The Pen Vs. The Sword: Which Is Truly Mightier? — Part 2
The last World War occurred nearly 75 years ago. Since then, there have been multiple wars and military conflicts, but nothing equivalent to the scale and catastrophe experienced during the World Wars. Does this mean that the human race has turned a corner? Are we finally coming closer to truly living by the message that the pen is mightier than the sword? The answer is non-existent and yet to be seen. However, there are indicators of how the world’s power is being controlled now and will in the future.
Military Powers Are Still In Control
The U.S, Russia, China, United Kingdom, and France are arguably the five most powerful countries. They are also the most militarily capable and advanced. Each of the nations has large stockpiles of atomic warheads. Inventory is not the only thing that dictates power. Since WWII, military alliances such as NATO and CSTO have been created. NATO — North Atlantic Treaty Organization — consists of 30 countries from North America and Europe. This alliance’s goal was to prevent another world war from breaking out and from the Soviet Union taking control. Attacking one member country of NATO meant attacking them all. The Russians created their equivalent through CSTO — Collective Security Treaty Organization. It includes multiple post-soviet states and the organization intended to protect them from Western invasion.
The pen plays a heavy role in the military balance today. As seen, alliances and organizations dictate the power structure of militaries and countries. However, the countries that control the pacts themselves are the ones with the biggest sword — the strongest military. The United States controls NATO and Russia controls CSTO. Diplomacy interacts with warfare in these pacts, making it difficult to identify which one of these aspects is more influential.
Diplomacy: The Preferred Solution
Unlike the past where each country was confined within its own communicative spaces, today’s world is interconnected due to technological advancement. More cultures and ethnicities appreciate and respect each other now than they did in the past. This appreciation plays a role in the public’s inclination to avoid warfare. They feel more invested in other parts of the world than just their own. This increased sense of humanity forces countries to be more adamant in finding diplomatic solutions over combat.
Countries also look to avoid warfare because of the ramifications of the 21st century, specifically, the speed of media. Everything spreads in seconds, even if it is a lie, opening the doorway to stir fear and panic. Headlines and stories get exaggerated or misconstrued continuously. For instance, in January 2020, the U.S killed Iran’s military commander, Qassem Soleimani. This news caused widespread panic among Americans as they feared WW3 was upon them. In reality, it was a grave overreaction. 50 years ago, a military execution would likely have been a momentary celebration that lasts a few days. Now, it is a sign that the world is about to enter all-out chaos.
A contrarian perspective would explain the increased diplomacy by pointing to the presence of catastrophic weapons. Essentially every global power has a stockpile of nuclear weapons and is constantly working on creating more lethal ones. This fear of setting off war stems from the fear of these devastating bombs, which can wipe out millions of lives and displace even more. Frankly put, the sword may strike so much fear that we feel no option but to use the pen.
The Keyboard > The Pen And The Sword?
Let’s throw this entire argument on its head by bringing in this element. Cyberattacks and Bioterrorism are the new nuclear missiles. The causation of the next great war will likely be a massive hack or a biological weapon. If you believe this is an irrational fear, you do not need to look far to realize it’s not. Just this past week, Colonial’s oil pipeline in the southeastern United States was hacked, compromising the entire network. As a result, millions have been facing a gas shortage. People resorted to dangerous methods such as putting gas in plastic bags. Humanity tends to succumb and crack when its resources are compromised, which is exactly what the cyberterrorists intended.
The attacks continue to grow in quantity and intention. It is no longer just credit card information being stolen. Presidential elections are compromised. The Russians’ involvement in the 2016 U.S presidential election was the first cyberattack that forced the country to take cybersecurity to the next level. In 2020, the Iranians, Chinese, and Russians attempted attacks on the election. Luckily, the U.S was more prepared for them.
On the biological front, it is now very easy to slice and splice deadly viruses. Currently, we are in a global pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 4 million people. In this case, the biological advancements resulted in 3 highly effective vaccines created and approved within 15 months. However, these same advancements can be used for the reverse. Technology is the ultimate double-edged sword. It can be humanity’s savior or be the reason we are wiped into extinction.
Analyzing through the historical, modern, and future lenses has given us a greater understanding of the role of the pen and the sword. Diplomacy and leadership play key roles in galvanizing the citizenry. Military dominance also suppresses any potential threat. So is the pen mightier than the sword? No definitive answer. The philosophical back-and-forth will take our minds for a rollercoaster ride.
