Reasons for War and its Counter Strategy

Observed lessons

There are five reasons why wars are started and which affect the nature of each war:

To contend for fame: leading to righteous warfare
To contend for benefits and advantages: leading to bullying warfare
To seek revenge: leading to angry warfare
Internal strife: leading to plundering in war
Famine: leading to contrarian warfare

Counter these wars with the following methods:

Righteous warfare: use propriety
Bullying warfare: use deference
Angry warfare: use verbal persuasion
Plundering warfare: use your wits
Contrarian warfare: impose your authority

Discussion

War happens for a reason, though the reason is not always the same. By understanding this, you can determine how it will be fought and what the best strategy for your forces should be.

Seeking fame and glory may be driven by an egotistical rules, though it may also be used to distract populations from closer concerns.

Benefits and advantages are often driven by a sense of superiority, which leads to bullying. Pandering to a stronger bully requires humility which may keep them from the worst of their excesses until you have the strength to drive them away.

Revenge warfare can be a repeating pattern in feuds. Diplomacy can be used to seek to break such cycles.

Plundering forces can act like animals and may be beyond reason, and like animals they may be defeated by intelligence and craftiness.

When people are hungry and seek to take your food, their focus is on that food more than strength, so a strong and authoritarian response may sufficient to control them.

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