The Negative Effects Of War

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The Negative Effects of War

War refers to a state of conflict between different groups or different countries. There are

wars between nations and within nations. However, it should be noted that over the years, wars

are mostly fought either to conquer a territory or due to differences based on race, religion,

socio-economic, and political dissatisfaction among others. By the end of it, the victorious

countries or group gains a lot even after the loss suffered in all terms. Perhaps what is more

important is that everyone understands war as a dangerous and destructive activity which is

usually associated with either positive or negative effect. Therefore this paper is an analysis of

the adverse effects of war.

The adverse effects of war are both physical and psychological. As far as the mental

effects are concerned, post-traumatic stress disorder commonly referred to as PTSD is more

common to victims of war. Psychologists define PTSD as psychological conditions which are

triggered by terrifying events either by experiencing it or by witnessing it. In addition to this,

they argue that all the victims whether a fighter or a witness of war are exposed to this mental

condition. PTSD undermines the victim's foundations whether a child or an adult regardless of

age, culture, and gender. However, some psychologists associate PTSD with the usual human

response to intense experiences. Conducted research indicates that after witnessing, experiencing

and sometimes after participating in the war, the victim's experiences typically nightmares,

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flashback, and uncontrollable thought among other. It’s worth nothing to mention that PTSD is

associated with other problems that affect people’s quality of life, capacity to work and their

ability to relate to others. Thus it implies that the victims of war may come in one way or

another, whether directly or indirectly end up being exposed to other psychological such as

depression and anxiety. Therefore it should be noted that war negatively affects people's mental

response. Such effects may cause problems for the rest of the person's life. And as mentioned

earlier, this ends up interfering people's quality of life, capacity to work and their ability to relate

to others. The fact remains that civilians who suffer from psychological and invisible scars of

war many. The psychological effect of war on civilians may involve trauma as a result of issues

such as forced labor, conscription as a child soldier, rape, torture, displacement, and assault.

Perhaps people should have it in their mind that emotional and psychological injuries may be the

most enduring effects of war despite that fact that such effects are less addressed (Lucina 41).

On the other hand, the adverse psychical effects of war are more familiar to many.

Inflation in the prices is among the common and visible immediate impact of war. Whenever

conflict arises, there is no doubt that the economy of the country will be affected whether

directly or indirectly. The general public suffers economically when the prices increases and as

well when the higher taxes are imposed. Furthermore, the public may encounter low quality of

life. Maybe what needs to be addressed more as far as inflation is concerned is that war causes

the currencies to lose worth thus making the countries to get driven into an economic depression.

Due to such economic depression, the prices tend to hike, and as well, the law of demand and

supply emerges to rule the business. Simply what this means is that when the demand for a

particular commodity is high, then the supply will be low and vice versa. However, it should be

noted that during the war, the products will obviously be low thus the demand for commodities is

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expected to be high and the supply to be low. Such law will see many people hiking the prices

leaving the member of public negatively affected (Lere and Patience 53).

Moreover, war leads to an increased burden as far as the economy of the country is

concerned. When nations or group of people engages in battle, the country’s infrastructure might

get involved in the management of war-related issues. As a result, there exist low funding in

education, healthcare industry, infrastructure development, and as well the business necessities

that are required by the people of the country. Furthermore, what makes the economy of a nation

to worsen is the fact that during the wars, the state may suffer from the destruction of

infrastructures. The damaged buildings in return lead to interruption of school activities, loss

work, increase in pressure on health service and damaging of the transportation services.

Abandonment of profit-generating projects by the government undermines the economy of the

country hence affecting the life of the citizens. In addition to this, the government pressure on

health increases. For example, civilians and soldiers attack may increase government’s burden on

health services (Aryab 21).

Vandalize of human lives is another adverse effect that is associated with war. Issues

such as relocation of citizens, displacement of the people and death affect the victims of war

during and after the war and sometimes even before the war starts especially during the training

of the soldiers. The main effect of such issues is the labor force as it's evident that industries

workforce will reduce as a result of relocation and death among others (Gabriel). It should be

noted that reduced workforce affects both the winners and the losers of the war. The two parties

both suffer while reconstructing their infrastructures, reconstituting prospects, and as well in

realigning the workforce. Also, the issue of demobilized and hurt soldiers cannot be left out as

far as the adverse effects of wars are concerned. The residue effects of war in most cases are a

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demobilized and hurt soldiers and as well a reduction of soldiers. It's also associated with the

national debt and reduced employment prospect in the country.

Perhaps what is more sensitive to war is that it affects the only environment that a human

being has. It seems like almost every state undermines the international law that provides for

environmental protection during the war. Most wars especially war between countries is

characterized by the application of weapons, destruction of oil fields and fire. Also during the

war, there are a lot of military transport and chemical spraying especially during the 21

century

which is characterized by nuclear weapons. All these are the destroying impacts that war may

have on the environment. All these may either result in the killing of living things or polluting

the air, soil, and water. Murder of living things be it, people, animals or plants means the end of

life. On the other hand, polluting the environment may indirectly lead to the death of the living

things hence the end of life. For example, exposing the nuclear gases may lead to global

warming which results are acidic rain which in return destroys the aquatic animals and as well

other living things. In addition to this, the military movements and weapon application may

result in land degradation. What is more cautious is that destruction of industrial and military

machinery may lead to the release of heavy metal and other substances that may be harmful to

the soil (Thompson).

We also need to know that war are expensive before we engage in one. Maybe this

sounds rhetorical, but if people can keenly think about it, then they will find it that conflicts are

linked with draining of wealth. All wars especially the recurring one has drained the country's

wealth, depressed economic growth and as well drained the wealth. Many nations are forced to

seek financial and workforce assistance from well-wishers. The case of world war is an excellent

example to this where some countries ended up borrowing financial aid, and as, a result, such

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states were left with a massive debt whether in the form of money or other resources. Also as

mentioned above, war disrupts markets whether internationally or locally. It should be noted that

whenever conflict arises, it becomes hard to manage labor because thus affecting the products

directly. Despite that, resource availability is directly affected by wars. It will not be easy to

transport the resources due to fear of attack during the wars. Besides, the trade will be disrupted

because the traders will not risk their lives for business during the battles. Thus, it’s worth

nothing to say that a country without trade and manufacturing may not have enough tax.

Therefore the respective governments will not be in a position to fund the projects that leads to

economic development of a country (Matthews Cara 8).

Furthermore, the issue of displacement is an issue that needs special analysis as the

victims of war are directly linked with such problem. Forced migration experienced during the

times of war can adversely affect both an individual and the community at large. Whenever war

breaks out, many people flee their homes in fear of losing their families and lives. As a result,

they become displaced either internally or externally. What is more worrying is that those who

are internally displaced are exposed to threat as they do not receive similar rights with the

refugees. Moreover, their lives are exposed to more danger because they are not eligible for

protection as per the international system requirement. Such displace in one way, or another can

lead to a severe economic impact and as well losing the community or families (Lucina 52).

Also, education is the main project that is expected to generate profit and as well to lead

people in acquiring the skills and knowledge. With such capabilities, people will be innovative

and creative. However, when a state is experiencing an economic crisis, there will be increase in

poverty hence decline of education. Conflict-affected countries are known statistically to produce

the highest number as far as that unschooling child is concerned. Thus one can argue that war

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affects education indirectly. Affecting education means interrupting the economy of a country as

the labor workforce will be affected and as well the innovative and creative people will be

affected. Thus the nation will lose regarding tax hence interruption in social, economic and

political development (Lere and Patience 54).

In addition to this, the issue of sexual violence cannot be overlooked. The most common

type of sexual abuse during wartime that is committed by the combatants is rape. Furthermore,

such sexual violence may include raping with objects and as well gang rape. In some situations,

women and girls are forced into sexual slavery or prostitution. All these are counted s sexual

violence cases. Psychologists suggest that during wars, rape is used as a way of psychological

welfare in an attempt to humiliate the enemy. After the war, the victims of war are left suffering

from no one to help them. Some of the sufferings include increase single parent cases as a result

of children whose father is nowhere to be seen, breaking of families, and increased poverty as a

result of an increased population in a suffering economy (Landler Mark 17). Sometimes rape can

even lead to depression hence affecting the victims psychologically. As mentioned above, cases

of PTSD are likely to be experienced by the victims after the war is over. Moreover, men can

find themselves in the same situation with women and girls. The raping of men is also common

during the war, leaving men with the physical and psychological repercussion similar to those of

women and men. It should be noted that most of the time's war rape takes place in zones of

conflict. Thus it becomes difficult for the victims to access the emergency contraceptives,

antibiotics or/and abortion services. It, therefore, implies that the victims are exposed to sexually

transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, maternal molarity, gynecological problems and as

well unsafe abortions. Furthermore, objects cause virginal fistula to women (Gabriel).

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Finally, war disorganizes the community by interfering with the social welfare of the

people. It results in gender difficulties which are neither addressed nor recognized by the

mainstream communities. During wars, there is a separation between women and men leaving

women and sometimes death leaving one of the parties or even children with a dramatic

economic cost effect. As a result, many are left to bear the entire financial responsibility for their

household. In addition to this, increased cases of marital disputes are associated with wars. As I

mentioned earlier, this leaves women and children with a burden of looking for jobs to support

the livelihood of their families (Aryab 143). What is more important to note is that war affects

children and women more differently. The reason behind such difference is the fact that women

and children are likely to die from indirect causes as opposed to direct effects of war. Contrary to

this, men are likely to die from an immediate cause such as direct violence during the wars.

Furthermore, many people link peace with equality between men and women. Thus it implies

that whenever conflict arises, the cases of inequality tends to increase. Sometimes, some

researchers associate peace with life expectancy. The argument behind this is that most women

live longer when they are in order as compared to situations of war where the gender gap of life

expectancy drastically decreases in the male to female ratio (Aryab 45).However, there is no

doubt that the adverse effects of war as discussed in this paper are either short-term or long-term

effects. Short-term effects are those effects that can be felt by the victims of war immediately

during and after the war. On the other hand, the long-term effects of war are those that can affect

the victims even a hundred or more years later after the war is over. Examples of short-term

effects are inflation, destruction of properties, family breakdown, and economic suffering among

others. On the other hand, long-term effects include death, psychological effects, displacement,

interference with labor force and social welfare interference among others.

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In conclusion, it has become evident that in whichever way a country may benefit from

war, scholars associates war with negative approach owing to the amount of destruction it causes

to the human life and property. As mentioned earlier the victims of war are exposed to both

psychological and physical effects. The mental effects are characterized by trauma, PTSD,

depression, and anxiety while the physical effects include the destruction of property, death,

inflation, and reduced workforce among others. Perhaps what many people don't know is that

there are several ways of addressing daily issues apart from war. The 20

century represents the

century with the most recorded war deaths in history. Some effects of war can be felt as late as

centuries after, for example, the results of the world war are still with us one hundred years after.

It should be clear to all that fight brings miseries as well as the economic and political instability.

When people are under threat, their day to day life is affected. What is happening in Somalia and

Nigeria where the respective governments are fighting Al- Qaeda and Boko Haram terrorism

groups respectively is a dire reflection of the tragedy war brings. The victims end up with scars

whether emotionally or physically for life. To my point of view, a human must avoid conflicts at

all cost because it not only leads to underdevelopment but also it encourages suffering to the

victims. If only people can practice tolerance and respect each other, then there is no doubt that

we can protect our lives. Observing understanding and respecting other also means that there will

be stability within and between countries hence absence of wars. Before engaging in battle, the

people need to know that war rarely lays road to any positive. Even though there will be a winner

after the war, the fact remains that also the winner will encounter loss in one way or another.

Therefore, the United Nations should put every measure to ensure that the increased cases of war

are resolved and that people's rights are observed. By doing so, people will learn to respect each

other and after that peace will control the world.

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Works Cited

Aryab, Zaryab. War and the Health of Nations. Stanford University Press, 2010.

Gabriel, Liulevicius V. "EZProxy Authentication for Rockland Community College

Library." EZProxy Authentication for Rockland Community College Library,

Scholastic, Inc., 2014,

ezproxy.sunyrockland.edu:2089/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&sid=9c0867d7-

357d-4122-b48b-f81d73ae69d0%40sessionmgr102. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

Landler Mark. "Europeans Worry About War's Economic Ripples." New York Times,

21 Mar. 2003, p. W1,

ezproxy.sunyrockland.edu:2149/docview/432345587?accountid=8068. Accessed

10 Dec. 2017.

Lere, Amusan, and Ejoke U. Patience. "The Psychological Trauma Inflicted by Boko Haram

Insurgency in the North Eastern Nigeria." In Aggression and Violent Behavior,

vol. 36, 2017, pp. 52-59.

Lucina. "The Effects of war and Famine and Parental Education on early Childhood

Mortality." International Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 30, no. 5, 2001, pp. 447-55.

Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

Matthews Cara. "With state leaders at war, will the people's business move forward?" The

Journal News, 7 July 2007, p. B1,

ezproxy.sunyrockland.edu:2149/docview/442947512/FA29D1F140174CC4PQ/19?ac

countid=8068. Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

Thompson, Caitlin. "The Psychological Effects of War on Children." Borgen Magazine,

8 Aug. 2014, www.borgenmagazine.com/psychological-effects-war-children/.

Accessed 10 Dec. 2017.

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