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GCSE · Thematic Studies

RS.TD1 The Causes of War

AQA 8062 · Calculators not allowed · about 55 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

This question checks key vocabulary used when discussing the causes of war.

(a)State what is meant by war.(1)

(b)State what is meant by self-defence.(1)

(c)State what is meant by retaliation.(1)

(d)State what is meant by aggression.(1)

(e)State what is meant by justice, in the context of conflict.(1)

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)

Give three facts about the causes of war.

(Total for Question 2 is 3 marks)

Explain two religious teachings about the causes of war. Refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your answer.

(Total for Question 3 is 4 marks)

Explain two contrasting religious beliefs about whether war can ever be justified. Refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your answer.

(Total for Question 4 is 5 marks)

This question is about religious and non-religious perspectives on the causes of war. It is the AQA-style 24-mark, five-part question: parts (a) to (d) are worth 12 marks; part (e) is the 12-mark evaluation.

(a)State one non-religious reason why wars break out.(1)

(b)Give two reasons why greed might lead to war.(2)

(c)Explain two religious teachings that warn against pursuing revenge as a response to wrongdoing. Refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your answer.(4)

(d)Explain two contrasting views, religious and/or non-religious, about whether greed or self-defence is the more common real cause of war. Refer to a source of wisdom and authority or another source in your answer.(5)

(e)Evaluate this statement: 'Greed is a more common cause of war than self-defence.' In your answer you should: refer to religious teaching, refer to different points of view, reach a justified conclusion.(12)

(Total for Question 5 is 24 marks)

Explain two non-religious arguments about the causes of war. Refer to Humanist or other non-religious beliefs in your answer.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Give three reasons why people disagree about what really causes war.

(Total for Question 7 is 3 marks)

Mark scheme · RS.TD1 The Causes of War

Question 1

(a) B1 an armed conflict between states, groups or communities, typically fought using organised force, oe
(a) Answer: An armed conflict between states, groups or communities, fought using organised force.
(b) B1 using force to protect oneself, one's people or one's territory from attack, oe
(b) Answer: Using force to protect oneself, one's people or one's territory from attack.
(c) B1 responding to an attack or wrong with a similar or equivalent act in return, oe
(c) Answer: Responding to an attack or wrong with a similar or equivalent act in return.
(d) B1 hostile or violent behaviour, especially attacking another without just cause, oe
(d) Answer: Hostile or violent behaviour, especially attacking another without just cause.
(e) B1 fairness in how people are treated, including in the causes and conduct of a conflict, oe
(e) Answer: Fairness in how people are treated, including in the causes and conduct of a conflict.

Question 2

B1 wars can be caused by disputes over land, resources or borders, oe
B1 wars can be caused by ideological or religious differences being used to justify conflict, oe
B1 wars can be caused by a desire for revenge or retaliation for a previous wrong, oe
Answer: Any three: disputes over land/resources/borders; ideological or religious differences used to justify conflict; revenge or retaliation for a previous wrong.

Question 3

B1 point 1: many Christians teach that conflict ultimately arises from human sinfulness and selfish desire, oe
B1 development: the Letter of James asks 'What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?' (James 4:1), oe
B1 point 2: many Muslims teach that fighting is only permitted in response to being wronged, not for greed or aggression, oe
B1 development: the Qur'an teaches that permission to fight was given 'to those who are being fought, because they were wronged' (Qur'an 22:39), oe
Answer: E.g. conflict rooted in human sinfulness/selfish desire (James 4:1); fighting only permitted in response to being wronged (Qur'an 22:39).

Question 4

B1 belief 1: some religious believers, such as many Quakers, teach that violence is never justified because all human life is sacred, oe
B1 development: Jesus taught 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God' (Matthew 5:9), oe
B1 belief 2: other religious believers accept that war can be justified in narrow circumstances, such as self-defence against an unjust attack, oe
B1 development: the Qur'an permits fighting those who fight first, while adding 'do not transgress, indeed Allah does not like transgressors' (Qur'an 2:190), oe
B1 reference to a source of wisdom and authority made accurately, oe
Answer: Contrast: absolute pacifist rejection of all violence (Matthew 5:9) vs conditional acceptance of defensive war (Qur'an 2:190).

Question 5

(a) B1 competition for scarce resources such as land, water or energy, or a struggle for political power, oe
(a) Answer: E.g. competition for scarce resources such as land, water or energy.
(b) B1 a state or group may want to gain control of another territory's land, wealth or resources, oe
(b) B1 a state or group may want to increase its own power or influence over others, oe
(b) Answer: E.g. wanting to gain control of another territory's resources; wanting to increase power or influence over others.
(c) B1 point 1: many Christians teach that revenge should be left to God rather than pursued by individuals or nations, oe
(c) B1 development: Paul writes 'Do not take revenge... It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord' (Romans 12:19), oe
(c) B1 point 2: many Muslims teach that although self-defence is permitted, believers should prefer peace where the other side is willing, oe
(c) B1 development: the Qur'an teaches 'if they incline to peace, then incline to it also, and rely upon Allah' (Qur'an 8:61), oe
(c) Answer: E.g. revenge left to God (Romans 12:19); preferring peace where the other side is willing (Qur'an 8:61).
(d) B1 view 1: some religious believers argue that a war's stated religious or ideological cause often disguises a deeper, more selfish cause such as greed for land or wealth, oe
(d) B1 development: many point to the New Testament warning that 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil' (1 Timothy 6:10) as capturing this deeper, hidden motive, oe
(d) B1 view 2: many non-religious commentators argue that wars are caused primarily by states competing for power and security, not by religion or morality, oe
(d) B1 development: this reflects the secular 'political realism' theory of international relations, which explains war mainly in terms of states pursuing power and security rather than any stated moral cause, oe
(d) B1 reference to a source of wisdom and authority or another appropriate source made accurately, oe
(d) Answer: Contrast: religious view that stated causes mask underlying greed (1 Timothy 6:10) vs the secular political-realism view that war is about power and security, not morality.
(e) L4 (10-12): A well-argued, balanced answer that considers more than one point of view in a developed way, using accurate and detailed references to religious teaching and/or scripture to support each point, and reaches a clear, justified conclusion.
(e) L3 (7-9): A clear and reasoned answer that considers more than one point of view, supported by relevant references to religious teaching and/or scripture, though the justification of the conclusion may be less developed.
(e) L2 (4-6): A reasoned answer that considers at least one point of view, with some relevant supporting evidence, but with limited or no consideration of an alternative view.
(e) L1 (1-3): One or more relevant points are made, but with little or no supporting evidence and no reasoned conclusion.
(e) L0 (0): No relevant content.
(e) Indicative content:
- Agree: many historians argue that even wars framed as religious or moral causes are, on closer examination, fought over land, trade routes or resources, which are forms of greed.
- Agree: some Humanists argue that religious or ideological language is often used by leaders to justify wars that are really driven by a desire for wealth or power.
- Agree: colonial-era wars are widely seen by historians as driven mainly by a desire for territory and resources rather than genuine self-defence.
- Agree: the secular theory of political realism explains most wars in terms of states competing for power and resources rather than defending against attack.
- Disagree: many religious believers argue that wars fought to defend the innocent from aggression, such as the Allied entry into the Second World War to resist invasion and occupation, show self-defence can be a primary and justifiable cause of war.
- Disagree: the Qur'an's teaching that fighting is only permitted against 'those who are being fought, because they were wronged' (Qur'an 22:39) shows that many Muslims see self-defence, not greed, as the legitimate basis for war.
- Disagree: Christian just war thinking has traditionally required a 'just cause', usually understood as defence against aggression, showing self-defence is treated as the core justification, not greed.
- A middle position: greed-driven and self-defensive wars are not always easy to tell apart at the time, since an aggressor often claims to be acting defensively.
- A balanced answer might conclude that both causes operate in most real conflicts, and that a war's stated cause does not always match its real cause, making a single general answer to the statement hard to defend with certainty.

Question 6

B1 point 1: many Humanists argue that wars are caused by failures of human reason and communication, such as leaders choosing conflict over diplomacy, oe
B1 development: Humanists generally hold that most conflicts could be avoided through greater empathy, education and international cooperation, without appeal to religious explanation, oe
B1 point 2: some non-religious commentators argue that economic competition for resources such as land, water or energy underlies most wars, oe
B1 development: on this view, religious or ideological differences are often used to rally public support for a war whose real cause is material gain, oe
Answer: E.g. failures of human reason/diplomacy (Humanist view); economic competition for resources as the underlying cause.

Question 7

B1 people disagree about whether a stated reason for war, such as self-defence, is the real cause or just a justification, oe
B1 people disagree about how much weight to give to religious, economic and political factors, since most wars involve more than one, oe
B1 people's own religious or non-religious worldview shapes which explanation for the causes of war they find most convincing, oe
Answer: Any three: disagreement over stated vs real causes; disagreement over how to weigh religious/economic/political factors; worldview shaping which explanation is found convincing.

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