Pacifism and Its Prospects for Social Peace

The paper critically examines the pacifist doctrine, which maintains that the practice of non-violence provides a guarantee for social peace. It scrutinises the underlying assumptions of the theory, its essential characteristics as well as the extent to which it can actually promote social peace. The paper maintains that as a theory, pacifism holds great promise in the quest for a peaceful social order. However, it has a number of problems that inhibits its practical effectiveness.