Immanuel Kant and a Second Slavery

Racism is a societal problem, which means that it should (also) be analyzed on an institutional, structural, and systemic level. When critiques of racism focus solely on particular beliefs, they overlook its broader manifestations. This article does not aim to ascertain Kant's personal stance on race but rather to shed light on a blind spot in our own understanding of racism. It explores this through Kant's endorsement of serfdom. We should not simply stay at the level of moral principles because Kant created a carve-out in his moral and legal philosophy for criminals, and the American version of this carve-out in the Thirteenth Amendment laid the groundwork for the racial American carceral system. This article seeks to illustrate that racism extends beyond beliefs, actively shaping societal structures. This helps us gain insights into how it has shaped contemporary society and institutions; that is, it helps us comprehend why racial disparities and inequalities persist in the present day.