The Just War Theory

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The Just War Theory The method of war as a means to settle disputes is an undeniable part of the history of the world. “War should be understood as an actual, intentional, and widespread armed conflict between political communities. Thus, fisticuffs between individual persons do not count as a war, nor does a gang fight, nor does a feud on the order of the Hatfields versus the McCoys” (Orend). Ancient records, writings, and even scriptures from the Bible are evidence to the fact that wars have been recurring events throughout time. The definition of justified war is not self-explanatory nor can it be understood without delving into the ideas and concepts that lie behind it. “The theory is not intended to justify wars but to prevent them, by showing that going to war except in certain limited circumstances is wrong, and thus motivate states to find other ways of resolving conflicts” (“Just War Introduction”). The development of the theory on just war was not a one-step process. Numerous theological ideas and phases of development transpired to result in the Just War Theory. Other views on how to deal with conflict were in existence, such as pacifism and realism. Pacifism was in direct conflict with the ideas of justified war. Pacifism was the basic philosophy for Christians in early years. This method of dealing with conflict works in some situations and circumstances, but is often times not successful in others. For instance while it did work for Martin Luther King, it would not have worked against Hitler and Nazi Germany during World War II. Realism is another alternate view of dealing with war. “Realism is most influential amongst political scientists, as well as scholars and practitioners of international relations. While realism is a complex and often sophisticated doctrine, its core propositions express a strong suspicion about applying moral concepts, like
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