Introduction: Towards a Theory

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the role of cruelty in politics, in the design and implementation of state policies and in non-state responses. Cruel acts and policies are worldwide, though the United Nations has set prohibitions on cruelty which represent global standards. If truths about worldwide cruelties become evident, the elimination of such practices should become a key consideration in any future crafting of policies and in the advocacy of values which influence political cultures. Advocacy of humanitarian alternatives to cruelty would depend on the spirit of universal human rights, challenges to oppressive uses of power, and the promotion of policies to address social and economic inequalities. The chapter then explains how understanding cruelty can be made easier by theory about patterns which persist irrespective of differences between countries and cultures. A first step in theorizing concerns the common ground between degrees of cruelty. Somewhat ironically, an understanding of humanity derives from observing cruelty, and provides the rationale for 'humanitarian alternatives'.