Buddhism and Nuclear Deterrence

Non-harming (ahiṃsā) is central to Buddhism, which is widely associated with conflict prevention and the cultivation of peace. Buddhist traditions of statecraft nevertheless recognize that rulers are responsible for protecting their populations from internal disorder and external aggression. They do not therefore tend to support absolute pacifism or unilateral disarmament. Rather, they point towards a pragmatic middle path of harm minimization that includes maintaining credible military deterrence to prevent war and, as a last resort, defend the state. Nuclear weapons test this accommodation to its limits. Their deterrent effect depends upon the threat of catastrophic and largely indiscriminate retaliation, while their possession creates risks of accident, miscalculation, sabotage, unauthorized use and escalation. They are therefore difficult to reconcile with Buddhist commitments to compassion, restraint and non-harming, even when considered strategically necessary. This article argues that Buddhist ethics may nevertheless leave room for nuclear deterrence where states face serious or existential threats and lack credible alternatives. Such deterrence must be embedded within policies of diplomacy, military restraint, defense alliances, multilateral arms-control and development of discriminate defensive technologies that progressively reduce reliance on nuclear threats. Its acceptance is therefore provisional, and requires continual reassessment as security conditions change.