Against War

by Erasmus, John William Mackail (Introduction)

A Pacifistic Manifesto. Erasmus considered war to be the enactment of pure evil, which should only be turned to as a last resort. If accepted structures of power were dismantled, and politics were truly democratic, wars would naturally cease. Leaders should not turn to counsel from those who have an interest in war, arms dealers, and the inexperienced who find war attractive, but to "older men renowned by their mercy and benevolence." Erasmus recognized that there are a plurality of motivations to desire for power, envy, greed, and so on, but he is curious as to its metaphysical status. Warring seems to be unique to humanity, he notes. Comparing humans with animals, beasts are quite benign in their affairs, yet humans are apt to put thousands on the battlefield with the aim of killing and destroying. The source of war Erasmus finds in the domain of the princes, but recognizes that wars are waged in the name of God, ambition, and anger. The rulers, or princes love wars, he asserts, but the love of war is contrary to the message of Christ to love one's enemy, to turn the other cheek, and to refrain from acting upon desires of revenge. Christians should have nothing to do with war, and all of humanity should be united, for it is but one species. Yet ambition ruins peace, and anger and the desire for plunder turn men to war, desires which Erasmus thinks are heathen, or un-Christian. He comments that it is not the young and the inexperienced who are the causes of wars, but "those who by age, experience, and wisdom should overcome the ignorance of the common people and the inexperience of the young." (cover photograph courtesy of Miguel Saavedra)

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Nonfiction

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

About the author

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (28 October 1466 – 12 July 1536), known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian.

Erasmus was a classical scholar and wrote in a pure Latin style. Among humanists he enjoyed the sobriquet "Prince of the Humanists", and has been called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists". Using humanist techniques for working on texts, he prepared important new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament, which raised questions that would be influential in the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation. He also wrote On Free Will, The Praise of Folly, Handbook of a Christian Knight, On Civility in Children, Copia: Foundations of the Abundant Style, Julius Exclusus, and many other works.

Erasmus lived against the backdrop of the growing European religious Reformation, but while he was critical of the abuses within the Catholic Church and called for reform, he kept his distance from Luther and Melanchthon and continued to recognise the authority of the pope, emphasizing a middle way with a deep respect for traditional faith, piety and grace, rejecting Luther's emphasis on faith alone. Erasmus remained a member of the Roman Catholic Church all his life, remaining committed to reforming the Church and its clerics' abuses from within. He also held to the Catholic doctrine of free will, which some Reformers rejected in favor of the doctrine of predestination. His middle road approach disappointed and even angered scholars in both camps.

Erasmus died suddenly in Basel in 1536 while preparing to return to Brabant, and was buried in the Basel Minster, the former cathedral of the city. A bronze statue of him was erected in his city of birth in 1622, replacing an earlier work in stone.

Reviews

[Majenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

"(but, O good Lord, what may we say happeneth well and luckily in war?)"

[Elliott Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erasmus might be the closest I ever come to time travelling. 507 years ago seems an inconceivable amount of time, such that the events of that era may as well have occurred on another planet populated by a people whos thoughts were completely removed from our anything we know here in the present. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth but I've never felt it more obviously than in Erasmus' musings.

Against War quite simply should be enshrined into school curriculums the world over. It is such a simple premise, written so eloquently and thoroughly that it seems it should turn even the most hor headed individuals towards passivism. He presents a remarkably modern conundrum of two friends, one in debt to the other who, after a time, decides to sue his friend for not paying him back. The efforts that this involves are maliciously laid before the audiance to show that to do this would be to confirm your losses and add to them while lining the pockets of lawyers off the back of your discontent. Would it bot be better to take the money saved and split it with your friend, keeping what he owes you as recompense, thus keeping a friend and saving you both the hasstle. In this sense an unjust peace will always reep more rewards than a 'just war' .

I think we could all take a little something from that anecdote in a world so driven by money and the unscrupulous means people will go to to get hold of it. I for one certainly won't be forgetting this book in a hurry. Man was made in a form befitting of love, not of war.

[Jeremiah Lorrig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erasmus has a wicked sharp wit and deeply analytical mind. This allows him to see and critique power structures and society in ways that force readers to think twice about their assumptions.

This does not mean that he is practical. His rhetorical flourishes are bold and dynamic. However, tearing something down, he has limited utility if you do not present a viable alternative.

Reading Erasmus is enjoyable and insightful and while I’m left with more questions than answers, I’m thankful for his out of the box thinking.

[Myhte]

for what trifling causes what tragedies of war do we stir up? For most vain titles, for childish wrath, for a wench, yea, and for causes much more scornful than these, we be inflamed to fight.

And what is now robbery was then war. And they fought then with stones, or with stakes, a little burned at the ends. A little river, a rock, or such other like thing, chancing to be between them, made an end of their battle.

[Brian Mikołajczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Famed thinker Erasmus lays out the case against war. It is very easy to say one is against war, however Erasmus states the plights of nations and peoples like no other.
While he doesn't offer a viable solution, he does enumerate the cons of war expertly.

[Parker Samelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling and stinging rebuke of the ridiculous and self destructive nature of waging war.

[Allen O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Considering this book is 500 years old, it is still so pertinent. The archaisms are delightful and the arguments strong - strong enough to remain pertinent.

Reading through, I couldn't help but pick up on the seeds of proto-Reformation and humanism. I recommend this book for its unique look into the time period (they had muskets in in the 1500s?!) as much as a varied theological critique of warfare.

[Em Chainey (Bookowski)]

Kesinlikle okunacaklardan

[Anıl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitap türkler üzerine yazılmış gibii :) kesinlikle okunması gerekiyor sadece savaş değil deliliğe övgü deki gibi bir çok toplum kesimi eleştirilmiştir.

[Umit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zaman kaybi :-/

[Jonathan]

He had me until the final pages with all the praising of the noble Medici family.

[Kürşat Karabulut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Başlarda çok güzeldi, sonrasında din için yapılan savaşlar hakkında konuyu çok uzatması sıkıcı oldu.