I do agree with this statement, however respect and power go hand in hand. I think respect isn't fluid. Although people may loose power by being replaced, like a president or king or any person of power, as long as they don't do anything to damage their respect i still see them as a power 

War over the years has gotten a lot more advanced technologically. although this would be a reason for more deaths because we has mass murder weapons such as the atom bomb, the democracy portion of war has increased. People are more willing to reason when the weapons we have or they have can wipe out the entire human population.