Immanuel Kant: The Nine Principles of Universal History
It is undeniable that human actions are determined by the general laws of nature, regardless of the concept of free will we possess. Kant addresses this to discover the intention of Nature, establishing nine principles:
Principle 1: Natural Dispositions
Nature works with all species equally so that all natural dispositions are developed completely and adequately.
Principle 2: The Role of Reason
Nature intends for man to use reason to develop his faculties, moving beyond instinct through exercise and learning.
Principle 3: Self-Sufficiency
Nature desires that man exceeds his animal instincts, seeking his own happiness through the use of reason, ensuring that all credit belongs to the individual.
Principle 4: The Conflict of Sociability
Man has a tendency to enter society to develop his natural dispositions, yet he also possesses an inclination toward insulation. This "unsocial sociability" awakens his powers and ambition; without these antisocial characteristics, all talents would remain dormant in an unproductive society.
Principle 5: The Challenge of Civil Society
The greatest problem for the human species is the establishment of a civil society that administers law universally. Creating a perfectly just civil constitution is the supreme task assigned by nature, achievable only through partnership.
Principle 6: The Necessity of Law
Nature forces man to interact with his fellows. Because he lives among others, he is compelled to obey a will valid for all, allowing everyone to be free.
Principle 7: International Relations and Global Security
For a perfect civil constitution, the external relations between states must be regulated. The unsociability of man persists because each community maintains unencumbered freedom. Our species is forced to seek a unified power balance between states to introduce a state of global public safety. We suffer not from being too civilized, but from not being sufficiently moralized.
Principle 8: The Preservation of Culture
States maintain a delicate relationship where one cannot lose its internal culture without risking its power and influence. The preservation of internal culture is another purpose pursued by Nature.
Principle 9: Constructing Universal History
By reflecting on the plan Nature has traced for the human species, we can attempt to build a universal history without rejecting the reality of history itself.