Obedience responsibility

ABSTRACTAvia Pasternak’s Responsible Citizens, Irresponsible States makes a case for concluding that ‘intentional citizens’ of states should be held liable, in the sense of being chargeable for remedial costs, when their state has caused wrongful damage to another state. In making this case, the book steers a course between purely ascriptive views that assign liability on the basis of membership alone, and intentionalist views that require a stronger connection with the fault. The exemptions from liability that the book acknowledges, however, may raise questions about its overall case, by implicating more individualized ideas of intention. Even so, the argument may be read as a compelling forward-looking warning about the risks of citizenship.KEYWORDS: Pasternakcollective responsibilityobedience responsibilityrisks of citizenship Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsRichard VernonRichard Vernon is a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Political Science, Western University. He works on contemporary political theory, especially issues of global and historical justice, and selected issues (such as toleration and citizenship) in the history of political thought.