When did humanity change from conquests and empires to UN and Human Aid?

I mean seriously now, what happened?

Maybe as a group we decided that wiping out civilisations en masse was a bad thing

What happened is more or less that international commerce began.

I mean seriously now, what happened?

giving_upnoun

It became harder to kill each other.

In the past you fought man vs man and whoever had more men under control or used the better tactics won.

Nowadays we fight with machines and medical equipment has evolved. Less victims, more fighting and hence fighting became more expensive.

In the past you sacrificed half an army and earned a country for it. If you try to conquer a country now you would lose more money than the country is worth after the war. No gain = no conquest.

EDIT: The idea of GabuEX sounds plausible, too.

hmmm... they have nukes, we have nukes... not so easy trying to take over someone now isn't it? :)

America has it's own empire, although not in the same sence as the Roman or British empires. There is no longer any point it having a large land empire when you can get what you want using your power and influence.

I'd advise people to have a read of this article by Niall Ferguson - LINK

I think it has something to do with the World Wars and then America and Russia both having atomic bombs or just weapons that could desecrate all life on Earth.

Just don't believe the saps that tell you "oh no no, we just want to help people now." Yeah frickin right.

I don't think it has changed at all.

Both the UN and Humanitarian AID has been used as tools of warfare indirectly. Whats changed is that people are less willing to allow their governments and leaders to go to war without a reason. Conquests still go on, but they are less apparant. Small countries have been taken over by multinational buisinesses who are essentially controlled through government and sometimes assisted through government to make their business conquests happen. This is indirect, and perhaps much more effective but essentially the same thing.

The other aspect of all this is that essentially I think the human condition is geared for war.

We enjoy watching war on the news.

We enjoy playing games depicting war.

We enjoy violence as a major aspect of many forms of entertainment.

I think we all need to accept this as a part of who we are and our presentatives are nothing more really than people who speak on our behalf, have our values and push forward our wants. We have what we deserve and as I said, nothing results wise has changed imo.

The poor get poorer and the rich get richer and they will kill to maintain the status quo.

I'd like to think that countries decided it would be more beneficial for everyone to start working with each other than against.

It's still conquering, just without swords or guns or whatever.Jandurin

wisely said =o