The Ethics of Destruction: Norms and Force in International Relations (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs) - Hardcover

Thomas, Ward

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801438195 ISBN 13: 9780801438196

Publisher: Cornell University Press, 2001

Synopsis

Many assume that in international politics, and especially in war, "anything goes." Civil War general William Sherman said war "is all hell." The implication behind the maxim is that in war, as in hell, there is no order, only chaos; no mercy, only cruelty; no restraint, only suffering.

Ward Thomas finds that this "anything goes" view is demonstrably wrong. It neither reflects how most people talk about the use of force in international relations nor describes the way national leaders actually use military force. Events such as those in Europe during World War Two, in the Persian Gulf War, and in Kosovo cannot be understood, he argues, until we realize that state behavior, even during wartime, is shaped by common understandings about what is ethically acceptable and unacceptable.

Thomas makes extensive use of two cases―the assassination of foreign leaders and the aerial bombardment of civilians―to trace the relative influence of norms and interests. His insistence on interconnections between ethical principle and material power leads to a revised understanding of the role of normative factors in foreign policy and the ways in which power and interest shape the international system.

About this title

About the Author:

Ward Thomas is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the College of the Holy Cross. He practiced law in Fairfax, Va., from 1989 to 1993.

Review:

"The originality of The Ethics of Destruction lies in Ward Thomas's important insight that when norms become truly internalized, they become 'embedded' in the policymaking process and thus 'hidden from view' in analyses of particular decisions. This well-researched book addresses a very old problem in the study of international relations in a way that will be of interest to scholars in that discipline as well as to international lawyers."

(Fernando R. Teson, author of A Philosophy of International Law)

"Elegant and wonderfully readable, The Ethics of Destruction has an intellectually honest way of engaging alternative formulations while providing convincing case studies. With this book, Ward Thomas has made significant contributions to our understanding of norms of violence in world politics."

(Richard Price, author of The Chemical Weapons Taboo)

About this edition

• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0801438195
• ISBN 13: 9780801438196
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240