The International Structure of Positive and Negative Peace

• In Event: 172 - Section on Peace, War and Social Conflict Roundtables (one-hour). Table 01. Peace and Peacebuilding

Abstract

Negative peace consists of the absence of direct violence, whether the result of “lone individuals” or “army warfare.” In contrast, positive peace refers to the lack of indirect violence, focusing on “equity” and social conditions that should promote well-being. As such, positive peace describes a non-utopian condition within which humans will flourish. Lack of positive peace implies inequalities that result not only in people being “deprived relative to potential,” but also “below a subsistence minimum” (Galtung 1964, 1969, 1985). In short, positive peace implies relatively equal and high levels of life chances.

This study uses data, provided by the Institute for Economics and Peace, on 123 countries in 2010. We investigate the structure of both positive and negative peace via exploratory factor analysis. Areas covered by twenty-two indicators of negative peace include domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security, and militarization. Eight indicators of positive peace cover equitable distribution of resources, free flow of information, quality of the business environment, quality of governance, general level of human capital, levels of corruption, quality of international relations, and acceptance of rights. Preliminary results point to the multi-dimensionality of both negative and positive peace.

Authors

• Steven Carlton-Ford, University of Cincinnati

• Michael Loadenthal, George Mason University