Hegel with and against Kant in international law

Abstract

Hegel's philosophy of international law has received some attention in recent years. Scholars have tried to present a different view from the one presented in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, which portrayed Hegel as an enthusiast of the state of war. Consequently, the relationship between Hegel and Kant also began to be reassessed with regard to questions of international law, above all, the possibility of peace. My aim in this paper is, first, to present the general aspects of Hegel's philosophy of international law, emphasizing its dialogue with Kant. I try to show how Hegel is, in his discussion, in reference to important aspects of the Kantian text on perpetual peace. Second, building on this discussion with Kant, I argue that while Hegel is certainly much more of a critic of the Kantian project than a sympathizer, the ultimate implications of his thought are, to some extent, aligned with those of Kant´s philosophy.