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A Thomistic Just Rebellion Analysis of the U.S. Capitol Insurrection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Nathaniel A. Moats Open the ORCID record for Nathaniel A. Moats [Opens in a new window]
Nathaniel A. Moats*
Affiliation:
Hillsborough Community College, Religion, Tampa FL, USA
*
nmoats@hccfl.edu
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Abstract

On January 6th, 2021 following a ‘Save America’ rally held by President Donald Trump, supporters violently attacked the U.S. Capitol with the aim to stop Congress’ verification of election results certifying President elect Joe Biden. The subsequent press coverage on this tragedy provided a variety of labels for the violence: insurrection, rebellion, riot, protest, etc. To understand what type of act this was, I utilize Thomas Aquinas distinction of ‘sedition’ and ‘rebellion’ as a conceptual model. I argue that the attack on the Capitol was a form of political sedition, which Aquinas held to be an immoral and unjustified attack on proper political authority. In connection with this claim, I discuss Aquinas’ political theory and his criteria of a justified armed rebellion against political tyranny as a way to understand the events at the U.S. Capitol and to help us think clearer about legitimate and illegitimate civilian political violence in the future.

Keywords

InsurrectionU.S. CapitolPresident Donald TrumpThomas AquinasJust War TheoryJust Rebellion Theory
Type
Original Article
Information
New Blackfriars , Volume 102 , Issue 1102 , November 2021 , pp. 873 - 892
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers

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