Glory, Humiliation, and the Drive to War

This book argues that feelings of humiliation and promises of glory are central in the drive to war.

Nir Eisikovits (Author)

9781316515716, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 January 2025

214 pages
23.5 x 16 x 1.8 cm, 0.441 kg

'Nir Eisikovits' Glory, Humiliation, and the Drive to War offers a brilliant analysis of key aspects of the moral psychology of war frequently overlooked: political humiliation and martial glory. He powerfully argues that we will not understand why wars begin and continue without considering these drivers. Beautifully written and illustrated with rich examples drawn from a wide breadth of times and places, Eisikovits' book is essential reading for understanding the dynamics of modern conflicts.' Colleen Murphy, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

From Hitler's determination to erase Germany's disgrace after World War I, to Sadat's promise to undo Egypt's humiliation in 1967, to ISIS's proclamations that it would end the “emasculation” of Muslims and restore the glory of the Caliphate, a sense of political humiliation and a desire for martial glory have always been central in the drive to war. Yet although glory and humiliation are the twin engines of conflict, and together they spur individuals and nations to violence, philosophers have shown little interest in these dispositions. In this book Nir Eisikovits offers a philosophical account of political humiliation, martial glory, and the relationship between them. Drawing on philosophy, literature, and psychology, Eisikovits argues that it is impossible to understand why people are drawn to war and how wars are justified without making sense of these two political passions and the ways in which they inflame each other.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I. Glory: 1. A short history of Glory
2. A theory of Glory
3. Our ambivalence about Glory
Part II. Humiliation: 4. What is humiliation
5. Humiliation in Foreign policy
6. Humiliation and political theory
Part III. Glory and Humiliation: War's Two-Stroke Engine: 7. War's two stroke Engine
8. Three case studies
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Social & political philosophy [HPS]