Kant's Politics: Provisional Theory for an Uncertain World Book

Kantâ??s brilliant original contributions to political thought cannot be understood without attention to his dynamic concept of provisional right, argues Elisabeth Ellis in this bookâ??the first comprehensive interpretation of Kantâ??s political theory. Kantâ??s notion of provisional right applies to existing institutions and practices that are consistent with the possibility of progress. Ellis traces this idea through Kantâ??s works and demonstrates that the concept of provisional right can be used both to illuminate contemporary theoretical debates and to generate policy implications.

In this new interpretation, Kantâ??s provisionalism provides a broad standard for political right that remains deeply responsive to historical and geographical particulars, directing our attention to the dynamism between our world and our ideals. Ellis offers us Kant for our timeâ??worldly, pragmatic, and intensely committed to the everyday pursuit of human freedom.