Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

peace

 
Dictionary: peace   (pēs) pronunciation

n.
  1. The absence of war or other hostilities.
  2. An agreement or a treaty to end hostilities.
  3. Freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations: roommates living in peace with each other.
  4. Public security and order: was arrested for disturbing the peace.
  5. Inner contentment; serenity: peace of mind.
interj.
Used as a greeting or farewell, and as a request for silence.

idioms:

at peace

  1. In a state of tranquillity; serene: She is at peace with herself and her friends.
  2. Free from strife: Everyone wants to live in a world at peace.
keep (or hold) (one's) peace
  1. To be silent.
keep the peace
  1. To maintain or observe law and order: officers who were sworn to keep the peace.

[Middle English pes, from Old French pais, pes, from Latin pāx, pāc-. See pax.]


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Idioms: peace
Top

Idioms beginning with peace:
peace and quiet

In addition to the idiom beginning with peace, also see at peace; hold one's tongue (peace); keep the peace; leave someone in peace; make one's peace with; make peace.


Antonyms: peace
Top

n

Definition: calm, serenity
Antonyms: agitation, distress, frustration, irritation, noise, upset, worry

n

Definition: harmony, agreement
Antonyms: agitation, conflict, disagreement, disharmony, distress, fighting, war


Perhaps one of the most complex concepts in human history, peace has been used to refer to everything from “absence of war” to “equilibrium” to “a utopian state of spiritual and social harmony devoid of conflict.” These widely differing images are indicators of essential differences in ideology, culture, and perceptions of history. Understanding peace requires an acknowledgment of these different contexts as well as a willingness to explore those meanings with which we are less familiar.Ironically, the most familiar images of peace are perhaps the least helpful, as they consist of stereotypical assumptions that do not invite further examination of a complex phenomenon. These highly idealistic images generally depict peace either as the condition that exists when wars are suspended or terminated, or, conversely, as a harmonious world devoid of conflict. At best, such images provide faint shadows of peace rather than illuminate its essence. More often than not, they serve to lessen any interest in peace as a desirable or achievable state, either by devaluing it (a simple interlude between wars) or by ascribing unattainable, utopian preconditions to it (a world in total harmony without conflict). In the West, a common understanding of peace originates from the Latin pax, meaning “a pact or settlement to deter or end hostilities.” This meaning arises primarily in historical, political, and military contexts, which appear to be closely related. Given the fascination of Western historians with war, it is understandable that many continue to envision human history as a series of wars and respites from wars, and salient historical figures as warriors, military leaders, or heads of state who declare and prosecute wars against other states. Within this context, peace has come to be narrowly understood as the absence of war, the end of war, interludes between wars, or nonwar.

Accordingly, in American military history, the word peace essentially means “the absence of war.” Thus, militaries fight wars to “win the peace”—to bring about periods of nonwar through the use of force. In military paradigms, peace is seen as an ultimate or ideal goal rather than a means to an end. Those engaged in such wars tend to believe theirs will be the last, that the subsequent nonwar period of peace will be enduring, or that moments of nonwar are only interludes that will ultimately give way to future wars.

Related to this is what the Norwegian peace scholar Johan Galtung has termed negative peace, that is, the absence of war and “direct” violence. Under this kind of peace, many forms of “structural” violence (indirect, institutionalized violence) such as economic exploitation, racism, sexism, oppression, hunger, and poverty still exist.

Such narrow notions of peace say nothing about what peace is—only what peace is not. And they describe what it is not in terms of something with which we appear to be quite familiar: violence and war. Among other conclusions, we might infer from this that our knowledge about peace is at best very limited, since we seek to define it in terms of what it is not rather than what it is.

Related to this is the idyllic image of a world without conflict, pain, suffering, and struggle. Yet at all levels of human existence—from the interpersonal to the global—peace includes, rather than precludes, conflict. Conflict is a basic fact of life; thus, a world at peace will be full of conflict. What distinguishes a peaceful world, among other qualities, is the extent to which unnecessary conflict is prevented and all other conflict is managed in nonviolent ways. This idyllic image often arises out of a fundamental confusion surrounding conflict and violence. Conflict and violence are not synonymous terms: conflict can be violent, but it also can be nonviolent; it can be destructive and painful, but it also can be constructive and useful. Clarification of these concepts allows movement beyond the normative fear of conflict and negative associations with it. The existence of conflict in the future then becomes an understandable and acceptable fact of life, and the idyllic image of peace becomes unnecessary and unrealistic.

Although these shadow images of peace seem antithetical (i.e., they could be easily juxtaposed at opposite ends of a continuum depicting ideological views of peace), in fact, they have much in common with one another. Both types attempt to define peace in terms of (1) what is missing rather than what is present; and (2) one or two basic components (e.g., violence and conflict).

Once outside (Western) historical, political, and military contexts, however, peace means much more than the absence of a specific phenomenon, which it is not. For many scholars in peace studies and peace research, peace is much more than not‐war; it is much more than not‐ violence; and it is never seen as not‐conflict.

Essential Peace

If, instead, we begin with equally valid definitions of pax—and with pacific (from the Latin pacifico and pacificus, and the French pacifique)—we see a different face of peace altogether: one involving reaching agreement by negotiation (as opposed to the use of force); mediation; reconciliation; amity; calm; tranquility; or order—even “rejecting force as a means of achieving policy objectives.” Here it is important to acknowledge that peace can exist at every level of existence, from the intrapersonal (psychological, spiritual, etc.) to the global (political, sociological, environmental). Thus, generic definitions of peace become extremely problematic. Nonetheless, there is general agreement in peace research and peace studies on the broad parameters of peace.

Some peace researchers approach an understanding of what peace is by identifying the conditions necessary for it to exist. The following ideological and infrastructural conditions are not exhaustive by any means, but represent what many experts believe to be essential for peace to develop in the world: the presence of cultures of peace (vs. cultures of violence); the presence of justice (economic, social, and political); the shared democratic use of power (economic, social, and political) among people who govern themselves (“power with”) rather than the governance of the many by the few who have “power over” the many; the presence of economic and ecological sustainability; the nonviolent (vs. violent) management and resolution of conflict; the development of common security that does not rely on the threat or use of violence; the pursuit of collective and individual ends through nonviolence rather than violence; and the elimination of violence in all its myriad forms (including the “war systems” inherent in many nations). Each of these conditions requires a brief explanation.

The presence of cultures of peace refers to the social and cultural components (values, belief systems, ideologies, philosophies, theories, societal norms, etc.) that undergird and legitimate everyday life and the infrastructures we create to carry us into the future. Wars are not fought without ideologies that tell us that it is acceptable and justifiable to conduct them. The ubiquitous violence that exists in the media, in entertainment, in our schools, in our streets, and in our homes does not exist without belief systems that legitimate and encourage it. Similarly, peaceful relationships among individuals, groups, genders, classes, nations—as well as relationships between human beings and the rest of the nonhuman world—cannot exist without cultural values and ideologies that promote nonviolence, respect, and tolerance for everyone, especially those who are somehow different from us. In a culture of peace, for example, people would not be entertained by violence (nor would they seek to be entertained by it).

A fundamental ideological cornerstone of the violence surrounding us today is the idea that one's identity is primarily related to one's gender, race, national origin, political affiliation, economic status, religious ideology, or socioeconomic class. The result of this kind of identity formation is the grouping of people into “us” and “them.” Once a person or an ethnic group or a country is a “them,” they are less valuable, less important, and somehow less human than “us.” This is the first step toward dehumanizing “the other,” which in turn is the first step toward aggression and violence. Cultures of violence inculcate ideologies that give rise to the formation of these kinds of mutually exclusive identities. Cultures of peace, on the other hand, would embrace “species identity” and other inclusive forms of identifications with humanity, which Elise Boulding and Robert Jay Lifton have so eloquently examined in their research and writings.

The presence of justice at all levels (economic, social, and political) refers to the ways in which individuals and groups are treated by society and one another. While justice is a highly debated term, there is little disagreement that peace can exist without it. In particular, this is true because the existence of injustice implies ongoing structural violence against certain peoples or groups. As Johan Galtung notes, the Greek eirene, the Hebrew shalom, and the Arab salam take us beyond the Roman pax to an understanding of peace that includes “justice.” In this view, peace is not only the absence of all violence (including underlying structures of violence) but also the presence of justice (Galtung calls this positive peace).

The shared democratic use of power is relevant to all personal and social relationships, but especially to those in the arenas of governance, business, international relations, and global security. In his groundbreaking work Three Faces of Power, the American economist Kenneth Boulding identifies three basic forms of power (“threat,” “exchange,” and “integrative” power) and argues that integrative power is the most important of the three, as it is what gives rise to relationships of respect, love, friendship, and so on.

The presence of economic and ecological sustainability is essential because economic or ecological development that is not sustainable assumes dysfunctional levels of injustice and violence in the present moment and ultimately will lead to conflict, violence, and systemic imbalance. A peaceful world requires basic levels of security, which are ensured, in part, by stable economic systems and viable ecological relationships with the natural world.

The remaining four conditions fall within the category of nonviolence. While nonviolence can refer to anything (change, transformation, revolution) that happens not to be violent (as in the case of “nonprincipled nonviolence”), this term is used most often in peace studies to refer to the waging of conflict and the transformation of society through the power of active love. Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolence (ahimsa and satyagraha) was “the pursuit of truth through love.” The strength of nonviolence emanates from an understanding of the origins of power: all power derives from the consent of the governed. The political scientist Gene Sharp carefully explains that known histories of successful nonviolent struggle and conflict resolution date back to the fifth century B.C.

Peace requires the nonviolent management and resolution of conflicts for many reasons, not least of which is found in the shadow of peace, which defines peace as the absence of violence. Violence (from the Latin verb violare) means “to violate.” Violence can be verbal, psychological, emotional, and spiritual—as well as physical. It can be collective as well as individual.

As Duane Friesen makes clear, to do violence to someone is to violate the integrity of that person. Gandhi saw life as one long “experiment with truth,” wherein each person possesses a small piece of the truth and conflicts are the moments in which we learn from one another about our separate and collective truths. Waging conflicts violently, then, is the antithesis of being interested in the truth; it is a means to “win” a conflict temporarily—not to be right in the long run. For most in peace studies, violence cannot be seen as conflict resolution: it is, instead, only the violent waging of conflict for reasons that are legitimated by cultures of violence.

For the same reasons that nonviolent conflict resolution is necessary, peace also requires the development of nonviolent systems of common security; the nonviolent pursuit of collective and individual ends; and, ultimately, the elimination of all forms of violence, whether direct or indirect. Thus, for example, personal growth and individual success, interpersonal relationships, social change and transformation, and the conduct of international relations will need to be reenvisioned as nonviolent means and ends rather than accepted as status quo violent means and ends.

Peace Development

In the languages of Western culture, peace is a noun, not a verb. It is an object, a goal, a future state of being to be passively wished for and waited upon. No one “does” peace. Yet peace, like war, requires intensive preparation, organization, training, and education. It also requires immense resources and commitment. Peace will not exist without being developed and built from the ground up.

Peace development requires leaders: those who can envision a world without violence and design its blueprints. Peace development also requires actors who will transform the elements of nonpeace into the fabric of peace. The shadow of peace assumes that geopolitical entities called nation‐states are the fundamental units of analysis, and that the political and military leaders of these nation‐states are the primary actors and leaders. The development of essential peace, on the other hand, is not limited to nation‐states and their leaders. Rather, essential peace requires the effort of individuals, communities, local and regional governments, teachers, nongovernmental organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, networks, and the nontraditional loci of nonviolent power.

Since essential peace can exist at all levels of existence, from the spiritual to the global, the paths to its successful development are many: there is no one “right” path to peace and there is no one “right” leader who will take us to it. This awareness allows for everyone to contribute to the building of peace in their lives and in their communities. According to many Eastern religions and philosophies, peace at all levels of existence is interconnected. Therefore, the development of peace in one arena of the world may contribute to the development of peace in many arenas of the world.

[See also Pacifism; Peace and Antiwar Movements; Quakers.]

Bibliography

  • Louis Fischer, The Life of Mahatma Gandhi, 1950.
  • Mohandas K. Gandhi, An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth, 1957.
  • Joan V. Bondurant, Conquest of Violence: The Gandhian Philosophy of Conflict, 1958.
  • Gene Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action, 3 vols., 1973.
  • Ira Sandperl, A Little Kinder, 1974.
  • Kenneth Boulding, Stable Peace, 1978.
  • James A. Schellenberg, The Science of Conflict, 1982.
  • Duane Friesen, Christian Peacemaking and International Conflict: A Realist Pacifist Perspective, 1986.
  • Ervin Laszlo and Jong Youl Yoo, eds., World Encyclopedia of Peace, 1986, 1989.
  • Robert J. Lifton, The Future of Immortality and Other Essays for a Nuclear Age, 1987.
  • Elise Boulding, Building a Global Civic Culture: Education for an Interdependent World, 1988.
  • Sissela Bok, A Strategy for Peace, 1989.
  • Kenneth Boulding, Three Tales of Power, 1989.
  • David P. Barash, Introduction to Peace Studies, 1991.
  • Michael Shuman and Julia Sweig, eds., Conditions of Peace: An Inquiry, 1991.
  • Johan Galtung, Oxford Companion to Politics of the WSVW, 1993

[pēs]

n. 1. freedom from or the cessation of war or violence: the Straits were to be open to warships in time of peace.

2. a treaty agreeing to the cessation of war between warring states: support for a negotiated peace.

3. freedom from civil disorder: police action to restore peace.

keep the peace refrain or prevent others from disturbing civil order:

the police must play a crucial role in keeping the peace.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.


The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, is derived from a root denoting wholeness or completeness, and its frame of reference throughout Jewish literature is bound up with the notion of shelemut, perfection.

In the Bible, the word shalom is most commonly used to refer to a state of affairs, one of harmony, tranquillity, and prosperity. Shalom is a blessing, a manifestation of Divine grace. Of course, it also denotes the opposite of war, for the absence of war, too, suggests an orderly and tranquil state of affairs.

In rabbinic texts, shalom primarily signifies a value, an ethical category; the overcoming of strife and enmity in family, communal, and national life, and the prevention of war. It is still depicted as a manifestation of Divine grace, but in many sayings it appears in a normative context: the pursuit of peace is the obligation of the individual and the goal of various social regulations and structures.

The rabbis went to great lengths in their praise of peace, to the point of viewing it as a meta-value, the summit of all other values. Peace is the ultimate purpose of the Torah, and the essence of prophecy and redemption; Shalom is the name of God, the name of Israel, and the name of the Messiah.

Nevertheless, the sages discuss the relationship between peace and other values, such as justice and truth. One view is that peace, justice, and truth are fully harmonious and complementary (TJ, Ta'an. 4:2). However, there are also discussions concerning which value prevails in cases of conflict. In this context, even where peace is given priority it is viewed as an individual, partial value that must compete with other values. Thus, one may lie for the sake of peace (Yev. 65b). Furthermore, according to R. Joshua ben Korḥa, strict justice is incompatible with peace; a judge should therefore temper justice with peace and rule in favor of compromise (TJ, Sanh. 1:5; TB, Sanh. 6b; the opposing view is "let justice pierce the mountain," that is, justice at all costs).

The unique development of the philosophical and mystical literature in the Middle Ages is reflected in its portrayal of peace as an ontological principle. Peace was elevated to the level of the cosmic, the metaphysical, the Divine. Peace is the foundation of all being, the principle that harmonizes contending forces within each individual object and reconciles the separate elements of nature as a whole. Ultimately, peace is the embodiment of the Divine immanence in the world: "God is the ultimate form of the world, and in this He comprehends all and joins and unifies all, and this is the very essence of peace" (R. Judah Löw ben Bezalel, Netivot Olam, Netiv ha-Shalom, 1).

Peace and War Jewish sources, from the Bible on, acknowledge war as a given of human existence. It is a reflection of the real, yet fallen, human condition in history, as opposed to the meta-historical era of the End of Days. War reflects the actual situation of man, but not his destiny.

The post-biblical discussion of this question was greatly influenced by the reality of Jewish powerlessness. Neither war nor peace really stood as concrete options for the Jewish people. Only the wars of the Gentiles belonged to historical reality; the ancient wars of Israel were a matter more for theology than for politics. The Jew waged war against the evil inclination far more than he did against any historical foe. Peace, too, was discussed primarily from a utopian perspective, in light of the prophetic vision of eternal peace.

In this context, three different models of peace were put forward. According to the first model, peace will eventually be achieved by a transformation of the consciousness of the individual. Thus, Maimonides viewed intellectual perfection as the guarantor of peace. The apprehension of truth, the universal knowledge of God, will displace man's attachment to illusory goods and destructive impulses, and completely eliminate the irrational factors that cause conflicts and wars (Yad, Melakhim 12:5; Guide III, 11). According to the 11th-12th century Spanish thinker Abraham bar Ḥiyya, on the other hand, man's destructive impulses are to be overcome not by an intellectual change but by an emotional one, namely, by a sense of intimacy and love that will grow among men in the Messianic era, once they have all chosen to adopt the same faith and path (Hegyon ha-Nefesh, 4).

According to the second view, the people of the world will be made to live in peace by being brought together under a single universal framework. Thus, David Kimḥi (Commentary to Isa. 2:4; Mic. 4:3) and Isaac Arama (Akedat Yitsḥak, 46) portrayed the Messiah as a supreme, utopian judge who would make peace between the nations. This vision speaks not of a human society that has risen above all striving and conflict, but rather of a kind of international court whose authority and righteousness are accepted by all. Other thinkers envisioned a kind of Pax Judaica, a single, central government in Zion to which all peoples would be subject (Saadiah Gaon, Book of Doctrines and Beliefs, 8:8; Albo, Sefer ha-Ikkarim, 4:42).

A third view anticipated the achievement of peace by an internal reformation of the socio-political order. In the teachings of Isaac Abravanel, war was described as a consequence of man's historical and cultural fall, a fall that is embodied preeminently in man's technological civilization and political tradition and institutions. Ultimate redemption is destined to bring about the demise of materialistic civilization and the disappearance of political structures and boundaries (Commentary. to Gen. 3:22, 4:1, 17, 11:1 and elsewhere). In the teachings of Isaac Arama, on the other hand, peace and war are discussed in relation to the presently operative political and judicial order. The closer the laws and the political order come to satisfying the natural, universal sense of justice, the more peace will tend to overcome war (Akedat Yitsḥak, 46, 81, 105a).

The emphasis on peace in Judaism is demonstrated by the fact that all major prayers (including the Amidah, the Kaddish, and the Grace After Meals) conclude with a prayer for peace, as does the Priestly Blessing (Num. 6:27).


A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce


n.

In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.

    O, what's the loud uproar assailing
        Mine ears without cease?
    'Tis the voice of the hopeful, all-hailing
        The horrors of peace.
    
    Ah, Peace Universal; they woo it --
        Would marry it, too.
    If only they knew how to do it
        'Twere easy to do.
    
    They're working by night and by day
        On their problem, like moles.
    Have mercy, O Heaven, I pray,
        On their meddlesome souls!
                                                               Ro Amil


Word Tutor: peace
Top
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Freedom from war or fighting. Also: Calm or quiet.

pronunciation World peace must develop out of inner peace. — Dalai Lama

Quotes About: Peace
Top

Quotes:

"Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." - A Course In Miracles

"Harmony is one phase of the law whose spiritual expression is love." - James Allen

"Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun." - Martin Amis

"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live." - Marcus Aurelius

"Right human relations is the only true peace." - Alice A. Bailey

"If the history of the past fifty years teaches us anything, it is that peace does not follow disarmament -- disarmament follows peace." - Bernard M. Baruch

See more famous quotes about Peace

Wikipedia: Peace
Top
Gari Melchers, Mural of Peace, 1896.

Peace (symbol: ) is a quality describing a society or a relationship that is operating harmoniously. This is commonly understood as the absence of hostility, or the existence of healthy or newly-healed interpersonal or international relationships, safety in matters of social or economic welfare, the acknowledgment of equality and fairness in political relationships and, in world matters, peacetime; a state of being absent of any war or conflict. Reflection on the nature of peace is also bound up with considerations of the causes for its absence or loss. Among these potential causes are: insecurity, social injustice, economic inequality, political and religious radicalism, and acute racism and nationalism.

From the Anglo-Norman pas , and meaning "freedom from civil disorder", the English word came into use in various personal greetings from c.1300 as a translation of the biblical terms pax (from the Vulgate) and Greek eirene, which in turn were renderings of the Hebrew shalom. Shalom, cognate with the Arabic "salaam", has multiple meanings: safety, welfare, prosperity, security, fortune, friendliness. The personalized meaning is reflected in a nonviolent lifestyle, which also describes a relationship between any people characterized by respect, justice and goodwill. This latter understanding of peace can also pertain to an individual's sense of himself or herself, as to be "at peace" with one's own mind attested in Europe from c.1200. The early English term is also used in the sense of "quiet", reflecting a calm, serene, and meditative approach to the family or group relationships that avoids quarreling and seeks tranquility — an absence of disturbance or agitation.

In many languages the word for peace is also used a greeting or a farewell, for example the Hawaiian word Aloha. In English the word peace is used as a farewell, especially for the dead as in Rest In Peace, RIP.

Contents

Peace and conflict studies

Detail from Peace and Prosperity (1896), Elihu Vedder, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.

Peace and conflict studies is an academic field which identifies and analyses violent and nonviolent behaviours as well as the structural mechanisms attending social conflicts with a view towards understanding those processes which lead to a more desirable human condition.[1] A variation on this, Peace studies (irenology), is an interdisciplinary effort aiming at the prevention, deescalation, and solution of conflicts. This is in contrast to war studies (polemology) which has as its aim the efficient attainment of victory in conflicts. Disciplines involved may include political science, geography, economics, psychology, sociology, international relations, history, anthropology, religious studies, and gender studies, as well as a variety of others. Peace is a world of love not animosity.

Religious beliefs and peace

"Justice and Peace shall kiss" depicts a biblical scene, referring to King James, Psalms#Psalm 85 Psalms 85.

Buddhists believe that peace can be attained once all suffering ends. To eliminate suffering and achieve this peace, they follow a set of teachings called the Four Noble Truths — a central tenet to their philosophy.

Jews and Christians believe that true peace comes from a personal relationship with God. Jesus Christ (also called the "Prince of Peace" in the Book of Isaiah) stated: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

Inner peace

Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy homeostasis and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.

Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, T'ai Chi Ch'uan or yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.

Satyagraha

Satyagraha (Sanskrit: सत्याग्रह satyāgraha) is a philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). Gandhi deployed satyagraha in campaigns for Indian independence and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha theory also influenced Martin Luther King, Jr. during the campaigns he led during the civil rights movement in the United States.

Justice and injustice

Since classical times, it has been noted that peace has sometimes been achieved by the victor over the vanquished by the imposition of ruthless measures. In his book Agricola the Roman historian Tacitus includes eloquent and vicious polemics against the rapacity and greed of Rome. One, that Tacitus says is by the British chieftain Calgacus, ends Auferre trucidare rapere falsis nominibus imperium, atque ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant. (To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace. — Oxford Revised Translation).

Movements and activism

Peace movement

A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war (or all wars), minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace. Means to achieve these ends usually include advocacy of pacifism, non-violent resistance, diplomacy, boycotts, moral purchasing, supporting anti-war political candidates, demonstrations, and National Political lobbying groups to create legislation.

Pacifism

Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes or gaining advantage. Pacifism covers a spectrum of views ranging from the belief that international disputes can and should be peacefully resolved; to calls for the abolition of the institutions of the military and war; to opposition to any organization of society through governmental force (anarchist or libertarian pacifism); to rejection of the use of physical violence to obtain political, economic or social goals; to the condemnation of force except in cases where it is absolutely necessary to advance the cause of peace; to opposition to violence under any circumstance, including defense of self and others.

Pacifism may be based on moral principles (a deontological view) or pragmatism (a consequentialist view). Principled pacifism holds that at some point along the spectrum from war to interpersonal physical violence, such violence becomes morally wrong. Pragmatic pacifism holds that the costs of war and inter-personal violence are so substantial that better ways of resolving disputes must be found. Pacifists in general reject theories of Just War.

Organizations

There are many organizations which has bought peace.The nations are United Nations, Red cross, Red crescent and Group of boys and girls. These organizations also help in the wars.They are available in every war

United Nations

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achieving world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue.

UN peacekeeping missions. Dark blue regions indicate current missions, while light blue regions represent former missions.

The UN, after approval by the Security Council, sends peacekeepers to regions where armed conflict has recently ceased or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. Since the UN does not maintain its own military, peacekeeping forces are voluntarily provided by member states of the UN. The forces, also called the "Blue Helmets", who enforce UN accords are awarded United Nations Medals, which are considered international decorations instead of military decorations. The peacekeeping force as a whole received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually to notable peacemakers and visionaries who have overcome violence, conflict or oppression through their moral leadership, those who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations". The prize has often met with controversy, as it is occasionally awarded to people who have formerly sponsored war and violence but who have, through exceptional concessions, helped achieve peace. In recent years, the "Nobel Peace Prize" has been less about peace, and more about political views[citation needed].

Gandhi Peace Prize

The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, is awarded annually by the Government of India. It is launched as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Gandhi in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary. This is an annual award given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The award carries Rs. 10 million in cash, convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque and a citation. It is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, creed or sex.

Student Peace Prize

The Student Peace Prize is awarded biennially to a student or a student organization that has made a significant contribution to promoting peace and human rights.

Other

A peace museum is a museum that documents historical peace initiatives. Many peace museums also provide advocacy programs for nonviolent conflict resolution. This may include conflicts at the personal, regional or international level.

Smaller institutions:

Monuments to peace

Fountain of Time honors the first 100 years of peace between the United States and Great Britain resulting from the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814.
Name Location Organization Meaning
Japanese Peace Bell New York City, NY, USA United Nations World peace
Fountain of Time Chicago, IL, USA Chicago Park District 100 years of peace between the USA and UK
Confederate Memorial[2] Arlington, Va, USA Arlington National Cemetery Southern States choosing peace over war
International Peace Garden North Dakota,Manitoba non-profit organization Peace between the US and Canada, World peace

Theories on peace

Many different theories of "peace" exist in the world of peace studies, which involves the study of conflict transformation, disarmament, and cessation of violence.[3] The definition of "peace" can vary with religion, culture, or subject of study.

Peace is a state of balance and understanding in yourself and between others, where respect is gained by the acceptance of differences, tolerance persists, conflicts are resolved through dialog, people's rights are respected and their voices are heard, and everyone is at their highest point of serenity without social tension.

Game theory

The Peace War Game is a game theory approach to peace and conflict studies. An iterated game originally played in academic groups and by computer simulation for years to study possible strategies of cooperation and aggression.[4] As peace makers became richer over time, it became clear that making war had greater costs than initially anticipated. The only strategy that acquired wealth more rapidly was a "Genghis Khan", a constant aggressor making war continually to gain resources. This led to the development of the "provokable nice guy" strategy, a peace-maker until attacked, improved upon merely to win by occasional forgiveness even when attacked. Multiple players continue to gain wealth cooperating with each other while bleeding the constant aggressor. Such actions led in essence to the development of the Hanseatic League for trade and mutual defense following centuries of Viking depredation.[5]

Democratic peace theory

The democratic peace theory holds that democracies — usually, liberal democracies — never go to war with one another.

Active Peace Theory

Borrowing from the teachings of Johan Galtung, Norwegian co-founder of the field of Peace Research, on 'Positive Peace', and on the writings of Maine Quaker Gray Cox, a consortium of researchers and disputants in the experimental John Woolman College initiative have arrived at a theory of Active Peace. This theory posits that Peace is part of a triad, which also includes justice and wholeness (or well-being), consonant with scriptural scholarly interpretations of the meaning of the early Hebrew word S-L-M or 'Shalom', called by some the Bible's word for salvation, justice, and peace. Furthermore, the consortium have integrated Galtung's teaching of the meanings of the terms peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace building, to also fit into a triadic formulation. Vermont Quaker John V. Wilmerding, Jr., founder of John Woolman College, posits five stages of growth applicable to individuals, communities, and societies, whereby one transcends first the 'surface' awareness that most people have of these kinds of issues, emerging successively into acquiescence, pacifism, passive resistance, active resistance, and finally into Active Peace, dedicating themselves to peacemaking, peacekeeping, and/or peace building.

Plural peaces

Following Wolfgang Dietrich, Wolfgang Sützl, and the Innsbruck School of Peace Studies, some "peace thinkers" have abandoned any single and all-encompassing definition of peace. Rather, they promote the idea of many peaces. They argue that since no singular, correct definition of peace can exist, peace should be perceived as a plurality.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Dugan, 1989: 74
  2. ^ http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/Visitor_information/Confederate_Memorial.html
  3. ^ http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/peaceprogram/
  4. ^ Shy, O., 1996, Industrial Organization: Theory and Applications, Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press.
  5. ^ from conversation with NCSU Professor of Sociology Kay M. Troost
  6. ^ A Call for Many Peaces, in: Dietrich/Echavarría/Koppensteiner: Key Texts of Peace Studies, Vienna, LIT Verlag, 2006. pages 282-305.

References

External links

Find more about Peace on Wikipedia's sister projects:

Search Wiktionary Definitions from Wiktionary
Search Wikibooks Textbooks from Wikibooks
Search Wikiquote Quotations from Wikiquote
Search Wikisource Source texts from Wikisource
Search Commons Images and media from Commons
Search Wikinews News stories from Wikinews
Search Wikiversity Learning resources from Wikiversity



Translations: Peace
Top

Dansk (Danish)
n. - fred, offentlig orden
int. - fred!

idioms:

  • at peace    i fred med
  • hold one's peace    holde mund
  • keep one's peace    holde mund
  • keep the peace    holde fred, ikke forstyrre den offentlige orden
  • make one's peace with    slutte fred med
  • make peace    stifte fred
  • Peace Corps    fredskorps
  • peace dividend    fredsdividende
  • peace loving    fredselskende
  • peace of mind    fred i sindet
  • peace offering    tilbud om fred
  • peace pipe    fredspibe
  • rest in peace    hvil i fred

Nederlands (Dutch)
vrede, rust, vredesverdrag

Français (French)
n. - paix, l'ordre public, tranquillité
int. - paix (excl), silence (excl)

idioms:

  • at peace    en paix
  • hold one's peace    rester muet
  • keep one's peace    maintenir la paix
  • keep the peace    maintenir la paix, maintenir l'ordre public
  • make one's peace with    faire la paix avec
  • make peace    faire la paix
  • Peace Corps    (US, Admin) organisation composée de volontaires pour l'aide aux pays en voie de développement
  • peace dividend    économies sur le budget militaire réalisées depuis la fin de la guerre froide
  • peace loving    pacifique
  • peace of mind    tranquillité d'esprit
  • peace offering    (Relig) offrande propitiatoire, gage de réconciliation
  • peace pipe    calumet de la paix
  • rest in peace    reposer en paix

Deutsch (German)
n. - Friede, Ruhe und Ordnung, Ruhe
int. - still!, ruhig!, pst!

idioms:

  • at peace    in Frieden
  • hold one's peace    schweigen
  • keep one's peace    schweige
  • keep the peace    die öffentliche Ordnung wahren
  • make one's peace with    Frieden schließen mit
  • make peace    Frieden schließen
  • Peace Corps    Friedenskorps
  • peace dividend    Friedensdividende
  • peace loving    friedliebend
  • peace of mind    innere Ruhe
  • peace offering    Versöhnungsgeschenk
  • peace pipe    Friedenspfeife
  • rest in peace    in Frieden ruhen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ειρήνη, ησυχία, (δημόσια) τάξη, (πνευματική) γαλήνη

idioms:

  • at peace    ειρηνικά, γαλήνια, σε ηρεμία, νεκρός
  • hold one's peace    σιωπώ, προτιμώ να σωπάσω
  • keep one's peace    σιωπώ, προτιμώ να σωπάσω
  • keep the peace    αποφεύγω ή προλαμβάνω την κατάλυση της έννομης τάξης
  • make one's peace with    συμφιλιώνομαι με, μονοιάζω
  • make peace    ειρηνεύω, συμφιλιώνω/-ομαι
  • Peace Corps    σώμα νεαρών εθελοντών που προσφέρουν υπηρεσίες σε χώρες του Τρίτου Κόσμου
  • peace dividend    δημόσιες επενδύσεις από μείωση των κονδυλίων για την άμυνα
  • peace loving    φιλειρηνικός
  • peace of mind    εσωτερική γαλήνη
  • peace offering    εξιλαστήριο δώρο, δώρο συμφιλίωσης
  • peace pipe    πίπα της ειρήνης (έθιμο των ερυθρόδερμων)
  • rest in peace    αναπαύσου εν ειρήνη

Italiano (Italian)
pace, calma, tranquillità

idioms:

  • at peace    in pace
  • at peace with    in pace con
  • disturb the peace    disturbo della quiete pubblica
  • hold one's peace    mantenere il silenzio
  • keep one's peace    starsene zitto
  • keep the peace    mantenere l'ordine
  • make one's peace with    fare la pace con
  • make peace    fare la pace
  • Peace Corps    Corpo della Pace
  • peace dividend    dividendi della pace
  • peace loving    amante della pace
  • peace of mind    tranquillità
  • peace offering    offerta di conciliazione
  • peace pipe    pipa della pace
  • rest in peace    riposa in pace

Português (Portuguese)
n. - paz (f), serenidade (f), harmonia (f), reconciliação (f)

idioms:

  • at peace    em paz
  • at peace with    em paz com
  • disturb the peace    perturbar a paz
  • hold one's peace    ficar quieto
  • keep one's peace    ficar quieto
  • keep the peace    manter a paz
  • make one's peace with    fazer as pazes com
  • make peace    apaziguar
  • Peace Corps    Corpo da Paz
  • peace dividend    fundo do governo para fins de guerra/outros
  • peace loving    amante da paz
  • peace of mind    paz de espírito
  • peace offering    sacrifício propiciatório (Rel.), oferta de paz
  • peace pipe    cachimbo da paz
  • rest in peace    descanse em paz

Русский (Russian)
мир, спокойствие

idioms:

  • at peace    мирно
  • at peace with    в мире с
  • disturb the peace    нарушать спокойствие
  • hold one's peace    хранить молчание
  • hold/keep your peace    помалкивай
  • keep the peace    поддерживать порядок
  • make one's peace with    мириться с
  • make peace    мириться
  • Peace Corps    "Корпус Мира"
  • peace dividend    польза для мира
  • peace loving    миролюбивый
  • peace of mind    душевное равновесие
  • peace offering    искупительная жертва
  • peace pipe    трубка мира
  • rest in peace    да будет тебе земля пухом

Español (Spanish)
n. - paz, sosiego, tranquilidad, calma, armonía, tranquilidad de ánimo
int. - Paz!

idioms:

  • at peace    estar en paz
  • hold one's peace    guardar silencio
  • keep one's peace    guardar silencio
  • keep the peace    mantener el orden, mantener la paz
  • make one's peace with    reconciliarse con, hacer las paces con
  • make peace    hacer las paces, firmar la paz, poner paz
  • Peace Corps    Cuerpo de la Paz
  • peace dividend    beneficios económicos esperados al término de la Guerra Fría
  • peace loving    amante de la paz
  • peace of mind    tranquilidad de espíritu
  • peace offering    ofrenda propiciatoria, oferta de paz, regalo hecho para hacer las paces con una persona
  • peace pipe    la pipa de la paz
  • rest in peace    que descanse en paz

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - fred, frid, lugn

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
和平, 和睦, 和约, 治安, 秩序, 祝平安!, 安静!

idioms:

  • at peace    处于和平状态
  • hold one's peace    闭口不说
  • keep one's peace    住口, 闭嘴
  • keep the peace    维护治安
  • make one's peace with    言归于好
  • make peace    媾和
  • Peace Corps    和平队
  • peace dividend    和平股息, 指冷战结束军备缩减而节约下来的资金
  • peace loving    爱好和平的
  • peace of mind    内心的宁静
  • peace offering    友好赠品, 犹太人的谢恩祭, 谢罪礼物
  • peace pipe    长管烟斗, 和平烟斗
  • rest in peace    灵魂安息

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 和平, 和睦, 和約, 治安, 秩序
int. - 祝平安!, 安靜!

idioms:

  • at peace    處於和平狀態
  • hold one's peace    閉口不說
  • keep one's peace    住口, 閉嘴
  • keep the peace    維護治安
  • make one's peace with    言歸於好
  • make peace    媾和
  • Peace Corps    和平隊
  • peace dividend    和平股息, 指冷戰結束軍備縮減而節約下來的資金
  • peace loving    愛好和平的
  • peace of mind    內心的寧靜
  • peace offering    友好贈品, 猶太人的謝恩祭, 謝罪禮物
  • peace pipe    長管煙斗, 和平煙斗
  • rest in peace    靈魂安息

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 평화, 강화조약, 치안 , 안심
int. - 평화롭다, 침묵하다, 침묵

idioms:

  • at peace    평화롭게, 사이 좋게
  • keep one's peace    항의하지 않다.
  • keep the peace    평화를 유지하다
  • make one's peace with    ~와 화해하다
  • make peace    화해하다, 강화하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 平和, 和平, 講和, 平穏, 安心, 治安, 和解
v. - 静かになる

idioms:

  • at peace    平和で, 安心して
  • at peace with    安心して
  • hold/keep your peace    沈黙を守る
  • make one's peace with    仲直りする
  • make peace    和解する
  • Peace Corps    平和部隊
  • peace dividend    平和の恩恵
  • peace loving    平和を愛する
  • peace of mind    安心
  • peace offering    和平の贈り物, 酬恩祭の犠牲
  • peace pipe    平和のパイプ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) سلم بين الأمم, سلام, هدوء, سكينه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שלום, שקט, שלווה, הפסקת המלחמה, סדר‬
int. - ‮ברכה לפרידה או בקשת שקט‬


 
 
Learn More
Pacifism
Peace and Antiwar Movements
Quakers

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Answers Corporation Antonyms. © 1999-2009 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
US Military History Companion. The Oxford Companion to American Military History. Copyright © 2000 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
US Military Dictionary. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Encyclopedia of Judaism. The New Encyclopedia of Judaism. Copyright © 1989, 2002 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more
Devil's Dictionary. Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, 1911  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial Read more
Quotes About. Copyright © 2005 QuotationsBook.com. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Peace" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more