1. PEACE EDUCATION SCOTLAND JUST WAR THEORY
This theory is mostly
associated with the 13th
century Christian saint,
Thomas Aquinas. He set out the conditions for a war that is just (fair)
in his book, ‘Summa
Theologica’.
In recent times, some new conditions have been
added.

2. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
The theory is built around several requirements. The first requirement is: there must be a just cause.
Attack by another nation would represent a just cause for war.
German troops parading through Warsaw
after invading Poland in 1939.

3. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
The second condition is that war must be a last resort.
This means that all other ways of solving the problem must have been tried before war is declared: e.g. discussions, compromises, using a neutral country to negotiate, etc.
Israeli and Palestinian leaders meet with
ex-President Clinton of USA.

4. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
A third requirement is that war can only be declared by a legitimate authority.
This means that the government must declare that war is necessary.
PM Blair and President Bush had
authority to take their countries to war against Iraq in 2003.

5. JUST WAR CONDITIONS A fourth requirement is that of proportionality.
This means that the degree of force used must suit the circumstances of the war (it would not be just - fair - to use greater force than necessary)
June 1972: Vietnamese children flee from their village after a South Vietnamese Air Force attack using napalm.
Over 350,000 tons of US napalm bombs were dropped on Vietnam from

6. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
A fifth requirement of a just war is that of reasonable success.
This means that if there is a good chance of victory, then a just war could be waged.
June 1982: British soldiers hoist the Union Jack in the Falkland Islands after the surrender of all Argentinian forces.

7. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
Sometimes other conditions are applied, but at least these 5 must be satisfied if a war is to be a just war:
There must be a just cause
The war must be a last resort
It must be declared by a legitimate authority
There must be proportionality
There must be a reasonable chance of success.

8. JUST WAR CONDITIONS There must be a just cause
The war must be a last resort
It must be declared by a legitimate authority
There must be proportionality
There must be a reasonable chance of success.
Copy these conditions into your jotter
Give an example of each to illustrate what they mean.

9. JUST WAR CONDITIONS
Read a statement by a religious leader opposing nuclear weapons (e.g. Rev Dr. Richard Frazer from the Church of Scotland, July 2016)
Which one of the five Just War conditions do they think nuclear weapons don’t satisfy?
Discuss the statement with a partner. Take sides: one of you should agree with these views and the other should disagree. Try to persuade each other that you are right.
Do you think a Just War could be fought using nuclear weapons? Give two reasons for your opinion.