Kant and the French Revolution

Analyses Kant's theory of popular sovereignty and revolution and his surprising views of reform and regicide in the French revolution.

Kant was convinced that historical examples can help us understand political philosophy, and this Element seeks to show this in practice. This Element concerns Kant's views on popular sovereignty, reform, and revolution.To Kant, the French revolution's central events were the transfer of sovereignty to the people in 1789 and the trial and execution of the monarch in 1792-1793. Through a contextual study, this Element argues that while both events manifested the principle of popular sovereignty, the first did so in lawful ways, whereas the latter was a perversion of the principle. Kant was convinced that historical examples can help us understand political philosophy, and this Element seeks to show this in practice.