Do you agree that the first half of a century seems to be far more violent than the second half?

Question

Generally speaking:
20th century: WW1, WW2
19th century: Napoleonic wars
18th century: ?
17th century: Thirty years war

Is this an illusion? Do you have quantitative information? Any ideas why this might be the case?

Answer 1

1861-1865 there was the U.S. Civil war so maybe not as violent but pretty darn violent in the U.S. In the 20th century though it would be hard to argue it was more violent, but how do you truly argue something was more violent then two World Wars, and there were proably other wars as to the arguement of the minor wars in the 2nd half.

Answer 2

No I disagree, for everyone gauges violence on bombs and how many people are involved when in fact each area of all the dates in history were cold wars, assassinations, dating into the 21st century and unlike back in the a 17,18, 19 we didnt have tv to broadcast the deaths from all these covert actions but yet alot of news in surpressed to make you feel safe until it comes up and bites your face off. CiA, KGB, and dont think those types will give up and disappear just because they cut the budgets. They are spies by nature and either organized or independent those types create chaos purposely to start a war. If we could identify the instigators of the affairs they are conducting right now we could avoid the big conflicts in this century but until we start identifying these secret shadow governments it will always appear that the biggest number the biggest bomb, etc. is the problem or more violent when in fact it is not. It has all balance out. For the 12 years that both Reagan and Bush occupied that white house there was more violence ever in other countries and here as well with their arms deals their coos of other governments etc. then Clinton and we had 8 years of a sort of calm and then bush jr. and right back into it again, you see 12 plus 8 is 20 years with a separation of 8 yrs to give us a rest. But it keeps a pace. Check out the dates and inbetween the dates you mention it all goes in patterns of circles.

Answer 3

It may be an illusion although it is true for the 20th century. One problem may be that you are looking at only Europe or the West. In the 19th century don't forget the American Civil War --- loss of life was 620,000. This was in the second half. Also, there was the Taiping Rebellion in China (1850-64) with an estimated loss of life near 20 million. That makes western civil wars look small. I don't see a pattern of more violence in any particular one half of a century --- first or last.

Answer 4

No. You're only citing a few wars that happened to be early in those centuries. In the 1800s for example there were major wars in the 1860s (US Civil War), 1870s (Germany, Prussia, France), 1880s-1890s (China, South Africa, Cuba). In the 1700s: 1760s (US), 1770s-1780s (US), 1790s (UK, France). 1900s : 1950s (Korea), 1960s-1970s (Vietnam, Bangladesh), 1980s (Iran, Iraq, Falklands), 1990s (Gulf War, Bosnia). Violence is pretty much spread around evenly.

Answer 5

Yeah. In the 18th century, there was a lot of war, both in America and in France because of the French Revolution and Robspierre's blood purge.

Answer 6

no