The essence of war: analyzing the basic concepts

The article delves into a consistent analysis of the opposing paradigms of the essence of war - the metaphysical and dialectical paradigms. The former is represented by two directions - “depoliticization” and “absolute politicization of war”. Specific conceptions of the essence of this phenomenon realized within its framework are described - economic, naturalistic, militaristic and axiological. It reveals their scientific inconsistency and reactionary political content - attempts to justify openly unjust, invasive, illegal wars with references to natural, native and eternal “laws” of social existence. The second direction reflects the views of those who reduce the essence of politics itself to armed violence, to a strategy in international relations “from a position of strength”, which they try to “justify” even clearly aggressive wars. The dialectical paradigm of war is based on the analysis of the essence of war as a unity of politics and armed violence, with the leading role of the former and the latter being driven by the latter, which, in turn, actively influences the former. The study implements the historical method of analysis in empirical and conceptual aspects. Structural-functional and world-system analysis methodology made it possible to incorporate the essential problems of modern international politics and military strategy into the content of the article, including Russia’s Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine. Scientific novelty is contained in the unique methodology presented in the paradigms of the essence of war and the classification of their specific concepts. There are also elements of critical analysis of some modern concepts of our scientists on the analyzed problem.