International Peace day: What is Peace?

Peace has always been a buzzing topic, a topic of extreme importance - within countries, within communities, within people and even within oneself. We usually try to negotiate to achieve Peace at any price. But.. what is peace? The most popular (Western) view states it as an absence of dissension, violence, or war. Peace, however, is also seen as concord, or harmony and tranquility. It is viewed as peace of mind or serenity, especially in the East. It is defined as a state of law or civil government, a state of justice or goodness, a balance or equilibrium of powers. Peace may be opposed to or an opposite of antagonistic conflict, violence, or war. It may refer to an internal state (of mind or of nations) or to external relations. Or it may be narrow in conception, referring to specific relations in a particular situation (like a peace treaty), or overarching, covering a whole society (as in a world peace). Peace may be a dichotomy (it exists or it does not) or continuous, passive or active, empirical or abstract, descriptive or normative, or positive or negative.

The problem is, of course, that peace derives its meaning and qualities within a theory or framework. Christians, Hindus, Buddhists will see peace differently to internationalists and pacifists. Socialist, fascist, and libertarian have different perspectives, as do power or idealistic theorists of international relations. In this diversity of meanings, peace is no different from such concepts as justice, freedom, equality, power, conflict, class, and, indeed, any other concept.

So.. what are the qualities of peace?!

In my view, peace has three qualities -

Dichotomous: Peace as an existent is dichotomous: it is or it is not. It would be meaningless to talk about more or less of a peace, as it would be meaningless to talk about more or less of a contract, a nation-state, a president, or an elephant. Of course, a state may be large or small, rich or poor. Likewise, peace varies along several dimensions; it may take on different forms or social orders.

Internal and External: like an iceberg, peace seen on the surface of social relations is only a small part of the overall structure. This reminds me of a quote I read a while ago.. Peace comes from within, do not seek it without.

Active: Finally, peace as a social contract is active, not passive. It is created through negotiation, adjustment, resolution, decisions. It comprises predictions (expectations) about the future. By contrast, peace as the absence of violence or war is passive. True, it may be generated by negotiation and resolution. But the resulting peace is inactive, inert. It is a social void-something to build a wall around to protect and maintain.

So what is peace? Peace is whatever you make of it. Peace is something that is calm, whether its internal or external. Peace is something that is active. It either exists or it doesnt. So.. my question to you is, are you at peace?

cc: @Alicattt