Reflections by Margaret MacMillan
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Summary
- Margaret MacMillan is a prominent historian specializing in war who was born and raised in Toronto, educated at the University of Toronto and Oxford, where she studied history and politics before completing her doctoral thesis on the British in India.
- War was present in MacMillan’s childhood through family connections, as her grandparents fought in World War I and her father and uncles served in World War II, including a memorable family anecdote about unknowingly playing with a live hand grenade from the First World War.
- MacMillan defines war narrowly as a highly organized activity where one group of people tries to apply their will through force on another group, distinguishing it from random violence like bar fights or sports brawls and rejecting broader metaphorical uses like “war on drugs” or “war on obesity.”
- The combination of history and political science is valuable because political science offers testable theories and ideas while history provides specific context, and each discipline benefits from engaging with the other’s perspective.
- War is likely the most organized of all human activities when considering what goes into creating, managing, deploying armed forces and ensuring people will fight.
- Clausewitz’s famous definition of war as “politics by other means” suggests that war has purpose and goals rather than being random, though historians debate whether the German word “Politik” means politics or policies.
- Archaeological evidence suggests that once humans began settling in villages and towns they became more likely to engage in war because settled communities had possessions worth defending and attacking, as evidenced by early villages with protective walls and mass graves showing signs of violent trauma.
- A paradox of human development is that increased organization and settlement led to better capability for warfare, and success in war provided more resources to conduct even more wars, with some scholars arguing that modern state development and taxation powers emerged primarily to support warfare.
- Homer’s Iliad is considered one of the greatest pieces of writing about war, encompassing multiple aspects including warrior heroism, the cruelty of conflict, and the suffering of civilians who often become targets or spoils of war.
- The Iliad begins with the word “rage,” one of the strongest human emotions, yet the text demonstrates that rage must be contained and disciplined in warfare rather than unleashed randomly, as uncontrolled fury makes soldiers less effective.
- Good soldiers require discipline rather than pure hatred or rage, as military professionals need personnel who follow orders and maintain control rather than engaging in random violence, making Hector a better model than Achilles.
- Achilles represents problematic warrior qualities by thinking only of himself and sulking in his tent when needed, while Hector embodies the ideal warrior who fights not from desire but from duty to defend his homeland, wife, and children.
- The Melian Dialogue from Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War presents Athens confronting the neutral island of Melos with the ultimatum that neutrality doesn’t exist and they must choose sides or face consequences.
- The most famous line from the Melian Dialogue states that “the strong do what they will and the weak suffer what they must,” reflecting a realist view that power rather than honor or justice determines outcomes in international relations.
- This realist perspective from ancient Athens continues to influence modern debates between idealists and realists in international relations, with realists believing that power is the fundamental factor determining state behavior and outcomes.
Actionable Advice
- Study both history and political science together to gain complementary perspectives, using political theories to test historical patterns while grounding theoretical concepts in specific historical contexts.
- When analyzing war or conflict, use a narrow and precise definition focusing on organized violence with clear purposes rather than applying the term metaphorically to unrelated activities.
- Recognize that successful warfare requires discipline and organization rather than emotion or rage, prioritizing controlled action over passionate response.
- When building or leading teams in high-stakes situations, select members who demonstrate duty and responsibility over those motivated primarily by anger or personal vendetta.
- Read classical texts like Homer's Iliad to understand timeless aspects of human conflict, including impacts on civilians, warrior psychology, and the consequences of war beyond the battlefield.
- Consider multiple perspectives when studying conflict, including not just warriors and leaders but also civilians, families, and communities affected by violence.
- In negotiations or conflicts, be aware that power dynamics often matter more than appeals to fairness or neutrality, as demonstrated by the Melian Dialogue's harsh realism.
- Examine how organizational development and state capacity historically emerged from the need to conduct warfare, applying this understanding to analyze modern institutions.
- When teaching or learning about war, avoid romanticizing rage or violence and instead emphasize the importance of purpose, discipline, and organization in any serious endeavor.
- Study archaeological evidence and ancient sources to understand how human settlement patterns and property ownership created conditions for organized conflict.
- Balance idealism with realism when analyzing international relations, recognizing that while moral principles matter, power relationships fundamentally shape outcomes between states and groups.