Abstract
Political theories representing the realist strand of international relations interpret Augustine not as a peace theorist but as a just war theorist. Ultimately, two types of Realpolitik emerged in the twentieth century: a German decisionist Realpolitik (Practical Politics) in the inter-war period and an Anglo-American ethical political realism in the early beginnings of the Cold War (1945–1989). The aim of this essay is to evaluate the Augustinian legacy of war and peace theory in both types of political realism that emerged as disillusionment with Kant’s promise of a perpetual peace under liberal conditions. We will argue that these two strands of political realism re-read Augustine and consequently also Hobbes from different premises than Kant. Consequently, the inherent Augustinian legacy of just war and divine peace has been portrayed in terms of an Augustinian theory of war rather than a theory of peace.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Peace and war |
| Subtitle of host publication | Historical, philosophical, and anthropological perspectives |
| Editors | John Morgan, Alexandre Guilherme |
| Place of Publication | Cham, Switzerland |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan Ltd |
| Chapter | 3 |
| Pages | 49-69 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 3030486710 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783030486716 |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Dec 2020 |
Keywords
- Realpolitik, War Theory, Enlightenment, Law and Theology