Escaping the Dilemma of Pacifist Arms-Support

What is it about?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine poses a dilemma for pacifists. On the one hand, they reject all forms of violence, so they reject delivering weapons to Ukraine. On the other, they know that letting the invasion continue causes great suffering. I propose a way to escape this dilemma. I argue that pacifism is not about rejecting violence, but about building a world without war through political reform. A world without war, I argue, will have three features: it is populated by democracies, has strong international institutions and its inhabitants all have inclusive identities. I argue that these features are best supported by helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia. Thus, pacifists should endorse arms-support for Ukraine. Not because such support is non-violent. But because it can bring us closer to a more peaceful world in the future.

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Photo by Vony Razom on Unsplash

Photo by Vony Razom on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This chapter re-defines the key goals of pacifism. Doing so, it offers a new way pacifists can engage with situations such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the perspective is applicable to conflicts around the world.