Abstract
Kant is widely regarded as a fierce critic of colonialism. In Toward Perpetual Peace and the Metaphysics of Morals, for example, he forcefully condemns European conduct in the colonies as a flagrant violation of the principles of right. His earlier views on colonialism have not yet received much detailed scrutiny, however. In this essay I argue that Kant actually endorsed and justified European colonialism until the early 1790s. I show that Kant’s initial endorsement and his subsequent criticism of colonialism are closely related to his changing views on race, because his endorsement of a racial hierarchy plays a crucial role in his justification of European colonialism. He gave up both in the mid 1790s while he was developing his legal and political philosophy, and he adopted a more egalitarian version of the cosmopolitan relationship among peoples.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Kant and Colonialism |
Subtitle of host publication | Historical and Critical Perspectives |
Editors | Katrin Flikschuh, Lea Ypi |
Place of Publication | Oxford |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 43-67 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780191034107 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780199669622 |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- Kant
- Colonialism
- Cosmopolitanism
- RACISM
- International Relations