An Ethical View on the Global Armament Trade
1. Introduction
History has proven that human nature is capable of producing and using weapons of ever greater and more destructive force. During the centuries, the weapons used in conflicts have evolved from simple nature-supplied tools to potentially apocalyptical instruments of mass destruction. Although the debate on the essentially violent nature of mankind may well rage on forever, it cannot be denied that humans are the only living creatures that can understand and eventually control their own violent urges.
The 20th century itself is an example of this inherent human contradiction, having brought forth at least three major arms races, two m ajor worldwide wars, and the greatest number of casualties of war ever imagined. On the other hand, the 20th century has also seen many efforts by individuals, pressure groups, and governments or governmental organizations, trying to appeal to the masses in order to try to stop wars, and limit arms races, arms trafficking, the production of nuclear weapons, and the production of all sorts of other devices that have been designed to be harmful.
Now, well into the 21st century, we may ask ourselves to what extent these great efforts have had their effects, and we are morally required to take the problems that still lie waiting into consideration. One of these problems, the problem which shall be discussed in this paper, is the vast supply, demand, and trade of arms worldwide. With military expenditure being the single largest spending in the world – with an estimated annual total budget of 900 billion dollars (Shah, 2007) –, with a globalizing trend (Shah, 2007), and highly politically – instead of morally – motivated, this problem might well be the most serious threat to global peace and overall human wellbeing in the near future.
2. Paper structure, definitions and explication
In the next two chapters, following the three-stage scheme for moral reasoning about concrete cases, the ethical aspects of the
History has proven that human nature is capable of producing and using weapons of ever greater and more destructive force. During the centuries, the weapons used in conflicts have evolved from simple nature-supplied tools to potentially apocalyptical instruments of mass destruction. Although the debate on the essentially violent nature of mankind may well rage on forever, it cannot be denied that humans are the only living creatures that can understand and eventually control their own violent urges.
The 20th century itself is an example of this inherent human contradiction, having brought forth at least three major arms races, two m ajor worldwide wars, and the greatest number of casualties of war ever imagined. On the other hand, the 20th century has also seen many efforts by individuals, pressure groups, and governments or governmental organizations, trying to appeal to the masses in order to try to stop wars, and limit arms races, arms trafficking, the production of nuclear weapons, and the production of all sorts of other devices that have been designed to be harmful.
Now, well into the 21st century, we may ask ourselves to what extent these great efforts have had their effects, and we are morally required to take the problems that still lie waiting into consideration. One of these problems, the problem which shall be discussed in this paper, is the vast supply, demand, and trade of arms worldwide. With military expenditure being the single largest spending in the world – with an estimated annual total budget of 900 billion dollars (Shah, 2007) –, with a globalizing trend (Shah, 2007), and highly politically – instead of morally – motivated, this problem might well be the most serious threat to global peace and overall human wellbeing in the near future.
2. Paper structure, definitions and explication
In the next two chapters, following the three-stage scheme for moral reasoning about concrete cases, the ethical aspects of the