THE PEACEFUL REPUBLIC: VALUES

The second step to a peaceful republic is to pursue values whose end state is, well, peace. Some values which pursue peace are community, open-mindedness, and negotiation.

Valuing community leads to peace because it does not allow for the pursuit of one state’s agenda above another’s. Instead, states must act as with the knowledge that every action has a second and third order effect on the community of state’s at large, and that this matters. To be a state which does not value community means that states which act with disregard to others in its actions places little value on the fate of other states (and the communities of living, breathing people that states represent).

Open-mindedness leads to peace because different states have different cultures. When states create entrenched ideologies which are not open-minded, it becomes harder to view other states as part of a community. Instead, states separate into competitors, us and them. Without open-mindedness the pursuit of a peaceful republic might as well be abandoned. A peaceful republic is trying to bring more and more states in the community, not alienate them.  

Negotiation is a value related to both community and open-mindedness. A peaceful republic will need to be able to negotiate if it values community. Open-mindedness helps in negotiation because it allows the peaceful republic multiple options (and solutions) to obstacles it faces with other states. Of course, negotiation only works if other states share the same values as the peaceful republic.  If other states deign not to value community and go it alone, are not open minded, and do not negotiate, the peaceful republic is left without too many playing cards. Naturally, several questions are brought up: can a peaceful republic go to war? What is the role of power in a peaceful republic? These will be the subjects of the next few posts.