The
Just War
Tradition
Just War Tradition
Jus Ad Bellem
(before the war)
Jus In Bello
(during the war)
Jus Post Bellum
(after the war)
Just War Tradition
Jewish contributions
Two types of legitimate warfare
Obligatory war (Milchemet Mitzvah)
God commanded wars of the Israelites
Defensive wars of any era
Voluntary war (Milchemet rashut)
territorial expansion
Just War Tradition
Contributions of Plato, Aristotle and Cicero
Moral ideas discussed in Plato’s Republic
“Just War” (Bellum Justum) - Aristotle in Politics.
Cicero (1st century BCE) “those ware which are unjust
are undertaken without provocation, for only a war
waged for revenge or defense can be just.”
Just War Tradition
Christian Teachings
1st century CE – non-violence
St. Ambrose (parallels Cicero) – lacks systematic
argument based on scripture.
St. Augustine – War is a consequence of sin, but could
also be a remedy.
Just War Tradition
St. Augustine,
Bishop of Hippo
Ordained a priest at age 37
Ordained a Bishop after 5 years
Author of “Confessions” and
“The City of God”
Established Just War Theory in the
letter “The Correction of the Donatists”
Just War Tradition
Just Cause
Comparative Justice
Right Intention
Competent Authority
Public Declaration
Last Resort
Reasonable Probability of
Success
Proportionality
Peace as the Ultimate
Objective of War
Just Cause
Cicero
Ambrose
Augustine
To defend the state
from barbarian
invasion
To defend the safety
or honor of the state
To gain revenge for
wrongs
To defend the safety
or honor of one’s
allies
To defend the state
from barbarian
invasion
To defend the state from
external invasion
To defend the safety or honor
of the state, with the
realization that their
simultaneous defense might
be impossible
To avenge injuries; to punish
a nation for failure to take
corrective action for wrongs
(legal or moral) committed by
its citizens
To come to defense of one’s
allies
To obey a divine command to
go to war (which in practice,
issues from the political head
of state acting as God’s
lieutenant on earth)
To gain the return of
something that was
wrongfully taken
To wage war at the
behest of the gods as
directed by the
priests of the
collegium fetialium
To protect those who
are unable to protect
themselves
To obey a divine
command to go to
war (which, in
practice, issues from
the head of state
acting as God’s
lieutenant on earth)
Comparative Justice
Cicero
Wars fought for
“glory” are less just
than those fought for
defensive reasons
Ambrose
Augustine
The nation which
claims to have just
cause to wage war
must have a cause
which is at least more
just that the other
nation’s cause
Right Intention
Cicero
War must not be
fought merely for
territorial expansion
or as the result of a
lust for power or
bloodshed
Ambrose
Augustine
War must not be
fought for territorial
expansion
Those who wage war
must not delight in
the wickedness of
potential adversaries
Those who wage war
must view war as a
stern necessity
Those who wage war
must never act in a
way that will provoke
war
Competent Authority
Cicero
Ambrose
Augustine
The Roman Senate
has authority to
declare ware on
behalf of the Roman
people after having
obtained the assent
of the gods via the
fetial priests.
In Old Testament
times, God directed
wars to be fought
The sovereign ruler of
the state has
authority to wage war.
Those subject to the
authority of the
sovereign are dutybound to fight in the
sovereign’s wars
(perhaps even in
those which are
unjust).
God can, with perfect
justice direct wars to
be fought.
The decision to wage
war is an affair of
state, not the church.
Public Declaration
Cicero
War must be
preceded by:
1. A public
declaration or
2. an ultimatum
demanding redress of
grievances.
Ambrose
Augustine
Last Resort
Cicero
Ambrose
By definition, a public Disputes should be
declaration of war or resolved by means
the issuance of an
short of war
ultimatum constitutes whenever possible.
the last resort for
peaceful resolution
short of war.
Augustine
Disputes should be
resolved by the
means short of war
whenever possible
Reasonable Probability of Success
Cicero
Ambrose
Augustine
A war justly entered
into still can be held
to have been just
even if it is lost.
Proportionality
Cicero
Ambrose
Augustine
War must be fought in
light of the object of
the restoration of
peace; and the
restoration of peace
will mark the
attainment of a
greater good than
would result from the
continued absence of
peace.
Peace as the
Ultimate
Object of War
Cicero
Ambrose
Augustine
Peace without juile is
a desirable result of
war.
Peace should be
reestablished at the
war’s conclusion.
Peace is the proper
object of all wars.
Just War Tradition
Just Cause
Comparative Justice
Right Intention
Competent Authority
Public Declaration
Last Resort
Reasonable Probability of
Success
Proportionality
Peace as the Ultimate
Objective of War
Just War in the 21st Century
Warfare in the 21 Century
Is
Just War
Reality
or
Myth?