Ideological and organizational changes in American peace movements on the eve of the Civil War. A study of Peter Brock’s thought

The author peruses Peter Brock’s publication in a search for answers to the questions concerning ideological and organizational changes in American peace movements just before the Civil War. This venture shows the complexity of the terminology related to the impact of pacifist ideology on society. The article presents the evolution of the term ‘pacifism’ and the essential components consolidating the respective research area. Following Peter Brock’s thinking the author presents pacifism in relation to religion, state, politics, abolitionism, use of force and war.