Peace in the Ninja world how can it be attained??

We all know about Jiraiya’s path to peace, it’s the same one passed down to Naruto, and similar to the philosophy of the Third Hokage (hence passed down to Minato, Tsunade, etc.). Basically it’s a type of pacifism where you seek to empathize, understand and ultimately forgive your enemies, thereby breaking the cycle of hatred and death. I think Naruto demonstrated this best when he chose not to kill Pein and instead talk to him despite his urge to avenge Jiraiya and everyone Pein ‘killed’ in Konoha. The Third Hokage, being Jiraiya’s mentor, preached the ideal of pacifism, and actively sought out diplomatic solutions as well as championed demilitarization amongst the rival hidden villages. Even after Konoha was the target of a secret attack by forces of Suna (who were decieved by Orochimaru), they did not seek revenge or reparations but instead formed an alliance with Suna which has only strengthened over time.

 

Now, let’s look at the opposing philosophy towards peace of Pain and those who share similar ideals. This path to peace is achieved through force and conquering– it’s the idea that peace can only be maintained if you destroy all those who are a threat to your people or dominate your opponents to the point where they are too weak and fearful to even retaliate. Pain followed this type of ideal to justify his destruction of a large part of Konoha because he deemed them a threat to peace; they were too powerful and would only cause more pain to those around them in the future. From his childhood experiences, Pain learned that those who dominate through power can only be brought down with power — action, not words, is what really brings about change. Danzo, although not at all connected to Pain, shares a similar ideal. 

Danzo was a selfish, no-good, snake of a man but his goal was still to maintain the peace Konoha enjoys… and that means eliminating any threats within the village or out of the village by any means necessary. There is a dark side to their peaceful existence most villagers will never realize, but it is a necessary sin.

So the question is: which philosophy towards peace do you support? Before you answer, think about it realistically, even use real-world events if it will help. Try to avoid voting for one or the other simply because your favorite character shares that ideal. Here’s some questions to ask for both sides of the argument:

Has long term peace been achieved by letting the enemies have their way?

Has long term peace been achieved by preemptive strikes or subjugating an entire nation through military force? Is pacifism effective in a world that is entrenched in warfare or does it just make you a vulnerable target?

Is one people’s peace ever justified by taking away the peace of another people (through occupation, collective punishment, economic blockades, etc.)?