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Full Idea
It must remain possible, even in wartime, to have some sort of trust in the attitude of the enemy, otherwise peace could not be concluded and the hostilities would turn into a war of extermination.
Gist of Idea
Some trust in the enemy is needed during wartime, or peace would be impossible
Source
Immanuel Kant (Perpetual Peace [1795], 1.6)
Book Ref
Kant,Immanuel: 'Political Writings', ed/tr. Reiss,Hans [CUP 1996], p.96
A Reaction
Consider the 'unconditional surrender' approach to the Nazis in 1944, and the peace of May 1945, made with very different Germans. How do you make peace with an enemy you cannot trust?
| 20569 | Kant made the social contract international and cosmopolitan [Kant, by Oksala] |
| 21073 | Hiring soldiers is to use them as instruments, ignoring their personal rights [Kant] |
| 21074 | Some trust in the enemy is needed during wartime, or peace would be impossible [Kant] |
| 21075 | The state of nature always involves the threat of war [Kant] |
| 21076 | Equality is where you cannot impose a legal obligation you yourself wouldn't endure [Kant] |
| 21077 | Each nation should, from self-interest, join an international security constitution [Kant] |
| 21078 | A constitution must always be improved when necessary [Kant] |
| 21079 | The a priori general will of a people shows what is right [Kant] |
| 20570 | There is now a growing universal community, and violations of rights are felt everywhere [Kant] |
| 20571 | There are political and inter-national rights, but also universal cosmopolitan rights [Kant] |