For Perpetual Peace (1795) must be placed at the centre of Kantian political philosophy. Its political radicality derives from two circumstances: the consideration of war, as of a dramatic situation in which all men are in danger; and the metaphysical perspective which the philosopher raises, when he says that a republic has a constitution in which not only men, but all intelligent beings are equal, with the only exception of God, who has rights and no duties.A republic is characterized by three elements: law, power and freedom, in contrast with despotism, where only law and power exist, without freedom. For the structure of the republic, division of powers and political representation are necessary. Naturally, as in all human affairs, even the republic is imperfect, and one must distinguish, as always in moral experience, a respublica phaenomene and a respublica noumene.Kant believes that the republican constitution must be extended beyond the single state, and must be the form of government for the whole earth. One must ask whether Kant wanted a confederation of states or a single state of all peoples of the earth. Surely, Kant thought that a state of enormous dimensions would have a tendency toward the danger of despotism, but he also thought that a confederation of states would not be secure in itself, and the danger of war would remain. The question can be solved, in the spirit of Kantian philosophy, if one considers that the republican constitution is the perfect form of state, which is valid in theory and in practice, and therefore a world republic is the Idea to which we must direct ourselves; in this sense a confederation of states is also coherent with that final term, on the lines of a continuous approximation. The final part of the second definitive article of Perpetual Peace becomes clear if interpreted in this way.The Kantian view of the problem becomes richer and more essential in the work of 1793 on Religion,which expounds the symmetric tendency of states and of churches towards a purification within themselves and towards a unification of states with states and churches with churches, i.e. among homogeneous institutions. The end of this movement is a situation in which there will be only one state and only one church on earth. Does this mean that the earth will be the realm both of republican peace and of virtue? If it were so, we would have what Kant calls "theological chiliasm", with the supreme good on earth, therefore with the realm of virtue and happiness. But despite some uncertainties, Kant believes that we may hope only for a republican peace in this earthly life, but not for a realm of virtue and happiness. This view, limited to a future world republic, is given the name "philosophical chiliasm" by Kant; and this is the real Kantian hope, argued on the basis of the Critique of Judgment, and specifically of teleological judgment." /> Kants Idee einer Weltrepublik - Marini Giuliano | sdvig press

Kants Idee einer Weltrepublik

Giuliano Marini

pp. 133-146


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