An Inquiry into the Nature of Peace and the Terms of Its Perpetuation

"An Inquiry into the Nature of Peace and the Terms of Its Perpetuation" by Thorstein Veblen is a book that digs into the link between countries, peace, and war, questioning the usual ideas about them and focusing on how governments either keep the peace or start wars. Veblen looks not only at the philosophy behind these ideas but also at the history and society, studying what makes people act the way they do when it comes to national identities. The book starts by thinking about what others have said about peace, like Kant, and pointing out that the fight for lasting peace is still going on. Veblen talks about why countries want war, explaining that wars usually happen because governments make decisions based on what the people want. He emphasizes that there's a conflict between seeing war as glorious and doing what's morally right for peace, hinting that nationalism often causes fights. This beginning part sets up a way for Veblen to look at patriotism and how it affects war and peace, suggesting that to understand peace, we need to examine the history and social reasons behind international conflicts.