The concept of Biirger in Kant＇s philosophy of law

The concept of Burger （citizen） lies at the heart of Kant＇s philosophy of law, where it appears in three contexts. Correspondingly, we can distinguish three different senses of the concept： generic, specific and universal. Re-interpretation of these three senses of the concept enables us to clarify ambiguities and show how this concept has evolved theoretically and how its characteristic features of universality, construction and coercion should be understood. On the basis of Max Weber＇s examination of the concepts of city dweller and citizen, we show the socio-historical origins of the Kantian concept of Biirger. It can be seen that the mechanism for this term＇s evolution from the sense of ＂city dweller＂ to the sense of ＂citizen＂ is the universalization of rights. ＂Citizen＂ represents a mode of existence within the framework of Recht （law or right） that man himself has constructed.