Since the earth’s surface is not unlimited but closed, the concepts of the Right of a state and of a Right of nations lead inevitably to the Idea of a Right for all nations (ius gentium) or cosmopolitan Right (ius cosmopoliticum). So if the principle of outer freedom limited by law is lacking in any of these three possible forms of rightful condition, the framework for all others is unavoidably underdetermined and must finally collapse. (Kant, [1797] 1922, 117–118; as quoted in Flikschuh 2000, 179)