Arguments Against Pacifism

“If the doctrine of pacifism is justified, then it is justified for everyone-- and those who do not abide by it are morally wrong.” -Unknown As war technology advances and the threat of weapons of mass destruction intensifies, the potential for national pacifism becomes an increasingly relevant and morally imperative inquiry. The dire human consequences of weaponry such as drones and nuclear missiles raises serious ethical concerns about the nature of modern warfare. As the majority of the world’s peoples, religions, and governments hold firm the belief in a universal human right to life, the need to reduce, or even eliminate, warfare and terrorism on a global scale grows more urgent. Pacifism, thus, must be thoughtfully and thoroughly

Thus, pacifists and non-pacifists may share the same values and ultimate desires but they have very different ideas about how to achieve them. Some argue that pacifists can not make utilitarian or consequentialist arguments against violence or war. However, one of the strongest arguments for pacifism is a consequentialist argument. Non-pacifist consequentialists often pose scenarios in which the deliberate killing of one individual will prevent the predicted killing of several or many other people. The consequence of not killing the one individual is letting the other people die, and, in utilitarian terms, the lives of the many are worth more than the lives of the individual who would kill them. Then for those that respect human life, the non-pacifists argue, they must make the utilitarian choice to kill one life and save

Thus, while not all iterations of pacifism are created equally, pacifism is worthy of serious consideration. It is not a universal moral truth, but rather a multifaceted doctrine that reflects a set of nearly universal human values. Pacifists can maintain moral integrity by embodying their deeply held moral convictions through a radical nonviolent practice. While the refusal to assert themselves as “right” may lead some critics or non-pacifists to see pacifism as a mere preference, by rejecting the supposition of a universal morality and countering hegemonic narratives of “right and wrong,” pacifists are able to combat violence in unique and effective