Armies as corporate agents: a new response to Lazar’s ‘responsibility dilemma’

Abstract

The ‘Responsibility Dilemma’ is a significant issue for Just War Theory. The dilemma deals with the question of how to explain why non-combatants are not liable for lethal defensive harms despite being blameworthy. In this thesis, I suggest that we can overcome this dilemma by recognizing armies as corporate agents who bear liability. This explains why armies are liable, and why civilians are not. I also claim that there is a distinction between liability and blameworthiness.