Why did Albert Camus criticize violence carried out in the name of ideology?

Albert Camus fundamentally rejected violence committed in the name of ideology because he believed that good ends do not authorize the use of evil means. In his 1951 essay The Rebel, Camus argued that the systematic violence associated with revolutionary ideologies—which he termed crimes de logique—was entirely unjustifiable.1

Camus’s critique was rooted in his commitment to justice and human decency. He viewed the rise of modern ideology as a source of immense human suffering, contrasting it with a tradition of moderation and human warmth. While he acknowledged that many ideologies aimed to reduce suffering, he maintained that the "total" character and extremism of these movements led to a fanatical devotion to abstractions that disregarded the value of individual human life.1

Ultimately, Camus advocated for a form of rebellion that says "no" to injustice through reform rather than through the totalitarian violence often championed by movements like Marxism. He held that all political action must be grounded in a solid moral basis, prioritizing human dignity over the pursuit of ideological orthodoxy.12