Single Idea 23584

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / c. Combatants]

Full Idea

Objections to combatant equality appeal to a sliding scale of 'the more justice, the more right'. …It allows the justice of one's cause to make a difference in the way one fights. …The extreme says soldiers fightly justly can do anything that is useful.

Gist of Idea

Rejecting Combatant Equality allows just soldiers to be harsher, even to the extreme

Source

Michael Walzer (Just and Unjust Wars [1977], 14)

Book Reference

Walzer,Michael: 'Just and Unjust Wars' [Penguin 1984], p.229


A Reaction

This slippery slope fear seems to be Walzer's main argument in favour of the moral equality of combatants. See Jeff McMahan for the opposing view.