Jus ad bellum Flashcards
List the 7 jus ad bellum criteria
- Just cause
- Just authority
- Just intention
- Proportionality
- Last resort
- Likelihood of success
- Comparative justice
What does just cause mean?
War should be waged for the right reason
What does just authority mean?
War must be declared by the right authority
What does just intention mean?
War should be waged with the right attitude
What does proportionality mean?
War, as a response to injustice, should be proportionate to the original injustice
What does last resort mean?
War should only be waged after solutions to the crisis have failed
What does likelihood of success mean?
There has to be a reasonable chance that the intended outcomes will be achieved
What does comparative justice mean?
Both sides of the conflict must be fairly considered
How did Augustine define a just cause?
One that avenges wrongs, punishes a nation or state that won’t stop mistreating its subjects, or restoring something that has been seized unjustly
How did Aquinas define a just cause?
One that is in response to some fault on the behalf of those who will be attacked
List the issues with the idea of just cause
- The notion is open and inclusive and people can have different opinions of what justifies war (Vardy)
- It could lead to the sometimes incorrect assumption that the defender is always right and the aggressor is always wrong
- It isn’t clear whether it is okay to intervene on behalf of another
- Wars are too complex to be assessed in this war because there are complex, overlapping causes (McMahon)
What two modern developments have led Shue to think that the idea of a just cause is outdated?
- Humanitarian military intervention - It is sometimes write to intervene to protect someone who is unable to protect themselves
- Preventative wars - To protect yourself from an anticipated attack
Give an example of a preventative war
When the UK and US attacked Iraq over fears about WMDs
Give an example of a war with a just cause
A war waged because numerous civilians have been attacked or killed in that country
Why does Aquinas argue wars should be just authority instead of inidividuals?
Because individuals can go to court if they have been wronged