Proportionality in war: Revising revisionism

Abstract

In this article I argue that revisionists in just war theory must further revise their proportionality principles. I show that on the revisionist view it is possible for a war to be proportionate, even though all the acts of war are disproportionate, and it is possible for a war to be disproportionate, even though all the acts of war are proportionate. I then argue that consideration of these cases shows the revisionist view, as it stands, to be unsatisfactory, and I explore some ways in which revisionists might further revise their understanding of proportionality.