How to Stop War - The Secret to Ending War & Violence
In a world increasingly fractured by conflict—from the ground wars in Ukraine and Gaza to rising tensions over Taiwan and Venezuela—the question of why we fight has never been more urgent. While conventional analysis often points to clashing ideologies, religious differences, or the psychopathy of individual leaders, a compelling alternative theory suggests a single, systemic root cause: the pursuit of economic rent.
The Hidden Common Link
When analysing the disparate conflicts of the 21st century, it is easy to get lost in the specific narratives of each region. However, Harrison argues that if we look closer, a common link emerges: the desire to appropriate the “net income” or “rent” of a territory.
Economic rent, in this context, refers to the surplus income derived from land and natural resources—value that is created by nature and the community, rather than by individual labour or capital investment.
“The common theme that links all the major wars in history is around wanting to grab the land, which is the conduit through which they collect the rents.”
By privatising this public value, societies create an irresistible incentive for conquest. If wealth can be accumulated not by working but by simply holding territory or resources, the appetite for expansion becomes insatiable.
Case Studies in Conflict
Harrison applies this “rent-seeking” lens to several major global flashpoints, offering a radically different interpretation of current events.
1. Russia’s “Tribute” System
Vladimir Putin’s aggression is often framed as a quest for Soviet nostalgia. However, the transcript suggests a more economic motivation. For 900 years, the Russian state was built on extracting tribute (rents) from subordinate states. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow lost these revenue streams. Putin’s strategy, therefore, is an attempt to rebuild the mechanism for grabbing the rents of neighbouring territories. Alternatively, we can view America, Britain and others in the West as desperate to overthrow Putin and take the Economic Rents of Russia for themselves.
2. The Unfinished Business of China and Taiwan
The tension between Beijing and Taipei is rarely discussed in terms of tax policy, yet Harrison traces it back to the early 20th century. The first republican government of China proposed funding industrialisation through land rent revenue—one of the “Three Principles of the People”.
Maoist ideology, which focused on labour and capital, dismissed rent. When the republican government fled to Taiwan (Formosa), they successfully implemented land reform and raised revenue from land rent, creating a thriving economy. The threat to Taiwan today, Harrison argues, is driven by the Communist Party’s need to suppress this successful, alternative economic model.
3. The West’s Resource Grabs
Western powers are not exempt from this analysis. The transcript highlights President Donald Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland. This was not a strategic military move—the US could simply lease bases for defence—but a desire to own the property rights to Greenland’s rare earth minerals. Similarly, interest in Venezuela is linked directly to securing oil rents
4. A Historical Perspective: The Origins of WWII
Even the Second World War can be viewed through this lens. Hitler did not seize power in a vacuum; he was supported by Prussian landowners (the Junkers) who feared that socialism would strip them of their estates and rents. The war machine that followed was, in part, a mechanism to protect and expand these private rent collections
The Mechanism of War and Recession
The drive for war is often exacerbated by economic instability. As we approach potential economic recessions, politicians and elites often seek distractions to divert public anger away from systemic failures
Distraction: Leaders may embark on conflicts to distract “losers” of the economic cycle from the reality of their situation
Scapegoating: Economic despair often leads to blaming “foreigners” or immigrants, a trend visible in modern US rhetoric
The “Fishy Deals”: Politicians across the spectrum—from Trump’s inner circle to figures in Ukraine—are often found to have personal stakes in the resource rents of the nations involved in conflict
The Systemic Solution: Taxing Rent, Not Work
If the root cause of war is the privatisation of land and resource rents, the solution must be structural. Harrison argues that we cannot stop war by simply “appealing to our better natures” or passing moral judgments on greed. We must remove the economic incentive for violence
The Proposal:
Socialise Economic Rent: The net income from land and resources should be reserved for the common good (public revenue) rather than private profit
Abolish Taxes on Production: By funding the state through rents, governments could cancel taxes on wages and capital investment33.
“The only way we can stop wars is to remove the incentive... If I can get rich without working... this is an insatiable appetite that has no discipline.”
If economic rents were public revenue, conquering a neighbour would offer no financial gain to the aggressor’s elite class, as the revenue would simply flow into the public purse rather than private bank accounts
Conclusion: A Practical Act, Not a Fantasy
The conversation concludes with a challenge. High-minded rhetoric about peace and love is insufficient without a legal framework. To truly end the cycle of war, nations need to implement practical legislation—an Act of Parliament—that alters the flow of wealth.
By shifting the tax burden from labour to land and monopoly rents, societies could dismantle the “predator culture” that fuels conflict. Until we address this systemic economic flaw, the transcript suggests, we will remain trapped in a cycle of violence, regardless of who is in power.
For those interested in exploring these concepts further, Fred Harrison suggests starting with his book, The Predator Culture: https://shepheardwalwyn.com/product/the-predator-culture/
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