Kant's Utopia of Rationality and the Problem of Hybrid Warfare

The goal of this paper is to discuss the problem of whether the utopian attitude can be found in Kant’s political philosophy. Kant criticizes the utopias of Plato and More as projects of perfect societies to be realized by politicians. In spite of that, in Kant’s political writings there is an attitude which is deeply utopian. It is a belief in a rational and moral society which will be realized in the historical process. In Ideen zu einer allgemeinen Geschichte in weltbürgerlicher Absicht, Zum ewigen Frieden and in Der Streit der Fakultäten Kant lays the foundations of the progressive utopia. However, unlike the French progressivists, who predicted the almost immediate fulfilment of the perfect society, Kant claims that in due course mankind will probably achieve moral and political perfectibility, but that this process leads through wars and sufferings and will last very long. Kantian political philosophy is continued by John Rawls who describes the realistic utopia in The Law of Peoples. However, when speaking about war, they understand it in the traditional sense. The question arises how Kant (and Rawls) would respond to the new concept of hybrid warfare, based on the use of powerful propaganda and recruiting tools like fake news, terrorist and criminal activities, and using the influx of refugees to create social unrest. Apparently, both philosophers would condemn this new form of violence. Kant did not base his utopia on technical inventions or material prosperity, but on reason and individual freedom, factors that enable moral progress in humanity. Rawls advocated political constructivism, in which the idea of social justice is also based on rational freedom, implemented in institutions within a given society and in international politics. Their concepts enable the assessment of current policies and serve individuals and communities in setting goals for action and the direction of political change.