Regrettably, we still live in a day and age, in which, far too often, resolving differences results in serious trade disputes, harsh argumentations, or outright warfare. Further to the point, which side prevails in a dispute, does not necessarily mean that justice is actually on their side, for those that are better positioned, richer, more powerful, or more capable, may well win the battle, but not necessarily deservedly so, for there are plenty of countries and nation-states that end up being defeated, though their cause was more the righteous one.
When it comes to that stage in which one side will obviously prevail over the other, it is prudent that the winning side be magnanimous in its victory, as opposed to being unnecessarily vindictive or harsh. Sure, wars will bring out the worst in societies, but that does not necessarily mean that the end result cannot consist of being reasonable from one to the other. Additionally, it should be acknowledged that those who corner their enemy in which that enemy is left in the unenvious position of being completely humiliated, often means that the enemy will not ever forget what the losing of face so represented to them, and will, given enough time, determine to find a way to make amends, not so much because the outcome will be different, though it might, but as a way and means to regain face and to thus take back what has been taken psychologically, if nothing more, from them. This so signifies that in any battle or argument or disagreement, it is important to provide the other side with the means that they will still have self-respect, for to take that from the other, everything, is to take too much, for those that have nothing left to lose, are the very same, that will do what they perceive that they have to do, to make those that have something to lose, to lose that something.
Indeed, whenever we get our tails up so that we are intent on making the other side suffer, we find that when we get back to our calmer frame of mind, we must realize that fairness and the purposeful suffering of the other do not often mix well, together, for if we are intent upon truly winning the argument, we should make it our point, to demonstrate our moral superiority, if it so exists, by demonstrating through our behavior to the other, that by being gracious and cognizant of who and what they represent, that they have value. On the other hand, simply using our wiles and force to get the other to submit to our desires, seldom resolves the true issue at hand, though it does serve to resolve it at the moment, of which, in remembrance that turnabout is fair play, we need to, if possible, try to see the perspective of the other side, so that we can better understand the other, and come to a reasonable arrangement, so that each side, has something of substance to hold onto, which makes for a better construct that allows for more civil discourse and less outright war.