Jeffery Sachs: 10 Principles for Perpetual Peace.

Next year will mark the 230th anniversary of Immanuel Kant’s celebrated essay on “Perpetual Peace” (1795). The great German philosopher put forward a set of guiding principles to achieve perpetual peace among the nations of his day. As we grapple with a world at war, and indeed at dire risk of nuclear Armageddon, we should build on Kant’s approach for our own time. An updated set of principles should be considered at the United Nations Summit of the Future in September.

Kant was fully aware that his proposals would face the skepticism of “practical” politicians:

The practical politician assumes the attitude of looking down with great self-satisfaction on the political theorist as a pedant whose empty ideas in no way threaten the security of the state, inasmuch as the state must proceed on empirical principles; so the theorist is allowed to play his game without interference from the worldly-wise statesman.
Nonetheless, as historian Mark Mazower noted in his magisterial account of global governance, Kant’s was a “text that would intermittently influence generations of thinkers about world government down to our own day,” helping to lay the groundwork for the United Nations and international law on human rights, the conduct of war, and arms control.

Kant’s core proposals centered on three ideas. First, he rejected standing armies. Standing armies “incessantly menace other states by their readiness to appear at all times prepared for war.” In this, Kant anticipated by a century and a half the famous warning by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower of the dangers of a military-industrial complex. Second, Kant called for non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. In this, Kant inveighed against the kind of covert operations that the U.S. has used relentlessly to topple foreign governments. Third, Kant called for a “federation of free states,” which in our time became the United Nations, a “federation” of 193 states pledged to operate under the U.N. Charter.

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[karmafairy]

Thank you so much Prof. Jeffrey Sachs for fighting for PEACE! We will continue to fight for world peace on earth! No more wars!!!

[selmat]

The 10 Principles for Perpetual Peace should be dicussed and voted straight away at UN and the majority votes should decide the outcome. Your input and timing is very important and appreciated Prof. Jeffrey Sachs! Thank you Pascal for sharing.

[deansawich]

Thanks Pascal for posting these wise words from Prof Sachs. ❤

[rogerwindler]

The world could be a better one if everybody was as reasonable als Prof.Sachs. Tks for his thoughts and endlessreasoning about diplomacy.

[annmowatt]

Thank you, Professor Sachs for ALL you do to promote peace and fellowship throughout the world yet are thwarted at every turn. However, you NEVER give up to your great credit. Like you, Kant was a wonderful, wise man.

[marialauraterlinck]

Jeffrey Sachs is a great person with a vision for peace. If Jeffrey Sachs should be the leader of the world, we should live in a better and peacefull world. Let's discuss this in UN and UNSC.

[simonhodges]

One only needs one principle for perpetual peace. "First, do no harm".

[atmannityananda-autognosia]

❤ First of all, human beings must find peace within themselves.
Without it, external peace is impossible.
By external means alone we cannot achieve world peace.

[RobertWarman-il]

Your truth is legend mr sachs, we require heart for our ears to hear, the waking world knows ones actions stand before ones words and i pray the actions of good men such as yourself, no man.above.annother look well to your brothers

[atmannityananda-autognosia]

❤☮️
Mr. Jeffrey, if you closely observe how people live around the world, you might easily conclude that peace is impossible.
So, Perpetual peace in this state of consciousness of humanity is impossible.

[soniavadnjal]

"Do (un)to others as you would like them to do (un)to you."

[McKav]

Of peace & for peace words are the embodiment of ideas especially ideas for peace
Blessed are the peacemakers

[alekanal]

Great words from professor Sachs about peace should be shared. Interference to internal affairs is the worst thing powerfull countries can do.

[carlosgustavo]

Pascal!!
This was calming.
If that's even possible..
Thanks for your great work.

[joethao]

Pro. Jeffrey Sachs is the f**ken man!!!! This guy is very well educated and open minded to other cultures. Thanks Pro. Sachs!!

[jakepistolero]

there was a mexican president, in the 1860s. one of our greatest presidents. he had one saying, that trascends time:

among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others, is peace

if only america knew about him, and learned

[peterkerruish]

Magic M8, the world and all humanity would be so much safer and better of if only the " power's" could open their ears to your words.Thankyou.

[zantecarroll]

wonderful reasonable commonsense...pity we are ruled by psychopaths but i am still hopeful we are moving towards the moment when we will adopt these principles in global affairs❤

[soulflares]

A capitalistic system of greedy, money and power will produce wars constantly

[PubliusUSA]

Almost there Pascal!

The 1788-89 Federal Paper essays discuss the importance of taking away from government the mechanisms to do harm.

The Founders believed that corrupt partisans would, from time to time, take high political office. If there is no established large standing army to abuse, then the baneful partisan would not have a large standing army to abuse.

The Founders security remedy is the still mandated militia system for self defense purposes only.

If the USA were to revert back to its mandated militia system, and als, o, if the international community were to adopt the same, then maybe, world peace and prosperity could be achieved.

Thanks everyone!