Pacifism is a movement that promotes peace and promotes the resolution of conflicts through non-violent means.
Pacifism is the set of doctrines that seek to promote peace between nations. The concept, then, derives from peace, which is the absence of violence or war and the state of stillness and tranquility.
A conjunction of Latin and Greek terms is what shaped the creation of this word. We can establish that it is made up of the sum of the Latin word pax , which is synonymous with "peace" , and the Greek suffix -ism , which is equivalent to "doctrine" .
Concept of pacificism
Pacifists , therefore, oppose all forms of violence. Pacifism can be considered an ideology , although it usually translates into a political, social or religious movement that actively encourages people to put aside violent confrontations.
For example: "The opposition candidate is a recognized leader of pacifism" , "Leaders should understand that pacifism is the only option in international relations" , "When the world left pacifism aside, wars once again dominated the scene." » .
Pacifism advocates dialogue , cultural exchange and diplomacy in the relationship between people. To confront violence, of course, it does not propose violent methods, but instead favors conscientious objection (the rejection of certain legal norms that it considers contrary to personal ethics), civil disobedience (a failure to comply with the law for moral reasons) and non-violent resistance (with a strike, a boycott, etc.).
Martin Luther King is an emblem of pacifism.
Emergence of the doctrine and main references
As a doctrine, pacifism dates back to the early years of Christianity , when sermons were taken as support for nonviolent action. Starting in the 18th century, it was given another theoretical basis and associated with human rights .
There are many characters who, throughout history, have become defenders and symbols of pacifism. This would be the case, for example, of the South African Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) who, after more turbulent periods in his life, advocated peaceful methods to try to ensure that South Africa enjoyed a multiracial democracy. Hence, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with Willem de Klerk , who supported his proposals and worked with him to that end.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) and Martin Luther King (1929-1968) are other of the greatest exponents of modern pacifism. Both were murdered while defending their beliefs.
Gandhi was a Hindu lawyer whose main objective was to achieve the independence of India and to do so he advocated methods in which weapons were not present.
Martin Luther King , for his part, was an American pastor who became the champion of the civil rights movement for African Americans in his country. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him in 1964 and it recognized the work he had done, using non-violent methods, to end racial discrimination and segregation.