Introduction
Pacifism is a commitment to solve problems without the use of violence. In particular, it is the belief that war is always wrong.
There are many degrees of pacifism. For example, some people think that now, in the 21st Century, we should be able to solve disputes without violence. This form of pacifism may accept that war might theoretically be the right thing, but that in practice, in a world where we have nuclear weapons, fighting to solve problems is always wrong.
Some people are pacifist because they believe that it is, in principle, wrong to use violence. Natural Law can be used to support this view, and it can be backed up with Bible teaching such as 'Do not kill'. In ethics, this is known as a deontological position, rejecting the act of killing. This is known as an 'asolutist' position, which says it is always wrong to use violence.
People who object in principle to the use of violence need to be clear about which actions they consider wrong. Is it okay to use violence in self defence? Is it okay for the police to use violence? Can we fight a war to defend our own country from attack?
Other people are pacifists because they think the damage done by war will always be worse than any good it does. In ethics, this is known as a teleological approach. It looks at the end or outcome of our actions. Put another way, this is the positive belief that non-violent methods will lead to good outcomes.
A lot of people disagreed with the Iraq war on these grounds. The media allows us to see the damage done by war, and the conflict could go on for a long time into the future. For many people, there was a non-violent alternative that could have avoided so many deaths and would have brought greater stability to the region.
A person convinced by t his sort of pacifist approach may have different ideas about when the use of violence is acceptable. Non-violence is clearly effective as a way to change other people's opinions. Ghandi and Martin Luther King are good examples of how effective non-violence can be. However, a certain degree of force will be needed to maintain order, and this would be judged by choosing the most effective means.
