In
ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns m ...
, questions regarding the morality of violence ask under what conditions, if any, the use of
violence
Violence is the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy. Other definitions are also used, such as the World Health Organization's definition of violence as "the intentional use of physical force or Power (social and p ...
can be morally justified. Three prominent views on the morality of violence are (1) the
pacifist
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
position, which states that violence is always immoral, and should never be used; (2) the
utilitarian position, that means that violence can be used if it achieves a greater “good" for society; (3) a hybrid of these two views which both looks at what good comes from the use of violence, while also examining the types of violence used.
Christian theologians have traditionally argued against the morality of violence, arguing that Christians should love their enemies as well as their friends.
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
often spoke about the morality of violence, arguing that violence was moral, and that it had spiritual importance as an expression of human will. Noted community activist,
Saul Alinsky, also argued for a similar stance in his book ''
Rules for Radicals
''Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals'' is a 1971 book by community activist and writer Saul D. Alinsky about how to successfully run a movement for change. It was the last book written by Alinsky, and it was published ...
'' where he states "That Perennial question, 'Does the end justify the means?' is meaningless as it stands; the real and only question regarding the ethics of means and ends is, and always has been, 'Does this ''particular'' end justify this ''particular'' means?'"
Alinsky's view can be considered a hybrid of the pacifist and utilitarian view of violence.
See also
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Anarchism and violence
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Just war theory
The just war theory ( la, bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as a tradition, of military ethics which is studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists and policy makers. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure that a war is m ...
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Paradox of tolerance
The paradox of tolerance states that if a society is tolerant without limit, its ability to be tolerant is eventually seized or destroyed by the intolerant. Karl Popper described it as the seemingly self-contradictory idea that in order to mainta ...
References
Further reading
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Violence
Violence is the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy. Other definitions are also used, such as the World Health Organization's definition of violence as "the intentional use of physical force or Power (social and p ...
Violence
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