Kant and the Theory and Practice of International Right

(Paperback, 2nd New edition)

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This innovative study focuses on the Kantian theory of international relations, a subject which has frequently been either ignored or misunderstood. Kant was criticized by contemporaries who asserted that his political ideas were idealistic and impractical. He countered this accusation by evolving a political philosophy which formed a link between the theoretical doctrine of pure law and the actualities of the real world.

The author argues that Kants theory of international relations can be read as an attempt to bring reason and history together. Kant tries to apply the a priori principles of reason to history in general, and to the political conditions of the late eighteenth century in particular, and this volume examines the way in which he attempts to mediate between theory and practice.

In this stimulating and lucid work, Cavallar provides one of the first comprehensive examinations in English of Kants theory of international right.

Reviews

"This is the definitive source on Kants international relations theory and it has played a significant role in informing my own thinking. Updated and expanded, this new edition adds considerable material to an already powerful first edition, including an expanded analysis of Kants practical politics, his thinking in response to his contemporaries, key political and legal methodological considerations, and how Kant might be best understood within modern global debates." -- Garrett Wallace Brown, University of Leeds
"Georg Cavallars new book is a skillful and sophisticated linking of Kants theory to humanitarian intervention, democracy and peace, cosmopolitanism and patriotism, among other topics. An original argument is refined by a serious and impressive engagement with two decades of debate framed by the books first appearance in 1999." -- Antonio Franceschet, University of Calgary
"When the first edition of this book came out just over two decades ago it quickly became a must-read for anyone who was interested in Kants ideas about the theory and practice of international relations. This new edition brings it up to date, and adds material that will make it a necessary reference in the decades to come." -- John Christian Laursen, University of California, Riverside

Author Bio

Georg Cavallar is Universittsdozent of Modern History at the Department of History, University of Vienna, Austria; he has published on Kants political philosophy, the history of international law, and the philosophy of cosmopolitanism.