Abstract
What does modern war achieve? ‘Legacies’ examines the ramifications of war today. As well as banal destruction, war has achieved complex and profound political change. If modern war involves violence carried out with political objectives and possessing socio-political dynamics, then an assessment of the politico-social achievements of modern war is vitally important. War can intensify existing national loyalties, identities, and commitments. This has been repeatedly historically evidenced. What are the economic and social effects of war? The complex political, economic, and social changes that come from war are not only bought at a huge price, but have all too frequently in modern times been purchased in a clumsy, counter-productive manner.