Justice et mondialisation. Eric Weil et le problème de l’Etat mondial

Abstract

In the last part of his Political Philosophy, Eric Weil talks about the advent of a world state. The establishment of such a state would be demanded by modern society which is by principle global, rational and pacifist. In modern times, this same society had called on states to become rational actors in order to organize production and educate individuals to rationality. But states have been able to use rational and calculated violence against each other and against the fundamental objective of society, which is peace. Now there is a global society – globalized by economic mechanisms and cultural processes – that require states to overcome their historical disputes. So peace is required by the correct calculation of interests. But peace would not be possible if states do not move from rational calculation to reasonable discussion. This movement is required not only by universal morality, but also by some pragmatic considerations. In 1954, Weil believed that the foundation of world institutions was a beginning, and that European integration was a step towards the creation of a world state. In this article, I show that Eric Weil's philosophy of international relations is a realistic utopia in the manner of Rawls, since the mode of organization of the world state is to be constructed. Weil is a kind of constructivist that finds a certain balance between realism and idealism, between the rational and the reasonable. I try to confront the liberal model of the historical tendency (perpetual peace) with the realist model of cyclical struggle (hegemony) in order to suggest that there is a non-ideal part of the problem.

Keywords

• justice
• globalization
• world state
• realism
• idealism
• eric weil
• realist utopia
• international relations