'live undisturbed, keeping others undisturbed' etc., but is best described by Lord Buddha in his main eight principles of life.
World peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare
When we finishing the PhD, we begin understand what is the peace...
Peace is when people are able to resolve their conflicts without violence and can work together to improve the quality of their lives.
Peace is the mental state of tranquility and calmness due to freedom from aggression and negative attitudes.
There is no one definition of Peace. While researching the proposed peace park at the site of the Bali bombing in 2002, we talked to many people about the word Peace and what it means to them: the absence of war; the absence of violence; the state of peacefulness (tranquillity of mind); resolution of conflicts without violence; the opposite of war and violence. These are but a few - in which context are researching? To whom is the question posed and to whom does it's answer concern?
Dear Carmen Jacques,
The question was posed for a scientific discussion. You gave a good discussion. Thank you for that.
A definitive rounded definition is not required. Because such a definition probably does not exist. This is a debate that should inspire us to organize a co-existence between peoples, nations and cultures, to find peaceful solutions to all conflicts and wars in the world.
This is a good topic for discussion, for conclusions, for recommendations.
Peace is needed to all of us, because otherwise we have, poverty, destruction, disease, endangering man's environment, etc.
Best regards
Peace is understanding each other and accepting each other regardless of whatever.
Peace is when people are able to resolve their conflicts without violence and can work together to improve the quality of their lives .
I think is not enough. Peace is not merely the absence of war, the absence of war not mean absence of conflict(s), often latent. To real peace is necessary a state of justice, in many places of the world.
In addition to absence of war it is the feeling of contentment in each person. If each person is content with what has been provided this would translate to the nation being content and be at peace with its neighbors.
The basic question for the existence of peace is the lack of war. The key issue that should be considered in the definition of peace are the factors of maintaining peace, i.e. which determinants are responsible for long-term, lasting peace maintenance.
Best wishes
The absence of war is surely not a suitable definition of peace. Peace relates to the absence of structural violence. Once also could see it in more positive terms: peace is when people of live without fear and when people have choices of how they can live.
According to Johan Galtung, the absence of war is just negative peace because it means no direct violence. A positive peace is the absence of direct, indirect (structural) and cultural violence. Here it could be found his article about cultural violence: https://www.galtung-institut.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Cultural-Violence-Galtung.pdf
Peace is what people wish to enjoy; peace is to live without fear, without violence and without others to tell one what to do and how to live.
peace is far more than the absence of war. Peace is when people can live without fear, when they can enjoy a decent live without being violated in their dignity.
peace is living without fear, being able to chose how one want to live.
Not sure Joseph, if the question cannot be well understood. I think that it is worth reflecting what peace is about. Especially in societies which did not experience war since decades if might be the impression that peace just means to avoid war. Here I would say that additional criteria can and should be discussed.
The idea of peace can apply at different levels.
At the individual level, what is the individual’s sense of peace? What is the crime rate? What is the state of inter-ethnic or inter-racial relations?
At the community level, what is the feeling of peace?
The community level can be defined in various ways.
At the regional (subnational) level, what is the prevalence of peace?
One part of the country could be at war, while the rest of the country is just fine.
At the international level, is the country engaged in wars overseas?
We can create an index.
Hassan Izzeddin Sarsak
For you, the idea of peace is at the individual level, I guess. It is okay.
It can be defined in many ways. One of such definition maybe:
Peace is a state which can be achieved by showing respect to thoughts of others and leaving all kinds of aggression or intension for aggression for ever.
Thanks
Shibabrata Pattanayak Sir ji, your definition is totally theoretical and abstract, and probably of no practical useful value. Please explain how you would use your definition to asses the "degree of peace" in a community or country.
Dear Dr. Tham,
All 'definitions' are rather theoretical.
One of my known famous saying can be translated as : Nobody is perfect, but our moto should be perfection.
One of my friend (very strongly religious minded) expressed his desire that people of one group of another religion should be forced to bring to his religion as their religion is wrong. When I asked -why it is wrong or who can decide whose religion is wrong etc. questions - he said many other things but not the actual answer.
When I want to force anybody, s/he has the full right to apply counter force and there will be no 'peace' in individual or country.
This is a moral education which is not found among many persons. Instead, all the institutions of all the religions teach people from the childhood the reverse one!
Shibabrata Pattanayak
I have no problem with personal quests for perfection at the individual level. At the societal level, the quest for perfection (and utopia) is most dangerous.
Why would you wish to force your religions ideas on anyone? Makes no sense.
I have not problem with theoretical and conceptual ideas and definitions. But please do not live in the clouds and come down to reality.
Dear Dr. Thum,
Perhaps you did not read my comments carefully. It was an intension expressed by one of my friend (better can be uttered as classmate), not mine.
Personally, I am against all the religious institutions brainwashing from the childhood stage to death to become a "rigid religious" person and to hate all others of other religions and not a MAN with logical analysis power.
Shibabrata Pattanayak My deepest apologies in misreading your post. We are in agreement about the importance of tolerance in religion.
Dear Harun Hadžić ,
What world are we living in? Is it bad or good? What is a good world? Before taking action, people must clearly understand how they consider this World, otherwise people’s actions will be muddled and unpredictable, bringing random and not the desired result.
Filoverum.
Shafagat Mahmudova
The world does not exist in only two states: good or bad.
There is a continuum, from perfectly good to perfectly bad.
Peace is also a state of mind and your soul.
But you possibly you look into the idea of "no conflict."..
I agree that the world is not just black and white, but has many greys. Still I think that it is legitimate to reflect what peace is about; as we are not interested in black and white it is not sufficient to define peace as "absence of war"
Especially in societies which did not experience war since decades if might be the impression that peace just means to avoid war. Here I would say that additional criteria can and should be discussed.
Above all, we must admit that peace is a state in a society where there is no conflict and war.
War is the notion of the opposite of the notion of peace. However, in the absence of war, peace can also mean social, personal and social well-being.
In the history of human society, peace has always been an ideal state that all normal people are striving for.
Harun Hadžić Please explain your answer. I do not understand. Perhaps it is an issue of translation.
For those who have read my previous post, I apologize for repeating it.
The idea of peace can apply at different levels.
At the individual level, what is the individual’s sense of peace? What is the crime rate? What is the state of inter-ethnic or inter-racial relations?
At the community level, what is the feeling of peace?
The community level can be defined in various ways.
At the regional (subnational) level, what is the prevalence of peace?
One part of the country could be at war, while the rest of the country is just fine.
At the international level, is the country engaged in wars overseas?
We can create an index.
Peace at any level is a relative phenomena. There is hardly any concept of absolute peace. In most cases peace is maintained and enforced . At individual level peace of mind is achieved rarely and only on few occasions.There is continuous forth and back movement from highly depressed states to somewhat calm and peaceful states.
Vadim S. Gorshkov
Russian optimism. Even if you are swallowed, there are two exits.
Dear, Joseph Tham,
What it means: Peace is a welfare state?
The state of well-being is a state of social justice, wealth, developed in every way, people are educated at a higher cultural level. Such a state is called welfare state. Peace and stability prevail in that state. That's why "peace" is the same as "welfare state".
Peace is a time without any fights or wars. In a larger sense, peace (or peacefulness) can mean a state of harmony, quiet or calm that is not disturbed by anything at all, like a still pond with no ripples.
I agree that the world is not just black and white, but has many greys. Still I think that it is legitimate to reflect what peace is about; as we are not interested in black and white it is not sufficient to define peace as "absence of war"
Especially in societies which did not experience war since decades if might be the impression that peace just means to avoid war. Here I would say that additional criteria can and should be discussed.
peace has to do with a just society, where structural violence is missing and where people have well-being
peace is when all people, young and old, male and female, rich and arm can live a decent life, free a fear.
Peace in mind,environment,surrounding,town, nation,globe,no war
Most Important is peace in mind
When you close your eyes and you have no fear or any anoying feelings , and whenever you go anywhere anytime not worried about being killed or stolen ... only
at that time you have peace
peace is when all people, young and old, male and female, rich and arm can live a decent life, free a fear.
It can be define as: freedom from disturbance; tranquillity. However, it appeared that the concept of peace employed in peace studies has been expanded both in peace value and peace sphere to include more than one peace value and peace sphere.
Peace can explicate as the negation of violence, all kind of non-violent and creative conflict transformation.
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. While Peaceful behavior sometimes results from a "peaceful inner disposition."
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