Would Women Have Come Up With War?

[Sherry Darling]

Some feminist/peace scholars think that, if women were in the highest positions of power, we could abolish war. (Gandhi, for one, thought this.) I don't think many could argue that history has been largely controlled by men, and that is has been violent. So I ask

1. Is war inevitable? Just a part of human nature?

2. If women had been in charge throughout history, would war have been?

SD

 

[STING2]

Queen Elizabeth had her share of wars. The Iron Lady "Margaret Thatcher" and Secretary Albright were not Pacifist.

My answer to the question is, yes. I believe the instinct to survive is just as strong in women as it is in men. Female leaders would certainly do what is necessary to defend their countries and would recognize that sometimes war is a necessity.

 

[Dreadsox]

My wife wanted me to reinlist after 9/11. She also wanted to purchase a gun. I think the maternal wanting to protect her cubs thing was really kicking in.

I don't know......

Maybe she wanted to get rid of me.....

 

[verte76]

There would have been wars if women had been in charge. Joan of Arc insisted on going to war. Boudicea (not sure of that spelling), a first century C.E. queen of the Britons, led a revolt against the Romans. I tend to think of war as more of an acquisition instinct than anything else, but that's absolutely just an opinion.

 

[BAW]

I think that if women had been permitted to hold the same positions of power as men from the beginning of time, yes, the same wars would have been fought.

 

[Blacksword]

The powerful women of history tend to be forgotten. Others on the list include Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra who conquered most of the Easter portion ofthe Roman Empire in the 3rd Century AD. Then there were the ladies of Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire who more or less ruled the Empire through their sons and grandsons. The great Byzantine Emperor Justinian would have washed up without his wife Theodora, and I don't think anyone would call Catheriine the Great of Russia a pacifist either.

Some feminists blame this on male influence but amongst all manner of species the females are hardly the most pacific. A good way to die is to get between a mother bear and her cubs. Female lions are the primary hunters.

 

[BVS]

Yes there would be wars, but far far fewer.

 

[Dreadsox]

The powerful women of history tend to be forgotten. Others on the list include Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra who conquered most of the Easter portion ofthe Roman Empire in the 3rd Century AD. Then there were the ladies of Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire who more or less ruled the Empire through their sons and grandsons. The great Byzantine Emperor Justinian would have washed up without his wife Theodora, and I don't think anyone would call Catheriine the Great of Russia a pacifist either.

Some feminists blame this on male influence but amongst all manner of species the females are hardly the most pacific. A good way to die is to get between a mother bear and her cubs. Female lions are the primary hunters.

I am adding you to my list of FYMers I would like to have a beer with.

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

Well ... I would tend to think that the women who would have been in power would have been inclined to go to war. It's just the nature of people in charge, I suppose.

I guess it would entirely depend on the personalities of the women, but looking at the women who have held powerful positions, I don't think you can really say one way or another. Not all men in power have gone to war, so ... I think it probably is an inevitable part of human nature.

 

[Angela Harlem]

I dont know a terribly large number of leaders personally, but I'd think there is not too much of a difference that can be defined by gender. In general it takes something very few of us really understand, to run a country. We can all sit here on our arses and debate and criticise those we've elected (or not elected) but realy, what the hell do we know? At that level, I dont think the men are different to women in the same way they are in every day life. You dont really get a much higher up job than leader of a country and there is a hell of a long distance between us and them. Neh, I dont think the women would have done it much different.

 

[Blacksword]

I am adding you to my list of FYMers I would like to have a beer with.

I'll drink to that.

 

[Salome]

I don't really see any reason why it would be different