Characters of the Dialogue
Bazarov
Paco P.
Pussyfoot
Paco P. Pussyfoot. You don't
seem to understand, Bazarov, that people want peace. Violence never solved
anyone's problems.
Bazarov. Violence certainly
solved the American colonists' problems with
Britain.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. Yes, but
that isn't the same.
Bazarov. Why?
Paco P. Pussyfoot. It just
isn't. Besides, war and violence destroy lives.
Bazarov. Naturally. But
pacifistic hopes have proven illusory. You can therefore recognize life as it
is or as you think it should be.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. Bazarov,
the fact is, war can only destroy.
Bazarov. It can be the spur
for much innovation as governments concentrate resources to create new
technologies.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. Maybe, but
you must admit that war, on the whole, has done great harm.
Bazarov. Some of the great
civilizations have come into being through war or as a consequence of it.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. No way.
Bazarov. You're familiar with
the
Roman Empire?
Also,
Hellenistic civilization,
brought into being by Alexander's conquests, created many great things,
including the founding of Alexandria and the great works it led to.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. And you
defend violence too...
Bazarov. In certain
circumstances, yes.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. But you
even defend it if it breaks the law.
Bazarov. When you and I
speak of law we aren't speaking of the same thing.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. How is
that?
Bazarov. You see law in
terms of
positive law. I do too, but only as a subsidiary to a higher
law.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. Which is?
Bazarov. The law of
self-preservation. This is the highest law which all positive law must
conform to. To the extent that it does it is to be obeyed. To the extent
that it doesn't, it isn't.
Paco P. Pussyfoot. Give me an
example of an instance where
positive law should not be obeyed.
Bazarov. A good example would
be if a people are threatened with destruction in rigidly adhering to positive
law. Positive law is formulated with the needs of the community in mind. If at
any time it comes to be a threat to said community it must not be obeyed.
Again, positive law must be conformity with the higher law: the law of
self-preservation. If it fails in this test, a people's existence demands that
they defy it as illegitimate.