For centuries, people suffered from violence and war. Through the tunnel of history, there passed "prophets" who defended peace and tranquility. Today these warriors of peace and light are called pacifists.
The concepts of "pacifist" and "pacifism"
The word "pacifism" has Latin roots and intranslation means "peacemaking", "carrying the world." This concept generalizes ideology, social movement and philosophical directions, whose sole purpose is to fight against violence, to establish peace, and to prevent wars and bloodshed. Often it merges with the anti-militarist movement and the anti-imperialist struggle, since it has with them the common ideological root of preventing violence against the individual.
A pacifist is a member, supporterpeacekeeping movement. A person who promotes the complete elimination of cruelty, defining it as an immoral phenomenon. The methods of pacifist struggle are also non-violent: peaceful rallies, manifestos, compromise through negotiations.
The origins of pacifism
The meaning of the word "pacifist" was scientifically defined only in the 19th century, although from the very beginning of humanity there was a confrontation between the forces of good and evil.
It is believed that the foundation of pacifism, histhe cradle is buddhism. This religious-philosophical doctrine is the main doctrine of non-violence and the peaceful coexistence of all mankind. Siddhartha Gautama - the founder of Buddhism, in fact, the first known pacifist. This is it in the VI century BC. e. promoted enlightenment and spiritual awakening through the development of the mind and heart.
Historical milestones of the peace movement
Next, the antiwar baton took the firstchristians In the II century BC. e. they refused military service in order not to participate in wars and not to kill people. Many have been martyred for this, but historical documents show their incredible stoicism and faith in Christ.
Pacifism faltered when Christians accepted the idea"fair" war. The Christian religion began to teach that any war of liberation and the struggle against the enemy are sacred. But they vowed never to start the war first, not to go with aggression against the unarmed, to defend "God's peace" all over the world.
In the XVI-XVII centuries, swept across Europereligious wars. It was the time of the Reformation, when the united Christian world broke up into many national churches. This fact had ambiguous historical consequences: the brutal bloodshed spawned many anti-war movements throughout continental Europe. Alexander Mak, George Fox, Grebel, Marpek, Symons, Erasmus of Rotterdam became his prominent representatives.
The Napoleonic Wars triggeredthe birth of another wave of pacifism. Anti-war demonstrations, international congresses were held, pacifists demanded to prohibit any military actions, completely disarm all countries, and to resolve interstate disputes in court.
В России в XIX веке жил знаменитый пацифист.This is L. N. Tolstoy. His works for the peaceful transformation of society and the impossibility of any social transformations by violent means made an enormous contribution to the ideology of pacifism.
Pacifist flag
After World War II, which claimed millionspacifism has become an extremely popular concept. At the head of human development pacifists put the principles of humanity, mutual respect and individual freedom. Now the pacifist is not just a separate leader advocating world peace, but also a member of the organized multi-million dollar movement, which has its own doctrines, offices and international offices.
В 1958 году за свой знак пацифисты приняли the symbol, the basis of which was the rune Algiz. Its traditional meaning is protection, striving of consciousness upwards. In the inverted form, it resembles a tree, rooted inside the earth, symbolizing the secret of ancient knowledge and wisdom.
This sign is depicted by pacifists on their flags, fluttering in the hands of demonstrators at anti-nuclear rallies and over the offices of the defenders of peace.
