John and Nathan 24 Jan 2014
Nature of Kant’s argument:
The rhetorical form used is primarily logos, an appeal to logic
Kant is trying to outline the necessary conditions for an end to war and
conflict among states.
Predominantly deductive reasoning: providing general suppositions (Kant’s
Preliminary Articles) and then elucidating specific reasons which support
the claim, which are true given the initial supposition
o Some instances of inductive reasoning and empirical (historical)
evidence
i. Inductive reasoning: page 87
ii. Historical evidence: page 82, 84, 89
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Kant’s target “audience”:
• The work is addressed to politicians that had engaged
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in the exact behavior Kant says to avoid. his
o (secret treaties in the Treaty of Basil 1795)
o Several sarcastic references to the “practical
politician” both in the introductory paragraphs and
the secret supplement at the end.
Challenges Absolutism, Monarchy, and intense
Nationalism.
Kant outlines six necessary laws/rules/preconditions that nations must abide by in
order for his proposed system to bring perpetual peace. These are “The
Preliminary Articles”.
I.‘‘No peace settlement which secretly reserves issues for a future war shall be
considered valid.’’
II.‘‘No independently existing state (irrespective of whether it is large or small) shall
be able to be acquired by another state through inheritance, exchange, purchase,
or gift.’’
III.‘‘Standing armies (miles perpetuus) shall gradually be abolished entirely.’’
IV.‘‘The state shall not contract debts in connection with its foreign affairs.’’
V.‘‘No state shall forcibly interfere in the constitution and government of another
state.’’
VI. “No state shall allow itself such hostilities in wartime as would make mutual trust
in a future period of peace impossible. Such acts would include the employment
of assassins (percussores), poisoners (venefici), breach of surrender, incitement of
treason (perduellio) within the enemy state, etc.’’
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The preliminary articles are necessary rules which must be followed in this proposed
international realm but Kant chooses to separate them from the fundamental structural
changes that he outlines in “The Definitive Articles”
1. “The Civil constitution of every state shall be republican”
Kant claims that all governments must be a republic in their governance, not a democracy
o Kant does not provide many specifics for how the republic ought to be laid out other
than stipulating that members must be equal as citizens, free to act, and bound by a
common legislation.
o Also stipulates that the executive and legislative branches must be kept separate.
Logical choice because republics are naturally conducive to the aim of perpetual peace: a
scenario in which the people are their own state rulers would naturally engender perpetual
peace as people would certainly not want to engage themselves in war if they have a say in
it, whereas under a government where the people are subjects, they have no say against a
declaration of war.
2. “International right shall be based on the federalism of free states”
States coexist in a federative union, which Kant calls a “pacific federation” for the
purpose of “securing and maintaining the freedom of a state for itself and also
the freedom of other confederated states without...being required to subject
themselves to public laws.”
3. “Cosmopolitan right shall be limited to the conditions of universal hospitality”
"the right of a stranger not to be treated in a hostile manner by another
upon his arrival on the other’s territory”82
Kant argues that relations between nations and individuals must be distinct
because people can now be considered
“citizens of a universal state of human beings” who possess “rights of citizens of the
world”83
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i. Human nature: what theory is developed, what assumptions are made?
He speaks about human nature and ego with respect to politicians.
o In the Second Supplement which he titles the Secret Supplement, he speaks to the nature of
politicians ego’s and therefore sanctions closed door meetings in order to negotiate privately and
without fear of reproach.
When addressing the need for a Cosmopolitan Right
o “The maliciousness of human nature, although quite concealed by the
coercion of government in the state of civil law, can be observed openly in
the free relations between the peoples”82
ii. Ethics: how do ethics figure in the argument? Is the author engaging in moral condemnation or moral
prescription, if so, on the basis of what sort of ethical theory?
Kant does not use or try to justify any specific moral principles, rather he tries to outline the practical
conditions for peace.
o Morality is the “theoretical doctrine of right” (94)
iii. Politics: what is politics according to the author? What should the purposes of politics be?
Politics is the “applied doctrine of right” (94)
Politics is the interactions of multiple representative governments.
Evaluation of Kant’s Claim
Strengths:
1. Hard theory to negate because it is virtually impossible to apply in practice.
2. Binding international law could resolve conflicts.
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Weaknesses:
Kant makes multiple assumptions that are not necessarily true, but much of his reasoning is
derived by holding these suppositions as valid
o All humans will act rationally in a republic, or else that they will invariably pursue their
own interests (against war)
o All republics will function perfectly as he describes them
Very unclear how the republic is supposed to be formed.
Disarmament, especially nowadays, is essentially impossible.
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