The Ethics of Destruction

Norms and Force in International Relations

By:

Ward Thomas

Format:

Paperback / softback

Series:

Cornell Studies in Security Affairs

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Description

Many assume that in international politics, and especially in war, "anything goes." Sherman famously declared war "is all hell." The implication behind the maxim is that in war there is no order, only chaos; no mercy, only cruelty; no restraint, only suffering. Ward Thomas finds that this "anything goes" view is demonstrably wrong. It neither reflects how most people talk about the use of force in international relations nor describes the way national leaders actually use military force. Events such as those in Europe during World War II, in the Persian Gulf War, and in Kosovo cannot be understood, he argues, until we realize that state behavior, even during wartime, is shaped by common understandings about what is ethically acceptable and unacceptable. Thomas makes extensive use of two cases-the assassination of foreign leaders and the aerial bombardment of civilians-to trace the relative influence of norms and interests. His insistence on interconnections between ethical principle and material power leads to a revised understanding of the role of normative factors in foreign policy and the ways in which power and interest shape the international system.

Author Biography:

Ward Thomas is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the College of the Holy Cross. He practiced law in Fairfax, Va., from 1989 to 1993.

Release date Australia

June 14th, 2001

Author

Ward Thomas

Audience

Undergraduate

Pages

240

Series

Cornell Studies in Security Affairs

Dimensions

152x229x18

ISBN-13

9780801487415

Product ID

25213826

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