Immanuel Kant and His Concept of Perpetual Peace: A Politico-Moral Philosophical Analysis

Abstract

Peace and war are integral to mankind's history, originating from human desire for power, prestige, and respect. Philosophers have explored the ways to create and maintain peace since ancient times. Immanuel Kant's 1795 peace treaties, “Perpetual Peace-A Philosophical Essay”, significantly contributed to the concept of peaceful co-existence among nations. Kant's ideas on history include the rise of civil society, the development of larger political communities, peaceful intercourse, culture and morality, progress, and the future of mankind. The condemnation of war suggests perpetual peace. Kant's Peace treatise provides an argument for a peaceful global order that presupposes cosmopolitan law, which can replace classical law among nations with one that states the rights of men as citizens of the world. The treatise includes two types of conditions, negative and positive, and two supplements and appendices. Overall, Kant's study of peace has a politico-moral flavor. Despite Kant's perpetual peace lesson, we have not yet made any progress towards peace. Evil forces have taken hold of the human race, and it is crucial to fight against war and observe our duty to prevent it from being too late. War is a real reality with many consequences, including loss of belongings, families, and lives. The current world situation is difficult and dangerous. It is essential to attain world peace and make peace in conflict zones to resolve conflicts effectively. Conflict creates instability, fear, suffering, and economic difficulties, leading to thousands of deaths and injuries. Conflict and war are painful and complicated realities that have long-lasting effects on the countries where they occur and those who seek help. Therefore, it is crucial to pursue world peace and follow Kant's perpetual peace lesson to ensure the right path for us.