Balance is key.
On the whole, the world would be far better off if there were less militarism. If militaristic regimes like Russia and North Korea were peaceful and open democracies, and if China weren’t undertaking one of the largest military buildups in history, the prospect of a broader global war would be diminished, and the prospect of sustained peace (or relative peace compared to much of human history) would rise.
But alas, the adversary gets a vote. Militarism is a core aspect of human nature because the organized and effective application of violence is what helped the human race dominate our planet. It will never fully go away, nor should it.
When properly channelled, some militaristic sentiment can be positive, as it can help ensure a nation takes adequate measures to defend the lives of its citizens. It’s when it’s taken to an extreme, as we see in places like Russia and North Korea, that it becomes dangerous.
The danger of not being militaristic enough
While too much militarism is a negative, so is too little. Countries that refuse to acknowledge the darker side of human nature and refuse to act accordingly find themselves vulnerable. And when you are a resource-rich nation like Canada, that vulnerability attracts a lot of attention.
The key here is balance. In a laudable effort to establish ourselves as a peaceful nation, Canada has fallen out of balance, with too little focus on our proud military history, too little investment in the Canadian Armed Forces, and too little honest discussion about how dangerous the world has become.
This must be addressed. We cannot give in to naive pacifism or hope that human nature will somehow magically change. Instead, we need to recognize the importance of a realistic, restrained, and robust form of Canadian militarism that focuses on defending our territory, safeguarding our democratic institutions, and making good on our commitments to our allies. That starts with accepting that in a world where the prospect of war is increasing, some Canadian militarism is a necessity.
Spencer Fernando
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