by NABILA JAMSHED
As of September 21, the 33rd International Day of Peace, there were approximately 33 armed conflicts raging around the world, according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Programme. Thirty-three armed conflicts, $1,765 billion of annual global military expenditure, 875 million small arms in circulation and the dormant presence of 20,500 nuclear warheads. The world is heavily invested in war and the measures needed to defend against it. To put $1,765 billion in perspective, the UN’s regular budget for peace, security, human rights, humanitarian affairs and international law is $2.7 billion.
Armed violence is fuelled by a complex ecosystem of history, vested interests, strategic motives, economics, resources and political power. Not only are all armed conflicts differently constructed, it is difficult to draw accurate lessons from one civil war for another. But what if each constituted a larger global problem we could collectively respond to? What if a simple economic model could be used to deal with the industry of war? Think of any industry — hybrid cars, soap, cereal. An industry flourishes when it is able to provide its consumers something they want. The only way to destroy an industry is by doing three things: destroying demand, eliminating supply and providing alternatives.
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