The Death Toll of a Dying Order
Though the crisis in Ukraine highlights the persistence of traditional geopolitical conflict, judging by the number of interstate wars, one might conclude that the world is more peaceful than it has been in 300 years. But the world is not in fact more peaceful, because today's wars reflect the disorder stemming from state failure.
NEW YORK – Ukraine's crisis should not blind us to the main conundrum of global affairs today: while the world is more peaceful than it has been for 300 years, when measured by the number of wars between states, the level of disorder is rising. In fact, there is growing anarchy in the world's hotspots.