Why We War begins a new dialog about war and the social organization of peace. This book re-orients the thinking about war from a preoccupation with "a war," to an investigation into the phenomenon of war itself. There is an unequal investment in war that has historically damaged the ability of social systems to perform adequately for all members of society. The result is ongoing strife, warfare, and poverty. War emerges as the disease of civilization and the bane of human rights.