Negative Peace: The Quiet That Masks the Conflict
What Is Negative Peace?
“Negative peace” is a term coined in peace and conflict research to describe a state in which direct violence is absent. It’s peace by default: war has ended, no bombs are falling, and conflict is not erupting. But it doesn’t guarantee justice, fairness, or deep healing.
Johan Galtung, one of the founders of peace studies, conceptualized the difference between negative peace and positive peace. Negative peace is “defined by what is not there: the absence of violence and of war.”
Why Negative Peace Isn’t Enough
While negative peace is a necessary baseline, it often proves fragile because it ignores structural violence, systemic injustice, and underlying tensions that fuel conflict.
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Hidden grievances: communities may still suffer from inequality, exclusion, or discrimination. These injustices don’t always erupt into open violence—but they fester.
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Temporary truces: ceasefires or diplomatic agreements may halt fighting, but without deeper reconciliation or reform, they can collapse.
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Status quo reinforcement: negative peace may preserve existing power structures, rather than challenging them. The peace becomes a shield protecting those in authority.
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False security: because violence is not visible, many might assume peace has been achieved. But social, economic, or political pressures may still drive conflict under the surface.
In Liberia, for example, analysts talk of 20 years of “negative peace” where open conflicts subsided, yet many of the root problems—political impunity, trauma, inequality—remain largely unaddressed.
Negative Peace vs. Positive Peace
To contrast: positive peace is the presence of attitudes, institutions, and systems that sustain justice and harmony—not just the absence of violence.
| Feature | Negative Peace | Positive Peace |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Absence of direct violence | Absence of violence + presence of justice, equity |
| Focus | What’s gone (war, fighting) | What’s built (institutions, fairness) |
| Risk | May mask deeper conflict | More resilient and transformative |
| Example | Ceasefire, treaties | Social inclusion, equitable systems |
Positive peace builds on the foundation of negative peace—but goes beyond it to heal, transform, and uplift.
How to Move Beyond Negative Peace
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Acknowledge structural violence. Identify patterns of economic inequality, racism, exclusion that persist even without physical conflict.
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Promote accountability and justice. Trials, truth commissions, reparations—these help root out impunity.
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Rebuild relationships. Community-based dialogue, restorative practices, and social cohesion projects can heal wounds.
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Reform institutions. Create systems that are fair, transparent, and responsive to all members of society.
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Sustain peace culture. Teach empathy, reduce polarization, encourage nonviolent conflict resolution at all levels.
Only by confronting the invisible forces beneath the surface can we transform negative peace into something lasting.
