War as an instrument of politics

Authors

  • Oliveiros S. Ferreira Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Brasil image/svg+xml

Keywords:

State, War, Violence, Interest, Enemy

Abstract

Since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, war has been seen as a matter of the State, not of private individuals. The distinction is important because war is an act of violence and, as such, may be confused with the violence that citizens normally experience. Being a matter of the State and not of private individuals, it is, in itself, a political fact, in the sense that it necessarily has political objectives that are set by Governments. On the other hand, it is important to bear in mind that States have interests that they must defend. Some are negotiable, others are not; wars are waged around these interests. That is why it can be said that war is an instrument of politics. Whether a war of aggression or a defensive war, it is always waged so that the policies of Governments may be realized.

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Author Biography

Oliveiros S. Ferreira, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Brasil

Professor de Relações Internacionais na Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo. Professor de Política na Faculdade de Filosofia da Universidade de São Paulo. Professor Emérito na Escola de Comando e Estado Maior do Exército.

References

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Published

2004-03-01

How to Cite

FERREIRA, Oliveiros S. War as an instrument of politics. Brazilian Journal of Criminal Science, São Paulo, v. 47, n. 47, p. 377–385, 2004. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.ibccrim.org.br/index.php/RBCCRIM/article/view/4307. Acesso em: 13 nov. 2026.

Issue

Section

Crime e Sociedade
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