How and why do wars start? At what point are the parties able to conclude a truce? Christopher Blattman has been researching these questions for more than a decade using the most extensive material - from stories from the life of gangster groups to famous confrontations between superpowers. It may seem strange, but the author considers the idea that the world is full of violence to be a delusion. In his book, he convincingly, with clear everyday examples, talks about how for every major conflict there are thousands or tens of thousands of those that were avoided. In the book, the author provides a “blueprint for understanding the general forces” underlying violent conflicts, and then offers guidance on preventing armed conflicts and dealing with their consequences.