The Politics of War

"Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed" (Mao Tse-Tung 1893-1976)

This statement on war breaks the concept of fighting down to its simplest. The definition of war is a state of armed conflict. Before those involved become armed with weapons, there is simply a conflict. In conflict there is disagreement, argument, different opinions and sides. These concepts are what make up both politics and war, with the only difference being that war involves the killing of those in opposition. By taking away our weapons in war, we are left with are words and political opinions. By adding weapons to politics, war and bloodshed are created because the disagreement has moved beyond a level that can be debated. This statement can reveal the truths of the American Revolution. At the point that the American colonies decided to declare war against Great Britain, Thomas Paine's Common Sense stated that the time of debate was over and that open arms were the only resort. Politics and war are the same, they just function with different methods.