Classical Cosmopolitan Idea: Arguments for the World Government Cover Image

Ideja klasičnog kosmopolitizma: argumenti u prilog svetske vlade
Classical Cosmopolitan Idea: Arguments for the World Government

Author(s): Duško Prelević
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju
Keywords: classical cosmopolitanism; realism; prisoner's dilemma; multilayered scheme of sovereignty; statism; decent people

Summary/Abstract: The Cosmopolitan idea of the World Government is quite rarely proposed in theory of international relations. Kant already claimed that this idea oscillates between anarchy and brute despotism. This is the reason why he described this standpoint as naive. The author tries to show that alternative theories, such as realism, Kantian and Rawlsian versions of statism and the conception of multilayered scheme of sovereignty, lead to more serious problems. The first one is rejected for the reason of the "prisoner’s dilemma" it implies. It is also argued that the Kantian version of statism is either inconsistent, or allows for totalitarian states if they have peaceful international politics. Many liberals reject Rawls’s position because of his tolerant attutude towards "decent peoples". On the other hand, the conception of multilayered scheme of sovereignty is dismissed because of the non-existence of a unified decision-making procedure in global politics. At the end of the paper, the author defends Classical Cosmopolitanism theory from Kant’s objections and indicates the main obstacles to its realization.

  • Issue Year: 2008
  • Issue No: 36
  • Page Range: 161-191
  • Page Count: 29
  • Language: Serbian