Historical impact of weapon prevalence on martial arts?

[GreenieMeanie]

Has the millennia-old norm of common citizens carrying purpose-built weapons (daggers, axes, swords, spears, guns) in Western culture, caused its martial arts tradition to uniquely evolve?

I want to emphasize, that by purpose-built, I’m specifically not referring to traditional tools that were developed as substitutes for such weapons, that could easily be explained as innocuous tools to authorities.

 

[Instructor]

Has the millennia-old norm of common citizens carrying purpose-built weapons (daggers, axes, swords, spears, guns) in Western culture, caused its martial arts tradition to uniquely evolve?

I want to emphasize, that by purpose-built, I’m specifically not referring to traditional tools that were developed as substitutes for such weapons, that could easily be explained as innocuous tools to authorities.

In the case of the Hapkido program I belong to I would say yes. We train to defend against knives, clubs, and firearms. Not many techniques to deal with spears, swords, or axes.

 

[O'Malley]

I think it would help the discussion if you shared examples of what you have in mind.

Has the millennia-old norm of common citizens carrying purpose-built weapons (daggers, axes, swords, spears, guns) in Western culture, caused its martial arts tradition to uniquely evolve?

I want to emphasize, that by purpose-built, I’m specifically not referring to traditional tools that were developed as substitutes for such weapons, that could easily be explained as innocuous tools to authorities.

You seem to hypothesize that this is the case, what makes you think so?

"Western culture" (by which I assume you mean the US, Canada and Western Europe) is by no means monolithic and the countries involved have different histories of military conflict and civilian defense. Likewise, I'd expect that civilians being armed would be quite common in a lot of non-Western countries during various periods of their history. But yes, as a very general remark, martial arts are the product of particular historical, cultural and social contexts.

 

[drop bear]

Probably not.

Wrestling for example.