competition

cooperation

Main Topic: Coordinator Comments

When asked to describe the difference between a culture of war and a culture of peace, many people respond that the difference is between competition and cooperation

One popular writer on this subject, Riane Eisler, describes the need for a transition which is similar in most respects to that from a culture of war to a culture of peace. She uses the terms, from a domination system to a partnership system, and she avoids the terms competition and cooperation for the following reason. This quotation is taken from her recent book, The Real Wealth of Nations:

"Certainly the partnership system is more conducive to cooperation since it does not sort people into superior-inferior rankings. But terrorists, invading armies, and monopolies all cooperate. In other words there is also cooperation in the domination system. So unfortunately it's not true, as some people think, that all our problems would be solved if people would just cooperate... Moreover, there is competition in the partnership system. But it is achievement-oriented competition, spurred on by seeing another's excellence, rather than the brutal competition designed to humiliate, destroy, or put an opponent out of business encouraged by the domination system."