Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseConflict is a serious disagreement or struggle between people who want different things, or who believe different things. It can happen at three levels:
Not all conflict is violent. People can disagree and settle it by talking. War is a large-scale armed conflict, usually between countries or between organised groups inside one country.
Conflict causes problems for the whole of society. People are injured or killed. Families lose loved ones and homes. Many become refugees, people forced to flee their country to stay safe. Hospitals and farms are destroyed, so food and medicine run short. The economy suffers, because money goes on weapons instead of on healthcare and education. Anger and fear can last for generations, even after the fighting stops.
Key terms:
The spec asks you to know the causes under three headings. Wars rarely have just one cause.
Resources: oil, water, minerals and land are valuable, and countries or groups fight to control them.
Poverty and inequality: when some people have far more than others, resentment grows and people may take up arms to change things.
Differences of belief between groups.
Holy places that more than one group treats as sacred.
Religion used to mark out or stir up groups, so that "us" and "them" feel stronger.
Ethnic and cultural divisions between peoples who live side by side.
Injustice and the denial of rights, such as a group being refused a vote or fair treatment.
Nationalism: strong pride in your nation, which can turn into hostility to others.
Key terms:
In real life the causes usually combine. A dispute over land may start as an economic quarrel, grow because of old grievances, and be hardened by cultural and religious differences. The Troubles in Northern Ireland are one example of this mix: religion, national identity, history and fairness were all tangled together.
People hold religious beliefs very deeply, so they may fight over them. Holy places can be fought over. Some leaders say a war is commanded by God, and followers may believe them. Religious differences can make groups see each other as enemies.
Many religions teach peace, so some argue that leaders use religion to hide their real aims, such as land, money or power. Wars often fall along religious lines only because the groups also differ in wealth, land or rights. Many wars have no religious cause at all.
Humanists and other non-religious people often argue that religion can make conflict worse, while many believers reply that it is human greed and pride that cause war, and that religion urges people towards peace. A balanced answer says that religion is sometimes a real cause, sometimes an excuse, and is usually only one cause among several.
(a) Identify three causes of conflict and war in the world today. [3 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(b) Outline two problems that conflict causes within society. [4 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(c) Explain why some people say that religion is a cause of war. [6 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(d) 'Religion is only an excuse for war.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(a) 1. Competition for resources such as oil or water (1) 2. Poverty and inequality (1) 3. Nationalism (1)
(b) Conflict causes death and injury (1), so families lose loved ones and many people need long-term care (1). It also destroys homes, hospitals and farms (1), which forces people to become refugees and leaves food and medicine short (1).
(c) Some people say religion is a cause of war because beliefs are held very deeply. When groups have different beliefs, each may think it alone is right, and this can turn into hostility. Holy places are another reason. If two groups treat the same place as sacred, each may feel it must control it, which can lead to fighting. Religion can also be used to mark out groups as "us" and "them", so leaders can stir up anger by claiming that the other side threatens their faith. This is why people say that religion causes war: it gives people strong feelings about identity and holy ground that can lead to fighting.
(d) Plan. For: many religions teach peace, so a war fought in religion's name may really be about land, oil or power, with religion used to win support. Wars often follow religious lines only because the groups also differ in wealth and rights. Against: for many believers, faith is a real cause. Holy places and differences of belief can be fought over, and people may truly believe they are defending their religion. The key word is only: even if religion is sometimes an excuse, it is not always. Conclusion (example): religion is sometimes an excuse and sometimes a real cause, but nearly always it combines with economic, political and social causes, so "only an excuse" goes too far. In your own answer, add what the teachings of your own religion say about war and peace, and contrast them with a humanist or other non-religious view.
In the 12-mark question, watch for words like only. Show that the statement is partly true, then explain why it goes too far, and finish with a conclusion that picks a side.