The discussion notes that recent increases in social and political violence are often believed to be due to the end of Cold War alliances, changes in individual countries, the resurgence of strong ethnic and religious affiliations, and the end of the social consensus that promised a modicum of distributive justice. However, it argues that the real explanation lies in the contradiction between the amount of human, social and political damage that weapons do and the ease with which they are acquired. Thus, data indicating declines in international arms transfers can be reinterpreted more pessimistically in terms of the operation of the underground market. Changes in the nature of demand for weapons have sent more buyers into this market, and changes on the supply side have made it easier to acquire weapons for use or resale on this market. Money laundering is also an important aspect of this covert commerce. Possible solutions to this problem include efforts to address trafficking and efforts to refocus industrial and industrializing economies from their dependence on war industries for jobs, technical change, and money. However, the approach most needed is to address the prevailing maldistribution of income, wealth, and ecological capital to reduce the desire of disadvantaged people to rectify these disparities through violence. Reference notes