Abstract:
Is the Kantian state dominated by an economically privileged elite? While Kant’s discussion of passive citizens might suggest such an arrangement, this paper argues that Kant’s conceptualization of citizenship fundamentally aims to mitigate the risk of laws being manipulated in favor of the economically privileged. Kant asserts that the legislative branch of a republican state should be built upon the united will, which is the fundamental principle that all individuals should be treated as if they actively and rationally consented to legislation. The actualization of this principle necessitates distinguishing between active and passive citizens. Only those capable of formulating laws in line with the general will, rather than catering to the interests of specific factions, are eligible for legislating. While interpretations aiming to refute economic dependence by showing that Kant’s examples do not hinge on economic considerations have followed a similar path, this paper demonstrates that these views are not without challenges. These challenges can be effectively addressed by the proposed ‘general will actualization’ account.