Changes and Transformations of Wars and Armed Conflicts. Theoretical Approach

Waldemar Krztoń

doi:10.47459/jssi.2022.12.2

Abstract

Wars and armed conflicts have accompanied mankind from the beginning of history and belong to the category of social phenomena. They became a permanent part of the historical process and are changing with it. Throughout history, wars have changed, as have views on the phenomenon of war, on war theories and strategic concepts. These views were and are a derivative of the progress of civilization. Since the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, societies and nations have been the cause and target of wars to the larger extent than countries. Territory and power are no longer the primary causes and goals of armed conflicts. The analysis of these changes allows us to call these phenomena “new wars”. The article presents the issues of changes and transformations of wars and armed conflicts. It was stated that defining war as a political act was no longer sufficient. It was also established that in a changing world, new forms of war existed and would continue to emerge. The classic war, however, is not yet gone.

Highlights

Wars and armed conflicts have accompanied mankind from the beginning of history and belong to the category of social phenomena
Neither of the reasons can be considered fundamental and decisive. This impenetrable tangle of various motives and causes, which gives no hope of concluding peace, is primarily a simple consequence of the fact that it is not states that fight in new wars, but parastatal entities
Terrorists, organized crime groups, paramilitary units, mercenary units, groups of local warlords and separatists are the parties to the conflicts more and more frequently

Summary

Introduction

Wars and armed conflicts have accompanied mankind from the beginning of history and belong to the category of social phenomena. They became a permanent part of the historical process and are changing with it. War has been a subject of scientific interest for a long time. It has been and is one of the most dealt with problems over the centuries. With regard to the research problem and the analysis of the literature, the following working hypothesis was formulated: in a changing world, new forms of war occur and will appear. The classic war, will not disappear for a long time

The understanding of war in modern times

Objectives of information warfare

Changes and transformations of wars and armed conflicts

Conclusions