Reviving Kant's deontology in US foreign policy. (c2007)

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.