“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.” – Baruch Spinoza

During the holiday season New Iberia celebrates peace. My fondest memories growing up in New Iberia was the peace and joy of the holidays.

All seek peace; few find it.

In this season devoted to peace, it is good to reflect on the real meaning of peace. There is a need to go beyond pure sentimentality regarding peace.

While peace is a blessing that promotes joy, what is peace? We speak of internal and external peace. Some speak of peace with God; some what constitutes peace with others and some focus on what constitutes peace within ourselves.

What do all the meanings assigned to peace have in common? Why is peace so hard to obtain? What are the conditions of peace? How does internal peace relate to external peace in society? How does peace relate to justice? How can we promote peace?

I would argue that the factors that produce internal peace also promote peace in society; societal peace is individual peace writ large. All forms of peace depend on justice and peace is the result of justice both within ourselves and within society.

What is the justice of which I speak:

1. Justice is marked by balance and harmony with each part of the person or society playing its proper function. Acting justly would be acting to restore balance and harmony in ourselves and in society. Justice is the duty to promote peace in society, our families and in ourselves. Dysfunctionality and imbalance are the enemies of peace.

2. Rendering to each person his or her due as a human being with dignity.

Since justice is a difficult concept, the relationship between justice and internal peace probably is not readily apparent. How can we be just to ourselves?

Internal Justice and Peace

One productive way of looking at peace is internal balance or harmony where the different parts of the human psyche are performing as they should. Nobody can bring you peace but yourself. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Going back to Plato, one can look at the human personality as having three parts, reason, emotion and imagination. The balanced personality has reason in charge of decision-making and action.

For there is but one essential justice which cements society, and one law which establishes this justice. This law is right reason, which is the true rule of all commandments and prohibitions. (Cicero) We should use reason to evaluate arguments for doing something in terms of our goals.

Since everyone has an innate sense of “ought,” reason shows us a way of acting on the basis of our ethical principles and values to do what we ought to do. Living just and peacefully takes skill. Chance may determine how the cards of the game of life are dealt but reason provides deliberative skill at playing well the cards we are dealt.

Societal Peace

Given that we are social beings, it is hard to be a peaceful/just person in a society, marked by violence and barbarous cruelty.

It is hard to be a peaceful/just person in an unjust society where poverty is rampant; where there is little social justice; where racism, sexism, misogyny, ageism and ethnocentrism are rampant and increasing; where we live in a polluted environment with climate disaster unchecked; where health care is conditioned on income and where ignorance and illiteracy overwhelm education and thought.

There is no societal peace where there is neglect of the common good and general welfare in the selfish pursuit of individual benefit. There is no peace in a society marked by extreme inequity and inequality where human dignity is debased. We have a moral/ethical obligation to promote the common good no matter how difficult. A peaceful and just person cannot withdraw from society.

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” – Edmund Burke

Peace is a complex idea.

Peace is not primarily a pious sentiment or an ethereal dream that we celebrate in holiday songs or greeting cards. Peace is elusive and demands hard work and rational deliberation.

Peace is impossible without justice We all have an obligation to be peacemakers within ourselves, our families, our community, our nation and the world.

My wish for my home is peace and happiness in the coming year.

(Dr. John W. Ray teaches classes at Montana Tech in Butte in political philosophy, ethics and politics. He grew up in New Iberia and still visits home yearly to see family and friends. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Montana Tech)