In commentators’ evaluations of social and foreign policies, cruelty as an intended, or as an unanticipated consequence of policies, has received little attention. In policy appraisals, the notion ‘cruelty’ seldom appears, not even in an index, and has not been acknowledged to be a purpose of policies even if the cruel consequences have been obvious. It was as though an alleged rational process should be cleansed of any consideration of irrational actions such as causing serious harm to citizens or to animals.

The absence of regular commentary on the business of inflicting cruelty prompts this book's aim, to show cruelty in the play of politics, in the design and implementation of state policies and in non-state responses. If truths about worldwide cruelties become evident, the elimination of such practices should become a key consideration in any future crafting of policies and in the advocacy of values which influence political cultures. Advocacy of humanitarian alternatives to cruelty would depend on the spirit of universal human rights, challenges to oppressive uses of power and the promotion of policies to address social and economic inequalities.

The behaviour of nation-states, their governments, institutions and the cohorts of politicians, public servants and media acolytes who contribute to cruelty needs to be exposed. Identifying the cruelties of citizens who act as individuals, or as loyal members of well-organized groups, prompts questions: do they look in a mirror, do they pretend all is well, nothing unusual has happened?

Cruelty refers to a wanton and unnecessary infliction of suffering on body and mind. The adjective ‘wanton’ describes conduct without regard to what is right, just or humane. That could include discrimination, torture or murder by individuals or by a state, as in the mass famine in China from 1956 to 1976 (the Great Leap Forward) which killed tens of millions of people.

In Western parlance, cruelty also warrants definitions according to specific contexts. In marriage relationships, cruelty includes mental and physical harm occurring over a period of time.