Declining willingness to fight for one's country

The individual-level basis of the long peace

Bibliographic Data

ID3916340
AuthorsRonald Inglehart (0000-0002-5620-3363, National Research University Higher School of Economics, corresponding author), Ronald F Inglehart (University of Michigan & Higher School of Economics, Moscow and St Petersburg), Bi Puranen (0000-0002-0751-2928, Institute for Future Studies, Stockholm & World Values Survey Association), Christian Welzel (0000-0002-1562-3580, Leuphana University Lüneburg & Higher School of Economics, Moscow and St Petersburg, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume52
Issue4
Pages418-434
Publication date2015-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022343314565756
OpenAlexW1937688166
LanguageEN
Citations received53
References cited36

The Democratic Peace thesis suggests that the absence of war between major powers since 1945 is caused by the spread of democracy. The Capitalist Peace thesis emphasizes trade and the rise of knowledge economies as the forces driving peace. Complementing these interpretations, we present empirical evidence of a cultural change that is making peace more desirable to the publics of most societies around the world. Analyzing public opinion data covering 90% of the world's population over three decades, we demonstrate that improving existential conditions elevate the life opportunities of growing population segments and lead them to become increasingly tolerant of diversity and place growing emphasis on self-realization. In recognition of life's rising opportunities, people's valuation of life changes profoundly: readiness to sacrifice one's life gives way to an increasing insistence on living it, and living it the way one chooses. Hence, pro-choice values rise at the same time as willingness to sacrifice lives in war dwindles. Historical learning based on the specific experiences of given societies has also changed their publics' willingness to fight in wars. This transformation of worldviews places interstate peace on an increasingly solid mass basis

Democracy · Development economics · Economics · Environmental ethics · Existentialism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Population · Public opinion · Sacrifice · Sociology · History · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security · Political Conflict and Governance · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East

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