The Philosophical Review/Volume 1/Review: Kant - Principles of Politics
The versatile translator of Lioy's Philosophy of Right, Kant's Philosophy of Law, Punjer's Philosophy of Religion, etc., etc., has again placed students under a debt of gratitude for an excellent introduction to, and translation of, Kant's essays on political subjects. The introduction, in which the translator presents Kant's philosophical teaching in its unity, cannot but be helpful to those who are already familiar with Kant's metaphysical teaching, as well as to those who begin the study of Kant with his Essays on Politics.
In the early part of the introduction, the development of Kant's philosophical thinking through the scientific, the speculative, and the practical stages is well worked out. Kant "passes, as by natural and necessary continuity, from science and theoretical criticisms into the moral world as the living realm of practice." Considerable prominence is given to the influence of Kant's early scientific investigations on his subsequent speculation. Kant's thinking in each period centred around the teaching of a great man. During the first period, Kant, in the character of a disciple, followed Newton. Deeply impressed with the universality and the necessity of the principles of science, mathematical and physical, Kant found Hume's metaphysic insufficient to explain the possibility of a science of nature. The disciple of Newton became the opponent of Hume. The champion of Reason in the tournament with Hume, however, was compelled to recognize the limits of "the speculative ambition of pure Reason." From speculation he turned to practice. At this time he found both inspiration and warning in the writings of Rousseau. As Kant's antagonism to Hume was only partial, so his attitude to Rousseau was only in part that of an opponent. From Rousseau, Kant learned to "honor men." But Kant "overcame the historical pessimism of Rousseau and his hatred of civilization by a profounder apprehension of the purpose and method of the social struggle." In the interesting discussion of the relations between the three practical moral sciences, — Jurisprudence, Ethics, and Politics, — Politics is found to "crown and complete the system of morals by objective realization of right through a system of universal legislation."
The latter part of the introduction is taken up with an estimate of the importance of Kant's thinking in the science of Politics. The utility of a study of the Kantian writings on Politics is self-evident, when it is remembered that "England has acted out the principles which Kant has thought out and held up for universal imitation and embodiment; and that this holds even more literally of the New England of America."
For an account of the essays themselves, I cannot do better than give extracts from the translator's summary:
"The first essay, entitled 'Idea for a Universal History, from a Cosmopolitical Point of View,' contains Kant's exposition of what may be called the Natural Principle of Politics.
"The second essay discusses the 'Principles of Political Right in Connection with the Relation of Theory to Practice in Politics.' The exposition here given of the theoretical principles of right should be compared with the American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, as their philosophical counterpart and ultimate expression.
"The third essay contains a short discussion of the 'Principles of Progress,' in opposition to the view of Moses Mendelssohn, who thought it a mere illusion to hold that the whole of mankind here below shall always move forwards in the course of time, and thus perfect itself.
"The essay on 'Perpetual Peace' is a practical exhibition of Kant's principles of politics in the sphere of International Right. It is, in fact, a formal, if somewhat artificial, exposition of Kant's political ideal."
W. C. Murray.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1945, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 78 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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