evealed as a
half-conscious effort of human societies to adjust themselves to
changing economic conditions. It is a struggle for bread. Indeed, so
complete has been this change in our theories that we often exaggerate
this economic influence, and speak as though no emotion save hunger
impelled humanity. But such exclusion of other motives is not
necessary to an economic interpretation. We can emphasise the
influence of economic desires, which modern Americans and Germans share
with ancient Greeks and Babylonians, while still admitting the
influence of other factors. Race, creed, language, geographical
position, increase national friendship or animosity. While these
factors influence wars, however, they are less universal, if not less
potent than is the economic motive.

The significance of this economic motive to war can hardly be
overstated. If wars are in the main due to fundamental, economic
conflicts, then we cannot end or limit war unless we discover some
alternate way to compose such economic differences. We cannot hope
that the human race will stop wanting things. Men have never lived
like the lilies of the field, nor wished to live so. According to our
every-day morality, wanting and getting are ethical and wise, and
not-wanting is unethical and decivilising. Our whole intricate,
complex civilisation depends upon the physical well-being and the
economic ambition of our populations, and morally, as well as
physically, a beggared nation tends to decline. We may trace this
degeneration of impoverished groups in some of our mountainous
districts, where communities, shut off from the main productive
energies of the nation, brutalise and decay. All the conditions of our
life impel nations, like individuals, to advance economically, to
fructify labour, to gain. If, however, the nation in its struggle for
new wealth clashes with other nations, intent also upon gain, if {20}
these mobilised, economic ambitions necessarily lead to destructive
wars, then we must cease declaiming against war's immorality, and seek
instead to discover whether economic readjustments cannot circumscribe
or even prevent wars.

To a modern business man or to a city workman this theory of the
economic cause of wars is not unsatisfactory. He may quite properly
introduce more idealistic elements, a desire for independence, a love
of conquest, the influence of personal prejudices, dynastic
affiliations, racial antagonism and religi