What is the Peace Pledge Union?

Humanistically Speaking
May 31
3 min read

The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) is one of the UK’s oldest secular pacifist organisations, committed to nonviolence, education, and the promotion of peace. Founded in the shadow of fascism in the 1930s, it has played a central role in challenging militarism and advocating for alternatives to war throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Both respected and controversial, the PPU has remained steadfast in its rejection of all war, even when national sentiment has swung in favour of armed intervention.

Origins

The Peace Pledge Union began in 1934 – a time of mounting concern about the resurgence of militarism in Europe. It was founded by Dick Sheppard, an Anglican clergyman and canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, who called on British men to send him postcards pledging never to support war. The response was overwhelming: tens of thousands signed what became known as the Peace Pledge, vowing, “I renounce war and never again, directly or indirectly, will I support or sanction another.” In 1936, the campaign was formalised as the Peace Pledge Union. While originally focused on men, women soon joined in large numbers, and the PPU became a mixed-gender organisation committed to challenging war.

Absolute pacifism

The PPU is rooted in absolute pacifism—the belief that violence and war are never morally justified, regardless of circumstances. It's not aligned with any political party or religion and includes members from a wide range of backgrounds including humanists, Christians, Quakers and anarchists.

Over the decades, the PPU has campaigned against conscription, nuclear weapons, arms trading, and the militarisation of education and society. During the Second World War, it supported conscientious objectors and offered humanitarian assistance to enemy civilians. Though pacifists were often marginalised or vilified during the war, the PPU’s refusal to abandon its principles gained it admiration in some circles for moral consistency and compassion.

In more recent years, the PPU has opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as UK arms exports to countries involved in human rights abuses. It runs educational programmes in schools, challenges the presence of the military in public life (such as Armed Forces Day and school cadet programmes), and publishes resources on nonviolent resistance.

White poppies and remembrance

One of the PPU’s most visible campaigns is the promotion of the white poppy, worn as an alternative or complement to the red poppy of the Royal British Legion. First introduced in 1933 by the Women's Co-operative Guild, white poppies symbolise remembrance for all victims of war, including civilians and enemy combatants, and a commitment to peace. The campaign has sparked controversy. Critics argue that white poppies undermine the red poppy’s purpose and disrespect military personnel. The PPU counters that their aim is not to dishonour veterans but to broaden the focus of remembrance to include all who suffer from war, and to ensure that remembrance is accompanied by a commitment to prevent future conflict.

Criticisms and controversies

Despite its principled stand, the PPU has not escaped criticism—some of it longstanding and serious. Perhaps the most enduring criticism is that absolute pacifism can be morally naïve or even dangerous. During the rise of Nazism, many believed that the PPU’s opposition to rearmament and its calls for peace risked enabling fascist aggression. George Orwell famously lambasted pacifists as being “objectively pro-fascist” if they opposed war unconditionally at a time when military force was needed to stop Hitler.

Similar criticisms have resurfaced during more recent conflicts. Opponents argue that the PPU's stance does not account for humanitarian military interventions—such as those aimed at stopping genocide or ethnic cleansing. The organisation responds by promoting nonviolent alternatives to conflict resolution, such as diplomacy, sanctions, unarmed civilian protection, and international law.

Another critique is that the PPU is sometimes overly idealistic or disconnected from political realities, especially in the face of state violence, terrorism or authoritarianism. Others, however, argue that in a world so saturated with violence, a clear and consistent voice for peace—even an uncomfortable one—is vitally necessary.

A voice for peace

Despite controversies, the Peace Pledge Union remains an important presence in the UK peace movement. Its absolute pacifist stance is rare in a political landscape often dominated by pragmatism, realism and strategic calculations. Whether one agrees with its principles or not, the PPU continues to provide a moral touchstone in public debates about war, violence, and how we remember the past. As global conflicts intensify and militarisation increases, the Peace Pledge Union reminds us of an alternative path—one grounded in conscience, compassion, and an unwavering belief that war is not inevitable.