Damage

Damage can occur where atomic bonds are not completely broken, but are shifted to create unstable pockets of concentration and diffusion of the material, which are more susceptible to later breakage.[2]: 1.

Damage-related factors include internal and environmental assaults to living organisms that induce cumulative damage at various levels.

By extension, damage is also used to describe a degradation in the value of intangible things such as relationships,[9] self-image,[10] reputation,[11] and goodwill.

[12][13] The propensity for damage to occur to physical objects and systems, as well as to intangible characteristics, is built into the prices of goods and services that depend on the supply of these things, particularly as a component of insurance costs.

It is not a widely used term, however, but it is a legal concept of considerable importance, because it is extremely common, particularly in countries where human rights of prisoners and other people under institutional care are not respected or guaranteed by law.

These controversies relate to the old government versus individual debate which has permeated philosophy and political science since Ancient Greece.

Other examples are vandalism of public buildings, extremely large epidemics that disrupt normal functioning of society's institutions, such as in the case of AIDS in Africa; external military intervention, such as in the invasion of Iraq by the USA and allied nations; and even (paradoxically), external aid to countries which are rich in natural resources but have a poor economy and/or corrupt government (the so-called "resource curse") The two concepts, damage caused by institutions and damage caused to institutions, are related in many situations.