peace and prosperity essay

Essay on Peace

500 words essay peace.

Peace is the path we take for bringing growth and prosperity to society. If we do not have peace and harmony, achieving political strength, economic stability and cultural growth will be impossible. Moreover, before we transmit the notion of peace to others, it is vital for us to possess peace within. It is not a certain individual’s responsibility to maintain peace but everyone’s duty. Thus, an essay on peace will throw some light on the same topic.

Importance of Peace

History has been proof of the thousands of war which have taken place in all periods at different levels between nations. Thus, we learned that peace played an important role in ending these wars or even preventing some of them.

In fact, if you take a look at all religious scriptures and ceremonies, you will realize that all of them teach peace. They mostly advocate eliminating war and maintaining harmony. In other words, all of them hold out a sacred commitment to peace.

It is after the thousands of destructive wars that humans realized the importance of peace. Earth needs peace in order to survive. This applies to every angle including wars, pollution , natural disasters and more.

When peace and harmony are maintained, things will continue to run smoothly without any delay. Moreover, it can be a saviour for many who do not wish to engage in any disrupting activities or more.

In other words, while war destroys and disrupts, peace builds and strengthens as well as restores. Moreover, peace is personal which helps us achieve security and tranquillity and avoid anxiety and chaos to make our lives better.

How to Maintain Peace

There are many ways in which we can maintain peace at different levels. To begin with humankind, it is essential to maintain equality, security and justice to maintain the political order of any nation.

Further, we must promote the advancement of technology and science which will ultimately benefit all of humankind and maintain the welfare of people. In addition, introducing a global economic system will help eliminate divergence, mistrust and regional imbalance.

It is also essential to encourage ethics that promote ecological prosperity and incorporate solutions to resolve the environmental crisis. This will in turn share success and fulfil the responsibility of individuals to end historical prejudices.

Similarly, we must also adopt a mental and spiritual ideology that embodies a helpful attitude to spread harmony. We must also recognize diversity and integration for expressing emotion to enhance our friendship with everyone from different cultures.

Finally, it must be everyone’s noble mission to promote peace by expressing its contribution to the long-lasting well-being factor of everyone’s lives. Thus, we must all try our level best to maintain peace and harmony.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Peace

To sum it up, peace is essential to control the evils which damage our society. It is obvious that we will keep facing crises on many levels but we can manage them better with the help of peace. Moreover, peace is vital for humankind to survive and strive for a better future.

FAQ of Essay on Peace

Question 1: What is the importance of peace?

Answer 1: Peace is the way that helps us prevent inequity and violence. It is no less than a golden ticket to enter a new and bright future for mankind. Moreover, everyone plays an essential role in this so that everybody can get a more equal and peaceful world.

Question 2: What exactly is peace?

Answer 2: Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in which there is no hostility and violence. In social terms, we use it commonly to refer to a lack of conflict, such as war. Thus, it is freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.

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• School Education /

Essay On Peace for School Students in 100 – 300

• Updated on  
• Nov 22, 2023

Peace is something we all wish for as it allows us growth and prosperity in life. A society without peace cannot survive for long and there will always be disputes between people. Peace is defined as the absence of any disturbance, conflict, or violence. It exists on various levels, including personal, interpersonal, societal, and international. Writing a peace essay requires a proper understanding of this term, from its importance in our lives to how it can shape a better tomorrow. Here are some samples of essay on peace for school students.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Peace in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Peace in 200 Words
• 3.1 Why is Peace Important?
• 3.2 Ways to Promote Peace

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Essay on Peace in 100 Words

Peace refers to societal friendship and harmony, where negative activities like violence, hostility, and hatred are not present. The significance of peace can have multiple levels, from individual to societal and international. Peace is something that comes from within. 

On a personal level, a person must have inner calmness and contentment to achieve peace. Peace becomes a broader aspect at the societal and international level, which involves concepts like social justice, equality, and the presence of diplomacy and cooperation between nations.

Achieving and maintaining peace requires efforts from all sides. In this way, it can foster understanding and tolerance among individuals and communities. 

Also Read: Essay on Farmer for School Students

Essay on Peace in 200 Words

Peace can only be achieved when everyone in the room abides by the laws of friendship and cooperation. Consider this quote on peace by Mahatma Gandhi, ‘If you want real peace in the world, start with children.’ He and thousands of other freedom fighters struggled for decades to achieve true peace.

Although now are not living in a colonial era, we are struggling for true peace; a society free from poverty, hunger, corruption, and crime; one where everyone can feel safe. Only in a world free from the constant threat of violence, conflict, or war can allow us to pursue our goals, develop relationships, and lead fulfilling lives.

Nations establish diplomatic relations so that peace can be maintained at the international level. This cooperation between nations is essential to prevent conflicts that can have far-reaching consequences. Peace is an essential component for the protection of human rights, ensuring that individuals can live free from violence and oppression.

We are the future and it is our duty to establish law and order to achieve true peace. Only then we can cultivate the seed of education, healthcare, and environmental conservation . Our today’s efforts will affect our tomorrow. The importance of nurturing and maintaining peace cannot be overstated, for it is the cornerstone upon which the aspirations of individuals and societies rest.

Also Read: Essay on New Year for School Students

Essay on Peace in 300 Words

We all want a free-will life; one where we can achieve and fulfil our goals in real time. Peace is very important for individuals, society, and nations to strive towards the road of success. Achieving peace requires collective efforts so that we can create a world where everyone can live free from fear, violence, and the threat of conflict. 

We all want a life of free will, where we can achieve and fulfill our goals in real time but how can it be possible with so much bloodshed and mayhem around the corner, where one man is threatening others with a missile?

Why is Peace Important?

Peace is a multifaceted concept and its importance varies from individual level to global level.

• Peace offers us all the necessary conditions to lead a secure and fulfilled life.
• A peaceful society creates a sense of brotherhood, where everyone is respected and appreciated for their achievements.
• It fosters cooperative relationships among communities and societies and encourages cooperation, understanding, and tolerance.
• New heights of economic development can be achieved in a peaceful society.
• Communities can exchange ideas and traditions to foster mutual understanding and appreciation.
• Peace is considered as an investment in the well-being of future generations.

Ways to Promote Peace

There are multiple ways in which we can promote peace, starting with ourselves and understanding how beneficial it can be for us in career prosperity and building relationships.

• Volunteering for peaceful rallies.
• Create a peaceful mantra/ affirmation.
• Sign a peace pledge.
• Learn to forgive your enemies.
• Understand what are the causes of violence.
• Listen to learned individuals.
• Learn from others’ mistakes.
• Learn to say sorry and accept your mistakes

Creating a peaceful society is not as difficult as it may sound; for it requires collective effort. Once we understand what we are capable of achieving, then we are just a step away from building a ‘perfect world.’

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Ans: Peace is essential for the prosperity of individuals and society as a whole.  A society without peace cannot survive for long and there will always be disputes between people. Peace is defined as the absence of any disturbance, conflict, or violence. It exists on different various levels, including personal, interpersonal, societal, and international.

Ans: Without peace, our world cannot survive, as there will be conflicts and wars between countries, communities will act in non-cooperative ways, and individuals will have grudges against each other. Peace is very important to establish a world where everyone can live in harmony and lead a prosperous life.

Ans: Mentioned below are some lines on the importance of peace: -Peace is the bedrock to edifice human progress and prosperity. -Peace is like the thread that is capable of weaving the fabric of harmony and understanding. -Peace is the key to unlocking the potential of individuals and communities. -Peace is like a guiding light, that offers us solace, security, and a path to reconciliation. -Peace is a lifelong journey towards a world where compassion triumphs over conflict.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Essay on Importance of Peace

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Peace in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Peace

The essence of peace.

Peace is a state of harmony, free from conflict and violence. It is crucial for the overall well-being of individuals, societies, and nations.

Peace and Individual Growth

Peace promotes individual growth. It allows people to focus on their goals, fostering creativity and innovation.

Peace in Society

In a peaceful society, people can live without fear. It encourages cooperation, leading to societal progress.

Peace and Nations

For nations, peace ensures stability and prosperity. It allows resources to be used for development rather than warfare.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Peace

Peace, often misconstrued as merely the absence of conflict, extends far beyond this simplistic definition. It is a complex, multifaceted concept, encompassing aspects such as social justice, economic equity, and political freedom. The importance of peace, therefore, is inextricably linked to the overall well-being of individuals and societies.

Peace as a Catalyst for Progress

Peace serves as a catalyst for societal progress. In peaceful conditions, individuals are better equipped to focus on activities that foster personal growth and societal advancement. Peace facilitates the creation of a conducive environment for innovation, creativity, and intellectual pursuits. It is the bedrock of thriving civilizations and the prerequisite for the evolution of society.

Peace and Social Cohesion

The role of peace in promoting social cohesion cannot be overstated. Peaceful societies are characterized by respect for diversity, mutual understanding, and tolerance. These elements are vital for fostering social cohesion, facilitating cooperation, and promoting harmonious coexistence among diverse groups.

Peace and Sustainable Development

Peace is integral to achieving sustainable development. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals underscore the importance of peace, justice, and strong institutions. Without peace, efforts towards sustainable development are likely to be undermined by conflict, instability, and social unrest.

In conclusion, peace is not merely desirable, but essential. It is the foundation upon which societies thrive, fostering progress, promoting social cohesion, and facilitating sustainable development. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the importance of peace becomes even more pronounced. It is our collective responsibility to promote and sustain peace for the betterment of humanity.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Peace

Introduction, the role of peace in individual development.

Peace plays a crucial role in individual development. It provides the conducive environment necessary for individuals to grow, learn, and reach their full potential. In a peaceful environment, individuals can focus on their personal development, exploring their interests, and cultivating their skills without the constant threat of violence or chaos. Peace, therefore, ensures the mental and emotional well-being of individuals, which is crucial for their overall growth.

Peace and Economic Prosperity

Economic prosperity and peace are intrinsically linked. Peaceful societies provide the stability necessary for economic activities to thrive. Businesses can plan for the long-term, invest in new ventures, and expand their operations without the fear of sudden disruption. Furthermore, peace promotes trade and international cooperation, which are vital for economic growth. Without peace, economic development is stunted, leading to poverty and a lower quality of life.

Peace as a Catalyst for Social Progress

Peace and environmental sustainability.

The importance of peace extends to environmental sustainability. In times of conflict, environmental conservation often takes a back seat, leading to environmental degradation. Peace allows societies to focus on sustainable practices, preserving natural resources, and combating climate change. Thus, peace is essential for the survival of our planet.

In conclusion, peace is not just the absence of conflict, but a condition that nurtures the holistic development of individuals and societies. It is the backbone of economic prosperity, social progress, and environmental sustainability. The pursuit of peace, therefore, should be a priority for all, as it is the foundation upon which a prosperous and sustainable future can be built. The importance of peace, as highlighted, underscores the need for individuals, communities, and nations to work tirelessly towards its establishment and preservation.

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Essay on Peace and Harmony | Peace and Harmony Essay for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Peace and Harmony: To bring growth and prosperity in a society, the path that wiser people take is of peace and harmony. Without peace and harmony in a nation, it is impossible to achieve political strength, economic stability, or cultural growth. Before transmitting the notion of peace and harmony, among others, an individual needs to possess peace within them while their body and mind should be in balance. Even one person can transmit the notion of peace and harmony, among others, and it is everyone individual’s responsibility to maintain that peace and harmony in society. However, peace and harmony in society are disrupted with the increase in violence and chaos.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essay on Peace and Harmony for Students and Kids in English

Below mentioned are Long and Short Essays on Peace and Harmony of 500-600 words and 200-300 words, respectively. The students can refer to these speeches when required and grace the occasion by their words. Read on to find more about Peace and Harmony Essay.

Long Essay on Peace and Harmony 500 Words in English

Peace and Harmony Essay is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Science and technology were supposed to make our life comfortable. In contrast, people find alternative ways to use good inventions for an immoral purpose and eventually harm the ways of other’s living with peace and harmony. As the saying goes that with immense power so comes the tremendous responsibility is not at all a lie, for the government of each nation should invest on education, healthcare, and productive means to resolve economic issues rather than initiating war or destructiveness. If destructive ways among nation are promoted, then peach and harmony will not exist, and poverty will remain to be an everlasting problem.

The root to most of our troubles is the disruption of peace and harmony between one aspect of our life to another. Earlier people knew how to live in peace and harmony with nature and other animals, but with the realization of power and greed, it was us who harmed their harmonized relation with the environment. This change in the way of living is not at all desirable because the effects of ruining the harmony and peace in the ecosystem will have to be faced by us. Hence, people must always realize that a little kindness, compassion and self-perseverance can restore the sense of humanity in one and resolve all issues regarding peace and harmony in our life.

What is ‘peace and harmony’?

Peace and harmony is the fundamental prerequisite of our life and an ideal path to follow. Many ideas contribute to the logic of peace and harmony such as dealing with disputes, staying calm and focused, resolving conflicts, adjusting, adapting, neutralization, following the ‘middle way’ principle, etc. With globalization we are not anymore divided into our concentrated area of state or nation; instead, the world has united with the unprecedented extent of bond regardless of borders and resulting into the formation of a great and happy global community. And to maintain the well being of every individual of this global community, ultimately everyone has to implement the means of peace and harmony into the way of our living.

Ideas to maintain peace and harmony

• The integral and compressive part of humankind should be peace and harmony. And to maintain peace and harmony, the following six ideas should be adapted:
• To maintain equality, security, justice, and mutual trust, a word-wide political order must be introduced that embodies all of these.
• To promote the advancement of technology and science aspects that will provide benefit to humankind by maintaining everyone’s welfare.
• A global economic system should be introduced that embodies elimination of divergence, mutual benefit, removal of regional imbalance.
• Ethics that promote ecological prosperity and incorporates solutions for resolving the environmental crisis, acts toward shared success, actively fulfils individual responsibility, and ways to end historical prejudices.
• A mental state and spiritual ideology that embodies helpful attitude, physical and mental ease, and spreading of happiness and harmony through traditional wisdom.
• The code of conduct by recognizing diversity and integration along with conduction of dialogues to express emotion and enhance friendship and brotherhood must be achieved by developing a global cultural atmosphere.
• And it is a noble mission to promote peace and harmony by expressing how it will contribute to the long-lasting wellbeing factor of our lives.

Short Essay on Peace and Harmony 200 Words in English

Peace and Harmony Essay is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Factors affecting peace and harmony: Many powerful and influential people understood the importance of peace and harmony. As the famous saying of Lao Tzu’s goes like – “If you want to establish peace in the world, there also must be peace among and in the nations. If one wants there to be peace in the nations, then there should be peace in the regions of the nation. If one wishes for peace in the cities, then there also must exist peace between neighbors. And all this begins with the peace of mind” Particular aspects disrupt peace and harmony of a system, and people must be aware of the reasons as to why one should avoid those factors. A list of some of those disruptions is:

• Gender discrimination and oppression
• Religion and caste discrimination
• Poverty and unemployment
• Toxic traits like jealousy, greed, lies and hatred
• Exploitation of resources

10 Lines on Peace and Harmony Essay in English

• Peaceful dialogues are comparatively more helpful during dispute resolving and negotiations.
• The word peace is derived from the Anglo-French term ‘pes’ which means agreement, peace, silence or reconciliation.
• Harmony is a term that is derived from an old Greek word ‘Harmonia’ meaning the joint agreement or concord.
• The US Anti-Vietnam War movement was also called the peace movement that lasted from 1964 to 1973.
• Secularism is a concept for treating all religions equally, and this practice promotes peace and harmony among us.
• Peace and harmony are hampered when people fight in the name of faith which eventually results in the spread of communalism,
• The rise in the prices of necessary commodities is called inflation, and it is one of the significant disruption causing factor in the concept of peace and harmony.
• Peace and harmony improve aspects of business and economy which also ultimately results in the elimination of unemployment.
• A peace activist in a person who chooses non-violent methods to end affairs like violent conflicts or non-democratic rule.
• Gerald Holtom is the person behind the design of the modern peace symbol.

FAQ’s on Peace and Harmony Essay

Question 1. Explain with an example, the benefit of living with peace and harmony?

Answer: An excellent example of how peace and harmony are beneficial is the existence of the ‘Harmony Culture’ which is a Chinese tradition that has lasted for over thousand years now and has also made a massive contribution in the matter of coexistence of various ethnic groups that too with peace and harmony. Eventually, from those original ethnic groups, some fusion religions and groups also came into existence.

Question 2. How can we describe the concept of ‘peace and harmony’ very concisely?

Answer: The concept of living with peace and harmony can be described very concisely as the calm and happy state of life without disturbances like conflicts and revolts.

Question 3. Who guards peace and harmony in a country?

Answer: Anyone can contribute to maintaining the peace and harmony of a system, but there are also people who are given the task by the nations’ jurisdiction to look over law and order. Those particular jobs are called civil services for the work solely focuses on maintaining peace and harmony in the society by acting against any disobedience that disrupts the proper state of life.

Question 4. Are there different types of peace?

Answer: Peace can be classified into internal or inner peace and external peace. The inner peace is the calm, sane, tranquil, and undisturbed state of our mind. And the outer peace is interrelated to inner peace because unless there is peace in the mind one cannot perform peaceful actions.

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• Understanding Poverty
• Fragility, Conflict and Violence

People Peace Prosperity

While extreme poverty is going down around the world, it is increasing in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence (FCV). It’s estimated that by 2030,  up to two thirds of the world’s extreme poor  will live in these situations.  These challenges threaten to reverse efforts to end extreme poverty, and they affect both low- and middle-income countries.  

The impacts on people and economies are stark. Violent conflict has spiked dramatically since 2010 -- conflicts now drive 80% of all humanitarian needs and reduce gross domestic product (GDP) growth by two percentage points per year, on average. Social and economic exclusion, climate change, gender and other inequalities, demographic challenges, illicit financial flows and other global trends contribute to this complexity. FCV challenges do not respect country borders and often spiral into multidimensional, regional or global crises. 

This surge in violent conflict has also led to historically high levels of forced displacement. Of the  82.4 million people who are forcibly displaced  from their homes to escape violence, conflict and persecution, more than 26 million are refugees, the highest number recorded. Around 85% of these refugees are hosted by developing countries, and 76% of them are still displaced after five years. Such long displacements can have a devastating toll on generations of refugees and deeply impact host communities. 

Against this background, the COVID-19 pandemic adds even greater stress, threatening to reverse decades of advancements in poverty reduction and development:   

• Countries impacted by FCV will experience their worst recession in five decades.   
• World Bank estimates show that an additional  20 million people are living in extreme poverty in countries affected by FCV . 

The increasingly protracted nature of FCV situations means that in addition to essential humanitarian support, long-term development investments are needed to protect human capital, build sustainable peace and ensure shared prosperity. 

The World Bank was founded after World War II to support post-conflict reconstruction in Europe. It has since evolved to address challenges before, during and after crises. The 2020 World Bank Group (WBG) strategy for FCV, which applies to its work in low-and-middle income countries, articulates a development approach to FCV which emphasizes:

Helping to prevent crises by addressing root causes like climate change, government transparency and accountability, justice and the rule of law.

In areas of active conflict, staying engaged to preserve key institutions and access to basic services like health and education for the most marginalized. 

Supporting countries in their transition out of conflict.

Supporting refugees and host communities.

Enabling the growth of the local private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises, which provide 80% of jobs in fragile settings.

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, our support needs to focus on the most vulnerable – and this includes fragile and conflict-affected settings, and displaced populations. This support is focused on preventing, detecting and responding to the threat posed by COVID-19, and strengthening national systems for public health preparedness. Nearly one third of the World Bank’s projects to fight the pandemic are in fragile and conflict-affected situations.

Strong collaboration with humanitarian, development, peace and security partners is also critical to delivering results in these challenging environments.

Financing the FCV agenda

This enhanced focus on FCV is also reflected in IDA, the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries. The latest   IDA19 financing package  includes $26 billion in support for FCV-affected countries—a 27 percent increase from IDA18, which had already doubled financing available for FCV. These will support the priorities outlined in the FCV strategy. In addition, $2.2 billion will be dedicated to support refugees and host communities. Other IDA financing is also available to catalyze investments in the private sector, tackle regional fragility challenges and invest in crisis preparedness and response.  All support is intended to tackle the medium-term economic and social dimensions of crisis situations.

The 2018 World Bank Capital Increase emphasizes support to middle income countries impacted by FCV challenges. In addition, the World Bank’s  Global Concessional Financing Facility  (GCFF) provides concessional financing to middle income countries hosting large numbers of refugees. Launched in 2016 by the Bank, the UN, and the Islamic Development Bank, the GCFF has provided more than $671 million in grants to unlock almost $5 billion in concessional financing for Jordan and Lebanon to help address the influx of Syrian refugees, as well as for Colombia and Ecuador to help address the needs of more than 1.2 million displaced Venezuelans and their host communities.

PARTNERSHIPS

Tackling fragility, conflict, and violence requires a collective global effort.  Partnerships based on the respective complementarities and comparative advantages of each partner are crucial to address the causes and impacts of FCV. The WBG is working with a diverse/broad set of partners and is committed to deepening partnerships with humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, security, and private sector actors to maximize impact on the ground.

The WBG partners at the country level by drawing on its comparative advantage as a development actor, enhancing the impact of operations on the ground in insecure areas, and ensuring effective implementation arrangements with third parties as needed. Some examples include:

Examples of multi-stakeholder collaboration include:

Operational partnerships such as the World Bank, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UNICEF in South Sudan, through the 2019 Provision of Essential Health Services Project ensures provision of critical health services to vulnerable and marginalized communities in conflict-affected areas.

Conducting joint country-level assessments with the UN and the EU such as Recovery and Peace-Building Assessments (RPBAs)

Partnering with regional organizations that have the authority and capacity to address cross-border challenges, and expanding the engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs) with strong roots in their communities

The role of the private sector: IFC and MIGA

Only 1% of global foreign direct investment (FDI) goes to  fragile and conflict-affected situations  (FCS) countries. This means lower prospects for private sector-led growth needed to lift people out of poverty. In addition, in countries affected by FCV, a vibrant and inclusive local private sector can ignite economic growth, provide jobs and services, and stabilize societies. Recognizing that the private sector lies at the center of a sustained development in FCV, the  International Finance Corporation  (IFC) and the  Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency  (MIGA) are significantly expanding their efforts in this area.

Supporting stability and growth in fragile situations is a  top priority for IFC . Fragile- and conflict-affected economies need investments that will create jobs, spur economic growth, generate tax revenues, rebuild infrastructure, and create hope for their people. While every fragile situation has a unique and complex set of issues and the risks are high, there are ways for the private sector to help boost economic growth or support livelihoods.

IFC has more than doubled its investments in fragile situations during the last decade and has committed to 40% of IFC’s annual commitments be in IDA and FCS countries by 2030, with 15-20%  going to  IDA-eligible countries  classified as very low income and FCS.

From 2017 to 2021, IFC invested US$8.4 billion in countries classified as fragile and conflict-affected and very low income. IFC and the World Bank have also created initiatives specifically designed to support fragile situations. IFC has strengthened engagement in FCS through the Conflict-Affected States in Africa (CASA) and FCS Africa initiatives, and advisory support through the Creating Markets Advisory Window (CMAW).

IFC is also working in partnership with the World Bank, UNHCR, and others to identify  private-sector solutions and opportunities for refugees and their host communities  through creating jobs to boost access to finance and entrepreneurship; improving the delivery of basic services like education and energy; encouraging business-friendly policies in refugee-hosting areas; and sharing lessons learned while deepening partnerships.

In recent decades, foreign direct investment into developing countries has contributed to lifting billions of people out of extreme poverty. But investment often doesn’t flow into countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. These ‘FCV’ countries struggle to attract foreign capital because investors fear the worst: civil war, expropriation of assets, breach of contract, and currency restrictions.

Since 1988, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, a member of the World Bank Group, has been insuring investors against such risks. As of June 30, 2021, 12% of MIGA’s gross guarantee portfolio, or $2.7 billion, was in FCV countries.

MIGA also uses facilities such as the IDA Private Sector Window,  the Conflict-Affected & Fragile Economies Facility  (CAFEF), and the  West Bank and Gaza Investment Guarantee Trust  (.pdf) to help draw investors to difficult situations.

• Website: People, Peace, Prosperity
• Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence

A Look Around the Globe: World Bank Support for Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings

Insight and Analysis from Foreign Affairs Practitioners and Scholars

Established 1996 • Raymond F. Smith, Editor

Winning the War for Peace, Justice and Prosperity: A Vision

In 1946, military analyst Lee Yuri (李浴日) of China pointed out that this dilemma may arise from the practice of a military doctrine that is not based on saving people, but on killing people. When a war does not end in justice for all, another battle erupts soon afterward. He contended that the world needs to practice a military doctrine that seeks to save people and to provide justice to all. He named this practice a “Military for Mankind” in his book On Victories 1 .

In this essay we first elaborate on the concept of Military for Mankind, which we broaden to include government and business. The concept of fighting a War of Peace, Justice and Prosperity is described in his book. Because justice is the key accomplishment of the War, we abbreviate it as the War of Justice. Ten precepts to practice “Military, Government and Business for Mankind” and to win a War of Justice are constructed from the book On Victories . We then examine what the world has right and wrong during the last two centuries from the perspective of these precepts.

The essay concludes with a list of recommendations for the leaders of the world to consider. The implementation of these recommendations might well lead to winning the War of Justice for the people of the world and thereby to achieving peace, justice and prosperity for all.

II. Military for Mankind . Lee Yuri emphasized the importance of the concept of Military for Mankind:

“The wars fought in 20th Century have been directed more toward a military doctrine of killing people and conquering enemies. Scientific advances have further exaggerated this problem, inasmuch as nuclear weapons are able to kill people by the millions. If military actions are allowed to intensify in this direction, the world will be destroyed and mankind will vanish from this planet.

Today, we must correct this wrongful “military doctrine” and establish one that has been devised to fight wars with the goal of saving people and achieving justice and prosperity for all. This doctrine and its practice will be termed “Military for Mankind” and the war to which it will apply will be termed the War of Peace, Justice and Prosperity.

The Chinese military doctrine developed 25 centuries ago was based on saving people. This doctrine must be reestablished throughout the world.”

Because we are currently engaged in a total war, we need to broaden “Military for Mankind” to “Military, Government and Business for Mankind”. In all countries, the military is a part of the government. For some countries, the country may own most of the businesses. This broadening of the military doctrine facilitates the examination of how each of the three components helps to win the War of Justice.

Government for Mankind was a concept that Confucius examined fully. This concept was adapted by many dynasties to manage the government of China throughout history.

III. War of Peace, Justice and Prosperity . In his classic book, On Wars, Clausewitz deals with the fighting of a battle. He explicitly states that the goal in fighting a battle or a war is to be established by the leader of the government. If the leader establishes the goal as peace, justice and prosperity, his generals must practice Military for Mankind and win the War of Justice for his country. Thus, what we are doing is placing the concept of Military for Mankind into a framework that can be used to analyze wars being fought and their consequences for peace, justice and prosperity.

The War of Justice was examined by Mencius in China. At about the same time, Socrates discussed the moral concept of Good and Justice, and the meaning of justice (i.e., What is Justice?). He spoke about the “medicine of Justice”. In essence, the concept of the War of Justice has long existed in both the Western and Eastern worlds.

The world won World War II in Europe. All nations that were involved there received justice. Germany has long re-emerged as a major power of the world. Peace and prosperity were gained by many nations. Thus, it is appropriate to say that the world won the European War of Justice. On the other hand, no justice was given to many Asian countries that were invaded by the Japan Empire, even if they were allies of the US. As a result, disputes have developed in Asia. Their elevation to a trade war is imminent.

The key point in winning the War of Justice is whether the people (of allies and enemies) gain justice. This is to say that fighting the War of Justice and the actions occurring during and after the battle should respect human life and human rights. In this way, the people will have no intention or desire to fight another war. On the other hand, the War of Justice should be fought without mercy against warlords, drug lords, and terrorist leaders.   IV. Ten Precepts on Military for Mankind and War of Justice. On Victories contains these five books written by Lee Yuri:

• Analysis of Sun Zi’s Art of War
• The Essence of War Principles by Clausewitz
• Sun Yat-sen’s Principles of Revolution
• Essays on Sun Zi’s Art of War
• Essays on Military Doctrines.

He urged soldiers and commanders to study these books. For a country to be strong and to prosper, its politicians and government leaders should practice the principles stipulated in On Victories on all aspects of government and the conduct of war. Because the war is a people’s war, Lee Yuri expected the also the people to read On Victories .

Instead of expecting readers to read that book of 600,000 Chinese words, I have summarized them in the following 10 precepts for your review.

• What is necessary to win the War of Justice :

This requirement was given by Sun Zi in Chapter 1 on Planning for War and interpreted by Lee Yuri as “What is first required of us to win the war is dao 道. What is dao ? It is the good governance by the government leader and military commander. If the leader and commander practice dao , their citizens will be in complete accord with their leader. The people will follow the leader in the War of Justice with no regard to their lives, and undismayed by any danger. They will be imbued with a must win attitude, and fight for their country fearlessly in all situations.“ This precept also implies that if a government does not practice dao , the citizens will not fight for that government.

• Winning the enemy by the War of Justice .

Victory in the War of Justice requires that the people of the enemy have a new government that practices dao . If you have no plan to build this new government of dao , then you are not ready to fight the War of Justice. This strategy can also be described as subduing your enemy with justice so that he becomes your friend. If you should win the war without a battle, the rationale for this precept becomes compatible to the saying of Sun Zi that subduing your enemy without battle is of supreme excellence. The way to “subdue” your enemy is to build a government of dao to serve the enemy’s people or to convert the existing government to one that practices dao for its people. Prevailing should not be achieved by killing only.

• The forms of war :

The war can be a water cannon fight, a crusader war, a revolutionary war, a conventional war, a prolonged war, a guerrilla war, a propaganda war, a psychological war, a media war, a legal war, a nuclear war, a cold war, an ideal or absolute war, a deterrent war, a war of poverty, a trade war, a war against self-destruction or, finally, a War of Justice. Clausewitz identified this  expanded list of wars The world has suffered through or fought all of these wars, except completion of the last war. It is also appropriate to suggest that a war of poverty and a trade war can be identified as part of a War of Justice. Some of these war forms will be elaborated later. In order to win the battle of these wars, Clausewitz believed that it was important that the commander conducts a scientific analysis of the battle and that the government leader sets the objective of the battle and provides the commander with the resources and authority necessary to execute the battle. The form of the war can affect the specific objectives to be established and the time and timing to fight the war.

• The principle to win the war : This principle that was enunciated by Sun Zi is interpreted by Lee Yuri as “If you (the leader and the commander) know your situation and that of your enemy, you will not be endangered in hundred battles. If you do not know the situation of your enemy but only yours, you may win or lose with no certainty in the outcome of the war. Lastly, if you know neither, you will lose every battle.” (Knowing means that you know all aspects of the countries fighting the war: how to fight the battle, what you should and can do during the battle, what is the likely war casualty, can you definitely win the war, and how you can achieve lasting peace after battle victory has been achieved?)
• The need for people to know the Art of War :  Lee Yuri said, “Whether you are strong or weak, it all depends on the thrifty of the Art of War.” He also said, “Wars will be with us for centuries. The world of today has wars. We must promote “Military for Mankind” and educate the people in the right Art of War. The Art of War is the foundation of military might, and the war knowledge of the people, military generals and government leaders is the Great Wall of the country”.
• The essence of fighting any war : “In today’s world, if you can fight, you will persevere. If you cannot fight, you will die,” Sun Yat-sen said. The word “fight” is interpreted as “win in wars against enemy within or without”. Lee Yuri further stated that a government without dao, corrupted officers and greedy people are internal enemies that can cause a country to self-destruct or die.
• The virtues of leaders and commanders : Sun Zi said, “A leader or a commander must have these five virtues: wisdom, honesty, humanity, courage, and discipline.” Lee Yuri expanded on this with “The wisdom is the device of a good plan that ensures success. With honesty, a leader can mete out appropriate awards and penalties and make his administration, especially its financial operation, transparent. With humanity, he cares for his soldiers, his people and his enemy. With courage, he remains calm in the face of adversity and leads the fight. With discipline , he is solemn, respectful and strict in operation of the military and government.” Lee Yuri pointed out in his book, On Victories, that President Roosevelt, President Truman, General and President Eisenhower, General Marshall and General MacArthur had these leadership characteristics and were visionaries.
• The time to fight the war : This was uttered by Sun Zi and interpreted by Lee Yuri as “The visionary leader lays his plans well before sending his troop to fight. The good and kind commander makes his plans for a short battle, a quick war and a complete victory.” Sun Zi also said, “The leader does not moves his troops unless he sees an advantage to his country; does not use his troops unless there is victory; and does not send his troop to fight unless his country is in peril.” The basic principle of establishing the time to fight and win must be firmly adhered to by the leader and commander.
• The basis of winning the battle : Sun Zi said, “A skillful commander first makes his army invincible. When he discovers an enemy’s weakness, he seizes the opportunity, attacks swiftly, and spares nothing to defeat his enemy.” Sun Zi then summed up this point as “A commander who commands his troop, not only cultivates his dao, but also preserves the integrity of his military system. He will take advantage of an enemy’s weakness and ensure victory.” Earlier, Sun Zi described the military system as the organizations, rules and supports in getting the military operational. Similar logic should be applied to the leader of the government and the operation of his governmental system.
• The benefit of victory : In contrast to counting how many people you killed and how many countries you colonized, winning the War of Justice should give you peace for centuries and justice and prosperity for all. This precept emphasizes the importance of winning at all three fronts: peace, justice and prosperity. The war has not ended if we win at only one or two fronts. A corollary of this precept is to fight no war that has the potential to bankrupt yourself.

Because the fighting power of the world’s major powers is so superior, winning a battle over a lesser country is a foregone conclusion. As a result, we differentiate the doctrine for Military for Mankind and War of Justice from the conventional doctrine on military and government operation by emphasizing the following factors:

1. Justice for all people, but without mercy for warlords, drug lords, and terrorism lords. 2. Winning the hearts of the people following the battle 3. The essential for a government to practice dao , i.e., to have good governance.

V. On the World. In the last three decades, international exports increased at a rate of about 9% a year or about 12-fold. The improvement in productivity, removal of trade and investment barriers, growth of international and national markets, and innovation and development of high-tech and information systems have contributed to this dramatic increase. However, despite these successes, financial crises still develop. Many countries are fighting for resources and battling for trading advantage. People are suffering as a result of high unemployment and/or lack of food and medicine.

Will we have peace, justice and prosperity for the world in 20 years? Based on the outcome of the wars fought during the last 20 years, the answer may be negative. However, the progress in world affairs by the major powers gives us hope that we will have a yes answer.

Before elaborating more on the yes or no issue, we will examine from the perspective of Military for Mankind and War of Justice the world’s current conditions, discuss the world order, and address the root cause of wars and financial crises. After further examination of China’s situation and that of the USA and the relationship between the two countries, we have five recommendations for the world to act on.

Table 1 contains six groups of data that characterize the strengths and weaknesses of four countries. The first group is the resources that the four countries have. Their productivities are appeared as the second group. The third group is the debt owed by governments. The investment by these countries in their military operation is shown as the fourth group. The last two groups are data of the health of their people and some indices characterizing the corruption of government operations.

Table 1. Resources, productivity, debt, military expenditures, health and corruption of four countries.

* The conversion is calculated at assumed values of $100 per barrel and $4 per 1,000 cubic feet. ** The first number is years of remaining reserves based on oil reserves. The number in parenthesis is the number of years increased by the shale reserves if consumption remains at the same rate. *** The public debt of USA does not include the debt $5T owed to governmental agencies such as Social Security Trust Funds. Foreign entities own $5.72T of the $12.1T public debt; The Federal Reserve owns $1.79T, State and Local governments own $0.7T; and private entities and individuals own $3.89T. The public debt of China includes $2T that is incurred by provincial and local governments. **** www.transparency.org.

VI. New World Order. The recent signing of a chemical weapon agreement with Syria and a nuclear weapon agreement with Iran by six major powers — USA, China, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany — certainly indicate the emergence of a new order of the world’s powerful countries. Among these six countries, USA is clearly a superpower . This is due to the Americans’good citizenship; its highly regarded functional legislatures; its exceptional legal system; the strength of America’s democratic government; the superiority of its armed forces; its No. 1 status in GDP; innovation, business practice and business size; and the abundance of its natural resources. With its present, new leadership, China’s GDP will grow rapidly, the corruption will be controlled and the country will progressively move from a developing country to a developed country. Then, China may advance to second rank among world powers.

Five of these major powers have nuclear armaments. They understand well the disastrous effect on the world of a nuclear war. The possibility of nuclear wars among the six major powers is nil.

The relationhip of Russia and China to the four other major powers is no longer like that to the Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin or the China led by Mao Zedong. Instead, the six major powers are working together to reach an agreement with Iran for a reduction of its nuclear stockpile. Although this agreement is only the first step towards ensuring that Iran will not possess nuclear weapon, the signing of theagreement reflects a major breakthrough by the six major powers in that they are working together first to impose economic and financial sanctions on Iran and then to negotiate a compromise for all parties. Hopefully there will be no nuclear threat to Israel and the world by Iran and Iran will revise its government operation so that it will no longer be regarded as a state that sponsors terrorism.

The second good news item is that USA, Russia and Syria have worked out an agreement to free Syria of its chemical weapons. At present, all chemical weapons have been identified and ships that are capable of destroying the weapons are on their way to Syria. The destruction of all Syrian chemical weapons that were sold to that country by Western powers will relieve Israel and the world of one key security concern about Syria. On the other hand and based on the outcome of the Iraq and Afghanistan war, the approach taken by the USA to resolve the conflict between the Syrian government and its opposition forces will not succeed in building a Syrian government that can govern the Syrians well. It is not likely that USA will be fighting a Syria war, but the human suffering of Syrians caused by a Syria war is simply not acceptable. A new way to deal with the Syrian conflict must be developed jointly by the USA and Russia.

All other countries of the world will be separated into those countries that are civilized and those that are uncivilized. A civilized country works within international laws. It has demonstrations that can be regarded as peaceful. Some have high unemployment and operate with huge government deficits. These countries do not sponsor terrorism. Their legislators and government officials are elected by a majority of their citizens or by a selected group.

We will use the China throughout her Century of Humiliation as an illustration of an uncivilized country. During that period (up to 1949), internal turmoil was produced by government corruption and/or the greed of warlords. China suffered and many people died. Mentioned in his 1932 book The Japanese Prison in Shanghai War, Lee Yuri told his fellow inmates that the turmoil and corruption that were happening in China would destine China to extinction. Several countries (excluding the USA) took advantage of China’s situation to compound further the atrocities of killing or looting in China.

The uncivilized countries are usually governed by a dictator or tyrant. As a way to protect his interests within his country, the dictator may use his power and resource to export terrorism to the world. Iraq was such a state.

VII. Corruption and Greed . The root cause of most world problems is the corruption of some officials and greed of some people. Three incidents or crises will be examined to support this reasoning. The first is the financial crisis of 2008, the financial loss and human suffering of which are given in Table 2.  In contrast to the second incident — the Iraq and Afghanistan War — the financial loss of 2008 crisis was about eight times the financial cost of the War. The human suffering of the first incident is in the form of unemployment and company bankruptcies, whereas that of the second incident is given in numbers of military deaths and wounded personnel.

Table 2. Cost and Suffering of Three American Crises or Wars.

* The first number is the sum of row 4 and 5 of Table 3 on military deaths and wounded personnel. The second number does not include the deaths of terrorists and people wounded by, or getting cancer through, the Attack.

The financial crisis of 2008 resulted first from the greed of some financial executives who sought more commissions by granting mortgages to unqualified home buyers. At the same time, the home buyers hoped to be enriched by inflation and committed themselves to purchase homes that they could not afford. Meanwhile, some industries were overburdened by labor costs and became uncompetitive. Unable to survive the financial crisis, many companies declared bankruptcy and were reorganized subsequently. Fortunately, wise decisions made by the governments and people and the correction of the financial system imposed by governments enabled many banks and companies to recover. One noticeable example was the return of General Motor to its position as the leading automobile manufacturer in the United States. The description of the cause of the 2008 financial crisis certainly supports the suggestion that our government and laws could not restrain people’s greed. As a result of this failure, there were enormous financial losses and unspeakable human suffering.

The Iraq and Afghanistan war is the response of USA to the third incident which resulted from terrorists’ greed for revenge. These two wars were made under an unwise decision (i.e. USA can win easily). The estimated cost of the war is given in a report by Linda Bilmes and Joseph E. Stiglitz. This report states, “The fresh calculation — which includes the cost of spiraling veterans’ care bills and the future interest on war loans — paints a grim picture of how America’s future at home and abroad has been mortgaged to the two conflicts entered into by George W Bush in 2001 and 2003.” The report’s stark conclusion is, “There will be no peace dividend and the legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars will be costs that persist for decades.” The projection can be much grimmer if another Saddam Hussein emerges in Iraq and the Taliban retakes Afghanistan.

Corruption usually means the acceptance of bribes by government officials. From the perspective of Military for Mankind, Government and Business and War of Peace, Justice , and prosperity; corruption means these seven crimes or unjust practices:

• Taking bribes,
• Obtaining votes by unethical means to get elected (for the purpose of getting more money or power),
• Using governing power beyond the ordinary (as exemplified by the power grabbing of Mao during The Cultural Revolution),
• Wasting government funds (as in the building of a bridge to a deserted island),
• Gouging customers for profit (as in the use of patent law or monopoly position to set up unjust pricing),
• Polluting air, land and sea for more profit,
• Avoiding or evading fair taxation (as exemplified by the move of a company to a country that has no corporation tax).

With this broadened definition of corruption, two issues should be addressed. In many countries, executives are granted lavish bonuses whether or not they improve their company’s performance. In other countries, government officials who get important projects done well and at an optimum cost are not rewarded with a bonus. As a result, accepting bribes becomes a necessity for them to have a living standard that is comparable to those who receive a bonus. The second issue is for the companies to not use the loopholes in international laws and the legal protection of domestic laws to earn extraordinary profits and not pay a fair share of taxes. If the companies are conducting themselves properly in their business practices, people will have more money to invest in their country and the country will have more money to deal with the problem of overspending.

VIII. On the United States of America. “In the twentieth century, no country has influenced international relations as decisively and, at the same time, as ambivalently as the United States. No society has more firmly insisted on the inadmissibility of intervention in domestic affairs of other states, or more passionately asserted that its own values were universally applicable.“ This is a statement that was made by Kissinger in his book, Diplomacy .

How successful is the U.S. ambivalence and passion? Table 3 gives the casualties that the USA has suffered in wars since World War II. In World War II, U.S. casualties were high. If it were not for this U.S. sacrifice and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world would not be as good and peaceful as it is today.

Table. 3. American casualties in wars during the last sixty years (source: Wikipedia).

* The U.S. casualties in the Pacific Theater were about 67% of those listed.

During World War II in the Pacific Theater, the atrocities committed by the evil Japanese Empire to Asian countries were horrendous. As an example, 40 million Chinese persons were killed in that war. The reparation established by the San Francisco Peace Treaty merely required Japan to return the property that it had looted from China. Injustice was perpetrated on China by the signers of the Treaty.

The Korean War may be described as stagnant. The good news is that we have a strong South Korea that practices dao and that China is helping the world to change the behavior of North Korea. Although the U.S. retreated hastily from South Vietnam, Vietnam is changing by itself. Overall, we may say that the sacrifice of the U.S. in these two wars has been somewhat justified.

After we won the battles for Iraq and Afghanistan, we built up the world’s two most corrupt governments through the democratic model of U.S. The U.S. sacrifice did not end with a halt to the killings between the Sunnis and Shiites of Iraq. As our troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the Taliban is poised to overrun the current government.

Hopefully, the leaders of the U.S. can appreciate three lessons of these two wars. The first is that the people of Iraq and Afghanistan differ from Americans. What is important to us may not be important to them. When we apply our system and/or passion to them, the government that is built up may not function in the way that we expect. Second, we need to do a better job of Precept 4, i.e., knowing yourself and the enemy. We knew that we could win the battle for Iraq, but did not know that we could not establish a good Iraqi government. Knowing how to win a battle that is not a War of Justice as defined by Precept 2, is not a sufficient reason for the U.S. to send its generals, men and women into harm’s way to do an impossible job. Thirdly, USA did not select the right timing to fight the war (Precept 8). If the economic sanction were extended for a few years, Saddam Hussein might surrender and USA would win the battle without a fight.

The two world’s foremost reserve currencies are the U.S. dollar (62%) and the Euro (24%). Economist Paul Samuelson and others have maintained that the overseas demand for the dollars enables the United States to maintain persistent trade deficits without causing the value of dollar to depreciate or the flow of trade to readjust. This monetary advantage of the USA is further enhanced by the country’s superpower so that the U.S. treasury bonds become the vehicle into which foreign countries invest their export/import surplus.

The Federal Reserve has set the interest rate at an unprecedented low level to promote economy recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. Such an interest rate significantly lowers the U.S. government’s burden of paying interest on the public debt.

Samuelson stated in 2005 that, in some uncertain future period, these pressures (the continuous accumulation of trade deficits, the printing of paper money, the increase in public debt, and an increase in interest rate) would precipitate a run against the U.S. dollar with serious global financial consequences.

If the U.S. does default on its public debt, will that make the U.S. government one of poor governance (i.e., the violation of Precept 1)? However, a better question to ask is whether we should do something now to reduce the pressures or wait until bankruptcy before we reorganize the U.S. back into its status as the world’s superpower. The revamping of General Motor suggests that the U.S. and Americans will succeed in the reorganization.

The world has many conflicts. Another world financial crisis is on the horizon. One important thing for the U.S. to consider is what changes in our foreign and domestic policy we should make so that we can still be the superpower and the country that works for peace, justice and prosperity throughout the world.

IX. On China “The Chinese economy displays both unmatched dynamism and unrivaled complexity. Since the early 1980s, China has consistently had the most rapidly growing economy on earth, sustaining an average annual growth rate of 10% from 1978 through 2005.“ This is a 2006 assessment of China by Barry Naughton in his book The Chinese Economy . The China’s GDP in 2013 is expected to grow to $9.16 trillion, which is much higher than the $5.8 trillion GDP of Japan. In January of 2014 it was reported that China may already have edged out USA as the country that has the highest level of trade of all countries. Most importantly, the Chinese now know that they must depend on growth in their domestic market to ensure that the dynamic growth of their economy continues.

President Xi Jinping is the new leader of China. His China Dream is to make China rich with goodness. He also has a Military Dream, which is to make the armed forces of China strong and committed to winning the War of Justice for all people.

In China, a new leadership team is elected by party members about every 10 years. The election of leaders involves an elaborate process. The leaders so chosen are well prepared to do their jobs and each has a specific assignment.

Let us use the rise of Xi to the presidency of China to explain how the Chinese election works. First, his father was prosecuted during The Cultural Revolution. As a result, Xi was sent out to a poor county for reeducation. However, his father was released from prosecution and assumed an important role in the success of the market economy policy of Deng Xiaoping. Xi’s effective dealings with the people in that county and his hard work gained him admittance to Tsinghua University, a top ranking university in China. Before his rise to the upper echelon of the central government, he listened to the concerns of people and worked to resolve them. He worked diligently to attract foreign investment. Resources are allocated to support the growth of new foreign and domestic companies. Before he became president, he had cultivated an important leadership position in the military.

His China Dream really motivates all Chinese not only to become richer, but also to become good citizens. Even if the defense expenditures as a % of GDP remains at the current level (which is about one half of that of the USA), his Military Dream will narrow the gap in the number of weapons between USA and China. China’s success in the landing of Chang’e 3 on the moon certainly suggests that their technology or quality gap in military technology may be narrowing. If Xi can effectively resolve the problem of corruption, China will be a formidable opponent of the USA.

Let me offer six personal observations (derived from my contact with Chinese persons of various levels and my readings of Chinese news) for consideration by the readers:

• Government Control. Practically speaking, the government owns all lands and most companies in China. Because of the abolishment of agriculture tax for all farmers, they will not be considered in this observation as persons working for the government. Accordingly, we can be assured that the workforce that is employed by the government will constitute a much larger percentage of the population than that of the other major world powers. As the government gains more experience in running the market of China, foreign companies that exporting goods to China may be asked to do more than selling their products to China and taking their profits out of the country.
• Infrastructure. Everyone knows that infrastructure is being constructed in China at an unprecedented level. Its accomplishment in this regard is even more amazing as a country with the least corruption (according to the corruption index listed in Table 1) may not be able to do it at the quality and for the cost that China achieves.
• Corruption . My merchant friends regard corruption in China as rampant. On the other hand, many foreign companies thrive without bribing officials and some companies, wanting to increase sales, got convicted by China for bribery.
• Farmers around prospering cities. The farmers are taking extra job as small businessmen and earning a great deal of extra income.
• No housing bubbles in robust cities. Many people there are betting for housings. In addition, the farmers are buying houses in cities so that their children can have a better education. The two top most priorities for Chinese families in China are owning a house and getting the best education for their children.
• Education . Good and free education is available for every child. Children in remote areas are learning English and computer skills. Recognizing the moral bankruptcy subsequent to The Cultural Revolution and the rise of materialism following Modernization, schools are taking the lead to promote the teaching of Confucius, Mencius, and dao in order to give the future generations a moral anchor.
• Research and Development. This is aggressively pursued as exemplified by the success in building a high speed railway system, sending a rover Chang’e-3 to the moon and making enormous progresses in biological science and engineering.

Three critical issues require our consideration:

• The first is whether we want China to be a formidable friend of the USA.
• Second, should we do everything in our (super)power to weaken China so that she will never be our opponent?
• Third is whether USA, China, Britain, France, Germany and Russia should collaborate and become the maker of peace, justice and prosperity of the world.

Before we consider these issues, one thing that Precept 4 calls for is that we know Chinese and China. Martin Jacques said in his book, “Soon, China will rule the world”. If his “soon” means in the next 10 to 50 years, this statement is definitely not supported by the data given in Table. 1. However, he did point out that the West was ignorant of China and its culture. If the U.S. is ignorant in these aspects, can U.S. make objective assessments of and intelligent decisions on the three issues mentioned earlier?

Here is an example of how the new China conducts foreign policy and practices the for-mankind doctrine. By avoiding domestic political affairs and funding the construction of a pipeline system across Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, China wins the friendship of these countries, stabilizes their economic and political conditions, and resolves China’s energy needs. Similarly China and India have improved their relations by signing a border agreement while China and Vietnam are working to resolve their dispute concerning the South China Sea.

As China’s economy was improving, Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao and the leaders before them made a significant investment to build up the educational system. The graduates are assuming important government positions. Many of them are committed to correcting past errors, such as the corruption of government officials, and leading their nation to new heights. These two Chinese leaders worked vigorously to establish a system that can eliminate corruption in government and greed in people.

With the rise of Xi to the presidency and Li Keqiang to the premiership of China, their determination to clean up the government, the threat that corruption may destabilize the Chinese government will disappear. China will have a strong and wise government to serve her citizens.

Many world events indicate that China is a major power for world peace. It is not the China of the 20th Century. China is destined to grow and be a country for mankind.

X. On Sino-American Relation . A good relationship began in 1784 as the “Empress of China” sailed to Canton, China. Washington signed a Sea Letter and sent a delegate with the hope that the Empress of China could open up a new pathway and a new market to bring new life to the newly formed USA. The Americans took gentian roots from the Appalachian Mountains and red and white wines to China. They brought back a great deal of Wuyi tea (Bohea) from Fujian and china, which generated a huge profit for the sponsors of the ship. One of the sponsors was Robert Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Up to 1949, the USA was the friendliest of the “Imperialist” countries to China. During World War II, the USA provided a huge amount of supplies and materials with which China could fight the evil Japanese Empire. Many brave Americans came and risked their lives to help China fight the Sino-Japan War. Flying Tigers downed 2,600 Japanese airplanes. The Americans who lost their lives in the Pacific Theater as listed in Table 3 may have reduced Chinese casualties by tens of millions. Similarly the strong resistance of China to Japan’s invasion weakened Japanese capability to fight against MacArthur’s brazen island hopping assault. China should also be grateful to the USA and Great Britain for China being appointed as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations.

Unfortunately the ascendance of Stalin and Mao to power and the fighting of the Korean and Vietnam War degraded Sino-American relation to an adversarial relationship. The USA’s China policy became one of containment.

Fortunately, the establishment of a normal Sino-American relationship through Ping-Pong Diplomacy and trade between China and the outside world has increased rapidly. The granting of most favorable nation trade status to China by President Bill Clinton further increased trade between the USA and China.

On the other hand, the USA’s containment policy is still in effect as demonstrated by the military confrontations that have occurred in the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea. However, the improvement in submarines, the increased range of missiles, and the number of nuclear warheads of China make the containment policy obsolete.

The USA must have a new China policy so that confrontation will seldom be escalated into a battle with human casualties. Equally important is that the major powers should never think of a nuclear war as a means to destroy the other major powers.

The meeting of President Obama and Xi at Sunnylands, California is a good beginning. Their desire that the USA and China form a new major nation relationship is so important that the world would applaud it.

Americans do a great deal of good in the world. They also do things that are not good. Similar comments apply to the Chinese. If they do collaborate to resolve world conflicts peacefully (i.e., with minimal human casualties), then U.S.A, China and the world will have and enjoy a win-win-win situation.

XI. Recommendations. Some suggestions were made earlier for the two countries being assessed here. Five general recommendations are given below for consideration by all civilized countries:

• On Corruption and Greed : The world should work together to reduce seven forms of corruption or greedy crimes described earlier. The United Nations needs to develop a body of international laws for use in prosecuting the crimes. Countries that are unwilling to enforce the laws should be excluded from world trade. Domestic laws should be amended or rewritten to reduce crimes of corruption within and without.
• On International Collaboration : All countries — the major powers and lesser nations — should collaborate in world affairs and use trade, instead of deadly weapons, as a means to change a government to one of good governance. Human values and the suffering in each country differ. The killing of people should be the first issue to be addressed by collaborative effort. Changes to an existing government are less formidable than the formation of a new government that is free of corruption.
• On the Prevention of Financial Crisis : The culprit in this crisis is corruption, government overspending, insufficient taxation, export import deficits, and low interest rates that are unsustainable. The government and the people must make some sacrifices to ensure that there will be no financial crisis and the associated economic human suffering for decades.
• On Research : The world may run out of oil and gas in 20~30 years. We should invest in the research and technology necessary to deal with this issue. Investment needs to be made by the world on technologies that will lead to more energy, higher food production, and more practical medical technology so that energy, food and healthy people will be there to run the world when there is no longer any oil output from the ground.
• On Education : The people need to be educated on what is Military, Government and Business for Mankind, why we fight the War of Justice , how to be a good citizen in a way to assure that our government does practice dao , what sacrifices are needed to assure effective government operation, and answers to other issues raised in this article. People must learn that greed, injustice and doing things only for their own self-interests are culprits that will destabilize their government and create wars among countries.

The tasks called for by the recommendations are being done by the world. We just reword them under the perspective of Military for Mankind, the War of Justice and a broadened definition of corruption to highlight the urgency for the world to carry out the tasks.

Corruption and financial crisis can cause a country to self-destruct. The USA and China should join forces in a war against self-destruction.

1. This book, others and essays written by Lee Yuri are on the website: www.leeyuri.org . Hard copies can be obtained with a donation.

American Diplomacy is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to American Diplomacy.

This book, others and essays written by Lee Yuri are on the website: www.leeyuri.org. Hard copies can be obtained with a donation.