Send Them Peace

Send Them Peace

Global Political Violence. What are the Numbers/ Where is it happening ?

Here is a fascinating interactive map, which helps to place Global Political Violence in perspective. A Legend or explanation is provided here below this screenshot, tracing from 1989 to 2014 ... Once on their page click, the "Play" button, as seen below at bottom left in this picture, to see the year by year progression.

 

Global Political Violence - Where and How Many Fatalities.jpg

 

 

UCDPGED Definitions.jpgIt is striking to see how from year to year, certain regions/ countries display near-constant presence in the phenomenon of global violence.

 

If you quickly notice a large circle over Afghanistan and Pakistan, you have correctly identified a real problem area. The results look like this:

 

 

Conventional wisdom that suggests escalating violence however, is quite wrong. This Preface confirms that, as do several of the graphic items below.

 

 

350000 Direct War Deaths in Afghanistan Iraq Pakistan.jpg

 

 

Here is another perspective on this component of Global Violence. 

 

Current Headlines certainly attract attention. "That's their job," some would say. But historically, is our World getting more involved with war or less so? Or perhaps, no change? Have a look : (click on any of these images to enlarge as needed) 

 

Avg Conflicts per Year 1950 to 2008.jpg

 

Historical Perspective :

 

Rate-of-Violent-Deaths-in-Nonstate-and-State-Societies_Max-Roser.png

 

 

From a U.S. perspective ...

 

Americans in Uniform during various wars.jpg

 

 

 

U.S. Casualties by War ...

 

US casualties-by-war.jpg

In the past, did most of the deaths of soldiers fighting in the war result from bullets and canons? ... No, hardly. Here are Union side statistics:

 

Union Deaths by Cause.jpg

 

Wars have always been associated with high rates of illness.

And on both sides of the U.S. Civil War conflict, Disease accounted for 76% of deaths.

 

causes-of-the-civil-war-through-reconstruction-38-728.jpg

 

 

How is "religion as a source of conflict" viewed? :

 

Views of religious-conflict.png

 

A clear relation between poverty and corruption seems inescapable. The lower the per capita income of a country, the higher its corruption score :

 

Corruption-Income.png

 

 

Why leaning towards restrictions on religions is a mistake ...

 

Restrictions on Religion and Social Hostilities.png

 

If you still had any questions about Syrian refugees that start with "why?" or "why now?" ...

 

Total_deaths_during_the_syrian_civil_war_(October_2013).png

 

Since these figures were published, the death rate has only increased. What was 60,000 reported below, is now upwards of 90,000 ...

 

Syrian Death Toll - 2011 and 2012.jpg

 

 

More perspective on comparative conflict magnitudes (click to see more clearly) :

 

Conflict-death-tolls-in-perspective.png

 

Reactions :

Information presented to the public globally, tends to be in a format that dramatizes events. The result is an odd protection of violent events from a balanced presentation. Unbalanced and shocking news, feeds a viewer appetite for violence as entertainment. A sure cure for boredom, some would say. When they announce: "the following video contains graphic elements, and viewer discretion is advised," ... everybody looks. The reports have increasingly taken on a cinematic quality, with news reporters evolving a "look," and a manner of hurried speech, as though barely having time to divulge their secrets to ignorant listeners. Through dress, and overall style, the networks aim whenever possible, at increasing the drama. They seek to be "stars" in their own right. Increasing the drama frequently presents unbalanced representations of world events and the "State of the World," where both good and bad are actually taking place. Fearmongering becomes a major contributor to public bias, misconception, and wrong perceptions. Wrong actions follow wrong perceptions.

 

Because there is also much good.

 

Let us remain hopeful that Violence is decreasing as suggested here :

 

 

Battle-related deaths in war.jpg

 

 

Decreasing Violence.jpg

 

 

 

There are of course other Global Risks besides War (click to see more clearly) :

The Global Risk 2015 Report.png

 

So if "things are better, not worse," ... does that mean that SendThemPeace. com should quietly pack up The Challenge and forget about it?

 

Not at all. Especially since Human Rights Abuse can exist independent of the presence of war.

 

As long as there remain individuals in the world who are suffering,

Compassion needs to be sent their way.

 

Others may interpret this need as a need for financial resources, manpower, aid programs, better education, eradicating illnesses, technological advancement, deposing despots,... all are laudable. Here at SendThemPeac.com, we'll continue to combine the efforts of increasing numbers of diverse individuals, unified through their participation in The Challenge. Useless, or effective? Stay tuned.



07/12/2015
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