International Justice as Equal Regard and the Use of Force

In: Ethics & international affairs, Band 17, Heft 2, S. 63-75

Abstract

Examines international justice interpreted as an equal claim to the use of coercive force deployed on behalf of victims of radical political instability. It is argued that cries of imperialism do not hold for the kind of intervention described here, as it does not involve colonialism or similar imposition of power & need be observed with the idea that such intervention will succeed to aid those in need. Ancient Greek philosophy & Christian theological considerations underpin much of the discussion. The obligation to intervene & the idea of universal justice embedded in the just war tradition are explored before making a call for the use of force as a remedy under a justice claim centered on equal regard & inviolable human dignity. The notion of humanitarian intervention is compared to the idea of equal regard, the latter requiring that those states of greater power, ie, the US, have greater responsibility to enforce an international system of equal moral regard. J. Zendejas