Introduction to International Relations: Theory and Practice by Joyce P. Kaufman

Author:Joyce P. Kaufman [Kaufman, Joyce P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2013-04-04T07:00:00+00:00

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BOX 4.2

EXCERPTS FROM “PERPETUAL PEACE: A PHILOSOPHICAL SKETCH,” BY IMMANUEL KANT

SECTION I. CONTAINING THE PRELIMINARY ARTICLES FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AMONG STATES

3. “ ‘Standing Armies (miles perpetuus) Shall in Time Be Totally Abolished’ ”

“For they incessantly menace other states by their readiness to appear at all times prepared for war; they incite them to compete with each other in the number of armed men, and there is no limit to this. For this reason, the cost of peace finally becomes more oppressive than that of a short war, and consequently a standing army is itself a cause of offensive war waged in order to relieve the state of this burden.”

SECTION II. CONTAINING THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLES FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AMONG STATES

“The state of peace among men living side by side is not the natural state (status naturalis); the natural state is one of war. This does not always mean open hostilities, but at least an unceasing threat of war. A state of peace, therefore, must be established, for in order to be secured against hostility it is not sufficient that hostilities simply be not committed; and, unless this security is pledged to each by his neighbor (a thing that can only occur in a civil state), each may treat his neighbor, from whom he demands this security, as an enemy.”

FIRST DEFINITIVE ARTICLE FOR PERPETUAL PEACE

“ ‘The Civil Constitution of Every State Should Be Republican’ ”

“The only constitution which derives from the idea of the original compact, and on which all juridical legislation of a people must be based, is the republican. This constitution is established, firstly, by principles of the freedom of the members of a society (as men); secondly, by principles of dependence of all upon a single common legislation (as subjects); and thirdly, by the law of their equality (as citizens). . . . Is it also the one which can lead to perpetual peace?

“The republican constitution, besides the purity of its origin (having sprung from the pure source of the concept of law), also gives a favorable prospect for the desired consequence, i.e., perpetual peace. The reason is this: if the consent of the citizens is required in order to decide that war should be declared (and in this constitution it cannot but be the case), nothing is more natural than they would be very cautious in commencing such a poor game, decreeing for themselves all the calamities of war.”

SECOND DEFINITIVE ARTICLE FOR PERPETUAL PEACE

“ ‘The Law of Nations Shall Be Founded on a Federation of Free States’ ”

“Peoples, as states, like individuals, may be judged to injure one another merely by their coexistence in the state of nature (i.e., while independent of external laws). Each of them, may and should for the sake of its own security demand that the others enter into a constitution similar to the civil constitution. . . . This would be a league of nations. . . .

“The practicability (objective reality) of this idea of federation, which should gradually spread to all states and thus lead to perpetual peace, can be proved.

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