Abstract:
This thesis explores the deontological approach of ethics in normative
theory. It briefly reviews the nature and problems of the international political
system to demonstrate the necessity of examining ethics as an essential
element in US foreign policy. The thesis focuses on the international political
thought of one of the most original German thinkers, Immanuel Kant (1724-
1804). By challenging conventional readings, I argue that the United States
applies ethics, in particular Kant's deontology as tactics to enhance their
foreign policies, providing an adequate account of their power and legitimacy.
The aim of this paper is to justify the position of the United States in
foreign policy on one hand, and to expose the necessity for moral leadership in
international politics on the other. In this anarchic political atmosphere, I
argue that the United States has behaved reasonably, oscillating between facts
and values. In a series of defensible hypotheses about the nature of ethics and morality in global politics, this thesis argues that the United States is justified
in conducting whatever policy it chooses. This thesis argues that this position
is characterized by personal and religious insights to encourage leaders to
apply deontology in US foreign policy through promoting human rights issues.
