Ima 1
Karin Ima
Mr. Pangier/Mr. Shaffer
A1 European Literature/A2 European History
5 April 2016
Just War Theory
When do we determine that something is right, that something is reasonable? Often times the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about war is horror, brutality, and dehumanization. The Just War theory is a doctrine that provides the audience with a series of criteria, to ensure that war is morally justifiable. Yet there are still theories that define war as a pathway to peace -- perhaps even justice. So can we ever have peace at all?
Thomas Aquinas is an influential philosopher and theologian who believed that under specific conditions, a war could be just. “First, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority such as the state” (Aquinas). This simply means that a legitimate authority should wage any war. “Second, war must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self-gain or as an exercise of power” (Aquinas). A war should commence for a purpose that is good, not for taking advantage of it as to gain power. “Third, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence” (Aquinas). Finally, as mentioned in the following quote, peace should still be the main objective even during the actual war. These three aspects as a whole reflect on how war is not all about inhumanity.
The Vietnam War is another example that can be discussed about. After visiting the war museum in Vietnam, I couldn’t help but notice the many pictures of innocent civilians that were directly affected by the Vietnam War. This relates back to the third aspect of what Aquinas mentioned, which was that the act of killing innocent people should be refrained. The Just War Theory made its recovery in response to this war.
The first World War is an example that is greatly debated on whether it was just or not. World War I was known as the “war to end all wars”. The book, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is an excellent source that depicts the vivid horror of World War I. This novel strongly emphasizes on the youth -- how the youth are forced to fight when the older generations are the ones that
declare the war, “war should be a kind of popular festival with entrance-tickets and bands, like a bull fight. Then in the arena the ministers and generals of the two countries, dressed in bathing-drawers and armed with clubs, can have it out among themselves...That would be much simpler and more just than this arrangement, where the wrong people do the fighting” (Remarque 41). Remarque himself experienced the war as a young man himself. His experiences resulted in delivering a message that shows how the war destroyed the youth: “We are not youth any longer...We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces” (Remarque 87-88).
Perhaps peace is something we reach out for, because of the consequences of war. Could we have peace without the existence of war? Or is it something that society has implemented after all the violence? History gives us evidence that war has resulted in many disputes and destruction, even though the primary goal was peace. Ironic, isn’t it? My theory is that war should only happen as long as it is controlled. War should only occur under extreme circumstances. But who decides whether or not to declare a war? The society. The people, the youth that is evidently forced to fight. If only we made rules -- war is justifiable.
Works Cited
Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. Trans. A. W. Wheen. New York: Ballantine
Books, 1987. Print.
"Just War Theory." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
3 Changes:
Karin Ima
Mr. Pangier/Mr. Shaffer
A1 European Literature/A2 European History
5 April 2016
Just War Theory
When do we determine that something is right, that something is reasonable? Often times the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about war is horror, brutality, and dehumanization. The Just War theory is a doctrine that provides the audience with a series of criteria, to ensure that war is morally justifiable. Yet there are still theories that define war as a pathway to peace -- perhaps even justice. So can we ever have peace at all?
Thomas Aquinas is an influential philosopher and theologian who believed that under specific conditions, a war could be just. “First, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority such as the state” (Aquinas). This simply means that a legitimate authority should wage any war. “Second, war must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self-gain or as an exercise of power” (Aquinas). A war should commence for a purpose that is good, not for taking advantage of it as to gain power. “Third, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence” (Aquinas). Finally, as mentioned in the following quote, peace should still be the main objective even during the actual war. These three aspects as a whole reflect on how war is not all about inhumanity.
The Vietnam War is another example that can be discussed about. After visiting the war museum in Vietnam, I couldn’t help but notice the many pictures of innocent civilians that were directly affected by the Vietnam War. This relates back to the third aspect of what Aquinas mentioned, which was that the act of killing innocent people should be refrained. The Just War Theory made its recovery in response to this war.
The first World War is an example that is greatly debated on whether it was just or not. World War I was known as the “war to end all wars”. The book, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is an excellent source that depicts the vivid horror of World War I. This novel strongly emphasizes on the youth -- how the youth are forced to fight when the older generations are the ones that
declare the war, “war should be a kind of popular festival with entrance-tickets and bands, like a bull fight. Then in the arena the ministers and generals of the two countries, dressed in bathing-drawers and armed with clubs, can have it out among themselves...That would be much simpler and more just than this arrangement, where the wrong people do the fighting” (Remarque 41). Remarque himself experienced the war as a young man himself. His experiences resulted in delivering a message that shows how the war destroyed the youth: “We are not youth any longer...We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces” (Remarque 87-88).
Perhaps peace is something we reach out for, because of the consequences of war. Could we have peace without the existence of war? Or is it something that society has implemented after all the violence? History gives us evidence that war has resulted in many disputes and destruction, even though the primary goal was peace. Ironic, isn’t it? My theory is that war should only happen as long as it is controlled. War should only occur under extreme circumstances. But who decides whether or not to declare a war? The society. The people, the youth that is evidently forced to fight. If only we made rules -- war is justifiable.
Works Cited
Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. Trans. A. W. Wheen. New York: Ballantine
Books, 1987. Print.
"Just War Theory." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
3 Changes:
- I fixed any awkward sentences and arranged them a little.
- I added on/elaborated on a few of the ideas that didn’t have enough clarity in the first draft. I still need to add reference to Foster.
- I arranged/changed the order of my paragraphs to see if it flows more smoothly.