Just War Theory
To put it simple, Just War theory attempts to identify the circumstances under which a war would be just. Therefore, it consists of two parts. While Just War theory confesses that killing is, in its general sense, morally improper, it also tries to characterise conditions in which the killing of others becomes a moral obligation. Having recognised that war is inevitable among states and will lead to deaths, Just War theory also attempts to envisage how the use of arms might be controlled, made more humane, and eventually directed towards establishing lasting peace and justice. In brief, just war is countering evil with the lesser evil.
Many scholars of International Relations Theory believe that there is no Just War ‘theory’ as such and there are actually as many Just War theories as the number of the people who judge the wars. Since it is so relative a concept, according to how people justify wars, one can categorise the spectrum of just war into four categories. Those who believe no war can be justified by any means and in any situation are ‘absolute pacifists’. Those who suppose some wars justly fought can be found in the history are ‘dovish’ and those who consider few wars in the history as unjust are ‘hawkish’. In the last ‘realpolitik’ category raison d'état is what drives the realists. Consequently, any strategy in their national interest, be it war or peace, is justified.
Just War from the Bahá'í Perspective
I think I lean towards absolute pacifist, there is no good reason for war. The excuses we do use for going to war are IMO most likely not justified. However there maybe some humanitarian reason to wage war with another country if it could be absolutely proven that atrocities against innocent folks were being commited. I suspect, however, this is perhaps never the real reason we end up in a war.
“War is really nothing more but the result of existing forces.” So not only is war not always a bad thing necessarily, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains:
A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the very means of reconstruction. If, for example, a high-minded sovereign marshals his troops to block the onset of the insurgent and the aggressor, or again, if he takes the field and distinguishes himself in a struggle to unify a divided state and people, if, in brief, he is ‘waging war for a righteous purpose’, then this seeming wrath is mercy itself, and this apparent tyranny the very substance of justice and this warfare the cornerstone of peace. Today, the task befitting great rulers is to establish universal peace, for in this lies the freedom of all peoples.
Just War from the Bahá'í Perspective
Maybe war can be justified, has there been a war that was justified?
To put it simple, Just War theory attempts to identify the circumstances under which a war would be just. Therefore, it consists of two parts. While Just War theory confesses that killing is, in its general sense, morally improper, it also tries to characterise conditions in which the killing of others becomes a moral obligation. Having recognised that war is inevitable among states and will lead to deaths, Just War theory also attempts to envisage how the use of arms might be controlled, made more humane, and eventually directed towards establishing lasting peace and justice. In brief, just war is countering evil with the lesser evil.
Many scholars of International Relations Theory believe that there is no Just War ‘theory’ as such and there are actually as many Just War theories as the number of the people who judge the wars. Since it is so relative a concept, according to how people justify wars, one can categorise the spectrum of just war into four categories. Those who believe no war can be justified by any means and in any situation are ‘absolute pacifists’. Those who suppose some wars justly fought can be found in the history are ‘dovish’ and those who consider few wars in the history as unjust are ‘hawkish’. In the last ‘realpolitik’ category raison d'état is what drives the realists. Consequently, any strategy in their national interest, be it war or peace, is justified.
Just War from the Bahá'í Perspective
I think I lean towards absolute pacifist, there is no good reason for war. The excuses we do use for going to war are IMO most likely not justified. However there maybe some humanitarian reason to wage war with another country if it could be absolutely proven that atrocities against innocent folks were being commited. I suspect, however, this is perhaps never the real reason we end up in a war.
“War is really nothing more but the result of existing forces.” So not only is war not always a bad thing necessarily, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains:
A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the very means of reconstruction. If, for example, a high-minded sovereign marshals his troops to block the onset of the insurgent and the aggressor, or again, if he takes the field and distinguishes himself in a struggle to unify a divided state and people, if, in brief, he is ‘waging war for a righteous purpose’, then this seeming wrath is mercy itself, and this apparent tyranny the very substance of justice and this warfare the cornerstone of peace. Today, the task befitting great rulers is to establish universal peace, for in this lies the freedom of all peoples.
Just War from the Bahá'í Perspective
Maybe war can be justified, has there been a war that was justified?
