pacifista

Pacifista is the term used in several languages, including Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, for a person who adheres to pacifism—the opposition to war and to violence as a means of resolving disputes. As a philosophy, pacifism holds that violence is inherently harmful and that peaceful, nonviolent means should be pursued to prevent conflict, resolve grievances, and protect human security. The word derives from Latin roots related to peace.

Historically, pacifism has religious and secular roots. Religious traditions such as Quakerism, Christianity, and Buddhism have long promoted nonviolence, while secular thinkers have argued for moral or pragmatic reasons to reject war. Within pacifism there are variations, including absolute or moral pacifism, which rejects all war and violence, and conditional or strategic pacifism, which opposes specific wars or favors nonviolent means as policy even if some violence might be considered in other contexts.

Common practices associated with pacifism include nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, diplomacy, disarmament advocacy, and humanitarian aid. Conscientious objection to military service is another form of pacifist stance. Pacifists often work through religious or secular peace organizations, advocacy networks, and international forums to prevent armed conflict and to promote peaceful conflict resolution and human rights.

Notable figures and movements associated with pacifist ideas include Mahatma Gandhi and satyagraha, Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, Leo Tolstoy, and various Quaker communities. In modern times, organizations focusing on disarmament and peacebuilding, such as those advocating nuclear abolition, have shaped policy debates and international norms around war and security.

Critics argue that pacifism may be impractical in the face of aggression or existential threats, while supporters contend that nonviolent strategies can reduce harm, maintain moral legitimacy, and produce lasting peace through nonviolent power and diplomacy. The term pacifista is used in several languages to denote a person who embraces these views.