Political Violence: The Problem of Dirty Hands

This paper argues that the reason why political leadership often involves dirty hands is because of its relationship with violence. To make the case, it maintains that violent means create and assert a form of dominating power that is in tension with the proper ends of political action. This power casts a wide shadow, frequently dominating large numbers of non-targets and empowering unscrupulous agents. On the other side of the balance, characteristically political justifications for violence are 'supra-moral,' meaning that they are motivated by the value of a conception of morality taken as a whole (or, indeed, morality as such) rather than by any particular moral value. The weight that ought to be given to such ends is indeterminate in a way that makes uncancelled remainders arising from the evil of violence likely in many cases.

Automated summary

This paper argues that political leadership often requires "dirty hands" due to its relationship with violence. Violent means create a dominating power, which conflicts with the proper goals of political action. This power often affects non-target individuals and empowers unscrupulous agents. The justifications for violence in politics are "supra-moral," motivated by the value of morality as a whole rather than specific moral values. The indeterminate importance given to these goals often leads to uncancelled negative consequences resulting from the evil of violence.