From the Athenian attack on Melos to the My Lai Massacre, from the wars in the Balkans through the first war in Iraq, Michael Walzer examines the moral issues surrounding military theory, war crimes, and the spoils of war. He studies a variety of conflicts over the course of history, as well as the testimony of those who have been most directly involved - participants, decision makers, and victims. In his introduction to this new edition, Walzer specifically addresses the moral issues surrounding the war in and occupation of Iraq, reminding us once again that "the argument about war and justice is still a political and moral necessity."
Just and Unjust Wars
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"A magnificent book, an honor to its writer... a book that makes for a return of civilised discussion of the question of the morality of war." New York Review of Books "A passionate defense of the old principle of non-combatant immunity... (He) is both thorough and persuasive in his exploration of a very intricate subject." Washington Post"
About the Author
Michael Walzer is Professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, and the author of many widely heralded books, including 'Spheres of Justice, Exodus and Revolution', and 'The Company of Critics', all available from Basic Books. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
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By Greg Feirman
Format:Paperback
Walzer's book is a superb introduction to Just War. It addresses both justice of war and justice in war. Most importantly, it is philosophical and deep while at the same time always clear and well illustrated with concrete examples and historical cases. It really could not be better written. Every chapter is concise, fascinating and provides an excellent overview/introduction to its respected subject.
The main framework for Justice of War is the legalist paradigm/domestic analogy. In society, one is allowed to defend oneself if attacked. Analagously, a country can fight a war in self defense. Similarly, if evidence is uncovered that someone is plotting a murder or robbery, domestic authorities don't have to wait until he actually commits the crime to intervene. When the evidence accumulates to a certain level, beyond reasonable doubt say, they can intervene and pre-empt him. Same thing applies on the international scale: pre-emption is legitimate. Walzer illustrates this with the Six Day War of 1967, a preemptive war initiated by Israel. Of course, the current War on Iraq is supposed to be preemptive as well. But, as Walzer shows, it is in fact preventive. Prevention is when you intervene against a known bad person or country without specific evidence of an imminent attack because one believes that this person or country would harm one if it could and it can't be allowed to gain more power, because then it will attack, even though it won't now. Or roughly that ;) Walzer claims that preventive wars sometimes lead to unnecesary wars, to wars against countries that never would have attacked. Therefore, they are unjustified; we should wait until we have sufficient evidence for plans of a definite attack at some point in the near future. I find if persausive.
The stuff on justice in war is just as good. Non-combatants should be immune since they pose no threat. But, of course, who counts as a non-combatant? What about workers in a munitions factory? What about factories pumping out clothes and supplies that the military depends on? Other rules of conduct in war such as unnecessary suffering, double effect, proportionality and torture are discussed. So is the issue of who is responsible for war: just the political leaders? Citizens, too? Very interesting stuff.
I don't completely agree with Walzer, on things like Humanitarian Intervention and some other things, but this is nevertheless a great book. Read this and "Anarchy, State and Utopia" and you'll have a great foundation for a well reasoned political philosophy.
Greg Feirman (gfire77@yahoo.com)
Format:Paperback
Michael Walzer's book is an in-depth look at the morality of war. It is not an easy read especially for the laymen. It helps if the reader has a good grounding in philosophy and understands the idea of "moral relativism". His book makes an in depth study of many facets of what takes place in warfare. The chapter that I found most interesting because it is in the news so much was on pre-emptive warfare. Walzer does believe that countries have the right to go to war pre-emotively but he does set the bar quite high. He believes a country must really be under eminent attack before it acts pre-emotively. He did believe that Israel acted justly in its pre-emptive attack against the Arabs in the 1967 war. He also defines terrorism as a criminal act and not a justifiable act of war. He makes a clear distinction between terrorism and guerilla warfare, deeming guerilla warfare a moral method of warfare.
I recommend this book for military, political professionals and for philosophers.
By "woodmansey"
Format:Paperback
This book was required reading in philosophy class when I was a sophomore at West Point. I recently pulled the book out of storage to review it. Was our invasion of Afghanistan a "Just War"? Would an invasion of Iraq be a "Just War"? It covers more about war than just these topics (and not specifically these actions), and it reveals that just and unjust war/fighting is not always so easy to define.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great insight
Professor Michael Walzer examines just war theory in a clear, methodical and rigorous fashion. Concrete examples clarify and flesh out the theory. Read more
Published on Jan 18 2002 by G B
5.0 out of 5 stars
Considering: the Problem of a Confiscated Democracy
The problem of just vs unjust war is an aspect of democracy that especially comes forth in its urgency at the present time. Read more
Published on Nov 7 2001 by helen MciKeever
4.0 out of 5 stars
metropolitan vs communitarian
Politics get their names because usually they don't say anything they mean. This might be true for Realism or Liberalism, but not for normative theories like Walzer or Beitz. Read more
Published on July 22 2001 by "bookriver"
5.0 out of 5 stars
superb, even for the non-specialist
This is a great book. Perhaps those with more of a political background would take away something different, but I found it to be a thoughtful look at the (moral) causes of wars... Read more
Published on Feb 22 2001 by Rebecca Lowell
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best texts on political ethics....
This book, which Walzer did write as a polemic against the Vietnam War (something that many other people did at the same time) is one of the seminal texts in the often maligned... Read more
Published on Aug 17 2000 by J. Michael Showalter
4.0 out of 5 stars
excellent supplemental material
As a high school AP teacher, I use excerpts from this book inmy European History class. ... My HIGH SCHOOL students both understandand love Walzer's analysis which they find very... Read more
Published on May 1 2000 by joseph schottland
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