The Moral Obligation of the State

Whether a nation has an obligation to help a lesser nation is a question for the larger nation to decide on its own. Before answering this question, we first must analyze the question itself. The word “should” implies a sort of moral imperative that requires someone to act on a situation, whether or not they are able. Therefore, one must remove all pragmatic sides to the question and look at the question as to whether a nation should help lesser nations as the discussion of a Kantian categorical imperative, where one must always help lesser nations out of moral obligation.

I, however, do not believe that a nation has any such obligation. This runs contrary to what a nation stands for. A nation is the manifestation of a human’s fundamental desire for a sense of belonging. This movement began in the form of tribes, who joined together in the face of common foes. This evolved into the modern conception of a nation, where the sense of belonging has expanded to a broader group. However, it has not yet grown to the point where leaders and citizens feel a fundamental responsibility to assist those outside of their borders. This runs contrary to the concept of a social contractual obligation, where the government has an established relationship and obligation to assist those under the direct authority of said nations constitution. Nations ought to be able to decide on a case-by-case basis whether or not to help other nations, deciding whether or not it is better for the nation in question to assist the nation requiring aid.