Civilization and Savagery

It has been suggested that civilization and war share a common heritage, that ‘the cradle of civilization is also war’s cradle’.³ It has also been suggested that there ‘is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism’ or savagery.⁴ This contention is thought to be particularly pertinent when applied to situations of armed conflict or the theatre of war. These suppositions are two key strands in the web of ideas linking civilization, savagery and war. Adding to the complexity of this relationship is the fact that the constituent components - civilization, savagery and war - are complex matters in and of themselves. With that in mind, this chapter seeks to situate and explain the concepts of civilization and savagery, particularly in the context of times of war.