3-6 The Value of War

Ye Qiquan defines an empire as follows: An empire is the leader or guide of a regional (or even global) political order. The empire itself possesses significantly higher overall competitiveness than other neighboring or even global nations. This overall power difference is the fundamental force driving the normal operation of regional and even global order. An empire and its accompanying imperial order are not based on emotional preference or arbitrary choice. They are a result of the overall power difference (the difference in national overall competitiveness). This overall power difference can be reflected through a series of calculation equations.

From a philosophical perspective, soft power does not objectively exist. No objective indicators can be attached to the concept of “soft power.” Soft power lacks objective attributes. In essence, “soft power” is a tool used by the dominant power in an imperial order. It is a low-cost means of using hard power. One of its most important purposes is to deplete the competitiveness of competitors and pursuers, thereby further increasing the overall power potential of the dominant empire and strengthening the existing imperial order. The instrumental effects of soft power manifest as both a speed bump effect and an accelerator effect.

Ye Qiquan’s philosophy of investigation and application (MetaPolitica) defines humans, within the philosophical framework, as analogous to other organisms. Biological competition constructs different ecological positions within the Earth’s ecosystem. Even within the same biological population, competition is necessary to establish an internal order for resource allocation. In human society, this order manifests as imperial order (relations between states) and national institutions (domestic relations).

War is a direct driving force of biological evolution. The state of war is not unique to humans but is shared by all organisms within the Earth’s ecosystem. War is a continuous competitive action undertaken by a group to secure survival and reproductive opportunities within the ecosystem. At the individual level, war manifests as combat capability, which is also a heritable trait. An individual’s combat capability can be strengthened or weakened throughout their life cycle. At the group level, war manifests as a persistent state. Even small differences in overall combat capability between competing species can have significant subsequent impacts at the group level and throughout history. Altruism and selfishness are two terms that inevitably arise when discussing the overall combat capability of a group. Generally, actions by individuals to enhance their combat capability will inevitably enhance the overall combat capability of the group. At the group level, the principle of altruism takes precedence. The principle of altruism is fundamental to ensuring the survival and reproduction of a species or group.