Just and Unjust Wars A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations (Basic Books Classics) (Paperback)

~ Michael Walzer (Author) "For as long as men and women have talked about war, they have talked about it in terms of right and wrong..." (more)
Key Phrases: strategic devastation, peacetime reprisals, legalist paradigm, World War, United States, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A magnificent book, an honor to its writer...a book that makes for a return of civilized discussion of the question of the morality of war." -- The New York Review of Books

Product Description

A classic treatment of the morality of war written by one of our country's leading philosophers, with a new introduction considering the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo. Just and Unjust Wars examines a variety of conflicts in order to understand exactly why, according to Walzer, "the argument about war and justice is still a political and moral necessity." Walzer's classic work draws on historical illustrations that range all the way from the Athenian attack on Melos to this morning's headlines, and uses the testimony of participants-decision makers and victims alike-to examine the moral issues of warfare.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 3rd edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465037054
• ISBN-13: 978-0465037056
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #468,220 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight, January 18, 2002

By	G B (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

Professor Michael Walzer examines just war theory in a clear, methodical and rigorous fashion. Concrete examples clarify and flesh out the theory. It covers not just conventional warfare, but also several offshoots that have become much more relevant since the 1950: peacetime reprisals, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism. In addition, he dissects the notions of "war crimes" and official/bureaucrat/citizen responsibility for war. These analyses are especially useful as today's violent conflicts become more fragmented and in some ways "messier". Walzer's viewpoint is definitely from a left-of-center perspective (not *far* left), but I think people of any political persuasion would find reading it to be extremely insightful. He doesn't shy away from controversy yet his arguments are always well-reasoned. Highly recommended to both the layman and political scientist/philosopher, especially as we enter the uncertainty of the post-9/11 world.

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Morality of Warfare, May 27, 2003

By	Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

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Michael Walzer's book is an in-depth look at the morality of war. It is not an easy read especially for the laymen. It helps if the reader has a good grounding in philosophy and understands the idea of "moral relativism". His book makes an in depth study of many facets of what takes place in warfare. The chapter that I found most interesting because it is in the news so much was on pre-emptive warfare. Walzer does believe that countries have the right to go to war pre-emotively but he does set the bar quite high. He believes a country must really be under eminent attack before it acts pre-emotively. He did believe that Israel acted justly in its pre-emptive attack against the Arabs in the 1967 war. He also defines terrorism as a criminal act and not a justifiable act of war. He makes a clear distinction between terrorism and guerilla warfare, deeming guerilla warfare a moral method of warfare.

I recommend this book for military, political professionals and for philosophers.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars simply a classic, November 7, 1999

By	Sin Hang Lai ([e-mail]) "sinhanglai" (Cos Cob, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just And Unjust Wars: Incorporating The Lessons Of Operation Desert Storm (Paperback)

I read a large portion of this book for a course.

For the reader from Washington, DC who only gave this book a one star rating, I would only quote what he/she wrote in his/her comment: "I just don't get this book".

That pretty much reflect why that particular reader doesn't like the book.

First, Walzer is not a "rightist" as some would suggest. He simply accepts the possibility of war. In proposing a link between linkage and war, Walzer simply wants to set some limits as to how far a war can escalate. This is a contribution to the study of war, not an advocacy of war.

Second, Walzer does an exceptional job in using historical examples to illustrate his points. I concede that his examples are based on his interpretations alone and his points are definitely his to make. However, never forget that this book is categorized as "philosophy/political science". Moreover, those who do not make their own interpretations miss the point of reading a book such as this.

Finally, perhaps the biggest point Walzer makes is this: War/conflict is a human creation; its characteristics reflect a wide range of practices that are based on human decisions; and in searching within how humans think, we can see why we haven't killed ourselves yet. And for that, there's still hope for peace.