✋ Absolute pacifism
Absolute pacifists believe that war and violence are wrong in every situation, even to defend yourself or others.
Peace and Conflict: Key Ideas » Peace, Pacifism, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 3.2
- What peace is, why it matters and how religion helps to make it
- Why justice, forgiveness and reconciliation matter, with South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- What pacifism is, its history, and arguments for and against it
- Humanist attitudes to peace and pacifism
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Unlock This CourseWhat is peace?
Many people think peace just means no war. That is part of it, but most people want more. Peace is a state where people live safely, fairly and in good relationships with one another. A country can have no fighting and still not be at peace if some groups are afraid, treated badly or have no say.
Peace can also be personal. Inner peace means feeling calm and free from worry, anger and guilt. Many people believe that peace in the world starts with peace in each person.
🛡️ Safety
People can live without fear of violence, in their homes and in their country.
⚖️ Justice
People are treated fairly and their rights are respected.
🤝 Good relationships
Individuals, groups and countries get on, talk and solve problems without violence.
Peace matters because war and conflict destroy lives, homes and trust (see Why Conflicts and Wars Happen). Most people, religious and non-religious, say peace is something worth working for.
Key terms:
- Peace: more than the absence of war; living safely, fairly and in good relationships.
- Inner peace: a calm mind, free from anger, worry and guilt.
The role of religion in peacemaking
Many religions teach that peace is good and that followers should work for it. Religion can help to make peace in several general ways:
- Teaching: encouraging followers to be kind, to love others and to settle disputes without violence.
- Example: some believers, such as religious leaders, show how to live peacefully, sometimes at great personal cost.
- Bringing sides together: religious leaders can talk to both sides in a conflict, offer a place to meet and be trusted by people who no longer trust each other.
- Charities and peace groups: religious organisations work to help the victims of conflict and to build understanding between communities.
Not everyone agrees that religion helps. Some people point out that religion has sometimes been used to justify war, and that it is not always the religion itself that is the problem. Each religion's own teachings on peace are covered in that religion's lessons.
Justice, forgiveness and reconciliation
Three ideas are closely linked to peace.
⚖️ Justice
Justice means treating people fairly. Peace does not last where people are treated unfairly, because anger and resentment build up and may lead to violence again.
❤️ Forgiveness
Forgiveness means letting go of the wish for revenge. It is not the same as saying the wrong did not matter.
🤝 Reconciliation
Reconciliation means restoring a broken relationship, so that former enemies can live together again.
Forgiveness can be hard, especially after terrible harm. Supporters say it frees people from hatred and breaks the cycle of revenge. Critics say it can feel unfair to victims, who may feel that wrongdoers have escaped without punishment.
Example: South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission
For many years South Africa was ruled under apartheid, a system that separated people by race and treated Black South Africans unfairly. After apartheid ended, the country set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 1995, led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Victims were able to tell their stories in public. People who had committed political crimes could ask for amnesty (a pardon) if they told the whole truth. The aim was to uncover the truth, help people to forgive and build one nation, rather than seek revenge on everyone responsible.
Supporters say it helped South Africa avoid more violence and begin to heal. Critics say some victims never saw justice, because people who confessed were not punished.
Key terms
- Justice: treating people fairly.
- Forgiveness: letting go of the wish for revenge.
- Reconciliation: restoring a broken relationship.
- Amnesty: an official pardon for a crime.
Pacifism
Pacifism is the belief that war and violence are always wrong. Pacifists work for peace by non-violent means such as talking, protest and helping others. There are two main types.
🕊️ Conditional pacifism
Conditional pacifists believe war is almost always wrong and peaceful solutions must always be tried first, but they may accept violence in extreme cases, such as to stop something even worse.
A short history of pacifism
- Ancient roots: in the religions that began in India, ahimsa (non-harm) is the idea of not causing harm to any living thing. It is an ancient root of non-violence.
- Peace churches: the Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends) are a historic peace church that has long refused to fight.
- Conscientious objectors: a conscientious objector refuses to fight because of their beliefs. In the First World War Britain introduced conscription (a legal duty to join the armed forces) in 1916, and in the Second World War from 1939. Conscientious objectors had to explain their beliefs to a tribunal. Some did non-fighting work, such as ambulance driving, and some were imprisoned.
- Non-violent movements: in the twentieth century, non-violent movements such as the Indian independence movement and the American civil rights movement showed that change can come without fighting (see Just War Theory, Holy War and Passive Resistance).
Arguments about pacifism
✅ For pacifism
War kills and injures innocent people. Violence tends to cause more violence. Many people see human life as sacred, a reason never to kill. Non-violence has won change before.
❌ Against pacifism
Some people are so dangerous that only force can stop them. Failing to defend others could allow great evil to continue. Many believe it is right to protect your country and your family.
Non-religious attitudes
Humanists and other non-religious people also value peace. They base this on reason, human welfare and the belief that this life is the only one we have. Humanists generally support negotiation and international law as the best ways to settle disputes, and see war as a last resort. Many humanists are not absolute pacifists.
Common mistakes
- Saying peace only means no war. Add justice, safety and good relationships.
- Saying forgiveness means the wrong did not matter. It means letting go of revenge.
- Mixing up forgiveness (letting go of revenge) and reconciliation (restoring a relationship).
- Saying all pacifists refuse every form of violence. Conditional pacifists may accept it in extreme cases.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three things that make up peace. [3 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(b) Outline two ways in which religion can help to make peace. [4 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(c) Explain why some people believe that forgiveness is important for peace. [6 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(d) 'Pacifism is the best way to bring about peace.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
Model answer
(a) 1. Safety (1) 2. Justice (1) 3. Good relationships (1)
(b) One way is teaching (1): religions can teach followers to love others and to settle disputes without violence (1). Another way is bringing sides together (1): religious leaders can be trusted by both sides, so they can offer a place to talk (1).
(c) One reason is that forgiveness breaks the cycle of revenge. If one wrong is answered by another, the violence goes on, but forgiveness means letting go of the wish for revenge so the cycle can stop. A second reason is that forgiveness makes reconciliation possible. Enemies cannot restore their relationship while they are full of hatred, so forgiving helps them to live together again. South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission is an example: victims heard the truth and many chose to forgive, which helped the country avoid more violence. A third reason is that forgiveness helps the victim as well, because it can free them from anger and bring inner peace. This means that, for these people, peace lasts longer when forgiveness is part of it.
(d) Plan. For: violence tends to cause more violence, wars kill innocent people, and non-violent movements have won change without fighting. Absolute pacifists see violence as always wrong, and ahimsa teaches non-harm. Against: some attackers can only be stopped by force; refusing to defend others could allow great evil, which is why conditional pacifists and Just War supporters accept war as a last resort; humanists favour negotiation and international law, not pacifism alone. Judge each point: non-violence has worked in some places, but it may not work against every enemy. The key phrase is the best way: pacifism may be one good way, not the only way. Conclusion (example): pacifism is an admirable aim, and peaceful methods should always come first, but in extreme cases force may be needed to protect the innocent, so it is not always the best way. In your own answer, add what the teachings of your own religion say about peace, forgiveness and war, and contrast them with a humanist or other non-religious view.
Exam tip
In part (c), do not just say what forgiveness is. Give each reason, then say what it leads to, using words such as 'because' and 'this means that'.