Who is identified as the first major thinker of liberal internationalism?

Who is identified as the first major thinker of liberal internationalism?

• A. Immanuel Kant
• B. Jeremy Bentham
• C. Giuseppe Mazzini
• D. Karl Marx

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is who first gave a systematic account of liberal internationalism. Immanuel Kant is the earliest major thinker to articulate a vision where lasting peace among nations comes from republican governments, the rule of law, and a voluntary federation of free states. In his writings, especially Perpetual Peace, he argues that republics (governments based on the consent of the governed) are more likely to coexist peacefully, because their internal laws and institutions constrain rulers. When states engage with each other, they do so under a framework of international law that can resolve disputes without war. He even envisions a global federation of free states that preserves sovereignty while establishing common norms and security, a blueprint that blends domestic liberty with international cooperation. This combination of democracy, law, and international association is why Kant is viewed as the foundational figure of liberal internationalism. Bentham, while influential in ideas about law and international reform from a utilitarian angle, does not lay out the same comprehensive liberal-internationalist program. Mazzini is rooted in nationalist republicanism and continental unity from a nationalist perspective rather than a liberal, law-based international order. Marx centers on class analysis and systemic critique of capitalism, not on building a liberal international framework of law and cooperation among states.

The main idea being tested is who first gave a systematic account of liberal internationalism. Immanuel Kant is the earliest major thinker to articulate a vision where lasting peace among nations comes from republican governments, the rule of law, and a voluntary federation of free states. In his writings, especially Perpetual Peace, he argues that republics (governments based on the consent of the governed) are more likely to coexist peacefully, because their internal laws and institutions constrain rulers. When states engage with each other, they do so under a framework of international law that can resolve disputes without war. He even envisions a global federation of free states that preserves sovereignty while establishing common norms and security, a blueprint that blends domestic liberty with international cooperation. This combination of democracy, law, and international association is why Kant is viewed as the foundational figure of liberal internationalism.

Bentham, while influential in ideas about law and international reform from a utilitarian angle, does not lay out the same comprehensive liberal-internationalist program. Mazzini is rooted in nationalist republicanism and continental unity from a nationalist perspective rather than a liberal, law-based international order. Marx centers on class analysis and systemic critique of capitalism, not on building a liberal international framework of law and cooperation among states.