The Moral Dimension of 'Global Zero': The Evolution of the Catholic Church's Nuclear Ethics in a Changing World

摘要

Regrettably, moral arguments are largely absent from the current debate on nuclear disarmament. Indeed, complementing politico-strategic thinking with ethical categories could significantly strengthen the abolitionist call. To fill the gap, this article analyzes the evolution of the nuclear ethics of the Roman Catholic Church and especially its position on nuclear deterrence. If this strategy was granted interim and strictly conditioned moral acceptance during the Cold War, nuclear deterrence is today increasingly considered ineffective, an obstacle to genuine disarmament, and hence morally unjustifiable. In the new security context, the conditions for the Catholic Church's "interim nuclear ethics" have altered, and nuclear disarmament has become a feasible option and an alternative strategy to deterrence.