PEACE AND VIOLENCE

PEACE AND VIOLENCE ~ 23 ~ There are some who call this kind of peace negative. They say peace has no value unless it is accompanied by justice. If they are offered peace, pure and simple, they will not accept it. They hold that they should first be given justice and their rights, and then only can they live peacefully with others. “Peace with justice” is their watchword. This shows a lack of realism in their thinking. The truth is that justice does not directly follow on from a state of peace. The aim of establishing peace is, in fact, to open up opportunities for the achievement of justice, rather than the actual bringing of justice into being. Peace, of course, is a highly desirable state of being because, once it is established, everyone has the opportunity to make plans, and then achieve whatever he wants. But those who insist on the prior condition of justice going hand in hand with peace will find neither peace nor justice. And they will continue to fight in the name of securing justice. In this way they will never let such peace prevail as will provide an atmosphere conducive to securing justice.