WAR: ITS CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, LAWFULNESS, ETC. (1828)

Jonathan Dymond

(Being Chapter 19 of Essay 3 of The Essays on Morality)

Source: Dymond, Jonathan. Essays on the Principles of Morality, and on the Private and Political Rights and Obligations of Mankind. New York: Collins, Brothers & Co., 1844, pages 511-566.

(Webmeister's note: although this has been broken down into several files for convenience due length it should be understood that this is all one single chapter.)

This Document is on The Quaker Writings Home Page.


CONTENTS

CAUSES OF WAR.

Want of enquiry: Indifference to human misery: National irritability: Interest: Secret motives of Cabinets: Ideas of glory--Foundation of military glory.

CONSEQUENCES OF WAR.

Destruction of human life: Taxation: Moral depravity: Familiarity with plunder: Implicit submission to superiors: Resignation of moral agency: Bondage and degradation--Loan of armies--Effects on the community.

LAWFULNESS OF WAR.

Influence of habit--Of appealing to antiquity--The Christian Scriptures--Subjects of Christ's benediction--Matthew 27:52.--The Apostles and Evangelists--The Centurion--Cornelius --Silence not a proof of approbation--Luke 22:36--John the Baptist--Negative evidence--Prophecies of the Old Testament--The requisitions of Christianity of present obligation--Primitive Christians--Example and testimony of early Christians--Christian soldiers--Wars of the Jews--Duties of individuals and nations--Offensive and defensive war--Wars always aggressive--Paley--War wholly forbidden.

OF THE PROBABLE AND PRACTICAL EFFECTS OF ADHERING TO THE MORAL LAW IN RESPECT TO WAR.

Quakers in America and Ireland--Colonization of Pennsylvania--Unconditional reliance on Providence--Recapitulation--General Observations.

APPENDIX ONE.

John Bright's Introduction, from some reprints.

APPENDIX TWO:

Appendix, from some reprints; giving the opinions of eminent men and some of the consequences of recent wars. This is not by Dymond.

APPENDIX THREE:

Notes on the texts of Dymond's works on war, by Peter Sippel, with a few biographical notes regarding the author.