India-Pakistan Conflict — This article explores Hegel’s idea that conflict is inevitable and Machiavelli’s advice that citizens must take a side. It examines how ordinary people and states should respond in war.
Violent or not, conflict is bound to happen—a belief famously articulated by the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, underscores that war, while destructive, is a catalyst for progress. When diplomacy fails to resolve long-standing tensions in international relations, states often resort to armed conflict. The ongoing hostilities between Pakistan and India reflect this grim reality. Bilateral relations have deteriorated significantly, with growing mistrust and unresolved grievances culminating in the outbreak of military confrontation. However, recent reports suggest that the conflict may de-escalate, following a U.S.-led call for a ceasefire.
Hegel’s recognition of the inevitability of conflict raises an important question: how should individuals, groups, and nations respond when war breaks out? Should they remain neutral observers or choose a side? Niccolò Machiavelli, the Renaissance political thinker, provides a clear answer. In The Prince, he advises, “Never stand aloof in the war.” Neutrality, according to Machiavelli, is not only unwise but also dangerous. Citizens must align with their own nation, not necessarily by taking up arms, but by offering social, moral, and even digital support to their country’s cause.
As war will ultimately end, but if you are not a part of it, you will be nowhere. Those who abstain from participation often find themselves in a precarious position. Victors will celebrate and distribute the spoils of war; the defeated may mourn, regroup, or seek future retaliation. But those who remained neutral will be excluded by both sides, irrelevant to history and vulnerable to the whims of the victorious.
At the level of statecraft, Machiavelli also suggests a strategy: the states should support the weak to maintain a balance of power. This pragmatic approach is especially relevant in multipolar conflicts.
Within Pakistan, certain quarters continue to raise the flag of peace, distancing themselves from the overall scenario. The war will end, but they will become irrelevant on either side.
In conclusion, both Hegel and Machiavelli remind us that conflict is not merely a matter of violence, but of positioning, strategy, and foresight. While the world hopes for de-escalation, history warns that neutrality in times of great upheaval often comes at a high cost.
The writer studies at the Department of English and Applied Linguistics University of Peshawar.
One reply on “India-Pakistan Conflict: What Should You Do?”
Such a good piece of writing which shows your understanding on International Relations, Good Haji