Kant's Political Theory of Race: An Intersectional Analysis of Kant's Racial Liberalism

This chapter examines Immanuel Kant’s racial theory and its enduring impact on liberal political philosophy, arguing that Kant’s racism is not a peripheral contradiction but central to understanding his system’s continued relevance. Through an intersectional and critical analysis, the author explores how Kant’s mature political philosophy, particularly in The Doctrine of Right, embeds racial hierarchies within frameworks of formal equality and rightful dependency. By tracing Kant’s silence on race and strategic location of slavery “elsewhere,” the chapter uncovers how colonial and racial subordination are rendered invisible within liberal meritocracies. It then presents Kant as a pioneer of colourblind, meritocratic strategies that continue to justify systemic inequality. Rather than dismissing Kant, the author argues for engaging critically with his legacy to expose the racialized architecture of liberalism and to better understand how modern notions of justice obscure, rather than eliminate, enduring patterns of racial domination.