Joris van de Riet

The right to self-determination is “one of the essential principles of international law” and has played a major role in the transformation of the international order. That right has traditionally been traced back to the French Revolution, through Wilson and Lenin, but rarely explicitly been linked to Immanuel Kant. This paper argues that Kant’s philosophy provides a solid basis for the construction of a theory of self-determination in international law, and that the idea of self-determination underlies much of Kant’s thought on international right. It discusses four aspects of self-determination: Kant’s emphasis on sovereignty and non-intervention; the relevance of the “original contract” and republican government; his permissive theory of territorial rights; and the role of the “league of nations”.

This Insight examines the stance the EU should adopt towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the basis of the political thought of Immanuel Kant, Thomas Hobbes, and Niccolò Machiavelli. Taking as its starting point Josep Borrell’s comment that “we are too much Kantians and not enough Hobbesians” at the 2022 EU Ambassadors’ Conference, this Insight offers a revisionist interpretation of both Kant and Hobbes while suggesting Machiavelli as a third possible inspiration for EU external action. Although he is often portrayed as a proto-“realist” intent on increasing state power, Hobbes in reality favours stability above all else and would therefore presumably not support a more “aggressive” foreign policy. Kant, on the other hand, has traditionally been seen as more of a philosophical idealist, but his political philosophy in fact supports a more assertive conduct by states in their external relations. Both of these philosophers are thus quite different from how Borrell portrays them. The Insight also introduces the perspective of a third thinker, Machiavelli, whose philosophy suggests that the EU should adopt a pragmatic diplomatic strategy, forging alliances, supplying Ukraine with weapons, and maintaining strong ties with allies.