The Fourth Generation of Modern Peace (Nonviolent Ideoogical Net-Struggle)

Earlier I wondered if Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko was a fourth generation warrior — a 4GSoldier. The answer is no. He is a fourth generation pacifist — a 4th Generation Citizen.

I argued that the First Intifadah and the Orange Revolution were basically peaceful 4th generation wars. The evolving nature of 4GW made this sound plausible. But ultimately that view is wrong. There is a difference war and peace, warrior and citizen, which should never be forgotten. Enemy warriors are a danger and must be destroyed, whether shot on the battlefield, detained in Guantanamo, or sentenced in the courts. “Enemy” citizens, on the hand, or part of the democratic process. Warriors must be fought and citizens must be protected even when they have the same goals.

Fourth Generation Peace – 4GP – is the peaceful complement of Fourth Generation War. Everything that 4GW does with violence, 4GP does with non-violence. For example, in another post I listed the three stages of 4GW as

1. 1. Destabilize the enemy while building up a fighting force. Assassinations, bombings, and the like.
   2. Attempt to control areas where the enemy is weak while building up a fighting force. However, do not fight regular battles.
   3. Use your fighting force to conquer the enemy in regular battles.

In 4GP these become

1. High-profile attacks on enemy networks and hierarchies while building up your own network
2. Contest other network’s possession of individuals
3. Directly influence government policy with your network

Remember that 4GP is an ideological or political struggle. Like in 4GW the goal is create laws. A 4GP struggle “ends” when a movement controls government and the movement’s enemies are no longer serious threats. Like in 4GW, 4GP is not quick — it can take decades, even generations. Like in 4GW, 4GP can be in differnt stages in different places at the same time.

What are examples of 4GP? What where the first three generations of modern peace? How does 4GP interact with controls? What does 4GP mean for Barnett’s Gap-Seam-Core progression? Those are questions for another time.