A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
The Reception of Pufendorf’s ‘International Thought’ in Eighteenth-Century Germany (2024)

Nokkala, E. (2024). The Reception of Pufendorf’s ‘International Thought’ in Eighteenth-Century Germany. In P. Schröder (Ed.), Pufendorf's International Political and Legal Thought (pp. 233-250). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192883353.003.0013

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Nokkala, Ere

Parent publication: Pufendorf's International Political and Legal Thought

Parent publication editors: Schröder, Peter

ISBN: 978-0-19-288335-3

eISBN: 978-0-19-197970-5

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 18/01/2024

Pages range: 233-250

Number of pages in the book: 304

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192883353.003.0013

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Abstract

This chapter explores the reception of Pufendorf’s international thought in eighteenth-century German debates. First, it studies the reception and critique of Pufendorf’s ideas by the leading advocate of perfectionist metaphysics (Christian Wolff), who emphasized perfectibility as the destiny of humanity in contrast to willed sociability. Second, the chapter explores the sharpest rejection of Pufendorf’s ‘intellectualist’ idea of sociability, which came from a seminal advocate of the emerging Staatswissenschaften (Johann Jacob Schmauss). Finally, the chapter examines the responses to Pufendorf’s international thought by the leading cameralist (Johann Heinrich Gottlob von Justi). The eighteenth-century appropriation of Pufendorf’s work was, to a great extent, conditioned by the changing politics, law, and history of the Holy Roman Empire. Once the structure and stability of the sovereign territorial state had become relatively settled, it then became possible to constitute a political and administrative domain whose main concern was commerce and the welfare of the population.

Keywords: natural law; society; commerce and industry; state (public sector entities); theories of the state; economic theories; philosophy of law; political philosophy; philosophy of the state; philosophy of the enlightenment; intellectual history

Free keywords: natural law; law of nations; Hobbes, Thomas; Wolff, Christian; Schmauss, Johann Jacob; Gottlob von Justi, Johann Heinrich; cameralism; commercial society; sociability; self-interest

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Preliminary JUFO rating: 3