They Called It Peace

"They Called It Peace" offers a sweeping history of how European empires and other powers used violence, including raiding, slaving, and plundering, to expand and maintain their dominance from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries. Lauren Benton explores how these routines of conflict reshaped the concepts of war and peace worldwide, often resulting in ongoing cycles of violence and atrocity. The book highlights how seemingly limited wars and intermittent truces ultimately contributed to a global landscape marked by perpetual conflict, lessons that remain relevant today.