War as metaphor

The use of war as metaphor is a longstanding literary and rhetorical trope. In political usage, war metaphors are used to manage a perceived societal problem, with the concept taking the place of an individual or state enemy in true war. The war metaphor is sometimes invoked to pursue ordinary domestic politics.^[1]

Philosopher James Childress describes the use of war as a metaphor as a dilemma: "In debating social policy through the language of war, we often forget the moral reality of war."^[2] One fundamental problem is that it is often unclear when the "war" is over.^[3] Simon Jenkins, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, said that "Never, ever, should a government use war as a metaphor in a time of peace."^[4]

"", also known as a "toll war" or "tariff war", a type of economic conflict between two or more states.

Customs war

""

Trade war

"", 1930s, J. Edgar Hoover

War on Crime

"" (1947—1991), a period of hostility between the two dominant superpowers at the time, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War in itself was never a war, but several proxy wars were carried out by both sides over the period.

Cold War

The (1966–1976) in China was launched as a "War against Revisionism"^[3] Marshall Lin Biao is given credit for inspiring war metaphors when he said in 1965, at the outset of the movement, "The battlefield of the Cultural Revolution cannot call a ceasefire. This is a war without that option."^[5]

Cultural Revolution

's application of "war" as metaphor for the energy crisis of 1974 described in Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson describe

Jimmy Carter

"",^[1] an unofficial name for legislation first introduced by United States president Lyndon B. Johnson during his State of the Union address on 8 January 1964.

War on Poverty

"", combined effort to decrease cancer mortality through improved prevention, detection, and treatment

War on Cancer

"",^[1] US term referring to efforts to curtail illegal drug trade

War on Drugs

"", national movement in the US to reduce gang-related activity, gang violence, and gang drug involvement

War on Gangs

"" (1991, 2000s), various conflicts and demographic trends in US history

Culture war

"" (1993), The Heritage Foundation's James A. Phillips used the term "war of ideas" in describing the pivotal role played by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in the ideological battle for the protection of democracy.

War of ideas

"War on Terrorism" or ""^[1] (2001–2013) coined in 2001 by then United States president George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to mobilize an international military campaign. In 2013, President Barack Obama announced that the United States was no longer pursuing a War on Terror, as the military focus should be on specific enemies rather than a tactic.

War on Terror

"War on ", municipal initiative described by Toronto mayor Rob Ford

Graffiti

"War on ", municipal initiative described by Toronto mayor Rob Ford

Cars

"" is an anti-poverty charity based in London

War on Want

nickname for rivalry between Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League

War on I-4

Emu War

Global War on Error, a campaign to eliminate errors

aviation

War on ^[1]

Covid

War on ^[1]

disinformation

War on ^[1]

domestic extremism

Examples of war used as a metaphor, often on the form "War on..." or "War against...":

Some wars are not proclaimed but rather a label used by adversaries:

("In times of war, the law falls silent")

Inter arma enim silent leges

State of emergency

Childress, James F. "The war metaphor in public policy"

[2]

Steinert, Heinz. 2003. "The Indispensable Metaphor of War: On Populist Politics and the Contradictions of the State's Monopoly of Force," Theoretical Criminology 7.3 (2003) p. 265-291.

Thomas, Ruth P. 1984. "War as metaphor in La Princesse de Montpensier", Forum for Modern Language Studies 20.4 p. 323-332.