War only benefits the political class, or the elites as they now openly call themselves.  The average citizen is harmed.  Even if they are not directly involved in the war, the average people will always be harmed.  The elites are possessed by the spirit of conquest.  They might mislead the masses by peace agreements, ceasefires, and the like.  However, these are just intermissions in their aggression.  They didn’t abandon their plans. 

There can only be peace if we adhere to freedom.  War is a direct result from intervening in the free market.  The masses are harmed by this intervention.  The price of goods goes up, and the quality goes down.  The masses are left with the bill.  The masses are forced to pay for war multiple times.  This is not an issue for the elites.  The costs are externalized.  Otherwise, the elites would be faced with the heavy burden they have created.

Prior to massive states, wars were generally small.  I’m not saying wars weren’t brutal, war is brutal.  However, these wars were generally small inheritance disputes.  The monarch would use professional soldiers.  The monarch paid the cost and had a clear goal.  The masses were not involved.  They remained uninterested in the monarch’s disputes.  Modern state wars are very costly to the masses.

Durable peace isn’t possible with politics.  Politicians have disputes with other countries.  This is misleadingly called international relations.  These aren’t inheritance disputes.  There is no clear goal.  Spreading democracy is a rallying cry for warmongers.  The terms they use are always vague and vague for a reason.  Wars can now go on endlessly.  Peace is only possible under capitalism.  Peace ceases when capitalism ceases.

The masses pay for war.  This is done with: higher prices, inflation, taxes, or your life.  The masses do not benefit in anyway from war.  It’s destruction.  Peace can only be substituted with war by substituting capitalism for statism.  I’m not saying capitalism is a utopia.  There will always be conflicts, but total war will not exist.  Not only is capital destroyed, but it’s transferred from the many to the few.  You are a stooge if you say yes to war.

Reference

Ludwig von Mises; Human Action