Justification of Force in the Trans-Atlantic Debate: Towards a Moderate Institutionalist Cosmopolitanism

Abstract

Starting from the trans-Atlantic divide on the issue of justification of force which became obvious after 9/11, it is argued that the differences between the Anglo-American and Continental-European standard arguments can be overcome by a moderate institutionalist cosmopolitanism. It combines a moderate institutionalist approach with a comprehensive concept of human rights and a moderate cosmopolitan stand on the issue of international distributive justice. If all three aspects are taken into account adequately in an ethical theory of international relations, both the Anglo-American traditions of just war theory and a radical Kantian legalism must be revised and common ground could be revealed.