Since the narrower or wider community of the peoples of the earth has developed so far that a violation of rights in one place is felt throughout the world, the idea of a cosmopolitan right is not fantastical, high-flown or exaggerated notion. It is a complement to the unwritten code of the civil and international law, necessary for the public rights of mankind in general and thus for the realization of perpetual peace.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kant argues that global interconnectedness makes a cosmopolitan right necessary for realizing perpetual peace.
- In plain terms
- Because the world is connected, we need international rights to ensure lasting peace.
- What can you take from it?
- Support global rights to promote international peace and stability.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Should rights be global or national?
- What prevents true international peace?
Another view
National sovereignty often conflicts with cosmopolitan ideals.
More from Immanuel Kant
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