Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch

Having presented the preliminary articles, Kant now presents three definitive articles, denoting positive conditions that must exist for perpetual peace to become possible. These definitive articles are enduring political principles that embody moral law in the structure of governance.

The first article declares that every state must have a republican constitution. Kant defines republicanism not as modern party politics but as a constitution grounded in freedom, dependence upon a single law, and equality of citizens. A republic should be based on representation and the rule of law and should align with moral autonomy because citizens consent to the laws they live under. When citizens decide on war, they will choose peace, because they bear the cost of war.

The second article states that nations’ laws should be built upon a federation of free states. Kant rejects the idea of a universal monarchy that would impose peace by force; instead, he envisions a voluntary federation of republics that agree to resolve conflicts through law. This federation has no coercive power, deriving its strength from moral obligation. It provides the legal framework that transforms the state of nature among nations into a state of right.