The new war is about the people not nations between nations.

Nature of Civilizations

Classifying countries in terms of 1st, 2nd,3rd world are obsolete as its more meaningful to group them in
terms of culture and civilization. Culture is mostly derived from geography; culture of a village to a
whole country of Italy has the same but it is different from culture of Germany. Civilization is the
broadest cultural identity a person identifies themselves to be, a tier below the umbrella term human
race.

Characteristics of a Civilization

 Common language, history, religion, customs and institution

 The broadest identification of common culture
 People can self-identify themselves as a member of a certain civilization
 Small or large number of People
 May include sub-civilizations (Western civilization – European and North American)
 They rise and fall; Divide and merge

Conflict among civilizations are determined to be the most important conflict in the future.

The first reason is because the differences among civilizations are a product of a centuries old
beliefsregarding God and man, individual and group, citizen and state, parents and children, husband
and wife, rights and responsibilities. Though it is important to know that conflict does not necessarily
mean violence.

The second reason is because interactions among civilizations became more convenient over time.
Today it is easy to travel and cross borders. North African immigrants can create hostility among the
French because of there differences.

The third reason is because more and more people separate from their longstanding identities as
economies and technologies prosper. As people separates from their identity, fundamentalist
movements are created (their goal is to relive the former identity).

The fourth reason is because the failure of western ideologies of socialism and nationalism prompted a
return to roots phenomenon among non – western states

The fifth reason is because these cultural characteristics are less likely to be changed (because of the
first argument) than economic and political ones. Cultural identities can result to discrimination like
religion or race.

The last reason is because of the increase in economic regionalism (Trade between countries in the
same area i.e ASEAN, EU etc.). Economic regionalism stimulates civilization-consciousness. For
economic regionalism to prosper it must have common civilization. European community was successful
beause they trade with cultures the same with them, NAFTA was successful because of same culutures
of Mexico Canada and America.