And that is why pacifist movements have always been at odds with the government bodies that have promoted military values to defend a demarcated area of sovereignty. Until now, wars have been administered by nation states. War could break out in a remote province of Asia or in the underground carriage that’s taking you to work. Western nations feel powerless in the face of new forms of violence that are unpredictable and uncontrollable. The wars of today are not what they once were. What does it mean to be a pacifist today? Today, we shall weigh up the present, the past and the future of the culture of peace. This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the founding of Barcelona’s centre for peace Casal de la Pau, where the pacifist activities of the 1980s were hatched and which a decade later led to the “No” campaign in the referendum on Spain’s membership in NATO.

‘It was at times a popular pacifism, stemming from the experience of the First World War, and based on the harsh experience that it was the working class which suffered most when war was declared by their rulers.Protest against Spain joining NATO, on 1986.

‘As a Quaker, Kevin Clements is dedicated to pacifism and humanitarian service.’.

‘Nonresistant sects, notably Mennonites and Brethren, also developed active forms of pacifism such as humanitarian service for war victims.’.

‘Neither the militarism nor the pacifism of that earlier conflict was echoed now.’.‘For our purposes, there are two main categories - absolute and conditional pacifism.’.‘During World War I, her activism for pacifism grew, and in 1919 she helped to found the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.’.‘The society embraced peace advocates of every persuasion, although in the 1840s it found the attraction of absolute pacifism very strong.’.‘This isn't pacifism though - they're just saying they would have liked to hand down to us a world of peace.’.

‘Buddhism is also associated with vegetarianism and pacifism.’.‘There is not a trace left of the ideals it once propagated: pacifism, civil rights and protection of the environment.’.‘A very moderate pacifism was, in fact, the common denominator of the demonstrators and the varied organisations.’.‘Together with a concrete declaration in favour of participation in the war, the motion then also included an abstract reference to pacifism.’.‘Mongeau prefers the term antimilitarism, rather than pacifism, for the alleged national character trait.’.‘The Angry Penguins had no coherent political outlook and the Boyd family circle espoused a confused mixture of liberal humanism and religious pacifism.’.‘A third expression of pacifism has been nonviolent direct action for justice.’.‘He and I can agree in our respect for a consistent and conscientious pacifism.’.‘There's a difference between peacemaking and pacifism.’.

‘Suddenly it is not so clear where one draws the line between courage and recklessness, persistence and fatalism, pacifism and passivity, war and revenge.’.‘As a result, postwar peace movements have abandoned pacifism as a central aspect of their beliefs.’.‘The logic of this argument is that the only policy compatible with neutrality is absolute pacifism.’.

Pacifist meaning