Non-Killing: A dangerous idea?
an article by Tony

BOOK REVIEW

Nonkilling Global Political Science
Glenn D. Paige
Center for Global Non-Violence
Honolulu, Hawaii
267 Pages
Web Source: globalnonviolence

It's a marvel. The same information technology that enables modern warfare to deliver an intercontinental ballistic missile at supersonic speed allowed me to access Glenn Paige's book about non-killing from his website in less than 30 seconds.

Paige believes the same methods now used by political scientists to promote and justify killing could be used to give birth to a world in which non-killing is the norm. Killing, the author points out, is not a biological imperative or a sociological necessity to keep peace and order in society. Rather, it is a political construct so ingrained that it is rarely questioned even in academic circles.

In six chapters and four Appendices he asks: What if tomorrow non-killing were the norm? How would the Hitlers of the world be kept at bay? How would cooperative problem-solving among nations replace war as a conflict resolution mechanism? What kind of educational institutions would be needed for promote non-violence? How could a non-violent world be brought about? What are the philosophical and religious roots of non-violence. What are working examples of non-violence including nations which have outlawed capital punishment? These profound questions raised by Paige have been swimming in my head ever since I've starting reading his book.

Despite the seemingly impossible task of changing laws, institutions, and political power to actively promote nonkilling, the optimism and sense of urgency expressed in Paige's work won me over. Killing has resulted in the deaths of 200 million people killed in the internal and external wars in the 20th century without achieving the goal of making the world safe. On the contrary, wars have impoverished us all ecologically, morally and financially. There are so many ways to pursue peace. If we develop the will, there is certainly a way to a nonkilling world. In his book Nonkilling Global Political Science , Glenn Paige has given us a valuable guide.

DISCUSSION

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Are nonkilling societies possible


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NON-VIOLENCE

Latest reader comment:

I wanted to pass on some good news found in Christian Science Monitor, 1/12/07: "The number of conflicts in Africa has dropped to just five in 2005, from a peak of 16 in 2002."
Ann McLaughlin, Director, NGOabroad

This report was posted on September 26, 2003. The moderator is Helen.

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