The Glorious Art of Peace: From the Iliad to Iraq

Human progress & prosperity depend on a peaceful environment. Most people have always sought to live in peace, yet our perception of the past is dominated too often by a narrative that is obsessed with war. In this groundbreaking study, former Guardian journalist Gittings demolishes the myth that peace is dull & that war is in our genes, & opens an alternative window on history to show the strength of the case for peace which has been argued from ancient times onwards. Beginning with a new analysis of the treatment of peace in the Iliad, he explores the powerful arguments against war made by classical Chinese & Greek thinkers, & by the early Christians. He urges more attention to Erasmus on the Art of Peace, less to Machiavelli on the Art of War. The significant shift in Shakespeare's later plays towards a more peace-oriented view is also explored. He traces the growth of the international movement for peace from the Enlightenment to the present, & assesses the inspirational role of Tolstoy & Gandhi in advocating nonviolence. Bringing the story into the 20th century, he shows how the League of Nations in spite of its "failure" led to high hopes for a stronger United Nations, but that real chances for peace were missed in the early years of the cold war. Today, as we approach the centenary of WWI, he argues that, instead of being obsessed by a new war on terror, we should be focusing energy on seeking peaceful solutions to the challenges of nuclear proliferation, conflict & extremism, poverty & inequality, & climate change.List of PlatesIntroductionThe perception of peace & warAncient peace: from Homer to the Hundred SchoolsThe morality of peace: from Jesus to the CrusadesThe Humanist approach: Erasmus & ShakespeareThe growth of peace consciousness: from Kant to The HagueAlternatives to war: the League of Nations & non-violenceThe misappropriation of peace: from the UN to the Cold WarGiving peace a chance: from the Cold War to IraqConclusion: peace in the 21st centuryNotesSelect BibliographyIndex