Émile Arnaud


Émile Arnaud was a French lawyer, notary, and writer noted for his anti-war rhetoric and for coining the term "pacifism". Arnaud founded the "Ligue Internationale de la Paix et de la Liberté" in 1861 and was elected its first president. In 1901 he codified his beliefs into a treatise entitled the Code de la Paix, outlining and defining the goals, political positions and methodology of the Peace movement in general. He described this new political movement as "pacifism", setting it up as a counterbalance to the belligerence of emerging political ideologies such as socialism and anarchism. He advocated humanism, charity and tolerance, non-violent conflict resolution and reaching mutually beneficial political solutions through establishing consensus.
When France entered World War I in 1914 Arnaud volunteered for military service, even though over age, and ended the war with the Croix de guerre.

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