Criteria For A Just War

According to Aquinas, there are three criteria for a war to be just. The first criteria is that the ruler or authority of a nation must make the decision to go to war. This is because the ruler was chosen to make decisions that will benefit the whole nation and not just themselves. No private individual has the authority to declare war because they do not have the correct intentions. The second criteria for just war is that there must be a just cause for the war to be fought. This means that the enemy must deserve to be punished for something that they have done wrong. The last criteria for just war is that the end goal should be peace and not destruction. The nation waging war must “intend the advancement of good or the avoidance of evil” in order for the war to be just. …show more content…
The first modern criteria is that war must be a last resort. This means that there can be no other options, like discussion or meetings, to solve the problems between the two nations. The next modern criteria is that there needs to be reasonable hope for success in achieving the objectives of the war. The military cannot be tasked with an impossible objective because it is not worth the money or human lives. The third criteria is that the war, and the actions that come with it, must be proportional with what the enemy has done. For example, it would not be proportional if my roommate stole a tide pod from me for her laundry and I decided to retaliate by cutting all of her uniforms in half. The last criteria is that the war needs to be pursued and won through just means. This means that the rules for prisoners of war and non-combatants are followed when trying to get