ABSTRACT
International morality is needed for the same purpose as group morality—the restraint of violence. It is more difficult to achieve for several reasons, of which the first is that nations differ from individuals. Individuals are deeply affected by public opinion even when they set themselves deliberately to flout it. The ordinary man does not give two hoots for the opinion of foreigners. He ignores it, pities their ignorance, or resents their cheek. After good faith, the virtue most in demand from neighbours seems to have been loyalty to friends, or the other members of some ideological group. Socrates denounced war between Greeks. Christian nations were not supposed to fight one another without the permission of the Papacy. To place a human being in jeopardy of losing his soul, or to forbid him behaviour which he believes to be the only basis of righteousness, is to arouse the keenest anxiety known to mankind.
