Rawls’ just war doctrine is primarily interpreted as an elaboration of Walzer’s theory. Here it is argued that when considered in light of Rawls’ Kantian commitments and the utopian nature of The Law of Peoples, his perspective on just war is distinctive and challenging to mainstream theories. Whilst endorsing principles similar to many other contemporary theorists the Kantian influence leads to a nuanced doctrine with a particular emphasis on the long term. It is claimed that a perspective emerges that is sceptical about intervention and rejects the conventional move of extending the just war doctrine to humanitarian warfare.
