[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 3-1] The Relationship between Peace and Order| What Causes the Breakdown of Peace in Human Society?

[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 3] The Causes of the Breakdown of Peace in Human Society

[3-1] The Relationship between Peace and Order| What Causes the Breakdown of Peace in Human Society?

 

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand that the breakdown of peace is due to the collapse of order.

2. Understand that the fundamental cause of the breakdown of order is greed.

3. Realize that the fundamental spirit of peace is love, and peace begins with the transformation of individual character.

 

In the border area between Italy and France lies a place called Modane. On December 12, 1917, about 1,000 French soldiers boarded a train to return home for a special Christmas leave during World War I. The train was overcrowded to the point where there was no room to move. People impatiently urged the train to depart, filled with joy. However, the conductor refused to start the train, warning, "We cannot proceed with so many passengers because there are steep slopes and sharp curves ahead. It will lead to a major accident."

One of the officers escorting the soldiers pulled out a gun and threatened the conductor, saying, "If you don't start the train right away, I'll shoot." This officer believed that the conductor was disregarding the soldiers who had worked hard to defend the country. Reluctantly, the conductor started the train. Soon after, a steep slope appeared. The train gained speed rapidly and couldn't negotiate the sharp curve, resulting in a derailment.

As a result of this derailment, approximately 670 soldiers, who had survived the battlefield, tragically lost their lives. It was all due to the stubbornness of one officer who ignored common sense and order.

Image from Pixabay

◆ What is order, and what is its relationship with peace?

In his book "The World of Yesterday," Stefan Zweig vividly describes a society where economy, order, and values collapsed due to inflation after World War I. What does an unrestful state look like? It is a state of disorder where the laws and order of society have collapsed. When order breaks down, it becomes difficult to reconcile or decide on various thoughts and claims. This often leads to unresolved conflicts and disputes. Failing to fulfill one's responsibilities and not adhering to basic order can also lead to confusion in society. Some of these actions directly jeopardize people's safety and lives.

Image from Pixabay

◆ Disorder threatening lives and safety

To ensure that airplanes take off and land on time, it is necessary for airplanes to follow orders from the control tower while on the runway. To ensure that passengers board the plane safely and find their luggage on time, order must be maintained within the airport. However, when basic order is not followed, it can lead to significant casualties.

Indeed, on March 27, 1977, at 5:06 PM, there was a collision between two planes on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife, Spain, due to ignoring signals from the control tower. Out of the 644 passengers and crew on board both planes, 583 people died, and 60 were injured. Known as the "Tenerife Airport Disaster," this incident was recorded as the deadliest accident in aviation history.

Even in daily life, if traffic rules are not followed while driving, roads can become extremely congested, and one may not arrive at their desired destination on time. This turns vehicles and roads into chaos. We experience inconvenience, confusion, conflicts, and disputes directly or indirectly in various situations of disorder. In such disorderly situations, maintaining peace becomes difficult.

Image from Pixabay

◆ Consequences of disorder: War and Tragedy

In local communities, cities, states, and nations, laws exist, and order is maintained because individuals or groups are penalized for not following the law. However, judicial jurisdiction is limited beyond the national level.

Currently, international law and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) exist to maintain international order, but they lack enforcement power. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain order when a country initiates war or uses force. If a country invades another country for its own interests, peace and order can easily be disrupted, leading to confusion and pain for many people for a long time.

World War II began on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. The Axis Powers, including Germany, Italy, and Japan, sought to absorb other countries to create vast empires. In response, the Allied Powers, including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China, joined the war. Ending in 1945, World War II is known as the war with the highest casualties in human history, with approximately 24 million military personnel and 49 million civilians, totaling around 73 million casualties.

Image from Pixabay

Albert Einstein once said about war, "I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." This warning suggests that if a third world war were to break out, human civilization would face its end due to nuclear weapons. He also said, "We cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war."

Weapons are created on the premise that they can harm or kill people. With existing nuclear weapons alone, the Earth can be destroyed several times over. Even if peace has been maintained for a long time, as long as such weapons exist, peace can be broken in an instant. We never know when we might be plunged into the vortex of war again. Therefore, to establish lasting peace, there is a need to establish international laws on peace that can completely end wars.

Establishing and maintaining order from individuals to the international community is an essential element of peace. When there is order in one's life, one attains peace of mind. What about global peace on our planet, where approximately 7.7 billion people live together? Peace on Earth is impossible without laws and order. Order is the foundation of peace, ultimately preserving and protecting lives.

 

◆ Reflection:

1. Have you ever experienced your freedom and rights being violated by someone else's disorderly behavior? Let's discuss what that experience was like and how you felt at that time.

2. Let's discuss the relationship between maintaining order and peace.