The Ideology of Peace

PEACE AND VIOLENCE ~ 27 ~ the noblest line of conduct is to refrain from opting for it. The conditions prevailing in ancient times allowed for war in self-defence. But this permission to go to war conformed to the law of necessity. Now, in the present situation, this need no longer exists, therefore there should be a general ban on war. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AGRICULTURAL AGE AND THE INDUSTRIAL AGE As regards war, all religions and all ethical systems are agreed upon one principle, and that is, that no matter how great the justification for waging war, i.e. even in an entirely lawful war, non-combatants must not be assailed or killed. The attacking of noncombatants is totally unacceptable. Now let us look at how this principle is carried into effect in wartime. This kind of condition, i.e. the attacking only of combatants, could be fulfilled only in the agricultural age. Today, owing to scientific and technological developments, war is waged with explosive weapons which do widespread damage. When a bomb is dropped over an inhabited area, it