DELEUZE AND THE POLITI CA L
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'An """".;bution to D,k ,.. lNdies .od • poIinc..1 pIWooopIoy.'
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THINKING THE POLITICAL General editors: Keith Ansell Pearson Uni!lef'$ity of Warwick Simon Critchley University of Essex Recen. decadts have -.. m. ~ of a distinct.nd ct..11mgins body of work by • nwnbtt of Contin(nul think .... WI! ha. fundament.lly .Iu:nd u.. ...... y in wlt;';h philosophical question •• n COD«i.td .nd di. " cu-.:l. Thj" WO
I of 'Ihe political' and to dtinlr. m. political import and application of philosophy, How dots !Kettt . hinkins on .i-. history, ~u.agt", hurn.onity, "Imity, dtsin, ~Iity, lender .nd cuJrure optn up tn., pooSibility of thinking the political anow? Whar implications of oud. thinking ro,. our lUIode ..... ndinjj: of and ... Lotion to the leadins ~ of the modem WOI'Id, such as ~berolism, rocialism and Marxism? Wba ..... political r.. ponsibi~ties of philosophy in the f""" of new world ~d")order ?
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This new ..ria is designed to pr....'u the work of .1>0 nujor COIIcin.,ual thinken of our rime, and me political dobot .. their won. Jw; ",nerated, .0 a ,.;0.,. audience: in philosopby and ... political, IlOCLaI and cuJ.ural tI-",o'y. The aim is .",imer to di ...:Jve the ,prcificity of me 'philoutphia]' into 'politicar nor ... ade the challen&< that the 'political' poses .M 'phi!o.ophical'; rome.., '"""It yn!""", in m. oeries wiU try to
m. m.
Vn!Umtl .I... ady pubh.t.ed in the ....... ar.:
• •
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• • •
ro..c-ir 6- .be PoIi.w1 by Jon Si"""", Derrid;. 6- rJ,.. PoIi.w1 by Riclu.ni lI.. rdowonb N~ 6- rJ,.. PofiN41 by Daniel W, Conway HdMuer 6-.be PoIi.w1 by Miguel do IkisIrgui L>c..... 6- the /'olitiCJJl by V.nnis SuYl'aUkis lyowd 6- the Polirial by J...... WiUianu
DELEUZE AND THE POLITICAL
Paul Patton
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2000
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CONTENTS
vii 1
Adowwltd,...-ts 11IlrOduai<m
I
Con<tpI.nd image "f thoughl: Dc!euu'. ""'''''pOOn of philosophy
2
Diffe~.nd
1
Ppwcr
-4
De.i.., boroming and freedom
5
Sorial mac;hinn and the 'tate: the history aDd politics of
multipliocity
dmrr;lrA;.1 iytioo 6
Nomads, capture and «>Iooisarion
•
11
.". . '"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am ",ltdul to the Nito .. of ,hi, om ... Simon CrilChky and Keith "n.dl Peanon, and '" tho rwo Routled&< edi.ron with whom I h.~ wori<ed in tM ""'..... of ,h" pic;":!; Adrian DrUcoU and TOllY Bruce, for support and patin'a. T am esp«ialiy indebted to Keith Anodl r tarwn and 10 m. two rea"",, to whom Roudrd"" .nil the .... nU!Clipl for their generous .00 helpful edit"",,1 comrnrn ... I am _bo IV'-,. lul to. numbtr of people: who ..ad draft ven.ion. of all or pan of Ihis book u,d made helpful suggestions, Du"""n Iy~ Soul Ncwm:in, Kara Shaw and Charles sayole. I would also like to thank Melissa McMahon for n.... work both "" rae.rch ... isfanl and as Deleu.., scholar, Carl Po ....... kw h .. helpful guidOn« with rqard 10 lie'll"'" and Pem- Cool< for prq>arinS the index. Many orhns ","YO helped me to undemand the work of o.leuu and G~nari, through d>ti. publicotion< and in ~ pt'''"la tions .nd di"", ..;on, oyor lhe I.., deo:.de, induding Ronald ~, &uc. B..,""" Roo; 8nidon:~ Constantin Boundu, Philip Co<xkhild, Mid>ul Hardt, Eug_ Holla nd, lItian Manumi, Gugg l.ombtn, Dororhea Olkowski,
mn.
jean-Clrt Marrin, Todd May. ALon Schrifr. Daniel Smith an.d Cha rles Soule. Constantin Boond.. hal played. very .p..,. many YUB. Some of ,he mau:rial incl...xd he~ is drawn from my pte"'ioosIy pa .... g... from !he publMt.:! work . I am gra,./ul for ptrmiMion to followin& •• ti<:b and ~hap«n.:
"'prin.
·eo.x-.-PfU"1 poIi';'" and t:he w ..·machi"" in Milk Plllkaoa', s..bu..,.a, no. 441-45, 1984,1'1'.61-80.
·Anti·Pla,onism and an', in Comtantin V. 80undas • ...:1 D<.>twsi:j (edst C i/ko IHkwu "rtd 1M n-kr 0( PbiJa.ophy, N~ yon. and loD
"'
ACI:NOWUDGMENTS
'Corict",ond . . - ', At- iUId w..u, ...... 29. 110.1, Julr 1996. pp.11526. Wich kind .... o ;"";0, from k/uwer "cd 0I1e ""~
'Odnm and paliricol tbou&fu'. in Aodmo "MIll T•.ditioto .....J ~. Ca.nbcj, 'C c....... USr pp. 211_.B .
(cd.)
,oJitiuI ""'-7:
Uoi--, Prao. 1m,
0.,,,,,,,
. Sera.... JIfOJIia\iry: or Dernda
.,,'
n.e
INTRODUCTION
Gil"" o.ltuu does not conform 10 d~ standard imqe of • political phil· osopher. He hal noc written Mx!>iauUi, Hobbs, lock. or Roussau and ...haI he ha. written on p/>ilosopMn who r.lU ao poIirical .h;"l«n, such ao 5pinoza or KanT, ... has not ~ with their ~J ~. He does IlO'l addl'al iss .... such u tht nature of justia:, freedom or democ;. racy, mud! less tilt principles of procNural jusrifialion. His w<M"k shows an almost com,*", t:;>d; of mga&emtnt.;m ,Iw! (f:Il ..... l pmbkms and norma.i ... commitmmts of AnKio-AlTltiic;a1l political i:hou&ht. Explicidy poIiDtal C<>rICft'tI< are no< tht I.o~ ""n oillis........,.., and thry ." ... ,"" rd..i ...1y tn., in hi. afttt. He co-authorrd with Ftlix Gu.artati only two ovnUy poIitioc::ol book.: "',,/i..Qrditn<. (19n) and A n.o..s.u.J Pt..um.. (1981).ln addition, he p"blW>ed a ~"'pfef of tht DiaJopn jointly """posed with Claire Pamet entilled 'Mlny palirics' (Dclou"" and f'amet 1987: 124-471• book on Fouaoult (o.leuu 1988b), 00 ..... , on FoucIuldian rhcnleS .... ri,1td 'Pomc.ip on conrrol_idiots' jl995b: In_82), and ohual in~ new. which address political ;....... Despite his lack of ....8' .... nl with i..urs of nonnoti"" poIitieol,heory, Dd<'l'''' i•• profoundly poIirial phi)· osopheT. His coIl.bontiy" worit with Guanari olhn new ronceplS and • new approach to lhinki,. philosophial1y.bout: tho palma!. The profusion of idiMyncTatic ttmlinolof,y ...... k.. i. difficu.11 for ""'''1 to tad this work u poIirioaol philooophy.' D*uu and Guamri disaw ""';"1 .nd poIitict io tams of maclIinic .......blagu, bccomings, nomad· ism, "" " .. 01 aptu~ and '" '" ·M 01 dete" icurialisation and ruumoria· lisation. Thill. A n.o..sm.d 1'14/U... opon. with "'" b1un. ded. .. tion that ·AU ..., ..Ik about "'" multip/iou. _phor' (Dolen.. and
.bou.
,
DELEUZE AND TIlE PDLlTICAL
Gwona,i 1m, ill). In suppon of Their claim Th.1 Mumfo,d described a,' tlin aoci.,,, foo " .. nf .....pi'" .. """"machi..... in a lil .....1 ram.. 'han a metaphoric ......, of m. Imn, lhey point oot thai Ix: jUSlitltd this Imn by 10 Rouleaux's classic definition nf a machi"" ao 'a combina'ion of , ....... n. portJ,.ach opocia~sod;" function, ol"'nliog unde, hu ..... n control '0 tnll\SITtK motion and I"'lfoo", wtd· (Dcleuu and Guanan "n: 141 ). and Guanari', machinio: oonct"p< of _Itry iI di$Cussod in Ooa"w 5, while their e<:>n<:ep( of '""""Of'C" is discuoord in o..pW I .00 C<>mp....cd with D... ida·s .pa:~'icaUy philooop/tical and deconstructi ..
,.ference
on.u...
conc
" 8uiditq! principle 01
mis Sfoo, ilThol \)cleu",',
contribulion to politi· a l ,hough, muSf 1x:.<"C"pri0n of pow.... iI do... , 10 Tho idea of apao:ify to a.a th.n '0 the """",,,j..., n.otiott of Ktion w),;rn ad_ly affocro u.. <1pKity of odKI> '0 o.a. "Thrir c:'s ideal of ·5(if_•• <ejAS lha, do not ... dily ""'P "" to even the mos:t endurill& 6crions of Wntcrn poIiriaol ..,.,ugh,. In their oocial theory a. well .. in thei, OCOOI'n, 01 individuallDbj.Omething
,ha,
'0 '""'-
m....
,
INTMODUCTION
less ro notions of contrut or con",,", "Thoir work is couched entirely ill """... ub;.aivist tcm\S and ",len only ro abstract Jines, ~t< .nd "''''. M of ... riOUI kinds. 'They Ippear ro be tnOU inftrt5ted in WI ,. in which oociny is difttunrilt~ or divided wn in wars in which it is held ,ogether. They ""' Ct>n<
trion",
its d<.:",,,," political .Dd takes the critic ..... of in own time ro i,. highHt poinr' jo.ltuu .nd !>Of
'm.,
Gualla'; 1994: 99).
The da.in: for- a philooop!oy thai would be boxh .. ritical and .. ,,"riV' may be found ltu-oupoul Deleuz,o', work. His firs! book was a mody of Hume' • .. ooceptioo of human nalUte (o.leuze 1991) lint pubtishcd in 19H. In ......... ro • qu"';"" from An,onjo Nq:ri the relation 01 his .... rlier W<JtIr. ro .... poIiric.al, o.ltuu rq>Iin ....., .. ha, inrnuttd ll.im in Hume W OJ IlOl the fot"d of ft"JllUftltltion of poIiric.allik bur the forms of coli..,. ~ aeation: 'in Hulllt I found a ..., creative con<eprion of .... ;nstiturion aDd ri&hI' (o.,leuz,o 1995b: 169. trans. modified).' J-k axtIIIItDrs furtbrt in ....ponsc Nqri tha, ......,.tom of his work hal lw:tn the conditions uM.t, which DeW inttiturioru can lAA. ]n this reprd, ir is not .... \> ... whicll it inleresting bur jurispruden<e in SO far a. ir is 'truly acarive of rishu' (Dtleuze I99Sb: 169, .,.. ..... modified). For th .. rnMxl, he "'""t< lba, mis .boulel IlOl be Ieh ro j"dS"' bu, should .Iso involve rbote mosr directly .ffaM in .... elaboration of _ principles of right. Chapter 6 tal<"Udotnce .,.;m rth-r~ 10 .... daborlrion 01 common law .boriginaI land righrs in Au •.,..lia and
.bOII,
'0
m......
Can.da. Aspects of Deleuu'. earlier work ha •• ",,",eM conai.dtrablt inlluencc 0<1 po\iric.al though. in Fr ....... For .xam ..... his effvo" durint; .... late
,
DElEUZE AND TIlE POLITI C AL
1950. and ~arly 1960s.0 •• formula .. and Ittalur !b.r «>nGtPt of dlfft •• "", (Ddeuu 1956, 1983, 1994) WOK an important contribution to !b.r . ub. sequrn. de""lopmm. of unorthodox 'philosophies of diffe..."",' by a number of Frend! philosophers. His accoun. of Nicrnchc •• a syu.maric minker who priV;qN diffcu"", ""., identity is cred;ted wilh havins launcMd !b.r mm ...... $nI Itt Ni=sdte among Ieft·wins French dUnk.rs duriflll !b.r Ia", 1960s and 1970<. Chapur 1 looks a. the concq" of multiplicity tha. i< opeci/K !O o.lo.t='. _phy&ics of difft..."", and a •• he manner in wIUcl! Ihi< con<epc infDl1l\fd hi< won wim Guattari. This chapur .1.., diocusoes the anti· P\aroniom and lhe <est.tarlC< to HrgtI wh;ch ate manihsI: in o..kuu'. crit:iqur of the philosophy of ,"PCU""I.· tion. ~ final!l«tion of dU. chapttr taka up ,n., ",larionship of o.kuu'. coc'"pi of differ....,. 10 whal hal bo<:ome known ... "'" ' poliria of difkr. ....,... a.,pur 3 ~umi ..... his r~ of "'" Nirttschean """"'PC of 'wiD 10 po ..... and sloows how rhio ...... an importanl rl'ldhodological fo, Foucaull" clitial historical analyse. during lhe 1970.. Aroutlining hi> ~ of N~'. con<eJII in teI1IU of acriv~ and ream... foret, .ffirmati~ and ""Pti"".~ 01 will !O power, Wi: argue lhal mio pcovXles "'" J>''' U9&7). o.le\= brlong<:d '0 a ~ation of French intellectuals whoee political consciousness was formed, .. Guattari 0<xberapy aDd Ieft-win!l "'Fni...;"m, o.ltu.., firs. came inlo cnnta<:! with politX::.J monmnllS and acti~ists .her 1968. from this ptriod onwards, n., boa .... involvnl wim • variety of groups.nd causel, indudi"lj: "'" CTOIIpe d' irr/Otrnano.. sur /a I'risoIu (Girl begun by Foucault and 011 .... in 1972, proIests ago;"'" the trealment of immi&rant wotktn, and support lot IIomoscxual !ish... Later he look publit posi.ion. on ;..u.. ....,h as the deportation by French au.boriries of • lawyer for dit & ader_M.mhof srouP, Klaus CroiKant, and the imprioonmrn. 01 Anl""io Nevi and other Irlllilln intellectuals on charges of complicity with 1011"'ism. He al.., wroc . ...... al pieas in support of the Palestinian people, dedo,od his oppooition!O dit Fm>ch mx:L.a. strib foret, and si8nm' in tho: Gulf W..! This publit infellectual activiry did no!: distinguish DoI.--.., from a • .,icfy of other ne<>Marxist, .,.;.,..,ti..ou.., aaarchiR or Ieft·wing liber.1 inCOp
,"""'Fe.,
•
INfIlODUCTION
I can easily understand Sa"",', J'U1l"II'" in sidins with Ill; I can undtrsrand his pis and IU. in¥ohm"'''t in poIitio; I (:In partiaUy understand )'OW' position, .ina you' ... al ....a,.. been concerned with tM problom of conlir.. ,,","" But ~leu .. i, an enp. (Foucault 1977b: 205 ) In .. ply. Ddeu.. point> t" the:.....-rgence of a new coouption of tho rda· tionships berw ... n .heory and pnctiu in his own woB. with Guattlri II ,...,U .. in Foucauk', writinp' a <>JtKq>rion that understands theK ..!arion· . hi1" in a parriallnd frasmentary rna...,.... no< as de"",oina'" rdationships bet ...." 'tbMry' undersrood I I I totality and '~' underscood II In "'Iu.U, unified p",,:cu of tho appllcarion or implementation 01 rhtory. bul U 'I 0",,"'" of ....,.. within .• • a multiplicity 01 pam thaI a .. bod! rtw:o. ..i1. n.. cooc:cptior; 01 theory .. a "'lay 01 pnctiu stands in mort.ed conlnlst '" tM ideo ..... Ihe in ...lleelUll "'p4"f'Sftl1S the: v1"Suard 01 a prolotan.n """'.......... which embodia the: 01 social chonse.' It i, c-Iowr 10 tM ideol uprnMd by NitndIe in 'Schopenho..er a. Ed"""lor' when he d .... ws I distinctioo MtvocU' academic philooophen in the: SCl"Yla 01 tho Sta •• and .rue pIIilosophen who mlU' runain 'priv.te think ... ·( N~ 198.), ..... , 3. 'Schopmh.a........ Educotor'. KCtiom 7 and 8). SlrTn. whom ~ Idmiud duri,,& hit you'" and regarded I. an importanl influentd"", d;-de, Ind I dooe 01 permanen ...... oIu."'" into poIicical,nd rociol lift (Ddtuu 1985, 8J-.04).' 'Priu",' is prrhaps '""" dv best tcnn to deoaibe .uch think.... siJIU it ,uWSU isolation /rom rociol forces and social """'(menU .... hen, for Deleuu, thew a.e ""senti,1 condition. 01 tM activity of Ihink;"s· Foucaulr". Disdplhoe ....J 1'....isJ, ",,,,,ida an example of ... i. ' priv.'" .... 01 ......,.., 1<> ....."""'. that thio hook might be regarded u a Ibeortri....1 ..,lay of tM poIiric:ol activity undertaken by the: GIP. Similarly, Deleuu and G ... lIIri·, .....t:i-ONip ... migb. be underscood u a theoretital relay 01 pncricll .... i.. l~ '" the: role: of psychoonaly';. in dv "P' , '"" of portn· ri:oUy n;vo!urionary~. of desi .... Tb. aim 01 their 'od>i=onalyois' iI pnocrical ,a,he. m.n oheoo-cric:ol,:he In • .,... , of II.. fomu of unconoc:iouo desi", and the:i. poIilical invt:Ol ..... n.. if conceiVN I . a ......... to th. '~bizo' proce<SC$ pr-.tr in a gi ..... social field. A.t the ....... time, with resard I<> the: <>th ... Pdt of Ih. ",Iarion btnveott EMory and pr~ deocribed a~, De-Jcu.,.e does '""" hesita .... 0 deocriM ... "rj·Ot'dipou .. 'from htginni,,& to ond I booIr. of poIitic.a1 philosophy' ( o.l~ I')9Sb: 1701. Thi, hook u~plifia his view, whi
for,,,,,
,
DELEIJZ~
AND TIl E 'OUTIC Al
TO problems ,ha, are posed outside of II.. academy. For Dele "C, o.uch problems are a cruc .. 1 .... 1Ilin« condition of cr.~riviry in though •. "The: idt.:a !hat pftiJooophy « •• Ies ~ thot ar. insep;onbk fr"'" a fotm 01 lifo and m.odo of acriviry point> to • «>nstant dimc:nsion of Dc:1euu:'. coo..:q>tion of thouiVu: and phiLosophy. It impliro that thoo IeoI of these ronc.pu is ulrimalrooghtlIoOIoriel"y (0 me ~ulho .. as founders of me current of poa·I968 Iofrist thousbt known ~. '!he philo$ophy of dcs.irc'. It w.o. widely read in .... belitl that . uch p'"ioods 01 revolutionary ft:nnml UW .he: ~ 01 uf\;\dulteraled desire .nd a will t o cha~ whicb WI. I . quiddy suWrnotd by t:hc: nlabli>hed orpnisations of political opposition (ouch as thoo communist porry and tr.tde un ...... ) .. i. was by thoo forus of order, DcIouze and Guaturi ohored many of t:hc: poIinc:..1 and lheornioo;al oriorntaliom common 10 me poo,_1968 libertariao Idt. "Thrs< included a ronccm fQ< thoo poI.irical .ffecti";ry of dcoir. and thoo UllConSC;o.,. in . ...· "'""" which "",,y a PO" in nacropoIiDaI mov"""", ... a oonctm lor thoo ..u.:ropoIitic:s 01_..1 Ii"', and. , ...""'''' for thoo poI.i~ of !angual'" and lignification. Whik they wer. ""itber ..."ioricia,.. nor theorist> of 'dio<;"" ...' in ~ult'. XII$< 01 thoo """'" rhcy did acknowlcdv imponana: oIlanguagc and ill pei< writings. up to .nd tnduding What /s P/tilowpbyf (199<4 1. In.be in'.... iew widt Negri cited .a.litr, Dc:1eu.. reaffirms hi ••ympothy with Marx .nd douc, ibn capitalism ao a fao ... stic rysum fO< .... fobriation 01 sra' wealth and great suffering. He a.-.s .ha. any philooop/ly worthy 01 being called poIirical must take a.ccouJ1l of tbe noIUH: and nolution 01 capi ... lism (Dc:k-u.. 1"5b> 171). 10 rflUm, Negri lindo in A T"/>ofntradicrions than by its linn of Righ, or dcttrriloria· l.... ion. n..,. reject any int.mal Of . .oIutioni .. account of ,be originl of the s...« in favour of I ....,..Niewchean .iew ",",,
me
,
INTkODUCT10N
a""",blases of en~",,;"tion
1987: 9<11. In A.~fi·OW;p... 09nl .nd ... n",.......J Pl#t_ U9171, Deleu.., In.d Gua .... ri ~eIop m.;r own acrounl "f capitlliml as I unique mode <>f economic an.d p<>Iitical roonli .... rion an.d rtgubtion wltid! is immanenl I" m. JOCitl 6dd, in contrast '" .. forms <>f empi", whidl "1,,'r;uN by lhe tranocmdenl 'ov=nding' or c:tpnl'" "f .xisting social an.d ......l<>f1lic pr<>enses. Wherus earlier forms of ....piu ~nraCtnI mI' or w..r forms "I <>bliplOr)' poymenl, Deleu. . .n.d Gua .... ri argu. .....t a pital luncti<>ns in the .... n.... <>f an 'uiootatic' system wh;';h is indiff.' the con""" <>f m. pr"".,.itionl i, ronnectl. If producn I surplus by muns <>f the axio.... rie """i"g'''ion <>f decodtd flows of labo"r, mooey. com"""'me. and,
,lie.
i"cr",..int,iy. inform..arioo. Deltuu commen .. in me in~ wid! Nqri ...... wha'....,. foun.d moor _lui in w.. 'his a .... ly';' <>f capicllimt a. an ;m.... llent $)'$1= tlu,'. """""nlly "...rcomi~ irs 0WfI limitatioou, an.d then coming "p against !hem once more in brmder fonn, boca .... ;ts fundamental limit is Capital il .. tr (Dr1eulC 19'Hb: 171). The k .."" he an.d Guo .... ri dnw from ..... is me mac:t<>O<>f «u<>ornio: and political in.. i"'....... , rt.en, is • penn.anntt I"'""ibi~ty <>f pih,iliinl soci.1 clungc-. Whik ,he capi,alist """"""1 may consti",re an uiootarie inoqw-.bIc from ,he fabric <>f modem social tik, this don ",.. mun porricula. axioms annol he remo ..d or rq>1M!'d by <> is pla~ out in be.wocn """""",ic.nd politicol inoritutions and the sub-institutional mo",,' "'""IS <>f da.i", and affect. Hmor their sympothy for minority "",,,po, .. he", 'mioorily' """"lei be wt.dororood in a q""lu,;w rather ....." a quanoLlon ........ The minor is that wh;.;h dniates from the majority or ... ndard wh;.;h is the of the dorni ...,,! social tode. The importl"". of minority does "'" reside in !he fact of its ",latin uclusion from the maiority but in the political pott"tial of irs di",~,"" from the norm. Minority proYidcs an clemen1 capobk of d.o:..ili1oria.lising the dominant "";"1 codes. Conoenoely, i'I is the pi'" : 7' of d"r.rrirorialis.tion which """. lonna tM eoKJ>f min.onty demands by .diu""'""t ro me axioms of me social machine, nor m. ..........utution of • wde, but the procas of becomi"ll·ntinor, <>f wideni~ the gap Cll"ft<1f and me norm. Wh .. is important, in their yiew, is a 'revol"tionaty·boc"I!ung' whif apru<e and rft(.ritorialisarion, bu. the inv
M.,.,.
,lut,.,
'r""'"
,Iu,
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,
DELIUZ( AND THE PDLlTlCAl
me
fomtl of connt'Ction btowttn ~ti,,"ialisN de...e"n of social field. o.,\tuu and Guanati pnwi.x a COIlCtp<w political dotmand ... poo 'M qualitati.e or mlmral dimemions of ..:>cial Iift-. Man: gmonlly, ri>ty contra" the dynamiom of such forms oflOCill nomadism wi,h ,he ........ tially p.o.rasiric and r<:actiw a...roctff of fonno of capruu. "I1>oy point to examples from Iogio:- and computational tht<wy as weU as th< na.ural world to show tha. ceo.",Jisr-d control """"""nisms are I\Ot ....... tial.o "'" funttioning of romplu syomns (Ddniu _rut Guattari 1987: IS-LS). It ;, I\Ot .he control of Salt: power .. hich in~ ""'"' bu. rathtr the forms of social chang<: which take pi..,. alonpidt or boenc:ath any gi....n form of Sate, and.he man.,.r in which.hae ~ im~ upon political irutim· tion. th<-rnsc:lva. lbt anri .... tist and minoritarian ,enor 01 Deleuu and Guaruori'. polirics Io:ad. some """""""ta....... 0 rtprnmr them as a .... w .pecies of anarchi". Yti while they shart the an.rchior suspicion of political reprtstntation, they are no .... ..,.picious of atlempcs 10 IUm .he prin tha., in commoo with od>er p<>$UI"ructurah" ,hink.... , Delew.o and Gua ... ri .baodon ..,...",aJ key .""mptioo. of claosical lnarchi" thoughl, .""h a. the rq>rd>ivt' COt""'prion of power and • belief in m. ....n'i.Uy bmipl and coopenti •• cha,...,.,... of hu .... n ""lUre. M he poin.. out, their ....-.ion of poststn.K"fUra~ .. poIiriat remain. o racticaJ tather than a sua. style of political tt.ought, di,,:~:ted at par· ticular or local forms of reyolurionary-h«orninjj un- .hon wholesale lOCill chang<:. Such a poIi,ical philosophy off.n "" g"" .... nrtn: it is not a nH, ",ive 01 ineviuble progrtSJ, not don i. aIfer tht oecurity of commi.· men. to a single oct of ••1..... "pinS{ wfU,d, progress""1 be judged. Does this ent3,1 a pessimism or nihilism about the hu .... n condition, a cert:lin tragic 1liiie as Nqri lUggat. (Deleutt 19'951): 173 )1 Deleuu replies tkll il docs not and th.t, on lhe contrary, the fact .hlt mov~""""" can alwlYS brcomt Ilooggcd down in hislory or thaI rev<>iurionary pB)< ..... can rum OUt badly implies .hoe neal for .. penna""'" '
me
om...
"'is
•
lNTllOOUCTION
thcomiClI.nd pn.ctic.1 a>mpot*nu of ~ 'multiplicity 01 pam'. Thil is an aU~ 10 the conapI of machiNe ..sembla~ which t.. .nd Guatlari lim emplo)'Od in tOOt thMry of desire in IlI#i·Otdipon but lut-qumdy br ... dmrd to indudt social, linguiltic and corICql< oot>apt of ·dt",.. it<>< weicht of .... utopian
""me-
voxation which Odeu.... nd G....... ri anrib.."".o p/lilosop!ty. Thil ~ is one mal .hqr inv..,t in 'ma-Otdipou (l9n~ then mil>< and ex<md in A n..........J PIDu..". 1\ 98n Iwf<w applying it to .... natll.., of t~t in Wh~t J. PhiloMJphyf 11994). Tlw COtIOOpI' of ........... ilori.lisarion impliro a contTUI between •..."h' and 'ttrriIory' (tnu .nd rnritoirr) understood .. the two fundammtal di ....... ion. of ""tllre. Terrirory is in II>< first instance !nri1,,".~0«l ~, but it prod""", ;IS own """''''*''u of dn.mtorialisation, while conw:ndy me ..."h giv .. ri .. to pr ........ of ........ riroriaH... tion and me consti.u.ion of new Mri.ories. Scable identities or tcnirories • .., .h... f<w secondary fonn..tionl upon me I'ft<>bile .atth. Drleutt and Guatla,; .x..crilw a world in which me overriding tendency i. d.m:rritoria liution. II T'boouD..J PID,,,, ... is no< poIiric:a1 p/lilosopby in me ....... ,hat ;t provides tools for the j\Uri6cotion 0< critiqU( of political institllriom and "'" .. ROIMr. it is a poIitial 0<,,0l0i}' that poo.ides tools fO describe ..... nsfonn..tiv•• """,.in or dt ,owvd. which all their offom are direncd: 'bef_ bring ...... is politics· (Dele ...... and Gwottari 198 7: 2<49~. This ontology is an ....ia in .... _ .. that, a. for Spinou • .....,...tiyc commitments • .., immanent w tOOr p/lilowphy of nature .. wtll ., tOOr social ontolol}'.~ In .11 CI .... it presa1ts a .....nd understood .. a complex of inn,rco,"'''''ltd ..... mblaga {earth, rerrirory, for"" 01 dm:rrirorialis:orioo and merri.orlalisatlonl, wlwr< me overriding norm iI Ih.o. of dr:_,imrialiutlon. II is bea,...., t1wy COi .. eiYC of pftilooopby at an ini>ua.c ..cion <>"vowl fO .... polirical. Wloon thry < phito.op/ly .. u.opian in .... sen .. that it ...",m"." forth .......
,
DElEUU AND THE POLITICAL d.~1oprd
in It 'TbOKSQ.w PklkII... illOOfJ>O'" ra, .. demon .. of the concq>t of multiplicity which wu a constan' wncem of Deleuu', tarlin studies in the hi.....,. of phiLosophy. Cbapcc. 2 argues thaI thi, cone.IX of muJriplicil)' proyK\eo the basis for his disl;incri~ conn;· bution ro ,I>< phiLosophy of diffe.ence, namely a < way. in which DeLruu 011<'0 JOUghl ro pi ro' the e.... fo< his philcoop/ly of multiplicil)' wa. to a~ for II>< prioriI)' of II>< conjunction ·.00' o~ ,I>< 'to boo'. By ,hi. mean .. I>< JOUgh, to corry "'" a partial o'm'tUmin& of the phiJooophlcal tradition .nd '0 frtt the conD be productiy< 1m poIiricaJ th.ougbt, and to ocher waY' in which it migh' ba:omc 10. Deleuze I nd the poIinal ..an only rtf... to an opm-cnded ...... of ..larion, bet.~u, philuoophy and poIiria, ....... of U1COUJI .... bnw...., phiJooophical conctpcs and political " rna.
The theory of ...... mbbgos
.em
.morg.
'"gg'''
I
CONCE PT AND IMA GE OF THOUGHT Ddeuu's conception of philosophy
!'or ..... n1 critia, Ddeuu: Ind Guanan', pol;';"'] philooopby rtmltin. an ""ism>, Thdr language is ohm unfamili.ar, con/mn~ rhr rndtf an apparently end .... Shin 01 ~ ftrms: plalUus, order'WOI'ds, ,ariry, bocom.ings and nomadic wu·rn;oehi ..... to mention only some of tOO. ~ The difficulty of m.;, ~t i•• ~ull both of"~ prolif....rion of _ co"""'p" aDd of irs fonn. A Tboot.w ..... 1'1ak"", II 987) is an av"Wf:(lly ezpn;mmr:al work which appean w Jack whc ... n argumtn. or OIrvctu •• of any kind. A. rho Introduction sugntI, it is a rIIizorn<' book wbich grows ;" aU directions. lIS lim is DOt m "p, ... nt m. world through its specir.c fonn of COIICCpUlal detcrrirori.liPtion, '" connect with moY<mm1S of dn..mroriatiurion in othtr tociIl .... mb)a"". The concq>t of ' auembl.",' provides • kind of fomuol continuity to the book ,0 .he u.m. u, .pecific: """"""" I re pr~ in order 10 In.lyoe lhe rdcvln, conlent (iarw>'ge, ~ moDe, rhr social Mid) in 1o...... of 1M Issemblages which ;"""bit tho. field. Whik !hnt is • LOf kine! at a5Kfllblag<: of eone.pa ane! ......... piual plateau .. Y.. o.leuu h.. al ..aY' tt&O.dtd his work wilh Guattan as pl!il""'!'hY in a."'1" tradirioaal .."", at lilt word:'A philooophy iI whO! Felix Ind [ tried 10 p..o,h.... ;" 1o.,..;·Ckdiptu and II 'I1IoouiiItd P"'t~ ... , np"'",lIy in 10. P"'I~"', which is a long book putti"'l fOO'Wa.d IMny con· etpn' ro.ltu.., ] 99Sb: 136).' In ordH 10 ,"oneil< ouch dtscriprion with ,he unorthodox conttnllnd ""It at Ihil work, it is htlpfullo tum to.he concq>rion of philosophy ""Ilined by DtItu.., and Guanan in What Is PbiJosopltyl (199-4). At lin< ~, rMr definition of philooopby .. the cm.rion of roncq>n io _Irove"';"l: palitioc:o] philosophy ptOYOO many . ""mplts of cone.pUtal in.tntion, /rom PlaID" R.,...bl~ 10 modtm
wi'"
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"
DELEUZE ... ,."D TlU 'OLITICAL
......... pt. of civil, librral and OOpts is an w..renrly palmal activity. h. goal should br DO< juS! the """'SI'irioo of oxisrin& .... ,.. of Iffair. or the i~tion of .KiSling opinioos and forms of lift, bl.. the aboohn. <1<", [iroria~ ... rion of the pre>ml;n thoughl. For mi •• euon, rhey deocribr if a. on ·untitntly' mode of IhinkiDf! thai aU. for 'a new earth, a new ptOplo' (DcIoD" and
CUlmri 1994,99).
DclnRian concqm as open multipliciria
DcInt.. and GUlrari
comp!e~
1m which !C<"pIS, each with ilS o wn hi.fOr)"...:I inrcmal comp!exiry . ..".". include rbe .... o: of nalUre, tht .....J.s. desiu fo.. power, m. naru,a] ~ws of human .... son and ,he arrfficiaJ pt:non or lcvi:llb:on which ... ul .. from the comJl"CI. A chango in """ or more of ,best: .... men.. cbanges tho, conct:pt of the COOIl'Ut. For example,;n contra .. to Hobbes, I.LW;k. d.lracreriots the po"';"" to ,I>< con· tract no! as subiecu of 1 .. Je.1l1ess will '0 power withou' moral obligations Inwards one another, bu, as propeny 0 .......... ,ut.;.cr .0 obIi«atioru towards IhemKlva alld om.rs derived nom divine natural law. !ut.orMr variation oxcurs ;" the .run from phiIosopbers such .. Hobbes and ROUi' .... ..., for whom tho, contract in.oI. .. rc:linquislting power anod IUlhoriry '0 a I<>Vffrign, '0 thooe well II I.LW;ke alld N<Wo;k, /0. wI>om po,..... io simply 1m. '0 • iCI.Cffigtl autho.iIy on coOOition thai ~rtain important noMs Irt m<1. In .ach cue, tht outcome i. a ';ngul •• COlIUpt of. social contract where the na,ure ol thio ,;nguloriry io det ..mined by .he romP"" nen .. 100 the complex rdotioru bt:rw..,., ,hem. A. am of thought, cooapts .... inr .... ion.1 'fll cooctpt. Rat),.." they a .. inlen'; ••• lemt:ntS, pur. singulariti......h ... the iodjyi.duallubjea in • stalt: of lllru,., tht sut.;.cr of naru .. 1 law,
"
CONC~PT
AND IMAGE Of THOUGHT
n,. rrialion. bttwem lheoc compon<'tlts involve I amin kind of 'renderin& ................ of mnr comp<M",nu. Deleuze and Gulltlri deocribe and 50 on.
ron«pn I. d.. in"",live and .ariabk unity of dw:ir componenn: I cona:pC ;. '1M poinl of coincidence, conderuatioll or accumulation of its own compo!Wtln' (Drleuu and Guanori 1'.1';14, 20). In ri.i< ........,....,. .ugest', cona:pu an: boo:h abtolule (ron.Klered II ",bolos, or a. they oay 'posited aU al ora'l and ...... Iive (10 their comporl""u, 1!' odwr COf.... pb, and 10 II.. problems whiorion' between the componenu. For .umple. in Hobbes, the mative ...... of humon beinp combined with mnr rationality ..,lUres acceplana of ~ tarional pn:cepu of .. If· pt ....... ation in a of ....,,"" wbich kad di ....:dy ro the romp«\: 10 nubiM a ...... ~ power, p1. hive a history. which may include thrir hislory ,.. romponents of od>H cona:pll and their relations 10 particular pK other plann' (Deltu.. and C .... ltlri 199<4: 181. The COfAXp< of ronlraa has a long history in poIirical d>ou&ht prior 10 Hobha, bu. rl!.;' don 001 mean duo. lhere is a lingLe conal" ... ronlraclarian tradition which .. n:rc,,"" IU the way from the Crffiu via Hobbes and Locke ro Rawlo. Ra.her, thou .'" •• nwnbrr of trlditions in which the co.olTtlt:l .ak.. on a distinct tba_ and .."es a specifi<: rod' (Bo..dxr.nd kUy 1994: I ). The: ronlraa is tran.formed in pa .. by .i..... of the opecilic prnbIc:m ." which it rela.es in eado c.... , whether rl!.is be m. ron .. irutioo and .rttltion of choil authority, of morality, DO' the disri,.eli •• poIirical relation between ruler anw is i. possibk that then: ma, <:Xis! over time I .... bIe and juS! oocit[)' of free antophaJ ron· ctpts, ",bIts.he Wittgen.tc:inian notion of 'open a>nc:tpts' which wa. one. used 10
k_.
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mat
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"
DHEUZE AND T HE 'OLlT1CAL
ronupa (Connolly 1983: 225-31). In this viotw, ronctpU such as democ· racy are nsrotiaUy ronteotahle bccawe tbty are rompk% and inVemsc,l...,. may be inret· COO\MClM, any given ror.... pt will be Iocared in .....in 01 vlnual ..laliens '0 oche, concepts. Thew: virtual ... lalions with ocher rono.pts oonmtule the 'ba:oming' of the ronupt in qut$Cioo. Concepts mt •• inlO .ud! virtual rdation. wbm the .k",ents of one bex""", ilKlioamihle from !host of anorbcr. Thew: ... lations;n!Um form parri£ular poth. aJong which rho rot>«"pt might be transformed into oomnhing .u... Consider tht concept of power wflid! inform. Hobbes'. accoun. 01 ,be ..xial coonan, his argu· ment lbat indi~idual. iII 'M .... ~ of nature hewmeaught up in a competi· tive drive for . _ mot<' powe •• ppe;>n 10 anricipo~ Nietzsche'. will '0 power. In f.a, it is nOflhe same cor.... '" of power in each aot. F.om the Nioetucl>ean perspective of pow...- •• an active fora, Hobbes'. ~ 01 PO" '" i ...... i •• and hi. oocial rontr=t .moun.. 10 ,he (;OI\,ri,urion of • community of slav ... wl>os< only mntdy for Ihe inobil ity ro keep promises is '0 nrablisb a pow« wf!iciotru to rom!",1 ,x,..,rvan« by fear 01 pwti.e invok .. p.-..:iKly !his oobk c.baraa.r type in ooibiJity of a _orrisn individ ...1 ·who has m.. .-ish1 10 make a p«>mise' (Niewd>e 1m: .... y 2, po .... 2). Niewche is commooIy criticiKd f", hi. indirid ... lism and his lack of any .:once", of political communif)'. Y.., by .........,;",g this path from • rcact:ivc IOwa.ds an actin power, wbid! mUll be rega.ded as a potential inh.Of>by/ ( 1m) _ furthe. in making til< inhern '" rranJa<matioo a &Iin· ing ohar=t..istic of philooophic:ol 0<>t>UpI>. Hen, the .... ntial indtu:r· minacy 01 philooop/>ical roncepts is oonn-a$tcd wi.h the dtretminacy of rho marbcmatical or ~tional functions which arc the obj«u of
"II«
CONC ErT AND 1M ACE OF THOUGHT
and Josie, WhHca. pbiJooopby fl)l'1M 'C""""PIS' on a 'plane of immar.. ' .... ', science emhiw... 'functions' on • 'pI.nt of ,efrnpontnts of con«pto .... nei,he. a>ph, I I • kind of 'double wtiring' produc.. its own diorincti ......... of pbilooophical'quasi~': writin&, marl<, m.cc, ouppkmem, di~, i...... t,;lity.nd so on. In ~fm:t:. rhc procedu ... is one by which deconstruction n.,,,o from ordinary co, .... pa [of writing. or of cinders) to another kind of COfICtp< 'heterogeneous .0 the philosophical co""'p< of the COI"'pf' (Dcrrida 1'88: 11 81. B, 'philooophic-al cor.... p< of rhc ~' pf', Dcrrida means .he tndirion.al view accordi"3 .0 which concepts ... oX ..",';n.", ;.do;a l ... tiri .. >erving to id
11<;",,,,.
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"
DHEUZE AN D THE POLITI C AL
,Itis fe:aruu of """"1'1*. By rontra5f, Dcrrida arg ....
m.. "er:ahility in thio
'0
io ~ attam in naNta] languag. and i, io precisoeYcr alU,,,,,d boca...., in roJity thinp are ne:ya simply ,ruuntiatioru of • uniform COOUpL In hio discussKm of concq>I-fomu.tion in 'On rruth .nd lic:s in on ..,..,.,.· """,,1 sen..' (1919), NiHzsche cornrnc:n .. ma • purfc seMo
• word ba:ornu a concepr in so lar ., i. simuJonc:ousJy bas to fit countless """"' or lao Jimila. <:UeS ••• One leaf i. alway" different from .DOthcr one, I<) the concept 'lelf' is /urn" by arb;rnarily diocarding these individual differences and by for&ming the diotin· guishing (Ni=sch
""""'"to.
DcrriIappl~ paS! and tu ... re. and sinN thert is no pouibility of mea...,.~ any particubr ago;"' ••ha. idul ."",lity in .he pt...n••• I>«<SU.ty """""""' or indew-minaq . Ikrn ·the concepc. To 1M em", ma. the COIKqIf of it.... bility ok .. thio f.. t = of """""l'U into acoount, it hoc"" ... a camplrx <"On<"q>f which """,19"", (ltoriJ.onoJ) oamr"",. and (yertiaoll diffen:nu: 'i • ."rails the """"';ty of thinJUng a. ona: both the rule .nd the event, cor".", Ind qularity· (Dt-rrida 1988: 1 19). Cno.iden:d .. i.:ltal ddintd in u:rm. of the dtcomttuo:tivt logic 01 ......ahiliry. D..... ' n ao:onceptull COila"f"S ate open multiplio:irieJ. "They Ja.:k the drterminacy .W>ci. red with the Iraditional """""PC o f conccpn. [n Wb.ot I. Philosopbyl (1994) Ddeuu and Guattari aloo define: roncepts a. open--mi. these formal chatactttiaia. Lik" Dctrid:o'. 'acoro.o:ep!uaJ cooctprS'. the con· apes pur forward in" "T"I>o..u..J Pwwnu (1987) In: nor f"t:Ittiacd by.1v logic of.xd"';yc disjunction which is JIlPpooed to 8"...m co""'pC focma· ti.on in the $
'fI"'"
It,.....
<0/*"..
"
CONCEPT AND .MAGE Of THOUGHT
a.boraan. ,maV whir;h ha. bom prevalen. in tho Iti..ory of phi!ooophy. they ptopow a rlUuxnaric image of dIo\Ight in wbidI collcepts au neW1' ... bJ. ..... in a state of ronmnt 0"" u they au modified 0I1I'Insftw"oed in 1M p"M'V from O..t 19931>: 7]. It is in Delnl..'....rl .... wriringJ that .... fflIu·u ."'Cntl of web I con-
aprual htr... Ol,nai • ..., worbd "". in tJlpIio:it nlg"gemenl with the philosophical modition. From his .... y on p..,.... (DeIruzt 19n] thfOUgh to W.!uu I. PhiJooophyt (Deleu.. and Guanari 1994], DeJt,ut ha. pun.....:! q"... of.h< nature of thoughl. Wb.ol is stoke in this question is Ih< dfon to deotribe In of ~I which is ·oppcld ro tho ""ditional i~ which philosophy ha. pto;":."" or e.K.ed in ~I in order to . ubjupre iland """,,nl il from funcrioning' (Dcleuu and. Po ..... 1987: 161. Chapter 1 of Di{{eretIU IUOd Rq>::z0.4; 1991b: II. In the Introduaion to Di{fmrsa IUOd ~ (Dele.".. 199<4), Dclnae explain. 1M thoatrical forms of ~. common to Nica.och< .nd Kicrkepard by to thei! shared inltrest in ~mmt, nor in .h< ..not that rho:T wrote ahou. "'''';011 bur in tho ..... "" tha.·they ... n•• o put nvtt.physia;;n merion' (Deltu.. 19'94: 81. His 0'"'" adoption of a method of dramatisation is ... idcnoc thaT h< tOO shared this in'....... in a thought which """'.... HOW<'Vtf, OJ he commmtl in an interview,;. is ".,. enough oimply 'OilY thaI """"'pIS poucss movemen', 'you also have 10 cons!lUo:t in..lIKtuolly mobil. concepts' (DcIcuzo 1995b: 122). A nx...-.J I'l4ta ... P'87) is tho ...li..ti<>n 01 this goal. It does more .han ojlllply.-..:ord tho ""'''''Kn' I" which concnC4'ptI a.. dtlinN by rhcir .. larion, to the OI.ItlkIc and hence Their apac:ities for "",v.",.." , and .... nsfotm.arion. Only in thio way i. iT pouible to map .... than trace the variabili'Y iru.c..ent in all rhiwmaric ..""mblages. Tho 'annaai
me
tio"
a.
n.rn..
It("'.,,"
.ha.
m...
"
PELfUZE AND THE POLITICA L
approximation; on th~ """trary, it i$ t~ pr«=ise """·....olll of that whith i$ w>
n.c dogmatic image of thought In many rnp«tS, ~\nJ ... '. with 1M 'I""";"" of the naNre of Ihnugltt ;. " prolqomenon to th< disrin.,.. ti..., pr~ ol philosophy d.....1op.d in rollabor.otion with C""ttari. Through<>ut hi< w<>d from N~ ....d Pbilruoplry O'8J) ud p"",,/ "",," Sip om), .h.oush Dif{t""a ""J RqJdi1ia .. (1994) .0 W!nu I. PbiJorophyf (1m), OclIl&h .. Delo<w: means mo •• Ihan iust " "'P,... nta · tion of thoushl bu. '.rim.. struCfU, . . both rIM: unduction which ...,..... GO ,ha. ba .... I, .. an imag< of thi< kind whid. .Ilows Ilacan.. 10 suppose at the outotf of hi< MMi""iO#U 'tha, .v~· body knows and is presumed '0 Ir.now what if mea"" 1<> think' (~ln.w:: 1m: 131). In Niel=W dnd Pbilowplry (1'83 ) and Djff"""<~ and Repetition (1m), Ik\nJ ... arg"'" lba. philooophical rdkction upon .be nature of th<>ught h.. been dumi""red by a .....in of presuppusition. which t"l!.m..r .... k< up • single 'dogma'ic' imag< of though,. Thrs.: pre. suppusi,ions recur throughout the hisrory of philosophy in Y~n..nt forms, rmpirici .. a • ...,U as .. Ilonal;.,. Togothc. tbey form an image '" !hough, which .. aU ~ IDI;lU eflKrivc bec:auoe i. rcma .... largoly implicit. 1M .... nrial .heses of 'hi$ ima~ of though, derive from the idea IhO! though.... na .....! Clpacity with an inbuil' affiniry wi,h.1It tr .... TI.<>uSIu naturally _u ""'h, 'i. loves and wills tru,h "by righ"" (Ooleuu 1983: '5; 1m: 131). On thi< basia, ,hought i •• upp<>oed 10 be n•• u..lly sound and d.. procns of true iudAemcnt aul...... ric in th< ..,.... tMt it .....,1.. from ,he 00,,""1 """,,,
me...
tho.',
"
CON CEPT AND ''''A Gt Of TH OUG HT
df.a 01 f40w ..."" ...1 ro tlOOt>&1t< and ,""tile ro ia nonnal optW"": 'tho: in&1ion 01 tho UH'"PC 01 nror in pAil........, ohoon tho penismoa: 01 tho Oup.ric imap' 01 "-cI"'{Ddouz,r 190: 10.1). 11oouch< Ioas manr misad.t"(~ra, Otle .... poinrs out, induodinl tilt cffew oImadnao and mal-
. d "t , )'fl tho .......... imop: mods ro ~...., ID tt..oe ro tho . . . fomo 01 nror ~"d.... ood as misotco""irion Of {oi!urt 01 tho will He .rpes that tho ....Iysis of ~I should imtUd ...ko ...;,.",,01, tho faa of orupidirr: ....Iil. !ruth Of fal.iIy, ""p;dity UA ,d in nuonr 100"" and dqr..... W!orras w dogu .. tic ;nuoge supp<M1l w rio:w lhal IhouaJi. needs I onnhod, an a~ which enables tho think.,. 10 ward off .,....,.. (Otkutt 1983: 103), Dokutt defend •• _oct",iuro 01 though. as an in. olun •• .,. .cri...,. which is alw.y. tho tlka of ou!Side foo,ts .nd .k.. O(nta: ' """""hin@:in the"""""ft>rttt""rothink' (lkk," 1"4: 139). from mil penpecriY't, Iht1"t is no plag: for ,he ide. ,loa • •hough. mull be wodtr tho comrol 01. BOOfr;,"" (1"4 ), Dok ...... " .... tho. the ~ ilfOallt 01 """"'" wbid! domiruo.lfS the hiIIofy 01 pIoi~-."", tUiI'S its ",,*1 from KU 0I1""I~iri<Ml: 'wbtd ........ UH Ii ~" !'bro's ~, Dacattts' MnJMno... Of K2nr's Critiqw 0( ,...,., 1 1 _ 1M ,,"odel mnoint ......mp .nd dt6nts .... orientation 01 the phi~itaJ ..,..IJOis 01 whol iI Q"otIM ro think' (Dek nt 1!194: 134),' lmplidt in 1M tn<>dtI is the o:onlbrion 01 rt-o&bt wido mo..lo:dg Ind d.. oupposicion tho • • now.... iii ullinuo~1r a form of """'11";00... It......irion iii defined bJ .... hlrmonlouo ""crcist of the diff...m f*",1tits upon an obite! wIoido is p"ppot0r03 tho fa",lties "'hich i, rypio.Uy grounded in the .... iry 01 .he th",ki"l subjra: 'For Kl nt I I for Dnaona, iI iii tho ide",ily 01 tho Self in .... "I think" wh ich sroonds 1100 harmony of.U .... foatlritt .rod dorir ." .. " .. '" on the form of • IIIppliltd S;ome objea' (DtI..... 199<4: 133; d . 1963: 135 ).' DdnIu aljce" t!t:o •• ocopilion offen I timid UH" .... ion of tfooucht which draWl in uempb ... from a""""l tho moM tN. ...1 KU ol neryday 'th;o .. . cable, do" iii all apple . . . good """00'" noeat" ... ... ..too QII bdilw thaI .... i 'iii, 01 thuoIch< "al stab: in tt..oe KU , • , ~' (Cd. ' v 199<4: 135). In oppooirion 10 doili ,wdt~ "'" urn thaI iI is otiC dot _ ........ familiamJ 01 dot known ..t.idI oIoouId ... o.idt .. wid. thr pa.-.di&m 01 think ... bu. ""- I "o.nt 1"flU.... which 8CUH"peny our aocounla1 wid. .... unknown. F.xampIto: poinl ro an aktnuotivt noodtl ol doou&ht nuo1 be found in PIoIO, when lit draWl . ..." ...... ro .... responltS of o:ht subjecr of ,,,,,,,adictuq pt.« ... """ which •............ e rboII&h.1O l'tcOf\oldc:rarion', Of in Ik ' '<M"t, ....... ht poin.. flO tIoo situa· tion '" IOtfOeOfOO In.mins ro swUo.' AW' ... ~ip or Ioami"l nuoy ht COOIlnSted wilh reoognirion a. CVt1"}" poi .... it i, an in.oh,n",.,. :activity
'01"•
rltinu.:
tI"..
"
DElEUZE AND THE PDlITICAl
which ...N DO< inyolv~ the application of a mnhod. Apprmticahip is no! "'" ,,"nual exncis< of a facuJcy bul somooIhinl 10 which"", are d.i~ by ... emicy or p~n.m , in any ca .. by 1M pe.cqMion of a probkm. "Tht anlithest. of lho.,p,1 in this cue is not error bUll"" failure ado<jualely 10 perceiye • problem or Ih. ilLldo<juale spccifiCll1ion of ,''' dimeruionl of • p.obIem which conn,",ls us - in oeM. words, srup;dicy. "Tht dogmatic: image of lhought • .....".. lhal "'" primary .ask of thinking is 1rnow1Ngo, whert .his is undrmood in tam. of ooIulioto. ro p.o.r_ ticular punIn or problomo which can "" expressed in J""OI'OO-iIioNl form. As a mult, .hiII image privilp<>o.itional form of thoughl .nd Ihe relarion of ~tion or .de.ma: ao .... Ioc:... of muh. 8y contra", appc.".iceship is an activicy in which progress calUlO< "" mruurN ooI.ty by .. f........ ro pn>p<>Oitiono ,illott i. requirrll familiaricy with • pym ma!Od obj«tion 10 rhr dogmalic ima", is !h.. it tdLo us r\Q&h. must he understood. Diff....., p/lilosophen propose dj~1 ac<:OUnts of the notll ... of !his fie.Id. Thus. in Nin:.sdte ....d PbilOl<>fJl? (1983), Deleu.u: ",ka the will 10 po ....... as the ba.is for a ."'.... io< and diffeltillial' genealosical analysis of though" on the younds tha" for Nienoche, it is rhr different ... rlrtin of will to po .. « Ihal ",. rise 10 ,houshl. In I ..... to ...... thoughl may he tithe. affirmative or negarive in rd.lio:: ... ·• questioning of the wiU ". "'nh in Bryo..a Good a..d &if (Ni=scbe 197]) and in 0" thtt c,."~"'ogy of M"""/iI)o l Nieascbe 1994 ) whm he ash: Wha. is ,''' vat ... of .rum? .... Whal il is in lIS which really wants "'nh? Understood in this manner, the
"
CONCEPT AND
I/IIA(;~
Of THOU(; l tT
',lelllCO" of ~ iI no Ionstt \nil!! .ocI f.1tiIy buI ~ nobIt loci Iht but. Iht hisb loci dw low. depcndlne: 0/1 ,ho ... ~ of dw forttt ma • ... k. hold of!housh' ad" (Drle .... 1'13: 1041. By conlrast, in Difr-' ..... _...t 11..".,#;,;,,, (I9MI. Ddeuzt'. olliff froon Iht .eoosnirion modd of ~. fO '1 poinl of n- 01. cffu:ti...,. ., (Dol. q,o 1994: 162) ...... oiI br .... y olin NU!o' ''I ofpcubltl" .,Iht In.... I ",L Pial &tOQnd 01. "'ink;"" The impon;ana .ttached fO Iht m_ rion 01 pcobk"li in phih-'jA., iI. teC1Ltfft\C ...."., in 0.': ...... phil.,*""" ..toldt. mar Iw: aaud bod:: Ii) his ..ay 0/1 ! g rn (Dtle = 1'56), He • ...ioP , !Itrgoon', n- ",", '...., r",;kw' and Ihtlcfoc.1ht ,,«I. Q po ... 011100: "ShIlitt in doc ca.-i" 10 dftcooru or «JIIiCi_ ...... pcol>Io .......1..'1 ..;.xl'" doc pc ption 01. think. . . . doc lohi"8 oIpcoblu.. si"" 10 ... ..,. O ,Ita ..J 1I..,.litiooo (19M), Ddeuzt IlJI'8 mal ......vl m.... 1w: ..".x•• ood .. doc ",pIonrion alpcublt"li dorown up br hiMory. oociaI lift: or doc de.do.....,,,, of potticula....... oa:s, and in it!: t.i&1 m fonrI IS doc upc ' ' "Pi or ICNllioarion of tra.i$CC>"""'''( pcublt"... DeIni ... •• _ ...",io. 01 fi'af\K:ft\dcnuJ pn>blc ..., iI ..,.,.\died upon Ka ...•• "a:< m "Coho. in his _ph,...,. 01 dilt.. a .... 00 ....... iI .Ioon .11 • pun;~.; 1980: 1S2), for Ka .... doc Ida of na~ onay be " in lho _ i. il .... und k lmi ..... object of -"'·-.'nd ........ bodiii\fll. of .... ide.1 01. complat...,.., of d'la' obieel. Iu _ It, if
'.....v ........
~
'-a,,'
,ha.
-
"" - INI 'proIoIcmo Ire 199-4: in tf>ou&Itt, lho ,""",,ie eIt"'"~" ift W IfUt' Po ublt". Iw:rt Ire ur.dcl.ood I. W opcdlic uti .. OJ ouch, """ .. iblt only fO """"'" in in triM .. w' "",I operarion, n...c obj,... 01 putt' ohouah' Cln 0ftI)' be ....FiriaU, d....." d by r pns of rbeir potticular COfICtpNllly dtrtnnintd fonnr.: in relarion 10 ......... '1 nnpiriCllol IhouJh' ohq ttn'\a;" ilMhiflltaloir. TIwr ate po ....... icol uti"" in dw: _ ",", ohq _ .. _ "'"' .midi co. ...... be """"'" and that which can only Iw: tho:ou&ho, Ddt q,o'. c... ~ , ptiw, of trI'lK(. .ul prot.. Inns IS dw: ",",",ie .Ia.wontl of tho.!sIo< implies a I........... - ,lie • • '1 ... ' nil of "",,," in doc form 01 ooh>riono fa patticula< ",01' to. and • on..OKa il "tll......,.. of W «< of in dw: ddi
-,
1
think,..
"
OEUUZ~
AND THE POLITICAL
m.
and Mation of"""h bculty to its ,ranrcenoient n •• e;'" .mounts ". ,he: .. me thing. TbcK an: twO Hp<:CtS 01 an ....."rial 'pPrenricW>ip Of proctSi oIloaming' (~U," 1994: ]6.). Dol."," is by no mun ••he: ooly pII~. to .uggest that Thought is ....... ' .. lIy • ptoole&n..alvin« activity. In poIitic:a1 philosophy i, is ilardly eonm>versial to claim that phik:.ophica] thcorios of ,he: ... ture and foundation, oIg<>vemm.m, Of the principlos of a i....r sociHy, ari .. in .ospoo.. to ....1 problems. Thu., a. _ saw abov., Rawls'. roncq>f of political m~Cft which pIIiJosop/Iy etn uk. in rd.trion .n its probIe&ns. Although . ims 01 poIitic:a1 liberalism diff... ..,bsum.. lIy in a numbor of wa)'l from Kant'. dofmco 01 ....""'.blo flIith, .h ••• is a ....... in wbich both ..ok an .poIognic solution to tMi. rnpta;"" probIonu. Rawls foUowo Kant in oedr.ing a solution tn his problem Nsed U]l< \eO' of 'rdI.cri"" equilibrium', th.t is, it will I>< found when thr principki 01 fusnc., ....hich flow from thr prin< de.:.ibes the: procedure, ' .... bepn from .ha,ed fundamonul v.lues implicit in .h. public political cuitu,. in the: hope of dovelopina from ,hem • poIiticol concepIion th.t an gain free .nd reasoned all,",,,.nt in judgt",ent' (Raw), 199); 100-1). To the extent that the: goal of ",fIe.o:ri.e equilibrium implies. form of ,eoognirion 01 fundamental v.l .... prtSUpposoed .. pia<;etlt <;OO<;epbon ol thout,h, whicb is incap.o.bIt 01 uiticisin« ..... blw..d ..I..... KaD' is his prim.< n< valu< of kno .... ledge, faim Of morality: "There has nev .. been a mo'e oonci]"'Dr)' or rupectful ,oral cri'iquc' (Deleuoe ] ~8J: 89). The ...."'" i. that tM val ... ol IuIowied]!<" ....,..,.~ty and beauty is presupposed by lhe: man ..... in which Kan. undentaDds the diffr",n. syomno of roliabo"ni"" .mon8 lhe: f.eultics. ~uu poinrs QUf tha, there a.e .. many kinds of common sen.... th ... are "".rna] in.e'..... of ... ....., (Deleur.e 1%3: 118; 1994: 136-7). K""""Iedgt, mora~ty and he:.uty .... Ih"" pr=pposoed by tho .... fDI 01 !Carnian c,itiq .... 0..;"" to knowledgt, moul iudgemen, Of aesthetic value ""'y I>< .. lied in.o qaestion., bu. not 1tnow~ morality Of aesth
m. ••
m.
m.
m.
7
n
CO NCEPT AND IMAGE Of THOUGHT
o.lnne
contra.ts Kanl'. critique wilh Nitu.s'. ~Iogy, arguing mal Nim~ totWot dialilalion and extcrmon of Kanrian critique. Nieruc:h.>'. objecrion wumal Kanl did nor purlue critique 10 poinl al which il would bcwmc a ITUC cririq ... of ~al ....: "wt ...d a critique of moral yalues: yal ... of lheoc: val .... IhemKlv.. mu .. fi ... br called inlO qUC:IIion' / Nieruc:ht 199~: Pm. 6). II follows Ihal tilt llalUu of cririquc ;~JI m.... he ~ /0. if Nieruc:he'l c.itique w= 10 he undemkm in the .... nner of K.nt'l, on the basil of """'" unchalkllfl"d set of fundamenial .... lues, then it woold be vulnerable 10 lhe sarno: ubjo:uiou. Thai is why Nieruc:ht'. ~nnlogy is an imm.:Inml critique, in .... hich lhe .. is no un",.1 stan
m. ....
m.
m.
"T"M naNrC and task of philosoph, In W",",II PhiknopJryl U994 ). o..leuu and Guan.ri set ""Imree d isrinct rondirions of lhe production of c"'""'pIS. Tho: 6m of lheoc: is lhe i .... g. of thou&h •• edeoc. ihN ao tho: 'plane of imm.:Iroence'" upon whiou which define lhe nalU .. of rhooghl in principle. M.",ly conringon. 01" .....pirical ~IUTH of rhoughl in a giyen ugln sham ...... ral IeolUra of th.i. "r"DOc.",J l'ltilO$Cpby ( 1983), hr inteopc.ts Ikid .....,,·, dtdaralion ...... ..., . "' ...... 1ft .hinking ao a yariant of Ihr Niealcbcan claim maT .... e haw yer 10 .... k. {houghl ahsol.utely acriw: and afti!"IIUriye: in 110 /;,r" "". th.inl:ill8 is controlled hr rucrivt Iotas, Doleuu argues., '..., must admit rna • ...,.'" iIOf
""'""'pes
m.
I)ELEUZE ANI) THE POLITICAL
yet thinking' (~leuze 1983: 108). In Diffnma ~mi Rq>nitio~ (1994). ~ rem. in ~ssins to Heidcger'. 'profound .ens' which .rguo mOl 'hinking remain. only.n.bstraa human possibility. Ultimalely, however, Dtleuze dots r>Of belKyc tha, Heidcge. manages.o break with m. prcsuppooitions of tho dominan. i~ of 'houghl or 10 provid< an adequate conc:eptioo of tho bisJ>eo.t form of.he h"INn apacity for th.ou&lu (Ddruze 1m: 14<4 and fn. II). n.. second coodj,;on of philooophi<;;aJ <:oncrpr-n<ep. jea. Niea.tcbe·, aoooun, of lG.n .... ard a,. 'poivOle minker' ralher man a philooapller in the: oervice of me Stare, a. well as Niea.tcbe himself, provideo ,he model for mi. pcnon.a (DoIeuze and GualUri ]987: J76-9). In Wb.r, ,. Pb~, Dn.uu and Gua .... ri aJ'P<".' in the rok of friend. of the '0""'1", """'"' 'friend' itKll is a oomplex .oncept which dra_ upon Ninz:sche a...t lIIann«p\'i mjui ..... ill means and raw mate""is • wpply of exiltinA cot... pr •. n.. delinition of philosophy as th.e of conctpu is a stipuLttiw: definition in which me lerm '''''netpr' is UKd to distinguish d", objea: and materials 04 phil. osophy from of acir:r.:.! and art: philotI in th.e Itri<:t 1Cf\IC' (~Ie .... and Guamri 1m, 5). By .........1, ocirnce aims alrhe .. ", mution of ....es of .ffa.... by ......."" of m.thematical or proposilional function •. An does "'" .im •• reprr se'llarion a •• U bu •••• he aprure and tx!H ion in • given medium of!ht obj<e.i •• corn...,. of po,. riculor ...,sarions.. Pbilosoph,'. txdusiw: right 10 .:<>na",..,..a.ion """n' thOl i, has. wltina ob;':u and yoca.;"", bul no '!He eminence or priyilege' with .egard 10 li>ese ocher acri.ities (lkle .... and Guanari 1994: 8). II sh ..... cerra;n cha.acteristics wi,b ..imce .nd art, bu. also differs from each of me... neishbouring forms of thou&lu. Whe ......ien,ifi.c 1unctiOII. provid< knowled&c of Ita"" of aff.in and pm ... wbich .'" .,.,emall<> mem, philmophy ......... conctp<S whid! .re Iik. artWorks in tha. thor do nor ,efef to 0. "'Praml indepcndorntly exim", ooje.1I or ltates of .lfai.., Concepts are defined nor by rI>ei. relations 10 Ihings or staleS of aff..... bul by lhe ",Iolions between their demenll •• wei! a. by their rela,ionJ to ocher.:<>napu. In Ihis """', lhey a .."", ,he ~pr 'ha. no ...m-..,.." it
conseq"""''''
,,,,.,ion
""*
'.,.,1,
CONC EPT AND IMAGE Of THOU GUT
itself and its ot.;.<'I a. d>t samt timt as il is craIN' (~.nd Guanari 19904: 21). Odell... nd CuOlU.ri arpr for a twofold ....... ntic difference ~ scientific functions .nd philosophical wuements, mc:ompassi", ..... only 1M "'IU~ of rbrir <espoa; ... obj«u bu,.1so rbri. rel..ion '0 thooe ~i441S: .ciemific funrnons to bodio,o and st .... <>f affain while philosophical n:pn'5S pur ..... ..,rs. This implies ,hal philosophy does ..... PfO' rioogh, and U1.lfh a<sunW by tho dogmatic imag<. It poin .. 10 lho fo..;a thaI demo mi"" though. '0 u.k. " porricula. form .00 10 pursue Jl"nialla. objou• . Havin, argued thaI for N~ho the sense and val ... of thin&o a.. deter· minod by the qualm.. of 1M will to power e"P'"-.:i with.in thorn, Delo:uu wri ...: 'Wo always havo 'M desen. al" fun.ction of tho ....se 01 wh. , .... cone';.." <>f.M val ... <>f wh ...... brlie..,· (Delo:u.. 1983: 1(4). Tht poinr is nor 10 tho J"'I'Ilbility <>f trulh, bu. ra.ho. to "'BB"{ .hot trU. h is no """'" Ihon an '.bstract uni'·..... I·, tho pouiso: character <>f which .. maiM ·en,;"ly undctennined' (Deleu.. 1983, (0)). There a.. but m.aths which a .. of no in~ to a critical though!, wbilo: con"rnely lhere mar br faloehoOOs whio:h .....,.. tho ·hishf _ ....1...... Do\rtu.o: alwa,.. "ligned his cona:prion of philosophy with lhal of Nima:he on two poinD! oppooltion 1o those ..." ' - ~Itimo", aim is 'M l"""Al\ition <>f ... 1>0. exim., and prekm>«: for an untimely tfoousIt. which see"" to in,-m, DeW possibilities for life. Foucault involr .. a similar roaceprion when he SUgat.lhal philooophy ronoim in 'the critical work tho. thou&h. brin~. 10 bear on itso:!r. and aslll rhetoricallr: ' In what don i. con'; .., if nor the mdeaVO<Jr In know now and 10 what extent it mighl br possible 10 think differently, instead of lqitimating what is already knownr (FOU£ault 1985: 9). In offect, in describing phik.opltical a>rMpU • • non·,rr",emial ,. self.. d .. elirial, if
.u."',,"'....
poIits
.m.
_n'
!nI'''''''''
"""r
"
DELUIZE AND
TH~
'DlITICAl
and no! subjtcl fO m. """" of InIth and falsity, Dcltuu aDd G ... ruri Si>y 00 more and 00 Ieso than Foucaul. dot:s ill claiming .n.., poIi.ice\'., did ... prod~ real effccu and, as Foucaul. "rs. help '0 'fiction' or brin& in.o bein& ,.,.."..m'ng d"" docs DOf exis.. A, m. &amO time, 0.1= and Guanari'. own collaborative work is a
....... ined u.",ise in COf.... pt-cra'ion, culminoting in m.;, COf>«'pI of philosophy as 1M c..aoo.. of COf.... pn.. In IMit 0'fIIn ,........, 1M <.'OnCOptS they crea~ annol be suppood .0 "'ptnftII merna! pt'" 7" or SUles of affain. Yel rrwch of this worl. 'Ppta~ deKriptive and intended fO fulfil a cognitive function. AI we mall sec in OIapt.. 5, ofttr an ~nr of capiul"'" aDd 1rI>O< ,he evolution of its forms of tcnnnmi.c, ooci:ol and poIilical regulation a. an '",manen. ulomalic .,..em. Dclcuze', ' POfuaipt on con,rol oocieries' (!995b: 1n-l2) ...... fO .upplometll I'oucauli'. anaIy'" of diociplinary by dr6ni"ll new """,hani ..... of rontrol which, iI is su""",..!, n..ve largely displaced ,he ,o:hniqua of power described by Foucault. eom ......Ulon such as Negri .... in sucb ov.rtly nnpi, icwt., rI•..;. ",orl. is philoooph, ........ than neo-MarIiot _ial ociena. How tbert docs phi\oooplly, as.1>ry undrntand if, fulliJ a cognitiw: function? In WhDI " I'bilMoplty? (1994), 1M lUi< of philosophy i. ro ,~«: ron· up<> ...... pm.;.&. boowledgc: of 1"'''' evenlS: concept is koo ... Iedge, they 'rgue, but ' ",bat iI koo ..... i••he pure even!' (Dcleuu aDd Guana,.; 1994: 33). One way to appro;lch tt.: question of what is ..... nt here by 'P"'" ev""," aDd what is the nalU ... of rtu. know~ is via Dcleu..,'. ea.u.r .......... n' of ,be toslt of philooophy in Diffnma ....J Rep.n;tio. Inns ••• nor reduciblt '0 .he particular solutions in which tl>c:y become inca ..... r
m.y
po.,.,
m.
"".Ii....
ka,,,...
iliff.,.,,,,,,
..,.....rds
"
C ONC ErT ASD 1101.0(;( OF TltoU(;HT
In .htoe tt:ml.l,
m.
cor....", of
m.
social contract may be con,ideml
m. JK= .,.rn' 01 ~""""",ation 01 a Itpl and politic.al.,.stnn. A. _h. m. con'''''"' it • pu~
to ""puN
.,.etI'"
actual .venn ~ """her .~rtiotl which rtpealtd in depth dim~ poin'" corresponding 10 Ii.... and .y... an'icip.oml and ntrn.:llly ~ tht:w distinctive poinl< and tllt'ir innmarion in 1ir1f'.n Ddeu.. and Guano"; outS"" that all hi$tori<:al """"'" .... timil.rly Ciblt to thei, actu.li .. rions in diflt ..." IIOritrio:s at difkrml rimto bu. al", itnmanen. in .bose: .... 1 ...... ts. In this ...,... ....,. "I" MI. ' pu' ........... (DdeuK and Gua .... ,.; 1994: 15'1 of be1ng and .hc gua .. nue of an opm futun. Kan ..... kn a Jimilar poinl when he d ..· tinguishcs betw .... lhe concq>I of a revolution in fayou, of uruvnul righrs 01 ...." as .hio wa. npo, ... d in u.upeans for .hooe id<-olo .nd tlt.t .... nnn in which tha. C4)to<ep' . nd m.- ide.1o wm: a"",.Hoed in .... bloody oven .. of 17B9.1J In Ciup«:r 6 _ ....11 consider oven. of mlon;"non and differ.". con.ritution.l rom.. .hit an
m.
m.
m. m. m.
m. ·......
m.
m.
..... mc. Wbm lhey suggest th",he
Pu~
eYefItoe.1" . :1 in conc:tpu an id:r .nd Guana"; hinl at conrinuity between Ih;" acmunl of Ihc ... k of p/li\osopby and Oclcuze', theory of sm.. Of "'.. ning in T~ Logic 0{ (Dclcuu 1!19O). In.he cou .... 01 outlining a ,......,. of om .. as tha, which if; n~ in po op 01 bod ... 10 whipltical concq>I of lhe .,.MI. disc:overins this .1nnB with .. nse Of .... "'p'. I'd of the ]lI"OIlO£ilion: '.n i'O inheres Of suNioto in . he propooition' (DdeuK 1990: 19 ~. Odeu.. and GUlna"; fe-urili.. thio Sroic COl><:(p' 01.,...... in their 'Postulates oIlinguistico· when ....,. cha ...... rior.he ""'smari< function of 1<1",,,",,, in te ..... of the t/fu. tun"", of rvetlt'I or 'i""",,,,,, ••1 transformations' (OcJcu... and Guana"; 1981: SO-Sl. Following S
m.
m.
s..u.
m.
m.
m.
"
D~~EUZ~
AND
T H~
POLITI CAL
incorpottal [faruforrnatioon., it docs not >imply "'presrn' ,n. world bul infefvenet in if. II IoU""", /rom tht Ooocounl of inrorpore.ol. a. lhe 'ClIpi .eeI· of .... tha. ,he ;"dividuarioo of w ..... ocnn: ........ xistu.,. thty IItlp ro aa",,1iK partic:uIar e ...... in !he social firld. manrl<'r in which a giv ... OCCUr· Il'I'IU is dtsoibecl determines i, as a panicu~, kind of e ... nl. Thl is why poIicia fTeq ... ndy rak ... he fo.rm of ""'Nit over ,lit "W..."ri."" descriprion of CY'tRt&. Dd• .,rion ~ of ev ..... poin.. 10 !he ,olt of ~ng""ge and .,....,. forms of ,opr..."ration in !he actualisarion .... effectuation of every· day C\I.ntl. It also poin .. ro a ~ritical roIo. for pbiJooophy in ..... tion ro the common·~ un.d<"",n.du.,. of """"". Deleuzt and Gu. no'; see lhe in"""rlon of """"""" ., a """,ru of be Logit: 0{ Stttu, Deleo", caU. Th" doubling of the actualioecl event wiTh a counl.....,ffeclu. tion a P'"'''~. of 'miming' what dfccrivcly OCCUR: 'to the extent thai the pu ... evenl is .... h 'i .... impriKlned foavt. ;n its octu.lisarion, counter~lisalion liberat.. it, alway. for IXIIt, limes' (Ddr"", 1990: 161), In Wh"t /. PhiJo><,plryl , pfti\oM>phy oppea .. in tht pennru. of the rnim. who isolares tIY "".... by ~ ~ 'Philooophy" oole aim i. to becomr wonhy of the tval', and ;1 i. (>I""isely the <X>nCepWal penona who counl......tfcctuateo ,lit C\lenr' (Deleo", and Guanari 19904: 160). In thto, 'the coocepc is In. contoUr, the configuration, 'M ~dlation of an 0..,,1 ro come' (Deleuu and GualUri 19904: 32- 31."
«"'.,,".
n..
n..
'a""
"'!IOn,
"
."""IS,
2 DIFFEREN C E AND MULTIPLI C ITY
I'hilmophy of diffo enc:e o.leuze .... Ions been daaibtd, along with Do,rida, fOl><. ult, Krist ...", ~"Y, lyOlan:! .r>
~ ,he c~ of identity, ~"It""sa. tM One, en:. Rother, he w .. COIM. O><J with the question of how identify is comTKuted and what forms ic tak ... Thc real q''""''on is no!: whelM, or nor d>ere is omify bu, wha. form this takes: 'wha, is tilt form of unification!' (Menp 1994: 11-1l). In particular, 1M probltm fO ",Meb he mum. o>'tt and <Wtt apin is the problem of how ro co~ of • form 01 idtntity or unity whidl is no( idenricalto itself. In chis conlnl he insists on lhe importan« of me COI"ICtpI of multiplicity, on condinoo ""', this is undt,..ood "s .... bsu.nti.., and independendy of any ...larion to idmtity:
It was created I.,",;KIJ in order to neape m. .I...net oppo&ition be, . .... 1M mukiplc and m. ont, ro...",p" dialo:<:rio.,<> " .... Lid in conceiyins me multiplt in me pure .. art, to Cd. . rrnring " numerical fragment of" ..... Unify or T... liry or as "'" orpn>c
it.,
DELEUZE AND THE POLIT IC AL
01..",.." 01, Unify or TOUlify ytllO comr:, and i""..ad distinguish bnw...., diff.,..-,. fypes 01 mulrip!icify. IDeItu.., and Guanari 198 7: 32)
O<:leuu:'. diorinc:tn .. «>ntriburion 10 lhe: I'l>iIooophy of differena: lin in hi. elaboration 01 a philooophgi .heory of mulriplicities.. This conctpr pmyida • kry 10 the: WUnoidoerarion 01 difference. which would noc eny~ il" the simp!. con· ,...,. 01 idenrify, nor be obIigd 10 I t t ; ••elf a. "dia!ectic:ally" idtntic:al with identify' (D·n'01bes 1980:: 136).' M. o.:.combes' remark .u~ the rrvaluation 01 diffi" ...", by many French I'hilosopbel1 of ,he: 19600 and 1970. Wl.schc: as a philosopbrk of mIlCh ~.Ii .. theo.,.. For Delcu.." NietDche·, rncuphysics of.he will power i. rho bacbon. N~he ",bsritutrs thc: practiaJ.kmm. of di/f1:Tt!1IU, rho olIjooc. of . ffirm:otion and .njoym..,,' (Deleuu: 1983: 9). In this account, NietDche'. rheory in .1) e•• nts a wiU ... pow..- is oper •• ing is baoed upon • COfKt)A 01 force, WMre forca are defined by rheir difk",,,,,,, from ocher forca., both in quantify and in qualify: 'We must remembtr thai .....,. for.., has an css.ential .. I.tion 10 fon:u, thai lhe I:' SF""", of force is in quanti .. ti"" diffe......,. from orher forca and lhi. ,hi, differ· e""" is ...,prns..J a> ,he Iortt'. q""lity' (O<:1cuu 19BJ: SO). Del
'1"&"""
won
'0
.ha.
om..
'0
D!ffERENCE MW MUlTIPLI CITY
onl, by negatins!hose ~{t(\ ulues in fUm. 'This is the 1fnJl3C syllogism of the ,bft' hr ntNs fWO negation. in order tt> prod""".hr app.. r~ of af/it"",tion' (o.lou.. 1.983: 121 ). w. wm see in Oapler 3 how the di..-inction between ....ift and ~.'ift /or", poinllin an .,h;..1 hierarchy amon8 the kind. of inlttlcrion pmsible boN'"'' bodies of dirkl .. " PO " "s and c.apacirir:o and bow. according to 0.1eu.., Tbis hierarchy is OXpl'" .d in Niewcht'. con,c.p" of ... mal r<'!Um. 0.1e .... in •..-prt.....mall"<'lUrn as a sel:.ti •• c~ of beinl .... hich function. hath •• an cthic:ool anod a physicol doctrint. A•• n .,h;..1 dorniM ;, f;"OUfl thosr forms of ;n~ncfion .W>Cliwe, affir""'li~ rn<>.lhnruotical "QU2lity . nod Iht,mod)1l.mic "Quilibrium. To the extenl rhal il denies diff~ in t!>esc wa~ Niettoche """siders ociOf a. bm!s 1)1" the oflhe .. moe bu... hcwm.i"8 or the Kpefiti"" of tho oIiff... nt. W. mi ... in... rpr .. Nitwcht·. conc
p«ma"''''' Tau
II is
beinB thol mums bOlt rather rmuning itsdf tho. conotilUI... bein& insofar a. i. is affirmed of bccomin8 and of WI ..... ich 1"'..... It is noc some one thing which return. but r«umins iI the one IhinB whith is affirmed of di.-asity or multipliciry. In oxhcr words, identiry in the ... mal return does noc dtz-ribe .he .... "'~ of tha. whdt rm>rnS, but, "" lbo """I1a'1, lhe: fact of ,erumi"B /or tho. whid. diffrn. (o.leuu 19B: 481 no!:
urn..-
"
DELEUZ~
AND THE POLlTrC/lL
from •••olvin, difft, (J>I;X by tncin& it back 10 • kounda lion, bttrayo Ind rl"o ' ooe if' (D,Ie"" ]!194: 51), limiuorion d ... oor .... 01 ~ ........ dillfllO Dd.rur.o,I:ooa_ impIio:I " ....-arm 01 diff".oas, • pll1t1lIism 01 flu, or unumed diHn"iriono 0< limiuoiono, and dll" ,line ..-e mno ..... ploy 01 and dilprity as ,.,.,1111 O'o'm.p and comm"";""rion borooeefi m~ltiple formations of diff<",_, ]n paM""'Ia., 'a ..-e profound ",II .Ie,,,ent mu.>l be dc6ned , , , one whtch is dc!cflniMgcv-.. na"'.. 01.""" eklikolS: 'A sin. don _ ..u", 10 be a ola~ by
:i.
ptef"'.,.._ •
eli,,,,,,,,"
me
rna.
"""!O
rak i"ll lXII' '' ' (DcIeuu 1994: 5-4). For mia .. uon. docoorsrruaion . 1.... '" <'I!.ioagcd • /U,.",.,. "'"3< .fw, rbc initial hierarchy ha, been ovenumed. Thia would in.-ol"" 'The ;,rupri"" ...",.","" of a _ "conctpf" •• ronttpl ,hal an no Iooo\sIrc ,Itt mo .......... "f defer •• 1 .nd diffl:.e",i.rioo which undttlies all productioa 01 """,ni"ll (Oetricb 1976, 5,-",S" For 0...".." rbc of ......1acn. played " limila. tOle in relation to ........... oI"pI MUrion first bid down by Pt..", ], "'"id to ........ iM 1I.,,,,,.,,,n, wimin Pt.•...,ism by which rhe primacy 01 idm•.,. and rbc 10k. of " modol are owrthtoom.
co·"' .x
v-..
()ymumi",
PlaloMm
To rhe extMl' W i lot outlines " ""' .... poioo, 01. on:wld whoooe huiI: IU\JCIU", .. 'Nol 01 I oysonn 01 '
DIFfUENCf AND MlJLTI'UCITY
and the I """blo""" of wpiel: 'o;HtI(..... is only un.dr:rsmod in t........ ol the compa1'lltive play ol two rimilitvda: the U<'IT\pl.ary limilitudt ol an io;knric,ol Oli&ill.tl and the imitlrift !imilitude ol. ""'"' or less .Iike oopy' (Ddnll'r 1m: 127). Yn, Ddt"u .rgutS, eYen wil:hin Plato'. dia!osua, the ordered and hierarchical world 01 ~f"KDution ;. conlbntly thrc.attned by anOlher kind of figure whooe .. III« lin iIOI in lu.mbbll« 10 .he real ""ture ollhings but in its capac;ity 10 oim.,!a~ 'Il1. ..... (PbMd ...., 275b, 27601; ond the 'imiutive pons' in Book X ol ~ Retn< 'lik........• of things. In the ca"" of o""h like"." ' • .... difftrma: bt .....,n origin.1 and copy is a dilttrma: -.;.Io.in 1. . ",bI.""". a difftmo<e bt, ..." things that .re. in.he .....,ti.1 rcspcas, tbt "1M. 8y contr..t. the simulacrum is iIOI in ...... tiol rnpccU the ...... a. wh.a. i. simulates: it rcprOOiJCl'$ the .ppear.na: ol the oripn.l, bu. only as .n effect. This dfca is producal on the buis 01 ;"......,..1 diffetwcen COJIia.Dd simulacra: ·Platon.iom u. who!< is "Kltd on the .....i. of this -.;olo 10 hunt down .... pnanulmI or oimuJacra which.~
,,,,bla.
idtnrir..d with th~ S<>phiot himKII, thai devil, ..... , in,;nltalor or simulotor. thai .lwo)'J disguised and displaced "'be pr=rodrr' IDcInm: 199-4: 127).' The undcr1yina morivation is 10 ..... bltdo 1M prioriI)' of 1M _U·founded copy and to uclud. duo °false d.i .... n!' or simullKTUmo It is in the hoorilil)' Inward, ,hese Jisum, Dcleuu .'!...... th.. _ pcou;ve .... 0l0I.1 choict embedded in Plalonism. Thil is a pn:ft~nce for a ... bIt .nd hierarchical "W"OO"Jd whe.., neither PO:'"""" nor thins> appear a. othe ....... n ,hey ore. PI ••onism .. ~ .. a I>'.f
.""""rs ....... me..
pur... "'c.
D EL EUZE AND THE POlITI C Al
Dckuu', ~e readi,,& of PLo{onism argues lhal il off... oo.h!he d.menn of .. otp' • ..,ntacional """"'prior> of {he world, albeil in lhe meaKA' 1"OsoUr= of !he theory of Forms, and means ro o' ..... um tbal aprion. To the ohat "mulacra a", d,d;otd in 1<'[[n, of thei, POW<'!' " .... · .. fully ro imital' the appear.. """, 01 rbing., their exisurJc., th,~""" ro undermine the very poosihiJity of distinguishing bot ~ .." =01 .bi'W' and mer. illusions. Dcleuu suggeRS that this is whal oa:u .. at the .nd 01 the Sophiu, wile« the E.le.atic Stranger off~ .. a d..tinition of {he Soph;" such Ih., he can no long., be: .:I;";nguished from s.ocr..ra hims.elf: .s.ocr..... .:1;,tinguiohes him ..1f from ,he sophiR, bu. tbe oophioI: don n.or disringuim himself from Socu,n and pIaca lqirimacy of ouch " diorinction in question. (Dcleuu 1\194: 12B). Simulacn ,""",Ior~ P'""jd., the """'flO to owrrum Platon ....... wher~ 'ovenurning' """'Ill 'denyi,,& t:hr: primacy of original ov., copy, of model over image; glorifying the "'ign of oimulacn and ... fkction,' (Dcleuu 1994: 66). De!tuu', analy'" of tbe o verturning of Platonism pK/igu," his own Oo<WUnt of .. world in whi .ery ide. of a model or priyjlogtd p<>ld R."mIiotJ, o.:kuu..n. •• c.oncq>t of po .. dilf,rrntt or dif(.,r""'" 'in irsdf' oha. would "'" he ... bje<:r.o rucru", of ~ ....,{arion fi ... laid down in Plaroniom. The production of a , ....... pt of diift",...., 'in iuclf' goes hand in hand with lhe d:loonllion of an ontology in whi thqr .r~ composed. In t:fftct, tbe logic and on,oIojjy of putt difft ... nce.u rwo sides of one and tbe same projra. Dcleutt argur:s for a
me
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con·
me
m.
me
me
t"" ..
m.
carego,;atl rev .....1 acoordi,,& to which being is oaid of bei:orning, identity of ohat which .. different, .... one of the mulcipl... ffl:. Th •• identity not he lint, .hat it .xi..... principle but ••• oecond principle, a •• principle I>eroftot; that i, revolve around ,II< Difft""1: .udt would be: .... nuu .. of a ~rnic~n revolu. ion which opens up .M pouibiJity of differmcc haying its own
The charaaerisatiort of ~ ouch a world in which diff.... nce ra.her than identity is primary ,...,. "'rlly affeas ot"", related a>n«pIa. Thu" in aocordan= with .... in .... pntatiOll of Niettsch<'. doc.rine of et~mal
DlfHRENCE AND MULTIPLICITY
mum pur io<ward in N~ dnd PhilOMlf>by (l981~ ~ " ...... thar rt"pOtirion must nn of .. ,""...... hrough.ho <ecurnin3 of thaI which diffe .... He trtUI .... docui ... of etc. ",,1 .eturn 1$ Nict7.scho', formulltion of a pri ... iple cl lho uni""';ty of bring which pr .... pposes the ","~I primacy of differ ....., 'Returning is bring bul only the being of baollling' (Deleu.. 1994: ~l )_ From the outset, Ihis P"'';'':' " aJigntd with m. cor.... ption of I woOd of simulacra;n whid! identifies a •• only prod..a.:l ao.ffects by 'the """'" pr0found P""" of difkrmu and repetition' [Dolouze 1994: i,,), Ultimarl'ly, ~ ... , the importana of the cOllcept of simulacrl is limi,ed 10 me pr.domi .... ntly ncp,i~ pluo~ of Dele"",'. '" <>i« .. namely the dc:cooltnlCtion of the work! of rqorncntation. In a 1m« publisMd in 199.1, Doleuu com""""red thaI he had 'complftdy abandoned the nocion of simuloaa, which wu n of mul,;plicity and vinuality. !loch oIlhew comp<>llmOl of Dele ..... ', c"""'pI 01 diffe,CI""" a ... infrUduced in hi, 1%6 I«<>Um 0I1Ierponism. Virtual multiplicity and lhe COIlCcpI of diffeuntt Acco
m.
""S''' .. "t<:
"n.
DELEUZE AND TilE POLITICAL
By """traSl, the othertypc of m~lriplicity ' .. ppean in pun: duration: It is ~n internal mulriplicity of ,''O'''''ion, of fusion, of otpniution, of hekrogene;ty. of qUlliuri"" discrimination., or of di!fnnou ill 'md; it is. vir,..,/ Q"J o:lftli_ multiplicity that can"'" be red...:cd ro numbers' (Deletw: 1988a: lS). Thcoc qualitati •• or """·nu"",,ical mul!il'licities change in kind a. they di.ide. Bergson dra ..... nmpleo of ouch multiplicities from The dom.in of c.onKiow.neso.. a complex multiplicity ouch a. a f..,ling may contain .. numbe, of .1.",• .11. imperfecdy pen:ei.ed, but once these dtmm...... disrinctly pen:eivtd by cotUcioo.s ....... ,he /ttling ide .....bly dun"" in "'"'un as a ........11. Dekuu pain .. u :amplrs from othrr domain. such .. ;ntetuitioo of sound or temperature, or the ",,,,,"",,,,," of bona which an be dividrd inro several qua~taooly distinct gaits: walk, tro<,!opt, an ...... rtC. In.ll ~ curs, whO! i. divided 'changes in ","ru ... of the division, witboo.o. any""" of these rtring ;n.o the compoloirioo of aay 01"1...,' II>dtuu' and Guanari 1987: 48J). 11k problem of distinguishing bHweea types of multiplicity or;pnated with Rtimoru> .nd is taken up in diffnn\! ways by H........ I, Mcinon& .nd R.....U. ~ rraouf<><mrd the probIem.a his own.-nd. in arguing tho., qu.olitari"" multiplicity is du..,anerisarion of qualita.i •• multiplicities a. vinual p!"O¥ida allOlht. dimotuioro of th.t tlo..ory. In 1Icrpon'. ontology. duration., qUlliurivc multiplicity is ~nhd .o the COl""", of viJtuality. Accordins ro Deleuu, Bergson ba..,. his philosophy of munory and Iih on the corocep< of the vinUlI, trea,ing du,.otion, 1"'''' memory and life or elm 1/,-",/ r<ju.lly as vinUl I "'alities, .... hen: The concepl of the vinual implies. process of ."ualioarion or ·diffefUlci.lion'. Dek-uu Irg.... tIu. 'the cn.racl<.ist .. of virniality is to exisl in ouch. way duol it ;,. KlUalised by bring diffefUlcioted and is forced to diff is po.. ibL< typ;caUy. iiibla or pn:figu"," the real, whik the real is typically con.'dued a ... t-r of tho, which is possibk. Tho: .irtua~ by conrraSl, does noc ha"" to I .... iiihk ,he actual and 'the .... les of .ctuali... · tion Of. not ,J..- of lUiWlblarocx and limi ... tion' IDek-uu 1988.: 97). Tho: virtual is actu. lioed by. pcoo:6S of diff....nci'.. ion in which diffuu"", is primary in two oenoes, then: are d;~ bt' ..... n the virTual point of dt-parrure and the actual OUI~, and ,hen: .... difft""...es bcrw""" the
He,.,
'0
a, ncb momrn.
'''''''''n'' ....
.ha,
nrffEIlENCE ANn ),Illl Tr pUc rTY
Iincs "Ions .. hid Irnl.:tliution can take pIaa:, 10 that, for n :ampJr, til. rru,y he actu;Oliwd .. plant or aniful, ott. 0... 01 Ddeuu', ..... publitMd to"'" hqins ..ith the cbim th.t 'Philosophy iJ the theOi 1 of mulriplicitin' Io.ku .. 1996: 1 ~).' 111,. iJ an appropriore deocription of hi. own philo5ophy of d.;ftt"liClI:. Hi> ....din in the IUsrory of philosophy in.oI •• recurr.rn off,,", ttl ducidut' a .,.;,;on of a WOIId in .. hich all thi,,&, .... the npraoion of .inual mult' plicitics. His doscriptions of a Platonic world of slmullKfll, Nictuche'. wiU 10 pow.r and Bergson'. .... lm of qualitari ... mulriplicitin of du .... rion ate all examples of this metaphym of ";nu.l multiplicirin. £y~ in Wbat Is Pbilooopltyf ( 1~~4), the pur. . . . n.. ttl .... hich philosophic.ol con<.pa; ,i•• expression are uoo..mood as .irtual mulriplicities which m.y be incarru,11Od in an inddtrminot. numher of acrual stares of affairs. How...... the ckalal aposltion of this difttrnrriaJ metap/lym is ttl he found in Difftrmc~ ""d Rtpdino.. (o.kuze 199-4), .. here Chaput 4 outlines the Ibtory of a .rallSCtfl<1ur. be undentood on the model of the differcftrial ... larion.hip tiy/dx, whe", the prosressi ... ~rminarion of .ru. td.otiotuhip io oUpj>< ,
D£UUU "NO I<> ,"",,'a~
TH~
'DUTICA.t
a particular primitive functioo. Just o••he de«rmi .... lion of a the ","ha,jour of a curve at adjoining points, .... he 5pCCiliation of • given sene. of sin&ularitieo or singular poin .. de«rminn .he curve corrcoponoling I<> .he r.Lation borw.... the oltmon.. in question. For this U . .OIl, 0.1ouu common .. in 'How 00 _ ,.cogniu smICru ... ~sm?', .ha. thrr. ar< twO .. p«:fS I<> any gi •..., structure: 'a .ysrem of diff.remi.l relation. acrordill3 I<> which lhe symbolic dements de«nni ... th.m.dYeS r«iprocally, .nd a ,)",.em of ";ngul.ritic. corresponding I<> !hose rlogial ex:unplc of m. egg provides an example: of Ihi. pro< of KlUali .. tion .nd of II>< .ImK in which me ordtr of rnorphosen<1ic pi" .. implies a prior ideal struCture of rpor.ol ....... and ... t .. of .ffain is the ...... ns by wftich o.kuu d,cum· ...." the philooophy of representation, bodies and ....... of affairs do noc "" "We the otnICtUres 00" ideal ....,nro of which they .'" .he exprnsioo. In this om .., he: "'lI..... 'arion;' .Iw:oy•• g<'1Iuine crnrion' (o.ku •• 199<4: 21 2). 0.1ouu'. concepI of difference mer
.pccine.
Wher< .. differen,iatioo deretmi .... the .inual con,.... of the Idea as problem, differa>ciation .xpresoes the: acrualisarion of ..... yin",,1 and the rorurirution of solution •... Diff.unciation ;. lik. lhe: oeoond pan of difk~, and in "rder fO designate the: ;"'CWiry or the in'CWality of me objca _ r«jui", lhe complex notion of differ ... tlci.rioo. (Dekuu 199<4: 209 )'
"
01 FFER [NCE AND M UL TlHICITY
n.... is tMrtIOK an imporun. $ftI!C it! which he mainui1l. the primacy 01 diH.rnlCe ""er identity. Oilttrenc:e i< the fundamental tem\ "" the h..... 01 whioh the identity nf.1l pbmomma m.... he undtnmod. A. "",h, differ· ~ ......er rtkn back to. primary identity but nnly to funhcr diff"tilcu. Ultimately, 1,0_, diH.r this process 01 d;~ difttrir« b, ref.rm« to the Io",s of wmmunication which take place bch..." diffe«n. phyU:al, ~,,&uiSlic, !brehic or O!he-r di!fn<:nri.1 Sll"UCfUrtS. Such conununication hetwcm difk","1 .,..,..... implies the ~ of an I s<""r which he calls the 'disp''''Ie' or ,he 'dark precurwr·. no. dj~ 01 oltctr'al "",.,,0.1 which uruse • oWIal or H..h 01 lit,hlning to dilcba'BC prt>1Iidt one example. but in reality ,he identity of ""'" 'og<'t\lS' 01 communication b.. ".tl1 IIctt.OSCtWOUS S)'stm>S will vary from ca .. 10 ur ... sinot it wil! he drfined by the particular diffe, ..."" be,.ce" (I", ty>t ...., inY'DIvt:ur$t .nd tn JUbW.IU~ for sudt forcu a new pnspccti.e' (May 1997: 176J. However. he arwues thaf Deleu.. urnnor do this by ,imply pooirins a world nf pu .. diffc .. na in whido wtitieJ a.. expLained only as -Wry pIIe_n,,,... To do lin would creale a numbc:t- nf incon.isrenciu. witllin Deic .... '. ph;looophy. Fim, Ire points out tha, an attempt to dcoaibc a world nf difkrenct 'in ;lSelf' would in,""l~ d.i .... abouf lhe n.ru .. oI8cing whido might ..,adily be conSIrued • • claims .bout I realm which is ,,,,nllCUldmt to human experience. N a ,.. ult. 'Being as diff.reno:t ,h... t.... '0 go "an.. endon" to hc<""", • ,hing .pan from our upc;.ico>
SIr""''''',
DEUUU AND THE POLITICAL rnln~
in all its fo""". May reminds us tha, in Wm.,I. Philomplry? 09'94) trans<endena: il identified as foremou amions thaI incvilably arise from 1M pia"" ol irnma""",,% on which a gioen philooop/l~ is laid OIl. IDclnlze and Guanari 19"94: 4',. Se<:ond, he argues thaI Ddeuze's va""", cha.-..attisalions of this world of diffe,Ofl« 'in i"",lr, whe!her in tffDU of 8erpooian duration or pu-individual sillKularities, invoke a """""'" of ~ unify of .he field or plane of immanence upon whicb enli.ia are described: a unify ol run. ;0 rho """ of duraliocl, a uniTY ol domain ol ru·indjvi.dual di~ .uhcending.lI ideoti...., and SQ on. If thil i. SQ, il canOOl be IT\IC that diffc"""" i, prior TO uoi!},. May is righ. 10 poin....... that Dck ..... •• ph;looophy of difference canno( be understood simply in ICmIS ol.1Ie dialcctic:al inler1"d.liocl. of.he con""ptI of uniTY and difference. IkR his a.~. for incohtre""" in the Ddtuzian conct}K of dJft,.""" do.. nor withSf
u..... me
m..n
=,
me
inva.iption points ro an appropriau respon ...0 May's.....:<>lld objeaion. In posi!ins time as a condition of experience, ](on. don nor suppose rho uniTY of time. H e don suppose rho cootinuify and uniIormify of timt, bu, si.,.,. he also a'll .... that time is neither finj.e nor infinilt, thil uniIormify does ...... imply unify. Similarly, DcIeuze poo;ts a unifonn transcendental 6e1d, whether of duration, diff",C1~ will to power or intensities. wi!hout suppooing .he unify of th .. field.
Freedom and the probkm of IA>Ci t,W"" ,,"parity lie. in the mmtitution of new problem;. Uke !(an,', tnnocmdental IdH.s, rho prob/em< tho. ddi"", rhout,h. arc: nev .. rompletcly a<:rualisrd in any pven «>Iuciao. Dcleuze'. Id.eort:ric:al or conceptual soIUtiOllS: an organism 'is noclting if no( the soIu· tion ro a problem, as are ...:It of i.. difktencia<ed organs, oudt •• lhe eye' (Dele ..... 1 "4: 2ln.ln "'"'" of Dckuze', differential ontokosY, evuything
D1FFHENCE ... ND MUlTlPUC ITY
Ih.1 ,""ius incarnates 0 problem 0/ """'" kind, and ~ will ~ at many kinds of probInn .. Ihtrt a~ diuincT species of man .. Ind rhou&Ju, indudi", p/I~l, b;ologic:o\ and poychic: probItm .. langLUgtl ar>d oocitties a~ sol~riono 10 paniculu species of ~. Lantl""~ in ~ ... l may ~ I"t&"rdtd as a solution 101M probItm of how 10 communicate an infinitt v• ....,. of .. manlie contenU using. m.tivdy oman number of signifying clcmmts. T"b.t Idea of language as such, Of tht cronsctMmr::a1 Probltm of La~g., will tht ... fure ~ • vjnwJ WU<1Uf\' which includes of tht orIS of ",\arion. ~rwt.n ";plil1ing dtmmts which may ~ """,.Iised in p. rticular ltnguagn. Det~rmi""n: .... of ... larion, ~I"'" pI-...... " d will ~ incamared in tht particular Jang..ages which au oolurions ... tht probItm of language as such. Similarly, human oocictics may ~ reprded .. solutions ... tht fundamental probInn of tht ourvi •• l and rq>rOduaion of tht .pccic:s in tht fottn in which this ...... for human brinp, na",tty tht constitulion of a !TIOdt of production of ,......... ry mea ... of .uhoistro«. Marx .t.owed soci.l in lhe finol inounce. a ..... ns of ",lvintl tltis poob!e .... T"b.t Idea or IUnKrr!_ dmr::al Problem of _itt) as ouch willlf.",dVi. ~ a yirtu.l!e\" of indet .. minare ... lations btfw.. n ....... ns of production, dirm Ind indirm prodUCffl, and con.UlTltI"S, whik paniallar Ideas of ...... iti T wit! inmly" an acIU.1 "" of dn.rminare _i,1 ~J.liom. "T"M$o rcl.rioom, in lum, wilt determine lhe ',ynlhcric Ind probln-n.atisi"8 fidd' (DtltuU 19~: 186) ... which Ih.1 sccicty', .."""",ie, j...ndical and political .rnngerncnts constitute solurion .. T"b.t crucial .....,.,15 whieh mark 1M history of I _ictr will "pos.." tht '''''''gina of acrual ",lunon. 10 in economic or CffIl of Di{fnnoa lInd R~;tion ( 199<4 ). Nc.....mdcos, ....... poIilical lhemes in the cxp<"l5ition of rho: ...... physics of diffcrttla. In many co ..... lhew .... ronsiltenl with aspcca of Dtkuu', inre'Jll'Cluion of Nictto/n ... (19B7I. One such thcrne ~ in oonnterion wtth tht conc:t"ption of particular fu..... of sccicty as ",1ution; to ,ho problem of oociery " such. Dtlcwc', ton<epriun of ...... icl , implies thaI, whilt ..... specific poIicic:ol p",blcllb thai confronl a giYUt ...... icl) .'" tht .xpo ion Vi incarnlrion of tht id..al ... lanon. whieh ddine. givrn Idea of ...... icly, thtsc do ny is only ...-nuolised durin!! t"'- periods of tn.nsition from
an
ill.,
."""g.
om..
"
m.tions '''',
OELEUZE ",NO T ilE rOLlT lCAL
one ooIution to d.. problems which define a sociofy 10 'lIOIher. [n .hon, ."'" rranoundenl ob;cct of the faculty of sociability is revolution. In this oenk, r.volution is "'" social power of difforenoo, "'" p;ltadox of oociofy, lhe p;lrticular wrath of rho social Idca' [Delwzo [994: 2081. On the one: hand, this ccldJration of .x~\ ""''''''''" reall. the ..lcctiv. charaatt of Niott.scJ>t'....mal mum and "'" manne. ;n which this doctrine privikga the hi&hcr fonns of nist.nee, who ... thno ar. undor· W><>toriu! """,,",,1 bul """or ho confused wilh if' (Delnl"" 19"94: 54). On lho <>thor hand, DeLt",e', ~ of such rtvoluliodary momenu, or frudom, OS lho .xpression of lho fTanscmosi. in lho same way as do certain concq>IS dc-vdoped in A Tbooo ..."J PIaIUlU, We shall ex.mine in deu;J """" of those con«p's, such as bcxo.nins, line of JIigh., absoluu dtterrirorio[isarion, IKlI"II.Odism and smooch.~ in a..pttn 4, 5 and 6.
'0
Asscmblqes and abstract machinn In Chap' in wlOCh the cort.«pt of • ....."bIago ~ fonnal continuity ac...,.. the .... ty_ of Ye1J d.;/fi".", conten .. in each pLa .. IU. Allho same ti .... , thOl< . nalyxs tra",form and a~ in ""un:. These rwo kind. of .... mblag. mar ho chara.ct.nstd in a oariety of ways: for aampk, in lhoir Introducrion 10 " "I"Ito..JII..d Plt.u..~, (1987), DeLtuu ond Guanori coni ..." .rt>o.nccnl and rhiwmaric multiplicities. Whilr "'" 1
,ha,
DlfF(J.HICE AND IoIUl Tj'llC 1TY
is chosen for its broad cultu,,1 reoonance, 1M difkwlCei hle"" aro ' hierarchial .ymms with cmlfn of .igni6anee and rubjecrification' (Ddeuu and Gunari 1987: 16). They aro 'unilia!>k' ab jea. in lhe srtI"" lhat their boundaries can be: dearly defined and their ""m oonnecred aa;on!ing to an invarianl principle of unity. They embody tho: principia of orpniurion found in modem bureaucracies, facturic:s, armies .nd school .. in odieI' word .. in .n of II.. ctnrr.1 oociaJ mrchanisrns of pow ... By oontrUt. rhiwmes ... fuuy or indeterminate obj«lS. defined 'by ,he OUt.ide: by the ."'tracf line, the line of HiSI" or dnrrrirorialiution according to which they manS<' in naruu (mm.morphost into ~ elK) and conn«< with ocher multipliciria' (Deku.. and Guanori \ "7: 9), They lack principleo of unity or connection .uch u cmlralaxts or ;" ...";In, elements. They a ... ~rmined .... ther by 'magniludes and dimen ........ ha' canno< inc ..a"" in number withou. tho:
c....turi
multiplicity changing n.N..' (OoIe ... e.nd 1917: 8).' 0 Another variation on tho: distincrion bmvttn two kindt 01 IW<1lIbloge or ..... ltiplicity """"f1 when OoIeu.. and Guna,; distinsuioh bo""",, molar and molecular or bol""" macropoliticaJ and micropoIitical levdl of 1Oci.1 an"lyon_ This is no< limply a diffc:rmc<: in ..,.Ie bur a diffc:tttoce ;" kind. On fly one ha nd, poIiria ;. p1a)'ftl ou' in conflicts he, .. un molar oocUl mtirirs ,ucJ, II oocial cla"es, ""xes.nd nations. On tho: orher hand, i! is .. mul .........."ty played 0<1' at lhe moIecull r level in 'rnns of ...a.1 affinilies, ,",xual orien .. tions and ... 6eOO of com munal bolonsing. Thoe ~ of Gabriel Tank offrn an .lttmlliv< to cia .. anal"';l which add","" tho: molecular Ievd of 0I<>cia1 ~fe. In u.- fttlM, lor example, in ~ of!ho: 1789 rn-oIution ...... , on<: .-ds 10 know i. wh ich peuon ... in ....hid ".no of , ht toutlt of Fro""" ompped jp"etring !ho: IoaJ landownen' lo.leu.. and C""mo,; 1987: 2 16)." Deleu.. and Cuana,.; explicitly .. late lhe diffi:renees in kind between micropolitica l and macropoliriatlanalysis 10 ,he distinction helW<.n kinds of multiplicity drawn by Roimann, Bergson Ind od>trs when !hoy S1I8Sesr thaI
W. an: doir.l opproximarely tho: .. "'" thing ....Iwn _ disti ...ui. multipliciria. On fly one hand., multipli
''''1
DElfl,l ZE AND TIlE
PD~ITICAl
Assemblages aK defined in tenns of. q~parti,~ ,IructuK along two ox ... On 1M Iirsc oxis, .sscmbla&"" .n: compostd of discunivo .nd I>Ondiocursi"" compooenu: rlKy .r~ both ....... blagt< of bodin .nd matte • • nd .... mbla&"" of tnuncialion or utter. ".,.. o.,louu and Guacuri distinguish b.tw ..... forms of """"nt that involve bodin, their in .. ra<:tions and passions; and fo.m< of up.ession thai inYolv~ utteran<:es, .po:edI KU or SU a' lhe mode,n 'Y""'" of pen.1 impriSOllment. or 1M complex ..... ngements of discourse and ptoctic.. which define rnotnOOtdy of the virtual <><.bouact macltine which ''''y embody. I>e\euJL and C .... turi P"'P""'" that the conf der=i-w. is.otioo is in tum di"'(:IN by the .bot",,, roachine whith inhabin the .uembLage like irs winual double. They define abotracl machi .... ao ontoIogicolly prior 10 the di, rinction botween conlftn and up ........... within ~ &iven a.... mblase. ui< momenl al which nothing bUI functions and man ... ,.main' (Ddeuu.nd G~nari 1987: 141). Like the Id<-a. , I'rohlrn>< ".. Struc:tuUI irl tttmI <>f which Dekuu cha",ctorised .... transcendental field of though. and maner in Di((tTmu ~nd Rtpn;tiotl. absuact machi .... at< .in~1 mul.iplici!:in which do no! uis! indotpendtntly of the assemblages irl which ,hoy are acrualised or expm "'d: I~y .K nei<~, corpor .... l nor semiO
me ""'_
om..
m.
I"''
DI~FERENCE
AND M ULTIPLI CITY
~.... in
kind of technical mlchine II calculine, • dr.wina machine, nc.). A. m., charactcrioarion of IMtrict mad!ines I. diagn"nmaric WAUlS, they ron";""" • di~ of the ust1nblagr not unlik~ Ikrridl" wririn3 in g.........I whne ' Writing now funetio,," "" the .. me ..... oI .. the real and the real matmolly writes' (Dekuu .nd Guano,i 1987: \41 ). o.le:uu.nd Guanari .100 u';gn • complex <":Iu .. I function '0 .bsm.ct machines. In D;f("~ ~"J R~ Delruu ondoned the cona-pt ol struaural a .... lity in "'""" of which Alth ......... and othe .. O<JU$ht to make om .. of Manr', thes .. of economic dtu""j .... rion, sugesri", that ·this $I~ .... _ :o.d Gu.an,ri 1987: IUj." Delru.. and Cu.n,ri oomt!imts speak as if then Wt1e bu. a single: Abstn.cl ~ine of which all """"'",...... mblaga ~ .....".. or loss romplm ........Ii.. n-.. Th;' is bcca .... for tIw:m m.: function of mu .. tion, ...... morp/>oois and 1M <=orion of the new ;. ""toIogia.lly primary. J.... ao llerpon viewed qu.litaliv~ multiplicirieo a. asoocialN with 1M ""fO1opca1\y primary realm of duralion, and j .... as problc:tnaric Idea. or Sin><' rum formed.he fundammtal.Ie:",."o of Delcu..,·, diffe .."I;"1 ""I"""" in Differma <md lI.~jno... so Delcu.. and Gu.""ri ImII rhiwmatic, molecular an.d ntic;,opoIitioc::ol aSstmbl.>gn II prior 10 Ilbootesulll, molar and mac:lopoIitioc::ol a .... mblq.., and the abstract machine of mutation IS prior .0 .he abstract ma.c:hine of ... =<>ding. Thi. priority it implicit througl>ou. ,he ..it..... N lheory of assembl.>gn in A "J"IoooowfOd fillu"..., ..... though it is only occ.1ionaUr .... de uplici,. We ...... bove: ..... t rhi:r.ornatic m"lriplicitioeo Oro delintd n.or by an in......,J principk "I unity hu' by tho ~ne of fligh' or dttffritoti.:oJislrion aocordiJ!3 '" whiocb they rneta~. ~, Ddruu :tnd Gua ... ri difft .."ria.. ,hcir ron· <eption of • .....,bllolCS /rom I.... ' of Foua"J, in simil.o.r ........ .'" Given Ihis «>neepI\Ial """neo;tion bnwnn .bso/u.. doet.,ritoriali .. tion:tnd qu.ali_ tariv~ ........ blagcs, Deleuu and Gu.a""ri . " " ,he ""1010«;",11 Prima
W2re into ,
",u:'
D~L~OZ~
AND
Tin 'OLITICAL
deterriroriah .. tion, ~bing aboolu," det.rritorialisorion as 'tM d.:per movemmt ... idem""l to the: .arth it ..1F (o.louu and G""ll2ri 1987: IH).
Politics and difference A ",.. ningful poIict. From a coroc<:l""""l point of view, >ina: concepcs of identity and difr..r.nce appeH inextricably linked 10 one anothe" the co.. lor differena .... dily 1><001.......tnppod in a ... rilo diolc:ctit whid> dooms in advance all attmlp<s. to argue lor lhe priority of either. The idenrity 01 something implies ito dilft",nce from ",hers. Conv ..... ly,.ina: diffe,,,,,,,,, io alwlYS difk .. ,..., from ..,.".."hing, it impl;" "''''rna to an inn, iu" as dill" ..,"" inevilably presuppose and an inhabited by idtntiries." From a political poin' of view, arguments thlt appeal to the val"" 01 differeD« ""'" tha, 01 i" potx fotlUS of diocrim.ination. For .,..",pIe, oinct tM 1980.., thc: F",nclo 'new 'i&l'" has argued for .he forced ttp.1,riation of "",,·Europnn immiuanu on 1M basi, of respect for a cultural '",""t to dill"."c.. ·• In us, in respon.. to a legal o;a.. brought by thc: Eq",,1 Employment Opponunity Comm .... ion, Iawyns for $Qra, Roebuck & Company argued thai ·funda .... ntal· diff"eo""" M","II 1M ....es , ather min thc: firm', discriminatory praaica explained ,he lI"oxio:. imbal;ona in ito W rreated particular diffen.no:es, such a. kit .nd raa:. a•• "bordioot. to one ""'''nl difference or oocial contradit:rion. Delc:u..•• pl!i""",,,*y of difkr
m.
m.
m.
me.. .......... no.
Olfnll~NCI
AND MUl n1lI CITY
'*'"
(1987). Ddeuu .nd wcuon upllcitly lhe Maneian idea chat ......rieJ l l t ddWd by rho COIII...Jio:rion bu.c"" Labour and ""pOl in ",_.01. '"...,OpOlilo l'.........,..... 0I10c1UXa" dotk"d by m.;r lines oIl\is11r or ...... ritori.olisarion (0.10: at and Guam'; 1981: 216), Howe .. " as rhis lheois OUgestl, ,he IU!.k"8" bt, ....." Dnruzr'l phi~y 01 cliff, .. , m and politics Ut complex, They .re mten: .re only two &""'P5 and ... P1 ..... 11..11 ,here is. ocandord or idcallypt 01 ontmbe< of dot LafFf coIleo;tioity: rhe .... jority ;1 dr~M
,.1.0,.,.,.
''''iI'
.....senu""""
""*
Ln us ""1'1"* rhlr Ihr consIanr or tulO>dard is rhe ...... SC adulr . .. hil(o ..... rol........ I. Eu ........ "·m.o.~k;"" I ,,"ndard Ia,,· suaSt ••• 1\ is 0170;0.., W , ' II'IIIn' holds the "",jority, n'rtI if he is leN numc.WI wa mot<:juitotto. ,hiidl'fll. womo:n. blKb. """......... .....,..... xuol .. ott. Thr io becaUK he Ippean rwice, once in the COIUU'" and "Pin in rht ...... bIt from whidl the cor.. lal is extrxted. Majority an, lid • tulle of po... and domin:orion, "'" the odocr •• y around. (Orb"t .nd Guamri 11187: 105, HI )
A poIitio::I '" diff.....a: rnish' simply drft"d the ,.;p. of the miI.... i.".. 10 fcutt in the INljority. III odocr _do. i. """,Id Kd< 10 bn:oadtn rio.. .... nda.d JO thac II ",,10 or lanalo: - Euoopua .........·E"'Ol' II n _Iv:«, ... or """-xuai, ftC. Uhenl .u ....... 01 ....... nnmaJiry or muJri.. culrunliom take "'" form. DtIo:uzr and Cuattari do "'" den, the imp"...."'" of ouo:h du..... ro rio.. natuft oI .... joricy.'" I k>.eo~r, me,. SO Iunhtr and irmod_ • rloinI ....... in addition ro rio.. ""Or ma;oriry-
buor,,,,
"
DH EIJZE AND
Tin
POLITICAL
mi...".ity, namely be<:oming-minor or minoritlrian, by which thty "",ad a e..... ti.e proccso of beooming-differenl or divergence from the: rl'l:ljority. B.oomill&-minoc i.m>!... the: .ubjorction of the: ""nodard .0 a procas of continll(lU< variation or dtte,rilorialisation (0.10= and Guanari 1987: 106)." Dckuzc .nd Guanori'. third ..,..,., .ugg(StS that social minorities migb, ~ e~vtd in 0flC of two ways: either as OlIIC:1W bu. poI"enriaUy indudtd l mong ,h. rl'l:liority, or u coll<:ctivitia of an .",u.,ly differe", lUnd ... hich .h,,,,'en ,h •• cry existence of. rl'l:ljorky. ibc djfkrcnoe bn,n II""" under ."" ""me of • poIi.ico of differmce, Dcleuzc and Guattari'. political I""'"'pfOC a ••he install.tion of new conSUn,. or the attainment of majority sutus, but rat .... r a, .he minoritarian·ba:oming of ......,.onc, including the !>tar.... of minoriry .... tuS. n...y art ad ...... ca ... of the: ttansformaliv. potential of bt.:oming·minor. or IIti''3 ,hal ' whal d;.ru,guioba them is thaI in the ca.. of a majority the: rcbrion int ..",,1 to nun,ber <:OrISIinotn ..... that may bc 6nite or infinite bu. is always denumerable. ~u the minority n defined ... "",,-d.rnwt>erablc 101, t.o-ver mony cle",.n,. il may ha...• (Dclcuzc and Guanari 1987: 470). In ,urns.
rn...:
The po"" of the: minontJn is not """,.uted by .Mir ca~ en'~r an.d make Ihemod ... fell wi.hin .he majority .)'Stcm, nor ....en to .....enc I""""', . . ily taulologic:;li criterion of maiority, bu, 10 bring 10 !>tar !be force of !be """-
.0
me
me
.
3 POWER
Power and wiD ro power Deleu.., h.. had a profound i",~ on a<:bes tn II.. '''''''1)' of power. Through his studies of 1M philosophies of Niemd>c and Spinou. he develop< a C<>rKtp< of power w hich none of m.. jarilla]
":II and moral pruuppoo.irion. typ;c.lly a550ciared with
,...wu in thor orad,rion
of modem poIitial !hou&ht. Thi. ~ of po . .. """" "'" It.. ..... bIn a form of lry (1983). n.. oim of Ihio cNptff ;s to ""dint ..... '"",,pi' of power dtvdoptd through o.Icuu'. u.lti j.... ution of N'icaxhc, and to .how how tIIis is devdoped further in his suboequenl oolb bonotion with. Gu;on l ri. In orfUInl continuities with IS ...,n .. divergmces from I'cucault', oot.... pc of power. To • consi«nble ~, Dtltuu', impact upon contemporary politico) thou,gh. hal bem ....diatruc:oult 1983.: 203).' Delrme in ....... <:(IIItlntf1.ft! upon and elaborated Foucaulr'.thc:tco aboo! p""''n, fine in hi. review of DUdp/iM mod P,,,,islo (Ddeu.., 1975: 1207-271 0nd ,bm in tM odditional rom"",n" on po"'" in his fo..auo/t (19H8b). In bet, ,brft a~ > of power deploy~ through0111 tM ItxlS of Dd ..".." Foucault and Ddouu and G.tanlri, bu, also a numhe, of dif/e",1CU bet>o"'h tMm. Tho: most impooUn, of .hese dirk","". h... 10 do with me uplicicl, IIOI1TIati . .. ch.racIt1" 01 Dtleuu'. "pprooch to power. W.. will tak.. up this is.we, and ,he ..... I... ti .... chi....,. ... of the social mw.-, ~Ioptd with Guattari, in me third ...,..ion of this
""leu..,',
"""".
.,
DELUIZE AND TH.!: POLITICAL
rIwc lil"lf f(I poopost an inm'prctarion of human bdoo· >"iou. ill ~ ...... of powe •. l iobbcs .nd Spinoza ."iOIIC OIbm pi~ him in ct.........our. Bu. Niratcht' • .....x...andi", aI "".~ difkn from potu.... cbtOld in k ..ul ~ rcspocG. FirR, 1M: ..mues any ponpcain "",.. &. ;" rIwc rnan .... of Hobbes 00" s,.;.-.. II is """ energy upended in 00"00 '0 n:acb a pIlrticula. pi or cndlll'~, bon simply .IM: expcndiru ", of ~rgy illdf. T10e pow .. of a body is upo-eued wto.en i. am wflh . 1I of,'" force or .... 'If wid! which i, ill"ndolWd. In pIlragoph Il al8qond Good 4..d £viI (1973),'" . ...... k. , .... , ~ lhoul.t t..wa •• of suptrfl_, ,.leoIot!;ical po i".. ipks such as tIM: drin '0 scl'-preocrv.,ion. Hio own principle. more gmtraI. ........"pIl.. ini!hl' drive 10 ..If·p, · rvarion bu, .100 cbc drive f(I Jdf~ or kl/.......,rconU"I' A livu., ,hi", N~ ud his ~""'" wi,h regard 10 pow ... is ,n..... .... 'a i, ... "",n", nf t:ffoc· lin ""pociry on !he pIln of .... body ~ ralher thon u _, .. tiring O: 10 _ h. superiorif)" .. pi " mml and ~ by QCbm· (DekuK 1983: BO~ By -.trur, lot N"..uaJ.. , iI is ... .,. Ibe .... ve who undencanck PO"'" in I...... 011(1''' ............. Iirta til. ia I u .. aioc...Dd bur joo,", p"'. uriooo of po_. Any IUdoo ICjA 1U""""1 .... ,",,pc 01 powe. ia pi"'" '0 .... irnpIici. con/o"" ise, IIince it irnpIieo thaI an indMdooal MU only boo....cocnixd IS po .. oM ill a.a:ordance with pcuI nJues. By coro
"".to
.0
H,
foo".
"
POWE R
~. Although II. did not ..... the tenn 'will TO po.'" IUlri! 1"&... SpoIte z...rtHhOrt".,. ( 1%9~ ),' by rile time he _ 0.. 1M ~Iap 0( Man>/it-,
0994), rile <:<>n<;q>f had hrcomo 10 ..... hlMed in his thinki", that II. roulel ",In" to h.. thtOi) rna. ·in ~n cyonts ~ wiU /0 power is operating' (NimdIo 199<4,."..y 2, po"'. 12). A """"""'" misundcntondi"ll .......... that ,he: .,.;11 to po ... ;. a parriwlar psy.:hol<:lf;ical dn.c, , lOCh a. tht ~ of pow<1" which moriyaleS 10 many polirial a<·, 'Y"om, o.\o:u... ntic ... poleS thc 'IP'mtn' of a numhor of more re«nt Mud... of N;.'_I ...• In """,moo with a numhor of ,he$. orudin and CQrt .... ry to the ~ ~ of Nio:tuche: ... n unsyst ..... tic or ",on anri-srstmL>ric think .. , he presents him a •• rigorous philo.ophcr "'ho ....... YerJ' pi«hc no ... terms for pi«;" ""pt>' (Dc""'.., 1983: 52). Alonpide nihil;"" and .he: mrn.l rerum . he: .rg..... 'wiU '0 power' is """ of dO< most importln. of the: nc:w conaprs !ha. Niede tht phy!ial un~. Ajpoinst thc a ........... then prnam in physia, he: p'C;m- • """""prien of ....!trial .... lity understood as em'ra 01 force. 111.. imp! ... a uniYaoe in which therc a .. DO ultimate, irrnlucible particles 'bul only dy .... mi<: quanta, in a .. lation of tcnoion all ocher quama' (Nin7.sche 1%8, po"'. 635). In I""",, It.".., physical bodies arc oonII;,urod by ...Iation. of opp<>O-irion Of roIloborarion betwcm foras, which a .. thc:m. se/Ya df..... of the differential power rdarion. bftw.. n tht em..... 01 fora:. poin ..1orcn are 4yn4 ...il: quan .., in N~'. y;.w, be£aUK e>dJ ouiYf$ m MO"" mast .. o.c. aU spxe and '0 tbnut back all !ha. ="" its utcnsion. In doi"3 .... they 'continuaUy .ncoun.... similar df", II on the pon of <:>1M bodi.. and md by coming '0 an ar"1:Ontrmtrt. with th.ooe of them that ar~ wff.c;'ndy ..la.nI . •• mUJ .hey conopire rog<1ho. !Of po ..... And 10 thc 1"'''''''"'' gOCl on ...' (Nieaoch.o 1%8: """'. 636 ). It is m;. upo ... i.., cb:aracttr of fur=. the am.e element in....... l to them which Ninucho ",II. . . ill to powcr: 'l"ho yictorious conc:< p< {oru, h)' ........ of whim our physicists h ••• cream! God and tht ....,. lei, still ....do .., ho Cuotl.plrtnl: . n in ..... will must be ascribed to ii, which I design... will 10 (IOWn" (No..z..:he 1%8: poro. 619).
""'''''pI
'0
""w ...
nn.'
'0
n....
DElEUZI AND THE POliTICAL o.~', 'fOOnOIruction 01 Niewche's conctpl 01 will '0 pawn btgUu with 'his co"",~ of ~ali
whid> a •• attualiscd in determ.inau: fo.-m in a gr.... 1IIa,,,,ial. Aa:o
~
-"~ 'II ro power is in~rabl. from ,he particular dmnninale kinds of /ora:, Tha, is why tho win ro power .. an ' ...... tially plastic principle' that is "" widn ,han ....... , it rondirion, (o.leu"" 1983: SO), In Dtkuzr' ......11". "'" bngua8" . has no ne<'eSSary con,.... t;..., with violmoe, Foucaul, follows 0.1 .... ", ;n thio u...8" of the term. It is beau", foroes aK of diffnm' 'natu",1 kinds'. as ..... 11 .. differen, magnitudes, tha, he rtfen the space in whid> forces confront one anom.. as '. "non·plact", a pur. di.unu, which indi.,,,.. that the ad ....... ries do 001: hclong ro. common spaa:' {F""",,,uit 1977b: 851, Nnerthcltss, in any li- <'1OC<)Un",r, one fottt will domina .. an.d another "';U b< aubordinarintI attN upon wll;';h coru
'0
'0
'OIll'EIl
....... bbl" of parriculu kinds of iort:e or caf*cll, . ' CYt"TY ttb.riom.hip ol foe ..... COMrin>m • bod, ic is cha'MaI, bioJ..·.I, !Ocial or poIirical AII)' two MM" bcinB """'1"'1, <;Of.,u..... body .. _ u ~ enter into. ttb.lionshJp· (lk/Mm 1'83: 0101. ..... tM in_ principle of ttb.riooro< bet"'U' """'"" will to po.'" it man;" fat bod> ... c:apoocity KI .ffca and I "'.-At KI be .n....aI. Dolt"", poinQl out dun. ewn beton: N.,ZJC:be kod fully dobonred hi< _""pt of will to PO_U", ho rmred power '., • malttt of Ind lOIns.ibiliry' IDr ....... "U 621. Tho ripli!ic:anc. 01 m. feel,,. 01 po"" d.. i.·.. from m. faa ,hat human boingt are animals ........ acriom sift .... ro • corrupondill& wbj«ri •• Ifft.ct. No! only do m.y oct, but ther Itt . Iso IFfeaod by thoX rdtt 10 iI bt ........ m. (OIiC:tpt mat M di....,,,.d in H........ , AU Too H..-. who .. pbenoo,,.,,,. """ u pity I nd lelti,. Irt .nalyted in ffl1I1I!I ol tho ' jftI"" ol ...".. iooil,· ,hutb, obtained••nd ..11m- M ad ..."""" the h,pod , :, tha. ;" .11 .......... 'it is .... indi"", ...I'1 ... ..u., for oeIf...;0,-........ ... , ko, snrm.. iiOdf id tony inotanc.· IN ......... 1'84: bit l., pa... IOn. In 0itybrr..1r., NirrDcho"'«8 • thai
w,.dIa·
fed""
,10".,,,,,
hoc:a_ m. ,..,Iill& of impotern Ind ft...... in I "'~ 01 11 _ cor>Mi>OUI stimulation to .....,.ty and for 50 Ion&. m. fecli". of po .... , h.. ~.ed It>""" I dtgt .. of wbtlety oh;io, in ollis rupca man is now • maid> fur thr ....,.. delia •• aoId·""II""". 10 ko. becomo his JtIOnSCSI~: the mnnl dilCOYCttstitu,. d. hiliOtJ' ol o;ul"'tt. (Niew
DoIcu.. (!<>in .. our 01" .. ollis dimuuion of NinucIw-'. UNWOipt ol
po.~'
bo i'", him deNt to Spinola. who ~n .n c><" .«orl, pooIound d .... , • .........:1 • capacil, lor hoi,. . ffoeud to ccw,upond to""'" 'l.....riry of 1Urtt' (Drlo, .... 1'*): 62), H""",,-n. diis ~fftctift di".,,,, · Do ol de _opt of po ... ;. IIOi only • point ol oontacl bu ..." SrLwu .nd N;"',· I.. u we aNU otII' ia a... ...... ~ . it ""Ud an Unporu.M hr PS bon , de Drlo ,ri. n coo'""'" 01 powtr, duirt and bcuwn;'" A, tho ......, of ooeio-;•••Ji'icol ..... Iyoio., .... .... K<"' .. olollis diffi"u,.;.,1 wn«pi ol ~ and will It> po . .. is. pr « o-&ooo ....ucti.. . ..""pt of po_r, accordinc KI which de po."" ollny IPftU bootr • in the bndy itlOflf bu, in its ttlations 10 other bOO;"'. 11>< " ' $ ..ion thai powe, i, """";'lJy ttt.lion.1 is .... in itself In q ...1 inti&h', C. 8. Macphenon d ..... ttention 10 'M faa mal Hobbn dtfi.... men', ...",...1 po .......... in ~nn. of any .btoIun !nd of bodily endowments bu. in mmoo of the '''''';~' ol .hoot foculi;'" (Mac:phmon 1%8: 34 ). In "d,e, WO"Idoi. tho
.,.:Ie< ....
OF-LEUZE AND THE
tOLl TI CA~
power of I bod, dtp.."", UP'>" its .tiffeu " from (JIlin bodies Ind 1ft ino!" ichoaJ iR ~, is more po" UfullO de&- .,,", his or lin capaciria uu.d Ihooc of od",,", Ira po .... fuI 10 de&- thaI Ihty I ... t .. ,«'med b.ll 1110 oft. 'insuumu... I· po......, where Iheoo arc: .he mull. by ...... ich """ can command ,lit forca of od"a. ouch AI upuuorion or friuwI"'ip (Hobtx:. 1968: I SO). pttfff m. inllnUfll!i'luol pow ..... thr &ft....... he: dqrce 10 .... hid> oft. power of an indr.ichoaJ will oft. po ..:, of
m.
m.
m.
m.
m.
n..
nmn.
n..
n""""
OOk.._ A"'ldkr war lor 'ndivid..d hod;... to tRhana: dw:it po • .,. io 10 form aJlia""" with othu tomier InIUpU"JClQilI td.alionf ouch .. friendo.hip .... , invol"" .lliaRCa thaI reinfora: tho po .... of bod! buc JO .... , pOOrical """""""" or inItirtrrional I~IJ. n.. body poIicic of dan' -'I ..,.iaJ /;OIl""",,, rtw:orr ~ bt ,,' idtnd a composia: hod, .... hich ......... to ...... ne<: m. ......., of iIf in<J;ridWlI nw:mben.,,....,,, .~ in its UoIA ian form iI.1oo in.aIva m.. QpruA: of indi"idual powen by lhe: aovcreign.' Dclcux and ram.. point to lDOIhtr kind of compooi.e bod, wltic:h in.-olyn .n inaea ... of thr powers of ,!.I constirunll bodies throuah ulmp!< of thr symbioois of , he: WI", and the: ordIid. This phonomrnoo of ·double:
pom....
i,"
.htj.
1lw: orc..id "'". 10 form I w . ......... 8'", bul in faa d,,:re iJ • ...... P-bectxnin« of !he ordUd. ''1 orclUd-heco
·tha,
(Dcl<
'H
and p.,.,.... 1987,
2,'
Such "'ox,," 01 """'bl.
powut of an Jndjyidua) body ma, bt ....nsfotmod by mcui"ll iRm & rd.alion with II.. po ..... of .nodw:t without i ........ ponol;" or wakntill3 dw: ochtr bod,. More ""'......11" !his kiftd of ....... morphotit in .ho po ....... 01 a ""en body Of ........ bIagc io what Do le: tit Ind Guo ....ri all ' tw:.:ontinlJ'.
n..
primary concern 01 Plawou 10, ' 1730: tw:.:ontin8-;n....... , bccomin8Inima~ bocomin8-;mp<.ccp!iblc' in A n.o..s"" d I's"w.... i. lhe: an.lysis of
,.
the afftniy. dimo:mian of Cttl;Iin kinds of relatioouhip Nt • •• " bodits by .......... of tho COf.... pe of 'becominS" This con«pe is uamincd in ""'"' detail in o.apW"~, pp. 78-13. 11<>;:0 .... hu",,"n bodies ar. complex and pes.... a raIlF of 'na.ural' powns, including the power of im.:osin.rion, m.y . re a",,1Ik of many difforont kinds of ~raC"lion with om.r bodits. The kind, 01 action of which a hwnan body is capable will depeild upon its phj'$ical oon.nrurion, the tndurin8 social and insrination.al relations within which it liyco, and the moul inrnprttttions which define its acu. In IN)obtIN,Ir (1~B2, bIo: I , ""ra. 38), Niou.och< points ou' th... moral ;nfffprtcotion. of phmomona a..., amons 1M ""'" important "",an. by ... hich human bc:inp aC"I upon doc:n""l_ and Ofhrro: .. is by such .......... that In indiyidu.l an ..,joy his own magnanimi1y Of arou .. piry in Ofl"..... In 0" II>« Gmouglo..."'" t(I
""ra.
in.q:u,o and coordina", maul ......11 .. phyoioc.ol and i ........ tioualloo"' •.
DeKript:i~
ontology or 'an.oIytic' of power
Dekuzc'. con<:epI of a transcenden ... 11ieId of fora: relation .. cncompaosing all of tho mean. by which bodia of diff.oem kindo may act upon oach ",he., forftll lhe bali. of Fouaul.'s noyd approach .0 the analysis of power in DiscipIMe ~...J "",,;.1, .nd The Hu/Orj 0{ Su>uUiry, .01.. I ( I nS), 'Power's condition of possibi~'Y ... is.he movin& suboou-"", of fora!' reIa.ions which., by ';nue of thtir iroc:quality, conmnrly mgmder ....1eI of _ ' (Foucault 1978, 9Jl. Fouault undersunds pow .. I. the effect of ,..lo.ions bc:rwffn diffe=n fo.tts, the powe< of • body
DEUUZ E AND THE J>()UTlCAL
on. Foucaul, ... botq"""tly piopostd a delini.ion of pow.r ,d.tion< which ~mi •..! .he Iidd w intoractions b«wet:n human fotr.t:s, suggosring that he: _. roncomtd only w;m pow..- rdotioos W>d.ntood as the: ....., of Klions upOO oehe:. actions' (Foucaulr 1983: nOf. Howover, ~ ... within !hew: limits., the:r. are KiU many waY' in which individual or coilecriv. asmcies can act upon rn. of othc:n: they CIIn provoke, inci.., rnrricI, pr0hibit, make I!lOI"e or less probable, and 10 on. A•• ro:sul' , Dd...... .uggests, _ CIIn imagine an 'open lisI of variables exprtSSing a ma'ion be' . ' Ul forero' (.o.Ie",," 19881>, 70). Among 1M many ways in which we CIIn ad" upon 1M action< of othuo, only oome w;1I hav. 1M effect of limiting or diminishing thrir Cllpacirin for action. Conversely, !here: .... many waY' in which _ can an w ... hancr Of assiot othen in the exm;i ... of their powers.. Foucaul. don nor offer any accounl of ouch ways of Mins Of oaing ouwdt the ...lations of so •• rttlT>etI. and domination. His studies of po . '" t ... dtd w focus on tho.., rdatively fix..! Of congealed ... lations of force which .... bIe some w &ovem the """"lOCI of oeMrs. Ne... 'IM..... the .......... 1" of po ...... as dw: effect of diff£"rmtiol force rdotions .""-<1 him to .bandon • sfflts of asaumpiiono ahout .he: nature an.! """,,,tion of pow..- • .....-;.tttW 'wpology' of ...... 1 power ... lotions founded on .n imm.anmt 6e1d of power 'wilhout tr.nocendenl unification', wilhout ttt"ralisarioo on rbe 6gu'" of tbe Sc..., or t .... );..tion in ... Iation w ,be 'r... m of .uv....... the dirttrion of history understood in the:sc Iftms. All ~."". ar. lhe: .ffen. of the inl<rphy of /orces. OJ rhinp .... rransfutmcd or ... inl.rpreted 10 """', ,,"w end .. If follows that IbeK i. no I!lOI"e an endurin& essu>a: "the .yc was nor always intended for "";ng, and punidun
.ction.
"
powu. Fouaoult'. KCOIJnl of the ~ of rnodtm punishment by i",,",· =arion prt>'rides IlII iUUneql6on of po ..... to the ..,oal firld. f.ct thaI prison. bta.",.. the jK<dolhin:u lI form of pwlishmenl in lhe nrly ni,,,,, ... ,,h "",ruT)' "p' ..""ted I conye .... R""'" of twO quite di.parate fDfU"-liupo of indi..;dual.. discipliM combined lho enh'~1 of pn>ductiy< Qp;>e:irin with the rt:ir.lotu'nttali$;tbl!: ·diagram' of powtt" which wI< ...,bodiN in the pi..,., and ocher soci.l institutions .",,11 •• factories. harrad< .. 0r a building deoip wbich could .." .••s a IChooI. workshop or penitenliary: in olton:, whe ....... r lhere wal I ncN '10 impose a particula. conduct on. parricula. human multiplicity' (De1euu 1988b: 3-4, d . n l. Ddeuu poinl5 011' ,hal wh., """",,"ulr <:lll, a ·dioq.m' of panoptic po ..... is tho ",,,,... of. pure function applied ro an unop..u....J P/'lfN>lJj, ,ho .bstract modli ... functions '"" In 'immanrnt ca .... • which explain< the mutu.lly IUpportiY. intnsction betWftII the lot" .. of conlenl and upression in any giyrn ........ bage.. I. is bod! • condition of .... <£&us ,~aliocd in • gi»en .... mbl~ and .n .bsrracrion that nisi. only in those .ff",,1S, in a man ..... that parallrls ,he ularion"'ip of .... will 10 po ... , to the ..1.riooJ betWftII particllia. forus in ... hich it i. expressed. 10 ..... case, tho abolflCl machine of panopr tho .:0,... , , " " " of the discourse of delinqumcy and tho
n.c
"""ish.
DHEUZE AND THf 'OLITI CAL
diJcip/inary feC'hniques which togeIhotr "",k.. up ,h/! 5<>ci.1 asoemblall" tarccul dispo.itif (0.1euu 1988t.: 37). which l'otK:ault ailed o.\ruu', 'Pomcrip< on control ~. (Ddt"", \9951>, In- 82) build. on Foocault·, u'gge<'ion that modr:m wcitry i$ disciplinary by proposing the diagram of ~ new form of powrr which hu tohn hold in «:ntury an.d which he ddinro a. by $tep with !hoM: of di.scip~nt. Control involv<:I CODrin"""" modularion rather than ditconrinllOllJ mooldins of individuals an.d activitico, compnition rarhn rhan no"""lisation:
m..
m.. 1Wtnn.m
In di!ICip~""ry _itti .. you ~ .Iways .... rting . 1I <We< again la. you went from !IChooI to N,,,,,,k., from N ..... d . to factory), whiLt in (Ontrol _icrics you ....... lini>h anything - bw.ineu. training an.d military ..",ice being coexisting ... ,.. of a oinglc: modulation, a sort of unive"",1 trln.mutation. (0.1<>= 19951>, 179 )
opera'"
Tbc d;gital ia"3uago: of """,,01 by mcam of codes roth .. than idmrifyin8 .<snafU...... pa .. words rathor thon ordorword •. JU$I ao dilci-plinary ,.dUliques ""'eloped alonpjdo indumial capitalism, SO the mrchan~ of control ror ..... pond 10 m.. fJ"I.mformarion of aprtali .... into a ."... m domjn.attd by mr.. production. ""'rk.ring .nd financial
o.ku.., and Gua,uri', _ial 'artOj!:taphy' rak .. as its primary tuk ,be ""'ppins of !he .bsJ ",pital (... a..pm- 5). In A ~..d I'i.ow .... machinic: analys.;. i$ developed further by dcscriprion of many differtrt, kinds of abotract machine whid! inhabit ,he IOciaI fo:ld: me abot .. ct machine of Ia~age and ito actualisation in collective ..... mbl. go:s of trt~nri>rion; abstracr machi .... of though., .Je.;.... nd sociol 'I'""" or rcgmentoritr. Cunin3 """"'" 'M analy ... of.".,m abotract machines i$ a recurr .... oppoojrion bot, ...." . bstract machines of captuf"C and Ibwact "",chinn of mcumorphosis and tron.formation. In order 10 ,pprtci... me rcnse in which this diorinction pro_ides a buis for evalu. tion. we m.... unde ... and i.. origins ;n 0.1 ..... '. ;nttrpretation of NiHu<;he's "'i!l1O po ...... .
m..
'"
PO'll'U
Power and evaluation: ...,oye .nd ractive fora: When politiC'll the", isu WIt abou, ~r, they tend to mean waY' In whic;h """'" agrnts I!""~ or on"i.. control O¥CI" II.. aaion. of odoen. This wa. not al ...ay. 10. n.. shih /rom a mono g<%pI" of po.'" wtuch pudomina'" in ..oodo", political theory iI e"..mplified in Hobbes', di",ussion in ~N """""', afln ddining pow« •• 'pi -nt means to obtain ....... fulUK appo.mn good', he loti on .0 conoidtr only the mea ... by which indi.idual. can enha~ the-j, own powers by control~nl the pon'" of <:>dIm. The fan that he includes friendo.hip ao an 'inmumtftul' power alonpidl< ricba and l"C"f"Iution draws attention to an impottant feotuK of the co""'pi, namel, that then: i. nothing objectionable about ItlIt"rcising power IHobbes 1968: 150ff.1. As we uw abov., to offer ad.;"', instruc-
n..
tion or support is also to acr upon .he actions of omm. widefpiud .ie.. of PO"" as 'nliaU, repi Ii..: a .. u..... that poWf. is by nature hostile to the MInH.. of.no.., ""'" whom it iI ntl ci .. d. By con"a"" for Drltuu and Fout:ault, pow.... is IlOl alwaY' do;p;, .... oul to the iolttftU of ....... 0... whom it is nerei""!.'· lndetd, in """'" rnpa:U, In.. CJtC,cioc of power is what .... pes and determines t"'- 'inttrntl'. "Their <:OnUf" of power is non-norma';". ;" ,he ...... that it includes .11 of dtt _)'I in which agm .. aK able to act, upon ochora or upon ~ Tluol i. why Delcu.. can cotrIlI"IC1l. that tMf<: iI no point in a"'irIJ! ... hrther a new form of~, such aI thai embodied in mechanisms 01 control, is bon ... or ... "' .. than the old: in net. ca.. there i. conflict 'between the wa,_
they fr-..: and
n.
.
mda..
1 78,1.":,~.~
.,
ex..-cHin« pow.... pointed to hi. failure to normari..., iosun wh ich COIX.'trf1 liberal political tt..... } a>ntrXt tr:adition: .. htn and in wha. is po ...., iusrilicdl These iss.ues aK iafFJ, althou", no! d~""" of powe. up ,n the publication VoI_ I, in 1976." N~ ....J PbiJo.apby (I~8]), there is a ...... ;" theory 01 wiU to pow .. does """"ide srounds for evaluation, manner that is ""Iiuly to sari.fy Foucaull" critics. Drleuze Ninuche', pioitu is tM ..... l.isation.nd radicaliution 01 Kan,', critlq"'" For N"~, i, is ...1.... d ........ I..,. whid! m.... ~ evaluated, ;" con .....,. to the u..... itica! .cupta ..... of .... blished .al....
wa,..
.'1.... ,
"
DEUliZE AND THE POLITICAL
whicb characterises Kontian critiqU<', i\<:t'od thcir • • 1.... Tbe _ or "",ani"ll of a givm pbmommon is d..rtnninod by q""lity of f~ which pmlominarM (forces are rithcr acti"" or reactive), and its va l... by lbe q ... lity of lbe win to power which is p.--nl (affirmative or negariye). In other word., in addition 10 lbe differenus bftw ...n lhe various narunl kinds of ~ Ddeu.., draws an",,1ion to the distinction belwun 'activ~· al>d ·reacti",,' force. Thi.1inds its dearnr oxprtSSinn in N~'. aocounl of difftttnc .. berweol maOin and oIave morality in 0" t~ G~logy of Md m.;. likel from the b.d, al>d rhooc who distinguish the ml I,IM: or"",",) from 1M good (tt.,,,..Jvu). Thi. is a diff~ in ditKtion of wha, N~ cans ~ valU""1""'iring ~'. bt1 . ... " ..,If..direacd action and ocber..directed action:
me
m.
m.
In order 10 exist, oIavo morality alwaY" fim need. a I>os!ile ex .."",l world; il needs physinlngicaUy speaking, tlIemal mmuli in onkr to a<"1 at all - its o.ction it fund ....... tahy .... ction. The rev.,..., is the a.., wi,h m. noble modo of .alua,ion: it actS and ~ 'po<>taneously. (N~ 19"94: essay I, para. 10) In Deleuu·. sym-matic reformulation,.ru. diftiocrion is drawn in tho: 6"" insur.a: with "Ku"", the rela&.e otrrngth 01 the form pr~" .he ..,peri<>< fora, by which is .... an' the OM rhot do...iru" .. in • gi...... • ncountft with anoot....- fora, is activ., whilc: the inr."i.o. or dominated fotu is reacti •• , The difff,rma: be ....." tbcoe two kinlk of fotu is th .... • diff..."", in their "'"nntr of o.ction. Ra"i .. forus .... thooc: who.< a.cti.iry is con.died or con ..uined by 5Upcrior fotns. n..y are ~r.· dj"""ticaUy lot ..... of .daprari"" or <:Od utilitarian a«ornmodarion •. , , express all ~ power of inferior and domin .. ted forces· (o.Ieuu 1983: 4 1). By COfllrast, .cti•• for= a ... Ih.,... approprialive, dominanl or .uplially uanalive: ·Ihe power of transfonnarion, ~ o;.,.,ylian power, is the primary definition of activity' (Deleuu ] 983: 42). Deleuu dacribos ,he diffClence berwcm a.ctive and reactive forces as a difft.rcnu betwcoo IW'O q"'~Da of fora:, whe .. lbe q""~Da aNT. . pond
'0
'"
POIl7ER
t". d;ffi'I£'I« in quantity. In ~ffKt,'ince forces niot ""Iy in marion to forces, quamitati.-e difkrmce is the (Sst,...,. of foru U "",h (the ... .... "" ~ua! M_ in nl"''''). But mis ..... ntitl!iv~ difftltll« in tum si"t...... t" a ri. difft, . "a' in quantity and the absolute of their .... pccri,.• qualities' lDelouu 1983: sq. Tho wiU to POwt1" is the difkrmtial .nd smeti< principle which aa:ounts kor the ",b.riondlip ........:0 fonx •. I. is the innn principk which ghres rise 10 this double gontrinI the foou. into ... lali"", tho, task hei", ltfr to ~h..a~, the will 10 power 'produce<' the diff."""" in q ...... ntity and the resultant quality which eacl! foru ""'lui .... in a given ",Iation (Delru.., 1983: H). AIthou&h the ..... Iity of "" ..... hu in origiruo in quanrit.. i•• dif".".,...-r, it is "'" boond by thl ' original stat. <>f .ffli rs. Cultural ~ "" les. than physical events in.al>-r dyruomic .ys«ms. A. Ni"wd.. repeatedly argues. the w•• k m.y triumph ovt1" tM st"",&. IfI 0 .. rho a_to" of M",~lity M analyses ....... of the principal fonns 01 onm>-r foru which h ... heLd $WI1 over human natu ..... name:1y .... ~t. bod roruocienc • • nd lhe.sceric ideal. Reacti ... forces may Jfl,he ...11.. of acri>-r ones. btll lhey 00 !!Of tt..rd>y acriY •• for ,he IftIOll ,hi' their mode of operation is "'" ,"" ... me:. NietucM·. Vltw, ' '''Olding '" Deltuu:. is tlul the difft"""" btt .. ."" acri>-r.nd rea-r M ,,"' deri.... in the first in.ta"'" &om the difFt,.na: in quantity: activ. forces .... lhooc domi ... ,. whik .naiv. ones .'" dominated. Bu, rbi, difh:"""" in the qual;" of lui,,", call1lOl be: reduced '0 q ... n,itali>-r -r fora: from wh..a, if can 00' (Deku", 1983: 57), and in ' his w.y . ..... ble.o ""., ........ acti.. for= by neulT3]i5ing so.". "r .U of !hoi. ""...... By con".... :active fora: is fora: acts of ilS ...... n accord. IfI doing so. ;, may imP"'<' form. upon boer Iui<:eji or <>therwisc: appropri.,. or subordin.l. !hom to its own end •• A-r fora: goes 10 the limil of what it un 00, even '" the po;nl of in own deottuCTion .nd trammutation inlO ....... ,hing 01 ... At Ihi. point, DeIeuu: .'1....... ron",", disti nclio" is 10 compIeo ••M ev.lua.i.. function of the wiU 10 "".. cr. 'in on:Ier t" ... the JOUiU of the: qu.Uties of fora: in !hi< ...ay, the wiU to POM" m..... itself hl>-r qu.li,;"" pa"kul."y ftuen, ooeo, ....... mote subtle than those of foru·lo.-r.uu: 1983: H). "f"Mst qualities art: the .f6nnari... and neprive
om..r
s....m
rorrcs
ba::"""
,ha,
.ha,
''''''''''1
"
OELEUU AND TH! ' OLITICAL
of .t.. wi!! '" power . .If. AItbou&h ~ dif{uence in mode of ~n.o.. be,"a" IoCtiw and rumw forcea mlY 'ppea' '0 follow from the <>J., is '. puricub.. rd. ...... of Ioroes, I ~niaolar qualil)' 01 forces. And aIoo. particular quality of po .... IffirmiJoB or den)'in«' (Otk .... 19U: 8.'5 ~ Ginn that in aU "€lots I will 10 pow .. io """,,
"".we
.hc;.
Ii.'"
1983, as). The inunducrion of 'his primordial distinction beIwffn qualities of the will .., power i....';.cu funhft compluil)' into Nietud>e·. genealopcol iIl"'po ..., ion. Inrnpr.... rion in.-o/Y .. ckterminin& lhe ...... and .al", 01 a ,hi"" wlottt ilt ........ is cktwni/llOd bJ ,t.. quality of force which is f' -..1 while its .al", is drwmirwc! by the q ... lity of ~ will fO pOWff. n..... is u affinity or complicity be..... " .ffirmation .nd activ. force, and be ....." ntp,i<>n .nd react;w foru, bul ntIItr I confusion of If-..... TWo lewis.. This impliel thai forcQ may in fxt jIOI$CS$ the . ,1", of ""PhW will.., pow ....... what a""""nn to 't.. .. me ,hi... ,hal forceo 01 nihil""". Iiff.,-denrin/j forceo, may ba:ome acei.e. Conw..... ly, fora. of .ffu· marion may then>od_ beco",e "",ai¥<:: 'The... '" reacri~ for .... thaI brc""", p:tInd ..... and faoclnali .. by foIlowi", ~ will ro noIhingncss and thffl: .... actin forceo tha, ...boi
.am:
me,.
n..
"
,owu of thr wiD f() powtf. n.. mull il a c:omplo,x and ou..onc«i Iylrtnl of jndge. mmt which dors nnI: :illow for aoy simplt axiologico] prioli!}' of a<;I:iV( "".". rnrnn, .ffirmatin 0 .... nogal;"". Tak~ thr ~xample of Cl'lristian ~I;gion, for Nicw<;M, this hal irs <>rigi,.. in .m. .Iaft rn<>1. in morality· and P"I"<" .... an ..sential affini.y with .M nogari .... $i.d. of m. will tl> po...-er, This .~mllly doubly nogari •• p/>e_ has ""YftlMI.., produted """'" of the his/lest forms of human I,fe hiTherto.1J It is boch a 'rigorou. and IP'Indiooe .... pidity' INiomJd>< ]97): parr 5, para. U8 ~ Y" also the prin hI ve hold oway in diff" . ", ronlnU. Tho rn.ctift ron"';OU<MU of lin thal bc:w.nos rvanSOI'$lic and denuncialory is 1\01 the ....... as m. .cti..... bstention from all ,hat is sinful. ~ an: 1'0",.. of the hralrhy individual from his or her powe .. and limiTS the l"'I"ibi]iria for action. Whilo thi, iHhrly ...activ. fora, irs .al~ ~ds on the nam .. of the . ubjfct and how i, respond. to thr ill_ whid> acts upon it. no. ....... phyoiolosial lUte ma1 -.ok"" .....". powers bul 1100 open up nc:w pouibiliries of fcolinS or bri", aboul new apac:irios for actinA and bcins acred upon. Nicw<;1It of his illness in ,box mms when be ougga<ed tha, if ...... bINI him '0 dioconr ~fe and hi~lf a _ and tha, it WI< dun,. the Y"'I"$ of his '!ownl vit>lity' thaI he: '<~Hd 10 be:. (Niewd!c 1"" 'Why I am 00 ....... ooction 2). ~ing on how !hi: illnc:so is ~vul, wt must ask whe:d"" il is m. .."'" condirioa or m. ... mo illness in.ach elSe 'is it the ....... inv.lid who i.!hI: .Loft of his iUneos and who.....,. i. IS a """"... of tXPJorin&, dumi".,ing and bring po .... f..J?' (~ .. 1983: 67). U1rinumy. i, is the rd.!ioMhip bof'll",n the ill"... and tM 1"tifr1, ...hid! "",,,,,,,i,,.. the affirmari~ or nogari~ qu..olity of th il ruai~ fon:c:. Tho dynamic upocts of the interplay bmvttn m. qw.~rin of wiU '0 PO"" and those tha, ...1".....". un fon:c: ~Iations ...... n m..•• n. """Iu>lion of particular phcor"",,,,na i. 00 simplt ","n.r. Tho inlemal complexity Ih .. II intmduced by the 1"'I";l.;lil)' rita, actift MCd may reach ••• • nd acqUlrf: an affinity with !hi: nogari~ ........ than the affirmatift qw.lil)' of ,lit will m po...-er, or the possibility ,hal tucrift foras may bC:liog. Tho~ is no aplhm by whid> w~ an mod off lho q ... lity of . gi...., evenl or
-.pa"""
_pok.
_imis,·
becoo,,,,
pho."",,,,,,.
"
DElEUZE AND THE POLITICAL
phenomenon. Indttd, ao Nio:tz.;M'. <»n<%pUon of history as " "X""ive ......... of . ubdui,,! and becom~ m,,'er .. '88 ...., philooophy cotai"nI as the intttp ..... tion of tM meani,,! of thin" must be an .n (Nio:tz.;M 1%4, nso y 2, pa ..... 12). None 1M los, defenders of 1M Enli&hrenment £oith who ding 101M possibiliry of objective iudgomeru might still insist thaI thne mllSl be grounds for ru.U"""nct. Evtll "antnl the complexity of phenomen•• nd the tortuOuS path. of their hi>torical development, ... rdy 1M.. is on obj of jud~ ment by particuLor, b;"orially ooowitutni subject$, 1i>eTe is no tnnocendent point Dr uniform .... ndard of judfemen.t. Ultimalely, il is tM will 10 power which interpretS ond which .... I""t.. {Deleuze 1983: il-4l, .nd the will to power is di.idnI.. N • rault, .11 euluation mu" be grounded in (KM' 0< otbe-r d ... raaer of the will 10 powt1", one ot other quality of fom:. V.I"",, ann"" be ab.=cred from the . tandpoint from whith they dnw their .01... , and that .... ndpoint is uiti",... ly the a£/irmarin .... nep. ,i .. c/t.aracter of the wiU to power. At this b,,~ "nluarion. rellrct the q..... lity of the fa,,:.,. ... hich mak" lhem, and lhere will be a. m.ny .... Iu.· tion, of a gi ..... p/>enomenon I i lhere are sub;ecu of "".I .... lion. There is no tr.nocendent . . ndard, no God'5-ef' poin, of ...... 10 IV""nd the pas . .. bil;ty of ob;eai • • " • • I.... tion. Any p.rticular jud... "",nl will be on txprtlduIcy to a!Ce!>d, ,heir h~"""". Low and boose dc
"J"hr will to pow.. is noo: only divided bi.a inlernally ",< N;"-:M, ,he will 10 POW" i, ultimately affimtarin. Wi>ertver it ..... mes. ""8";" charactet, ,bis can only be understood in r"Lotion to the _ Iunda"""'t.l a//irma· Ti ... maracte" th .... nihilism, the wiU 10 nochingness, 'is and nomain. a
.
will' (Nim:tche 1"4: essay 1, para. 28). Simib.Iy, ....,., is an imponant .... '" in which ~ ftm:r is the primary qua~ty of force whik the _criTt' is no ~ po .",nt at the origin, it can ooly be \Ind....""od u n'acriTt' 'in n:luion to and on the bam of the active' (Drieutt 191): 42). In this rcnrc. the will to po.", is alrnody a partisan principlt, on< that cannot cLaim the ntutral status of 'ubj: ti •• truth' bur only conslsu!lC}' with its own fundammtal Nltun:, Will tn po .... , is itrclf an affirmatiw: thou"'~ .;opahlt of ttptusin« ....... forces: 'A thou"'t that would sn m the limiT of ",hal life:.;on do. a thou&hl tho. would lad life 10 the limit of what i. can do' (Ddnlz< 1983: 101). ~ is flO independenl anlW'" to lhe followi", queftion: in wha .....'" and br what "",I i. nobility h p or bttt ... th.an b t _ l T'ht" is no external justification for the pretmi"""", of the affi:mo.tiw: and acti ••. It is flOC " " " " " 10 poinT to the Josiul pre-emineuc:. of the actiTt' ovtr the racriw:, the affinnati •• ovtr lhe ntgIli •• , siflC( if the will 10 po."" only"" .... in i .. dt"""inaLt and qualified forms, mm il is no leu pr:SMI on the ,idt of the ""8"ti"" and the rucri .... In ordtr to function .. a basis ~ enricol evaluanon.. OtltuZ< a<&...... the willi" powt, mlHt bt a;>n>idt .. d in the COO>Ltx. of Ninuche', philooophy .. a wIK>k. W. cannot only oonsidrr the wiU to ......... 'in itself or abstractly, as l1>O'I't!y....oo....e.l with tw" oppooI;Lt qualitits, affi:mo.· tion and ""8"tion' IDtItu .. 1983: 8&). W. mu .. alto "fer 10 lhe 'ttll' "f mmal mum. UIti ..... Ltly, Dtl< of bring as a Itlcxtiw: pmc<77, in which it is only the actl"" .nd the .flinnatin which mum, and in which lhe negltiw: muSl cw:ntually be IransmUtN inlo the affirmatin. ka ...... it implits a principlt of Itlcxtion, Dt1eLlZ<" Nietuchean philosopl!y of difkr. once is flO leu 'moral' in ia; flftct th.an Plam'L But iI in.oIva a diffnmt prineiplt of ..Iection, all<>win& only the rtt\Im of the no: ' i•• and Ira... • formatin forms, rhorc that SO 10 lhe limil of their capacilin and uansform Ih.m,elva into somechin3 eire. Sin« btl", is <"","i'N in terms of:Jtvec of powtr, thi, amounts 10 the ",Itcrion of the '''ishe<' forms, thorc with the ue&tcsI capacity 10 act and 10 be acted upon, thorc with the ue&tcsI capacity and the ue&re5'I IttI$ibility. n.., .... f'ttal rtt\Im thw dtfones . nd ..Icxco th.al whkh io 'noble:' iQ Niornad>t'........ of the ","", 'E&ttnal rtt\Im aInnc: effc:,;;a; the tr\It ..Itc..... ~ beca ...... if f'Iiminot... tho Uttl'SI" forms Ind W>CO¥tn ''the superior 01 ..aythin3 thol iI'" (Ddtu... 19'94: 54- .1). In this rcnrc, unlike Foucault', ,"""lyrics of PO"", Dok ",.', N~n metaphysic. does offer a ... rropu Io.~. Dtltu.. and Gualtan'. o<xiopoliria:l mal,.... rdies upon an tqU<y ",Icxti.e and partisan CO!ICtpfUal ............,... of ...luarion. Considtr PlaLtau 9, '1933: micropolitics and ...."'.nllrity' (DckLlZ< and Guallan 1987: 208-3n where tbty cha1lense the anthropological ideo thai lhe .....ul 'pag: of '.,;.ilisal' ••x:iUI is =Iralisal.nd hierardlical, in conlJ'aSl 10 the segmentary SpIce of oo
.m..
rom.
"
DELEUZE AND THE PDllTI C AI.
tha, m. oociol fobri< 0/ u>Od.e", capitalisf IOciety is no .... sqm.."ed in i.. r:ooa.omic and political orpnisarion, its ...... oIlauguage and its orpnisa. rion 0/ dcsi~. Sqrn.ntarity is J""'f'On. iu boch forms of society, they argue, bUl tbtu at<: twO kinds of oogmentariryt OM supple and molt:culat; m. ocbe.- riP! and moLa •• These an: disfirlct 'becaUit mey do n.or h..t m. lame Unm or tht samt relations or m. ..."'" naturt or t •• n tht lame typo of multipliciTy' (Ikkuu aud GuInan 1987, 2131, They a~ insq>ar' able ·boca.... they coexist and cross 0Ytr inlO .ach <>ureauaali< and h.... rchical inwrutions; molecular lines whid. cor, .. pood the lIuid and ooullpping 10.mJ of division chan.c:mistic of 'printili"'" .. rriroriality, As indiridLtaIs and os roII.<:ri.itD, Doleuu and G~lttari a~. _ I ~ com~ of differen. kindJ of 1m.., Who, d>ey call 'mM::ropo!itics" 'schWlanalysis' or sociol 'c:r.rt<>grlphy' is the otu=ption. It is both doe ~Ilt of maximal creatin pur.......1 aoo me ~ ... of grea.est danger, offerillll ~ .he poaibility 01 th< sm, .... joy and of the _ extreme ""Suish,
,Mi.
Su,.
,0
.ha.
a'
"
'OWEI.
M well .. ~ <:rtatin lines ot fJOfnItial patln of mutation in In indio vidual Of JOciaI f.bric, lines oflliglf han lheir own da~ .....,. ""'1 db, ...1'ti 'tm:ln.o.. a ..... nge dtipoir, Iikt an odour of dc:Ith Ind immot..· rion, a ...... of .... , from which one mums brokm' (Drieuze and Gualtari 1987: 2ll). "fly da",", io ,ha" onGt Iui_ing bttokm ou, of "'" limits ....,.pootd by tht Fooild of ..... '.. ntant)' Ind IUbjati .ity, • lint of
mol.,
with "'" i'i'n 57uy conditiom of crariv~ dcYdopmen! Of ~ incapable of so connecting and rum inSfad into a lint of d<smxtion. Whm this occun, "'" OUtCOSOci •• ,..! "';,h lines of ro", .... the reaoon for the .....';,.1 prudent<: of o..lnWan politics. II is boca .... we i\n't:1 know in adY:lnc<: whi.ch ""'" I line oflli3h' ,..;11 .... rn, ot ~ .. Ii"'" on of lot.., ............ .I....." .. will lot able ' n foo-m • «>ri$iotm. and funotional mulriplicity. mat caurion is 1"'0·... .,.. At the .. me rime, it is boca .... 'it i. ol"'aY' on a Ii ... oflli"'t that we era..' [Deleu.., and Pamct 1987: 135) tha. '"" mu" contin"" to experiment with such lines. flight mar fail
to a>ruItCf
"
4
DES IRE, BECOM ING AND FREEDOM
Politics of dnirc Dclcuu and Guattari'. AmHftdipou Iaunchnl a polemical .... uh on the "'U.,.;.. of ut .... i,ul synthesis <>f Fm>cq>I of da.in .nd sketth of an .lfHNtiv. schi .... nalytic cor.... '" imrntdia~ly bea.mt a ...ais Ok purposc of Deleuu and Gu.m ari', though.' lGoodnan..J,.. ... ' Rathn, QUI aim is I<> identify lOme of . he significant f..tufa of .heir 'politics of desire- and 10 .bow how Ihex .". drrived from th< ... "",,-psych.oonalytic cona:pI: of desire. The most obviou. _ in whid:t thty enpged in I 'politico of dtsite' ..".rgcs from their argument
Ih.t, desire is implicored in all oocial . rod political PO """I$<>: There i. no Judi thing .J the soo;.i.1 production of ... ~
one hand, and • dtsiring-prodO>Ction thaI is IMK Dnlasy on m. ...... r ... W. maintain that the oocial r..1d is immt
"
DUllU, BECOMING AND ¥RUDOW ~iv~ is
,he basis for their ..... I)'1is of mrifOl'iol, despotic .nd capitalilt forms of $IX;,,1 "'Pui.. tion in femIS of 1M dilft .. ", abcr more complex circuits of desire and power. From bodo the point of view of po.....cr and the point of yiew of desire, the ",larion btlw .... them poooes " problrm for poIiticol d""". Fnr Dd.... ze and G..... nari, this ptublc'" is ra;...d in ... rlr. form by ,h. pI"",litOcnon of faoci<m, """'" i. is acknowledged ...... ,... """"""" of fwsm nn"",," be uplaintd by duplicity or ideology. Folio";,. Wilhelm Reid!, they in,ilt that f..ti .... must be explaintd in tn"mS of
t'"
"
!)ELEUZE AN!) THE 'OLITICAL
difft,eonial reprod..rooo Dr btcomin&.oo.er which is 1M condition of creativily ill cwru ... ,.....11 '" in ... rure, DtLeuu and Gllana.i'. an.wu to the ",... nor. 'how i. re.olution poslibLe?' poinu 10. furrhtt II<'tUe in which lhey may be Aid to be mgagod in a politia of doslrr:. for nor.1l .... mbl. geo of desire "'iII .......in ,...oIutionary acrioos. Thi. rai ... a number of q..... ions .bour tbe naru .. of desi,.. and the assemblages ill which i, is dnermino:e_ rion between two poles Of . . ., .. of ...a.1 libidinal inv<Stment:: ~ para· noiac, ,..a
which ,h" f.. .-.;wk allOW>.
Cooccp! of dcoi«; The finl distinguishing ~.tu .. of the ibeory of desire oullined in AnliOi!dip ... 09n) is its pooirivil}': desire is undcntood . . . primary a",i.. Inter .. tbCT than .. a .....,i ....... pOfU< to unfulfliled need. 0...;.. is productiv. in the ....... that i, producro !ft.1 connocriona, in'"""",," and iIllemi ........ ",imin and be, ...... w .... In m", ........ , Dtlruu and Guanori suggDt 'ooirt pmdoxrs 1U~l}" (Drkuuc and Guanari 19n, 30). This fnnd.mmul differtncc in point of departur. KtI 1M DrbWan theoty apan from an entire tradition of thoughl .bow: desire mOl ... ,ends fr"", Plato Ih"""" Hegd 10 Freud. In pan"",la., il KtI mil concepcion apan from 1M idea ,hal desire iI cocu.tituted by the . . ....-mlCwed .nd ;mposoibLe attcmp( 10 regain a loS! ob;cct of oatisfaction. The point is not to deny thaI unsatisfied desire may gi .. rise 10 pbanlaotrYlic oa.ilfaction" bu, 10 deny tha, m il phmommon '" ,he essence of dnlrt. DrLeuu "o;d Goonari', lheory of dcsir~ iI coostructiv;.c in 1M ...... lhat desire alwaY' rtq";,-,, a machine Or ......... bIqe. DDire '" present in " given ,....",blage ill the >am< way that, in a m""",1 wori<, the principk of oomposirion is presenl in the siIenca as much •• ill the audible """ods, 'Lack rtfers 10 a pooiti,..;!)' of desire and not desire ro • positi.i!)' of lack" (Dtltuzc .nd Pamrt 1987: 91j. A _ond discingui.hins fearur. nf their accoun, iI tha, the process of desi~" not by ....""" direct~ at the production of .... bLe ."bjt:crs ",hose
"
DESIRE. nCOMING ANO fllHOOM
own comcious desires refp«t tho f""';~al and _ial order, Rathe<, "&" Formation and 1M caurirurion of subjcas inYOl~ • lUst ..... icall, .ptcific fixation of desi~, ~t about by tho action of iOcial codes. f:amily Itructurn and bthuiour mw:ards tho child. In om .., their co"<:t,,,ioo of ..,bjectiviry is ... 'inly con .... rern with Foucaull·. view WI 'if .. one of lhe prime rffuu of 1""""" WI amlin bodies, cemin ,""ur"" «rUin discourKo, «1U.in a burn"""" fondLts hi, filH. the way in whid> a iud&e administ.n iURice. or the way in whidt a film·maker handles her amen, her charICI.n aDd her story. Whot is important is the manner in whir:h !his energy .. im ... ed in ito ourmundi"3 IitId; ..... always mak,1ove wilh worklo'. Drlcu.. and Guanari write. 'and OW" Iov. add" M i...,lf to this libidinal proptrty of OW" lover. to rirhcr close hi!IIK1i 01' hcneif off (]I" <>ptrL up to ""'"' !IpX;"'" wor!d.' 1De\cuD: and Guanari
,h"
rro...
1971: 294). In Delcuu: aDd Gu.onu i·, initial ""di.... of.heir .hcory at the hcPnnin& of A>tli-CHJiptu. desire: is trated ••• ptOClMI of production. \lIha. desire prodllCCS. in the lim il2ll"anco. is a machi .... (]I" rimli. of ~bidinal .... rgy which they all • desire·machine. This is • complex procao which has !hi"« phasa COfJ"CSpondi"3 to the main .... ges of .he production pi ""... •• dac:.ibed by Ma ....: lim. thtn is the COItlt«tion of pa"-objtC" .nd fIowo of ent1"8l' 01 material to form an dernetttary body or simple m.dline. s..:ond., ,he ogregalion of thcoo: .kilkil" tn form a complex body inrol'M the consciNtion of wha. they (;:III a 'body·wimout·orgallS· or 'pla... of
DE~EUlf
AND THE POllTlCAL
consiom>ey'. Thi.!; .. an 'masina.,. body_rface on whicb the VarioLIS d,n><:r,W'J bodio:s aDd .... u". Aa:ord ... 10 DdtulC and Guattari., .... bj«tivi< .~ nI any machinic ....,mbla", u:hoes DdeulC'1 metap/lysi<:al aa:ounl of the .... ill to power ao the diff",."rial principle of fora: ",lationso 'Desir<: who, exapI ",iELU would want to caU it "~k"l Nieasdw: called it "Will to
''''''&OS
"""'(1
om...
P"""",~' {DrI
and Pamn 1987: 911. The rnd-point of the ptoxns (If ~ prodoction is a form of in"'n"ty which .. 'coru.wnrd' by.hc body.1nU!tUitiE£; .... the products of •• ynthesio of difftrtntiallo,,,,", the .ffn:u of an n.r.. hld, ~gbt-darlt, h.rd-m, etC. h"" the primary mode in whicb desin: ctNUumeS itsr_n. pfO" """ of desjre as plOch,,:riOLt. For
In"",,,,,. ...
n
DESIH.
BECOMI~C "'~D fll;~~DOM
An i. tilt captu •• of strIoarions in a gi...., medium, and thtrrioro dope,ods upon a swo:qotibility to doe dtK.. '" fota:s in pI'Oduoinl in""';.......... Uk • .tes;~, art in its P"~ form exists in a ......, '" p<11ftli"""t ... ilo, a l.,.,.;tori. Ji .. tion of particular stria.. ~ nomad;" « ,m, whicb resim o. modes of ""pturt. 8o
m. m. "",...
moo.
Des;~
and the affectin dimension of power
In the pt.ctding chapter we noted the <"XI .... to which Dd.uu and Gu.nari
". me
m",,,,.,,litir:. '"
I .... " ~ ............. "'''''" h . . .uoxumbtd 10 lhis temptation,
for example, Ronald BnKue commen .. that 'Po ..... for Foucault, lil. desire for Ddeuu and Guanari, pt"".ata .11110<;"1 rd.o..iom, pt",nOl" the body at a ...1>individual Ievd, and impl ....... " an ;mmtdop a machin;" Ihtory of desire, JO Fouc::oult pr<>pOS<$ an anal)";' '" panoptic powe. as • machine for the production of homogeneous tHtu. of J><""ef (Foucaul' 19n., 202). Ju .. as klfi.OMipIU .<Sem thol desire produces rality (Ddeuu . nd Gua ... ri 19n, )0), 110 Foucault • ....m tlta, pow ... is productive, 'PO"" prodll<>l:l; it produces rea);I)' .. , The individUlll.nd the knnwled&o that may be pioN of him belong 10 Ihi. production' (Fouaoult 19n.:
La"".
19.). AI lhe same rime, Ih= a.., impomtnl dit'f., ........ bctw ..... !hoi. respd' rive approachn 10 machinic • .....,,~. Drleuu and Guanari appear 10 endonc I~is COOOEpOun of !:heir compk"ltnt1ry . dation 10 Foucault whik drawill8 m ... tion to lhei. differroces in • ro...no.., to 1M .nalysis of of in A """"'"">OJ l'J..tUIfj,
•.v...... .ipo.
Ou. only points of di$;oogrennen' with
Fouc:aul,.~
the following: ( I ) to D. 1M ......"bI.p oeern fundammraUy to be • ....."bbgtt not of pow.. but of desi~ (tIroi", . . . Iw.)'$ ...em.hltd), and power .tUb to be a llrarilied di"""";"'" of m.. •....."bbg<; (2) 1M diagram . nd abstract machine: have Jines of Ai,hl 'hal .... primary,
OEUUZE AND THB ' OlrTlCAt
which arc not ph<nomcna of .....ana: or coun ...... nadt in an • ...""bbgc. but ~u tril\ll ~ 01 eftanon .nd """'''itorializ:arion. (Dr!.niu Ind Guonati 1987: HI )
this would
~
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m.
Dole ,rr Ind IS _ "",bit", 01 uplaiBq how dosirc bu ...... oompIKic in its DVm '"pi '0"1. tioom'tr, chis war 01 pi ....m irc tlw rdmon b.. "em IhmI ........mpIilia: rho . '... and ~ ............. _ rho Wi .... pcuaJ raourcn common to bodio Fo..""".k 'llpptOKI\ to PO"''' 11>11 rho 0,10 'ril11 11 ~ .. Q)dV.-.getI, ~, W~ "",ed.""'"
,ka, "",",,-', CQlttXpt of power toOk in,o atXO'IIn, ......
only ,~a .....' 01. body .o.~ ochet bod .... bu, aloo on. capacity to ho .ffK,od. .... "U 'f duot ,hou is. Spinoli.. ino.pi.arion :0 Nieuxlft·, .t"", in ... far .. will ,0 powtr if mani,", boIh I f ""pacity ,o.ffta .nd "".,..city :0 be affected: 'the will to powe' is no( I b.r-in& no( I J:,comm;tt&, but. ",w.o.' (NimId>c 1968: ""ra, US). Whdhe:r or "'" on. ~La;m of in,pi .. lion iI hisloriaUy wi,h rcprd ,0 Niftucht, it is atOll"" .hil .ff:ctiv: dimmliott oI..he ...:rei., of pow., cln ,race thoe OIl"
.cat"",
,ha, .....
Ii .... of ........ of indis«rnibility ho, ,,"n tho! Ddr _.160 ""'ttl !hal ~I:uu nplillin,g oak. In odIer word... bod! Dr!.niu'l Wi ....pt of dosirc aOO his UH .... p' 01 power inYOlv: an inner I" i...,;"k of inat-a • . From poin, 01 yiew 01 the: affecriw dimen-....., of _ , this principle 01 ;RcrU .. implia ...... I body will be :norc po", .. ful .he ItIt)ft WI,.. in which ic be .fluted, 1001 I""'lcr it:I ra/IIC aOO tIqm: of tenoiti-rity 10 kindo of incmsi~ lUlU. A body will incra .. in _ :0 the .... ~ ...... , iQ; .,. p" 'i.. '" .fItct ~nd b: f W" _.x.-.Iopod and diff", ...ri...,d (Ddt q - 1983: U ). .,..'" _ ,.", "" Spinou in ""t!ins """h ""FE ',ia to be afr..:ted the 'a/fUu' of a bod,. Scricdr tpfakina, I..... corrospond 10 dw: uanoirion of thoe . If«ted body from on. "II' 10 ......t.... SpiN'Oa diatin"Nba hoi "U" transitions in~ inaux in. body's po.'" 01 ...... and ....... dul
on.
on.
.""",ocI
.ha,
DESlkI. nCOMlNG AND F1lEEDOM
fo",.,.
in.oIve a decrease: tM giv. rise to joy while tM Lan .. giv. rise to ..d _ (o.ltuu 19811c: 49-50).' NinumJlllny lun.itions in tM state of a body'. PO""' in tenm of tho ..,ha""."'."t or doplrrion of the '!Hlin& of pow.:r'. This term rrlns 10 the conscious or unconsciou. feding th;.. accomparu.. aU action, WMt N;"wcb. ,..fen to al th< 'desi,.. for ",If~joymrnl' thu is gutilied in 0O""<1' is • si&n of our <>WI> pow.:r 10 an; how .... , it is ..... a ,..1 ..1* lign. The hist...,. of cultur. pI'O"idos many .nmpleo of illusory ",","n, by which individ ....1s and V""J'S .... k • fminB of pown-: sacrifica to BOOs, (nJrlty to om... and 1<> animals, f:u. cars and alcoh<>l, to namt but 0 h . Just u the acrioru of oth too do DOl' <>WI> aerionl. T<> ,he oxtcnl that these actionl are ",oinTlful, tho fulinl of pow.:r will be enhanced: to lhe oxtenl th;.1 thoy fai~ tho feding of pow .. will be dotpktcd. In tum, these affecti~ starn wltl.:h ampany :actiom will tact upon tho 08""1" ca ..... ity to act. In ocher words. tbtre is a fet.d. bod loop berweeo the lOW. .. Of ochnw~ <>f anompa ro act and the: .~t'. ""pocity to an. TIti, is why the !Hli", of POOit. h. I:«ome the ·,uo.'gc:st propom.ity. of hwnan beings and why Nim:.:ho thaI the "","no for prod""ins it retrace the hilt...,. of our .....Itu....• Tho aomponent of the o.louzian _ .... pc of desire which ... 'u ..... ds 10 Spinar.a·, afftct or Nif:a.do.o·, fedinl of pow.:r il the "''''"'PC of ;"tcnsity. o.ltuu and GualUn ,I 'ibt: the final pha", of tho producri<>n pt'Ol'i, ,..hich led him to dacribe 'a ,...lil\8 mal I was standing at twil~h. DO a lher Ihan wha, one was bt:fuo •. In A"Ii·OMipou (l9n), Ddeuzc and Guatta,;
wwm
"
DELEUZE AND THE POtlTI C Al
tend to draw m.;r ..... mplt< from the celibat. rnachinro of ....nl an ricing .hro.... the ,<x. togt"ther, the iIUIden. it left bo .. td and vulner.tbk whilt ~.~ findo lIe.self similarly exhausted bul aplOted in a man ..... mal sb< deocrihcs IS indistinsuH.h.bk from "'"'1'.1 desin. This Won no< the familia ....... 00 of .""ic desire ;ntrudinK upoo .he ocent of pedoB"8Y, bul a """" inftf"CS<;ng srory 'of dnir<: arising within the ocene of ptdagP<>.i
m.
.hei.
DESllE. nCO MING AND fRHDOM
the DpeOIUlCC of work;", doorIy with the 1IlI>Ud Iwr .roric ..... _s.1w upc.itra of Iw. ",,"c lui .... "i.. of Iwr own power as a ~dw:r, in a "",nlln' and 10 • degree sho hId lICYer done bc:fu,,,; in other ....,..,;k, her feo~na: of her own to .ru..",,", power of other. Gallop's expe. ;"11.., shows how fto:~~ of power obtointd by COfItri. buti", ." the power of "dK" may be: indiorinptisbabk from an in...... experience of desire, an.d vice ....... If this is 00, then it man... linle whether we spealo. of dnire or feeling of power. Wha. ma ...... is the "",ltfIft in which .... a<:o upon ac.ion$ of othcn, .nod kind< of a ...... bIag. in which and ~ which .... desire. W. noud above thai scbiwon.lysis does "'" propooe • political progr.m"", (... p.70). Y,n ...en ohough.. .s Deleu.., and Gu.na" "y, ~ Ire no .... oIutiona'l' or m "tiona'l'Io¥n'. Ilwre .re none leu .(ryntu of love' ,ha. are indic:n of the lUC'Iionary or 11K .... olutionary chal'Kler of the ~bidinal ;nynantn. in a giv.., ooci.o.l6e1d (Dekuzo.nod Gu.anari I9n: 36S--. poIn of oociallib;din.1 in.esunen. goes TO heart of 11K ochilOln.lyric ' poIiUa of desire', It is staled in VI"OUS WI)'l in 11K COW'iOO of ,o, ..ti·Oedipou (lm~ in I........ of difft ..", U1<S of ohc: oyoothna whieh ddino: the p<<><'OSS of desire. or in rnms of ,he difkre""" bt""..., moI.r .nod moIrcul.t aatH of desire. Tho ...,.,.. di$rincrion is lat ... stales or sides of .ny """"hinic "7S ",blage: one side whid! faca lhe .... ta ... hich INk. it .n organism, ...t.;.a or complete enlity of ....... kind, .IMI lhe ",he. whid! f.ca dot body withou. organs or pt.,.. of consistmcy on which the organi1rn u:nds to hroak down or istn.nofonntd in.o ..,....,..,i", eIso. IIoch sides a", "'loWly stales of desire, but if is only in the latter stale that pure inlmTiries an.. or circul... (Deleuu .n.d Guamri 1987: 4 ). JuS! .. F" ..enh COIOrruos relations of domination wilh open or "3"'Iistic rd.rionJ in which an agrm...,.. upon the actions of another (Foucault 198311). $0 Drleuu and Guamri diainguish " " " - on the one haM, u ..mblaga of desire thaI "'" find or dtlimi<ed in patricula. _)'>. Uou. oH from aU but certain YJI'l'Cilied relations '0 oumdt, alMl on the odoer. more fluid .nd open-ended '7mnbbgeo in whid! new oonnecti0n5 an.d new foo"b of relalion 10 the outside a.e . 1.... )'> posaible, ...en.1 the "sic of rnnslotminSIM ITICmblage inro lOme other kind 01 body. "They anach .yoo ...... ri< """,,,po ... 1 and nhical priori,.,. ro the lall'" kind o f .... mblaF whi<:h mobles conno:>ncrpt of dtoiK juotifies 11K view thaI 'DesiK is """,,,uriona'l' bocause i. al_,.. wanlS more connections .nod a ...... hlases' Ilkleuu anod P.""" 1987: 79).
PO"'''
m.
m.
m.
m. m.
me
m.
m.
m.
,..w
n
DELEUZ( AND TilE POLITICAL
1I«om;"" Tho conal" mal best .q>r~ tho inrima'" connt<.tion betw...., pow .. and daiu in Dd.~ and Guanari', t~t io theiroonap<er 1 how !hey doli .... philooophical con«pa in pan by ",fc:rmce to choir 'bccomings', by whicll thty mn.n m. pothway1 along which a C<>n«pC may ~ tnnsl"ollned whilo rouining a family ..... mbLana to its rom.... incarnation. In similar f..hion, d>tJ.~ In thae ",rms, a body may bo defined by m. a/fem of whi of aIf.a. ,,,,,II as 'n.ving eye< bIod:;cd by blinden., having a bil and bridle, ~ing pro<>d, having a big peer-·maker, pullins be,vy loads ... etc.' (o.le~ and Guanari 1'87: 257). Affoas an be either lKIi •• or .... ai..., and, in his dioc\wion of Foocollh'. COI.... I" of pow.,., DoJ,nw, rei ... upot! ,his diotinction ;n order 10 d.usify .... diltt ....u war> in whicll. body an act Upot! otht ... and rho waY' in whicll it an bo acted uPD'" '10 j~, provoke or producr .. . constitute acti ••• ffecu, whilo 10 bo inciled.. .... provoked. to be inducrd.o prod,,", 10 ha .... Muodul .. effca, «>nonlute ...rtive afkct.' (Doleuu 1988b, 1 1). Defining bodies in Imns of the affuu of whiow.g' are precisely such """""gem,,n" wim lho powers of other bopdo
"
OUll E, BECO MING ANO FlHOOM
bodies: 'to the rdarion< com"",ing, .xw.""",ing, Of modifying an individual m.re CO<1'af'O"'I inrensme. W. afft.:t it, lugmcnti"l! Of diminiohing in. po ...... It) xt' H)tleuu and Guattari 1'81: lS6 ~ In the aw of um. Hons, Itis own bocommg·honc is an a_pi .., mnusJy blocked?' ~Dtleuu and Guanari 1981: 258 ]. In ~ OI~ of .... upc,;,,1ct of intm';ry doocribtd by Gallop, "'" saw how the ... me ••• nl mighl be de....ibtd in rcnns of desire or in......". of the fMlins of power: her exer on the PO" of the ..udcn, ro the ",um tho, hc was hnctd It) .... his own text through lhe eyes of. ~ upc,icncod , ..00. From the pcupcxtin of po_' , betominp may hc rqarrlod al pi" If! of ;ncrea .. or enhanamml in the po . ... of one body, ""fried oul in relation ro the po .... of "rI pome.. In IOn'Il easel, •...cIt:LI .Ui.anu hct .. . w individual bodies in lhe form of. oocial contract, the mUIUaI.cinforccmml of powers may amoun. It) the 'onnarion of • ~ and ~ campi<. body. Yet lnother kind of betomi"ll-<>fMr occurs when bodies form. kind of virtual alli.all<% wiTh ",her bodies or stales of bei... In relarion 10 human hcinp as I whole, bccominp are by definition pc ...u .. pi'""'M which ;n....m." "Lotion 10 the unnarural or . ho inhuINJI. for uample, w( learn /rom myths. antbropolosiaol """,,,nU and re~gious piactica thaI human beings are ""pobk of a variety of ~"imal. are dot " matter of ~n:r:aUy becomins the .nimal, Dtkuu and Gualtln ......' b... r.oolher of «thanc~ the po . '''' one hal or of acquiring new po . . .. by entmll3 into . pro:
n..
n....:
"
DELEUZE "NO THE PDLlTrC"l
fedins of fJOWtt and Thereby !he ,eal cap.acitia. of Those tngagt
]there is1 an <'n~ politics of becoming<_animal, • • welJ .s • poIitio;:s ofl<>rCef}', which is .-Iabom..:! in aosembl~ ........ '" neilhe, lhoot of .... family no, of migion nor of State. lnm.d lbey npress minoritari.n groups. or groups that .ore vpj>i "'Il. prooibit..:!, in molt, or always on Tbe fringe of r«"<>Bni:o..:i instilutions. IDdeuze and Gua .... '; 1987: 2471'
m.
m.
Bero;olous figurr who oundo al border of ,he pack. ThrOUf,h his pursuil of """ile whok, Ahab .... ,etS inlo a beoomil\l\· ... hale while the obiO<J&h' (Mrlville 1m: 167). Ahah', b..rom.ing ;, a line of /lighl ... hich him beyond lift i ....lf, tvrn if in doing 10 he """fronts his o wn death. The white ....... Ie S{.nd. /or aU lhoot figures with whom .... an "'1., inlO a p;>CI in orde, to p.o... be)oond I given ""'te 01 life or bein&He is a""","l""s no! j.... ;" being an excepl:ion bUT in marl
m.
m.
wa
"
DE$IIt.[. U CO MIN G AND fJH DOlo!
poUntial of \] to de.ia~ from the standarOrirarian' (Dclmu and Guanari 1'87: 106,2'11. In so fa. o. tho .uhject of rn<>mtfI. The ... Iily of the becoming ha.link to do with a r.lIotion 10 ral W'OfJIen, but evetyfhi,,& ro do wilh a ..dation to .... i"""'l"'real body of woman a. if 6gu ... in .... ooci.l imapna.,.. lbi. body might br driined in fnmI of .... • ffern al$lXi;oled wirh .... nurtu.e and proI«tion of <>Ihen. or .... affern associaled with dc-pendenl IOcialoulus such as a copxity for d mimulation 01" for
