Hobbes Vs Kant

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Though having different rhetoric and conditions for writing, two philosophic fathers of peace were Thomas Hobbes and Immanuel Kant. Hobbes’ Leviathan depicts frustration with humanity while providing a solution create a peaceful society. Kant provides necessary articles for peace but on an international level. Both concepts don’t differ in their fundamentals; each provides guidelines suggested for implementation to finally achieve peace. In this paper, I outline Hobbes’ and Kant’s articles for peace and compare them with commentary on which is the most effective throughout history. While I focus on their plans to achieve peace, I discuss the philosophical means by which both have come to these conclusions and in what ways their plans exemplify …show more content…
Through reason, people can see true human nature and recognize demand for peace. Additionally, using the ability to communicate with other people, peace can occur by means of negotiation for the covenant. From here, it is natural for people to come together and form a commonwealth where the collective interests and wills of individuals come together for peace or safety (P. 109). The Leviathan is the commonwealth that personifies the wills and best interests of people. Individuals give up a piece of their sovereignty to the Leviathan so their preservation is upheld-- the Leviathan has the authority to do whatever it seems fit to protect from chaos. Therefore, everyone is obliged to obey the Leviathan because it's their own wills and true justice becomes maintaining the consent given to the Leviathan. On page 106 of The Leviathan, Hobbes states, “The final cause, end, or design of men (who naturally love liberty, and dominion over others) in the introduction of that restraint upon themselves in which we see them live in commonwealths is the foresight of their own preservation, and of a more contented life ...” (P. 106). Since humans work in the ways of their own self-interest, by giving up a part of their sovereignty and obeying it, there is no means for fighting because the Leviathan will ensure peace as long as he is in power. Hobbes argues that the only possible conditions for peace …show more content…
The terms of superiority to me are how effective has been in implementation which is where Hobbes’ philosophy goes beyond Kant by having blatant enforcement. Kant references enforcement through the separation of powers in republics, but the world has not adapted this measure. Today, it is apparent that one can have infinite guidelines to establish peace, but only until there is enforcement in the conditions, perpetual peace is achieved.The perfect example of enforcement inadequacy in Kant’s proposal where adding Hobbes’ ideas would have helped is Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kant says peace can be achieved through a federation where states give up some of their sovereignty to maintain peace such as with the United Nations (UN). During the Balkan War, the UN declared the town of Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina a “safe zone” under UN Peace Forces. However, the Bosnian Serb Army of Serbia still invaded Srebrenica because the UN Peace Forces didn’t have authority to protect and the Serbs were able to commit genocide. Though Kant’s plan of a federation is able to exist and maintain peace in some areas, at the end of the day the UN nor Kant’s proposed federation have backing force for the will of the people. Hobbes’ Leviathan surpasses Kant in this example through enforcement because the Leviathan has absolute
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