Lead Them with Virtue: A Confucian Alternative to War

Recent scholarship portrays early Confucians as just war theorists with permissive criteria for violence, but Kurtis Hagen argues that they aimed to prevent war by comparing their day to idealized versions of sage-kings' activities, which suggest the offensive use of military only when actual war would not ensue. He suggests that Confucians should advocate a long-term strategy of ameliorating unjust circumstances through benevolent governance, which should be supported by contemporary Confucians.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 20 August 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

Recent scholarship has presented early Confucians as merely just war theorists with relatively lenient standards for the just use of violence. However, Lead Them with Virtue: A Confucian Alternative to War challenges this interpretation, suggesting that it contradicts the intentions of Mencius and Xunzi. Kurtis Hagen contends that both thinkers aimed to prevent war by comparing their contemporary circumstances with idealized accounts of the semi-mythical actions of sage-kings, which represent appropriate military utilization. These narratives imply that the offensive use of military force should only be employed when actual war, with its attendant horrors, is avoided. Consequently, according to this line of reasoning, military interventions are justified only when they are not necessary.

Confucians, on the other hand, advocate a long-term strategy of addressing unjust circumstances by leveraging the credibility and influence derived from consistently practicing genuinely benevolent governance. Interpretations that suggest pacifistic readings of these texts are often disregarded by scholars as being overly simplistic and naive. Hagen argues, however, that these interpretations are not necessarily naive but rather reasonable and should be supported, particularly by contemporary Confucians.

In conclusion, the study of early Confucianism presents a complex and multifaceted landscape. While some scholars have portrayed them as just war theorists with permissive criteria for violence, others argue that their primary goal was to prevent war through the promotion of virtuous governance. The contributions of Mencius and Xunzi, in particular, highlight the importance of ethical leadership and the cultivation of moral character as means of achieving peace and stability in society. By examining these texts in their historical and cultural context, we can gain a deeper understanding of the Confucian vision for a just and harmonious world.

Weight: 449g
Dimension: 229 x 160 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793639707