Elements of the Modern Concept of Peace

Abstract

This article surveys and criticizes classical bourgeois definitions of peace as well as those in common use in Western peace research today, seeing their main weakness in a lack of comprehension of the relationship between peace and societal forces and the class struggle. Today, political and military détente must be seen as basic elements of peace, and must be assembled in an adequate relationship to each other, bearing in mind the changing cor relation of forces. Increasing economic and scientific cooperation between the opposed systems has an important role to play in this respect. In order to create the conditions for lasting peace, antagonistic class structures have to be abolished.