Towards a Tutuist Ethics of War: Ubuntu, Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn a recent article in Politikon, Colin Chasi outlined and analysed Desmond Tutu’s ethics, teasing out the implications of these to just war theory. Chasi, who follows a Metzian interpretation of Tutu’s ethics, concluded that Tutuism offers little guidance for war ethics. In this article, I wish to respond to Chasi and argue that his interpretation of Tutuist ethics is not charitable enough. I present two sets of arguments to support this view. Firstly, Tutuist Ubuntu can morally justify violence when this promotes social harmony. Secondly, Tutu’s moral reformation theory can be used as guidance for an ethics of war, to the extent that a principle derived from it is that morally acceptable acts of war are those acts that can restore peace following conflict.