This lecture examines the problem of resistance in Kant’s legal and political theory. While Kant argues that a right of resistance would undermine sovereignty and the
possibility of a stable legal order, the lecture suggests that, despite rejecting a formal right to resistance, his theory contains elements that point to a functional equivalent.
The analysis centers on two key concepts: the postulate of public Right and the condition of necessity. The former presents the state of nature as an ever-present regulative standard for evaluating political authority, especially when the legal order deteriorates, while the latter highlights situations in which unlawful actions may be excused under extreme conditions. Taken together, these elements suggest that resistance, although not a right, can emerge as a factual and morally significant response and, in that sense, can be understood as a form of pressure on the sovereign, who, according to Kant, otherwise has no legal duties.
Monday, 04 May 2026
State of Nature as Political Pressure
