International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2024

From Universal State to Anarchic Society: The Legal Construction of a Permanent Peace Vision

(Abstract)

Ren Xin

With change of the concepts and the rethinking of balance of power, the legal construction of perpetual peace emerges and gives rise to two paradigms:universal state and anarchic society. Abbé de Saint-Pierre, who pioneered the construction, pursued to establish a federal universal/European republic and to change the polity of its members when conditions permit. But realist considerations led Saint-Pierre’s successors to turn to the other paradigm. Bentham attempted to replace the traditional law of nations with international law aiming at universal utility, and disregarded the monopoly of rulers over foreign politics as an obstacle to international peace, which he advocated eradicating through republican reforms. Kant, on the basis of Bentham’s double right changes, argues only the triple public rights from the innate legislation of practical reason and their implementation, can generate perpetual peace, taking republic, international confederation and free visitation as the three elements of the construction. Kant’s program accomplished the paradigm shift in the legal construction of perpetual peace and created the prerequisites for its subsequent implementation.