Where is the driving force of world unrest? Where does it typically come from?

The leaders, the ones in control is it not?

Typically when it comes down to the people we call the "civilians" they are only a population that is trying to survive and thrive, they are not truely "evil" people.
When we occupied Japan after WWII, my father told me that the Japenese civilians were a people that were "generous and very kind and respectful". We often see that when we get past a horrible war and actually meet the civilians that are only trying to survive, find some kind of happiness and thrive.