The philosophical concept is rooted in the idea that peacemakers, by their very nature, seek to find common ground and reconcile differences. This is often associated with the political philosophy of centrism, which emphasises compromise, balance, and pragmatism.
Centrism is arguably not a conventional ideology with specific political goals, but rather a process or activity that seeks to broker deals and compromises that satisfy both sides of a conflict. This approach is often seen as a commitment to process, facilitating structured dialogue among polarised groups with the goal of enabling participants to come up with new perspectives and solutions that address everyone’s core interests.
The concept of peacemaking as a centrist activity is also reflected in the idea that peacemakers do not commit to one side of a conflict, but rather work to understand and reconcile the perspectives of all parties involved. However, it’s important to note that this concept does not imply that peacemakers or centrists are neutral or passive. On the contrary, they are actively engaged in the struggle to understand and reconstruct the perspectives of opposing camps, and to find a middle ground that can hold the body politic together. This is a dynamic process that requires overcoming cognitive and emotional conflicts between opposing sides to reach a state of justice and peace.
Critics of centrism argue that it can enable extremist and polarised status-quos, and they (centrists) refuse to make radical changes that could benefit the masses. However, proponents argue that without peace, other values – including justice – cannot be realised, wealth and prosperity cannot be achieved, and most personal endeavours cannot be pursued.