Stoic News

By Dave Kelly

Saturday, April 05, 2003

There are, of course, significant differences between a movement like the Red Cross and Stoicism. But Stoics can learn much from the Red Cross' use of neutrality.

Neutrality as a Fundamental Principle of the Red Cross

"Adherence to neutrality is meant to create and maintain confidence. It is however also a means of ensuring the unity and universality of the Movement. Every disregard of neutrality, every taking of sides in hostilities or participation in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature, leads to tension, contradictions, fissures and divisions within National Societies and within the whole Movement. Like general confidence, the unity and universality of the Movement are also the basic condition for world-wide impartial and efficient humanitarian activities. If the Movement is to be a world community, which comes to the assistance of suffering people everywhere and at all times and which — as is mentioned in the principle of Humanity — "promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples", it must strictly follow the precept of neutrality in the event of armed conflict and observe it loyally also in the case of controversies in peacetime."

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