Histoire de l'internationalisme

LA TRADITION PACIFISTE: L'HUMANISME CHRÉTIEN
victory with bloodshed, counting it a great folly to buy precious
wares too dear».
Que dirait Sir Thomas More des surenchères du XXe siècle?
Et que dirait«il du système des alliances? La fin du chapitre
intitulé «Of Bondmen, sick persons, wedlock, and divers other
matters» est formée par un paragraphe «Of leagues»,''' qui est au
fond une satire amère sur la diplomatie de l'époque. «As touching
leagues, which in other places between country and country be so
often concluded, broken and renewed, they never make none with
any nation. For to what purpose serve leagues? say they. As
though nature had not set sufficient love between man and man.
And who so regardeth not nature, do you think he will pass for
(3: consider) words?» Et Raphaël expose que — contrairement à ce
qui se passe en Europe, où, «especially in thèse parts where the faith
and religion of Christ reigneth, the majesty of leagues is every*
where esteemed holy and inviolable, partly through the justice and
goodness of princes, and partly at the révérence and motion of the
head bishops (sic !)» — on n'attache pas grande importance aux allian«
ces dans les pays avoisinants de l'Utopie. «. . . they think . . that
the custom of making leagues was very evil begun. For this causeth men
(as though nations which be separate asunder, by the space of a
little hill or a river, were coupled together by no society or bond
of nature) to think themselves born adversaries and enemies to one
another .... They be of a contrary opinion. That is that no man
ought to be counted an enemy which has done no injury. And
that the fellowship of nature is a strong league ; and that men be
better and more surely knit together by love and benevolence than
by covenants of leagues; by hearty affection of minds, than by
words.»
C'est l'étudiant grec d Oxford qui parle, imbu de l'esprit véri»
table d'un humanisme large et ouvert. C'est aussi le juriste dés»
182
"^ L. c. pp. 128-30.