Unless a conflict can be resolved peacefully, destructive escalation is inevitable. That is why preventing escalation should be top of the agenda before peace can even be considered. Escalation is the major cause of civil war and international war, but it also causes countless domestic disputes, family breakups, and commercial bankruptcies.
Military escalation refers to actions that lead to an increase in the intensity of warfare or its geographic scope. It includes the immediate, tactical-level actions (such as injecting more troops and guns into a battle) and the long-term, remote actions that are a consequence of those tactical decisions.
Escalation can be intentional or inadvertent, and it can occur with any tool of national power. It is essential for the conduct of warfare, because it communicates stake and resolve and provides a signal of capability. It can also be a key element of deterrence, because it enables one to convince adversaries that they are miscalibrated and undervalued, and thus are prepared to escalate their engagements.
Since the beginning of war, the most constant force influencing escalation has been technical progress in weapons technology. There have been technological regressions, but generally weaponry has become more powerful and destructive. In addition, a growing sense of moral permissibility has enabled states to engage in ever more heinous acts of violence and, at the extreme, threaten genocidal retaliation. This is why conflict escalation is often described as the most destructive force on the planet.