Summary: Final Thoughts and Suggestions for Future Actions
In a groundbreaking project, scholars have delved into the political landscape of the Enlightenment era to examine the philosophies of Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a German philosopher, and their relevance in justifying major historical revolutions. The project, which consolidated mixed reactions from various scholars, aimed to present conclusions, theoretical and practical implications, make recommendations for future research, and discuss limitations.
Fichte's philosophy, particularly his German nationalism, emphasised the need for collective action and the purification of the nation. His ideas supported a populist, anti-elitist approach and the concept of a "People's War" (_Volkskrieg_). This philosophy could justify revolutions as a means to purify or assert national identity.
The project critically evaluated Fichte's perspectives on the outlook of state and society, as well as his published political philosophies. The main case study of the project was the Nigerian-Biafran Revolution (1967-1970). The Igbo people's concerns of discrimination and subsequent killings by the Nigerian government, infringing on their natural rights to life and individual freedom, according to Fichte's philosophies, made it challenging for the Easterners to co-exist with the Northerners under the same government.
The discussion critically evaluated Fichte's perspectives on the outlook of state and society, as well as his published political philosophies. The project consolidated mixed reactions from various scholars regarding the right of revolution into a single argument by incorporating Fichtean political philosophy.
The Fichtean perspective suggests that a government that infringes on natural human rights, such as the right to life and individual freedom, is illegitimate since it does not serve the common good to promote individual freedoms of its people. This philosophy could support the English Revolution's resistance against the monarchy, the French Revolution's ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and the Russian Revolution's focus on class struggle and collective action. However, it would conflict with the modern international legal framework that emphasises national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the case of the Nigerian-Biafran conflict.
The project also discussed the principles of human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 (UDHR). The right to self-determination, as part of the broader human rights framework, supports peoples' rights to choose their government and form a state. This principle is crucial for evaluating the legality of revolutions.
The concept of self-determination could justify the English people's right to overthrow the monarchy if seen as a form of asserting their sovereignty. This revolution marked a significant shift towards modern democratic principles, aligning with self-determination and human rights. The revolution's overthrow of the Tsarist regime and establishment of a Soviet state could be seen as a manifestation of self-determination in the case of the Russian Revolution.
However, the Biafran struggle for independence could be justified under the principle of self-determination, but international law often prioritises territorial integrity over secessionist claims. The project critiqued Fichte's philosophy using the theory of postmodernism to determine its applicability to current world political problems.
International law promotes peaceful means to seek just peace, and revolution should be a last resort when peaceful methods fail and the government's actions are intentional or deliberate. The rule of law is used to define an oppressive government, which violates established laws to gratify the needs of a few while neglecting the public good.
The project aimed to present conclusions, theoretical and practical implications, make recommendations for future research, and discuss limitations. The findings indicate that people can claim their natural rights through the use of force, as it was in the case of the French Revolution, when peaceful means of resolving a conflict fail. The project also investigated Fichte's standpoints while defending the French Revolution.
In summary, while Fichte's philosophy may support revolutions as a form of national purification or collective action, the international human rights framework emphasises the principles of self-determination and human rights. However, the legal justifiability of these revolutions also depends on the specific historical context and the evolution of international law over time. The project's findings will contribute to a better understanding of the complexities surrounding the legality of historical and contemporary revolutions.
[1] Fichte, J. G. (1793). Addresses to the German Nation. Retrieved from https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/fichte/works/gn/gn.htm
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