This paper discusses how the ideas thrown up by the Peace of Westphalia could be implemented through a peace process shaped and led by India at the head of a modern-day‘Third Party’of like-minded nations–China,Japa...This paper discusses how the ideas thrown up by the Peace of Westphalia could be implemented through a peace process shaped and led by India at the head of a modern-day‘Third Party’of like-minded nations–China,Japan and South Korea–which have an abiding interest in West Asian peace and stability.There is little doubt that the Peace of Westphalia offers a number of‘instruments,methods and ideas’to address the ongoing conflicts in West Asia by reconciling the interests of the principal Islamic states in competition–Saudi Arabia and Iran.As has been shown,with diplomatic effort exerted by the quartette–India,China,Japan and South Korea–it is possible to promote confidence-building measures between them and even to satisfactorily address the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen.As at Westphalia,the presence of several regional players did complicate the negotiations,but they were accommodated in the regional settlement,even though some of them had different approaches to the peace process.展开更多
Out of the plethora of peace theories,two stand out in particular:(a)the Kantian democratic theory of peace,which argues that peace depends on a league of democracies,and(b)the liberal economic theory of peace,that a ...Out of the plethora of peace theories,two stand out in particular:(a)the Kantian democratic theory of peace,which argues that peace depends on a league of democracies,and(b)the liberal economic theory of peace,that a free,open world market conduces to peace.In this essay,concrete examples are cited that would raise doubt on the validity of these theories.It then proceeds to examine whether culture would make a difference on the incidence of war.In this light,the Westphalian system of states is compared with the historical Chinese“tribute system”qua an inherent system of international relations.One distinct difference is found in the much lower incidence of wars in the latter system,as David Kang’s study identified that in 5 centuries(1368-1841)the Chinese tribute system had only two interstate wars within its circle of members,not counting the wars initiated by external,ex-regional Western powers.And,the religious wars that plagued the West were never found in the Chinese tribute system.In search of an answer to this almost incredible record of low incidence of war,this essay finds that the Confucian culture,with its emphasis on harmony and harmonization of opposites,in contradistinction to the teachings on conflict in Abrahamic cultures,seems to hold the key to an answer.If so,culture,rather than institutions(such as democracies,open world market,etc.)deserves to be seriously considered as a relevant factor contributing to peace.Most importantly,culture as such can be taught and disseminated,including through the classroom.展开更多
文摘This paper discusses how the ideas thrown up by the Peace of Westphalia could be implemented through a peace process shaped and led by India at the head of a modern-day‘Third Party’of like-minded nations–China,Japan and South Korea–which have an abiding interest in West Asian peace and stability.There is little doubt that the Peace of Westphalia offers a number of‘instruments,methods and ideas’to address the ongoing conflicts in West Asia by reconciling the interests of the principal Islamic states in competition–Saudi Arabia and Iran.As has been shown,with diplomatic effort exerted by the quartette–India,China,Japan and South Korea–it is possible to promote confidence-building measures between them and even to satisfactorily address the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen.As at Westphalia,the presence of several regional players did complicate the negotiations,but they were accommodated in the regional settlement,even though some of them had different approaches to the peace process.
文摘Out of the plethora of peace theories,two stand out in particular:(a)the Kantian democratic theory of peace,which argues that peace depends on a league of democracies,and(b)the liberal economic theory of peace,that a free,open world market conduces to peace.In this essay,concrete examples are cited that would raise doubt on the validity of these theories.It then proceeds to examine whether culture would make a difference on the incidence of war.In this light,the Westphalian system of states is compared with the historical Chinese“tribute system”qua an inherent system of international relations.One distinct difference is found in the much lower incidence of wars in the latter system,as David Kang’s study identified that in 5 centuries(1368-1841)the Chinese tribute system had only two interstate wars within its circle of members,not counting the wars initiated by external,ex-regional Western powers.And,the religious wars that plagued the West were never found in the Chinese tribute system.In search of an answer to this almost incredible record of low incidence of war,this essay finds that the Confucian culture,with its emphasis on harmony and harmonization of opposites,in contradistinction to the teachings on conflict in Abrahamic cultures,seems to hold the key to an answer.If so,culture,rather than institutions(such as democracies,open world market,etc.)deserves to be seriously considered as a relevant factor contributing to peace.Most importantly,culture as such can be taught and disseminated,including through the classroom.
