Michael W. Doyle

This remarkable selection of Kant's most interesting political writing is perhaps the simplest & best existing approach to an otherwise difficult & demanding philosopher. It also works as an excellent intro to the Age of Enlightenment, or to political thinking in general.

One thing stands out before all: in this book, Kant is never abstruse, & at times almost an easy read. His political writings have always been among his more lucid. Even when presenting curious notions such as "emancipation" or "perpetual peace", he works very hard to make clear what these concepts are *not*. Perpetual peace, for instance, is no particularly naive concept. Instead it expresses how specific circumstances may *force* nations, almost like checkmated kings, to remain durably at peace.

But what makes this precise edition stand out is the modern scholarly material.

The last third of the book holds 3 essays by modern political thinkers: "Kant's Theory of the State", "Kant's Philosophy of History", "Kant & Liberal Internationalism". The latter of these essays also addresses the notion of perpetual peace, but now in light of the most recent empirical confirmations that yes, liberal democracies avoid wars against each other (& so a world where all nations have become liberal democracies, could indeed enjoy perpetual peace).

The book thus succeeds from a dynamic combination: that of the quality & contemporary relevance of the modern essays, working together with Kant's own writing, well selected for clarity & relevance. This mix gives the reader a genuine familiarity with core Kantian notions.

If you're among the many of us who at some point found Kant incomprehensible, this, rather perhaps than a diluted guide "for beginners", could be the right book.… (més)