Report on Peace History Conference 2016: Conscience and Conscription

‘Conscience and Conscription: Resistance to War 1916-2016’
Friday 14th and Saturday 15th October 2016
Venues: Holy Trinity Church and Leeds City Museum  

A brief report of the event:

We saw the range of resistance by CO’s – from degrees of accommodation with the state to the pure martyr ‘absolutist’. Jude Wright described the situation of an abolitionist, capitulating to compromiser – his wife saying “You had nervous breakdown, didn’t you, love.” – the human cost starkly shown.

The very different situation in Germany was described. In Britain, many simply disappeared – the Police Gazette gave details of hundreds of wanted men, – in modern parlance, draft dodgers. 

Varieties of resistance over the century were outlined – scientists refusing work on weapons, modern protesters taking court action against the state. It was clear that war resisters can pay a high price – and we need to persevere through the dark times!

Some of the speakers have provided the text of their talks &/or the slide presentation:

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