oelf through Ihe po~lical terrors of the t",enticlh <>entUf)'. This is why il is LY0lard'!; they share lhe otruggl. and lhe 1001. Ihal make il possible: an, wrilina and a polilical tife led On the margi .... Sir"; Malraux foU""", Ihe key polilical SIep< of Mmodem stnlggle lbal i, mirrortd and <:OfI<.I.tW:d in Lyotard'l life aDd ....ork LyOlllrd wall a Pari';'n bourl!CQis ac:ad"",i<. He taughl phil"""plly al the Sorbonne, N.ntc ...... the Univ.rsity of Paris VIII (Vir.oenn ... Saint-Deni'). Laler in hi, lif•. the repulation earned by hi. booh CJ.lended hi, influence aDd teaching Ibroughoul Europe (College Intcmational de PhilO5Opbit. Paris), the United SlatCI (Univt"rsily of C.lifomidge' Politico. too. i. an i""tilution. Fringe group PO~lia is. mini.IIturi .... in'litution. There is no diJTcrence bet...,.., the 50CUrily l1ewaro. of lhe Mareb 16 mtetinl and II>osc of the "Communis("" . . . The same g<:Ie$ for political di!OOu .... , thcK. too. a p/u"ascolozy is h.aDded dOW1lto Wi and we reproduce it failbfully' (PW: 49). TIl< political. lhen. i, never this ;I\$(ilutionali!ed po~tic:a. It ill a drivt" 10 act. undmt ood U a ncocssily for a ~re. ilself interpreted as an unstable relal ion of feelinp. desires and sttu
h"

men"

,

IN T RODU C T1ON

rules and laws, lruths and falsehood<. fallen slat.. and ulOpia: 'A first victory would he to manage 10 speak of lhese affairs wilhoUI "Ialking polilic3'" (49). This idea of Ibe polilkal as opposed to politics is dOtlbly difficult. It gives SIgN Malt""" a heavy and tragic Ion •. firsl, how can one Ii"" OOnsislmcy lO life as an unstable ",Iation without resorting to extcmal,tru<:turc:s that neZ,I1. it? ('ThUI the symbolic Foth« conlinues.. under nrioul imaginary CQ therefore dominate Lyotard'. sen", of th. political as needful of art. Politico is no long« wmething 'we' - Lyotard, Malraux and those who share their ...... of the politic.al _ can Ii,,, with, Life can only be led when: politlcal action is artistic in its IICnsibility. ' W.' must feel that action is neoessary despite the death of politics, An m\lSt testify 10 lhe _ p ity of the death of structure aod ;rulitutioo, and ~t still gi"" rise 10 de.irc:s aod passions, thereby providing"" with a model for the political This artistic creation or, better, the act that accompanies th;" art - is the political act por ~x
,

LYOTARD AND THE POLITI CAL

play of orpnisation and ~ oftM libidinal in Mal",,,,,', haphazard creation of coLlection. of an·wnrks and books on an. Mal",,,,, possi""ly alloW1 a somttimes lawdry (the lassitude of an alcoholic neunl",hrnia). somelimes eleVillcd. f... ling (a fralemalln"" exceeding the moll we are given) 10 become ""prnso:nuadiction stands allons a. hi. paintings captu ... lIS. TMy do oot raU prey 10 the: proUp! of logic that we cannO! be in a ""It of limul· \ar.e<)U, hoP<' and despoir. Apin, an ohows Lyotard lhe wlY to resill politic::! by adoptina fcelins 81 the hean of polilical acts.

,

INTROOU CTION BUI why resiSi or conspin: al all? The occond reason for tile diflicully of llIe idea of tbe political Iha! comes oul of his wort lies in llIe queslion of why this idea is al aU n=<ary. Why is Ih...., a mov<: in Lyolan! from particular disasters of poIilics 10 a conspiracy wjthin or mistante to in"i_ IUlional po~lica? Would nOl lhe mosl appropriale response to lhese disaslers be an allemplln \earn frorn Ibem ..,ilhin politics? We should avoid lhe disasters, ward Ihem off, shore up wh.al has proven miSlanl 10 lhem. Perh.aps some po,;lwar ~beral con .. nsus otTers such a polities. or maybe it lies in Ihe cosmopolilan Slruol ure of human righI<, or in a new mulli_failh religious order, or <wen in Ih. imposilion of. local conception of lruth, juslice aDd d=1>cy becau .. il is beller Ihan aU olhers? None of lhese is taken up by Lyollird and some of his imporlllru:e as a poIiticallbinker i. as one of !he mosl Iborough crilics of aU Ibese options. To ~beral orthDdone. he oppose! the capacity of capillilism 10 melamorphose ilJClf each lime i1< lerroristic: side is clu.infd by polilies and law. More Ihan mat, howt"Yer, he is oensitive 10 !he blackmail ofcapilalism: control il. and il will destroy it..lf, only 10 rear up again somewhere el'" "ilh your crucn ""';Sl.lna:. To lbe othen be responds wilh a double mninder of failure: you are !>Olhinl wilhout ""pitatiml becou .. yOOf fo undalions are n.....sarity unjusl with respect 10 what lhey lea'.. oul or di5mi .. as olher or ditTerenl. Yet, 10 We him "","'ly as crilic and d<wi!", &hcs itself wim and t>
,

LYOU. " O AND TH E PO LITI CA L

IIoIotiDl ddinitioa. They I~ I cloak lhfO'Jl1\ 0Yef In illlkttnnillalC Itnigle betvoem l~tqonUtic ida&. drives and desira. Thit it not .0 IIY thai ddinilC. philolGpbical. ddinitiom of nibilism Ire dw;kcd by L)'OWd or;n this book 011 him: Ibex appear in Iller cblpIn'I. More . ... ,aIIy, tho: ...... of 'Nth it .till _ of thor aWn impuba in his wofIr. Ind the beat way .0 apprGlCb the oontndicl:ions IhIt aria< in tho: _reb for tho: poIitic:ll U I ra.iswx:e 10 or <XJnIpirlC}" ...;thitI poIitiCl. But tnlth CI.II ilXlf be nihilistic. 10 hit work it a qllCltionin& on two Uuepanble (ron", thor politicallnd thor

philolGpIUca/. H ~r, tho: rcdklCtion

of thiI pbilotOpity 10 abl'i'iICI ddlni. iona. tnlt'" ud IrJUmerllI b ar.o .0 be avoided. Tbe foUo"';nl ptWaJel on ~fe and nihili.m from Sip; Mo/,tlIU help ..... o ulllkntand why:

IAndA! .ulTtrcd from] a rea~ty .... lady. muclt mono .. no... than ralison: I nibilist terror. NO!: nihilist thou", .. but I bta,, _wmed by nothi"", It (27) Here lin ;111er·wa,

Germany and Gcnnan .,,). unIikt in

Pan.. they

do DOl fOfF! nibilist distm:s and sulTOI'IItioa . It iI Wen 011, ;1 t : :0_ work. Andre immali.tdy . """",,,,,, that bIad< fn..,. of lIqIIi'iIlion ...

(.n

I

... nihilism bae fI'Onen
"'J Nc>. lU I death iI the repetition nf.be whole movement, repro-

duction. :be pal Recount that life fOtmt .0 cnntradlct. with . 11 ill

intrillli"lltories. WhiW. in IrIItb, their lKIiIc Iwbo
"05) TlIc _ reptillI iutlf. and the ~It _pimt thor ..... reptilil it. A dreadful oontnt:tion, a despair, make Spain l1li ec:ho of his most

intimalC sulTtrin..

(2'"'

For Lyounl, Maln~·. nihill.m it a compIeJ. of affoetl (1<1Tor. dist<=, lulTOI'IIUon. fW". dread and despair), idcu (reality. nothil'V=S, lIqIIi'iI. lion. lac:k. repeti.ion, Iq)IOrllion) and "'... (.be works. WPF , history. lUI .... tiVCI. the po~Iil:allnd ""';"1 world _ Spain. Indodti .... the West). Tbe OOIl1pio=>. and eYen i.. major COnstilllUtll cannot be sttllCturcd and orpniscd, or IbI!r.tte<\ into a ... ot ddlnition, and rules or Ia....

bel".

•

I

INTIlOOUCTlON

wilhOUllosing their e~planalory apacily om- a full r1In~ of dTa:tl. The strength and beauty of SltM MalralU lies p"nly in tbe way in which Malraux', 'nihilism'. unde..,ood IS tlliI indivisible complex of affCClIl. ideas and $i,,,,, comn out of and .. plain, his relation to womrn, to litoralure, 10 languag." 10 pla=, rounu-it. and conHict5. For an aplanation of Lyolard" anraclion 10 Malraw<, ,be mO«: on tM bordert; of disco,,"" a, .... i"aotto nihilism. Th~ following questi"", ",Ik<;( an enquiry into Ihis attempt as it i1 pumied tbrough tilt ,;;. cbaple.. to foUow:

w' _

2

3

What was .. iU nihil;'lic in Lyotard', po\iticf. around lhe All!"rian war or illdtpendence? What WllS 1M legacy of his dawning awa..".,.. of Ihi. nihilism? 1. Lyolan!', libidinal philosophy me",ly a nibi~S1 reaction 10 tbe disa"ers conden.ed in Ihe ulimpt.e of Algcria~ Or docs a !I("W and """list."t.."... of tbe polilical CI1>erI" lbere? If this "" ... .."... is to be called 'active passh'ity', to whal atent are its TOOts negalively metaphysical'! Can there be a positi"l: ChalllC1.risation

,

L YOTAII.D AND TN E POLIT IC AL

0( 1W:ti~ pauivitYf To what a1eD1 iliCIM pu.;ivity. mere AIIitudu

• ,

6

10 aopitalismT I. lhe turn to judpo.....m in l.)'
•

2 IMP ASSE

T HE ALGERIAN DIFFER END One of (be best applications of Lyotard', philosophy of dilferend, 10 a political COnIC" ;1 by Mohammtd Ramdani in hi. long inlrodl>C1ion 10 Lyotard'. lA Gu"f'e Jts Algirinu. The book is a r=nl
Ramdani deploys Lyotanr. philosophy of language and his ;n';ghl5 inlo incommclliunlbility .kilfuUy 10 show lhal, even in his early work. LY0lard'. political aim W8I to !<:Stify 10 il1"<'$OlvabJ. dirre,-e""",. In thi. case. this i. tho diffemld betW(:CJl colonial powu and indigmou, population.

Ramdani', argummt cove" llucc of Ih. most imponanl aspects of lbe Iheory of din-.rend - ;15 legal, ~ngui'lic aod affective versions. The Ion done 10 1he AJ",rian ptQple will never be able 10 express lb. wronl done 10 it through ,be F rmch la .... court •. The linguistic helC,Ogtiloity otands between the p!true regimen of Ih. colonial power, whether in tbe cognili"" regimcn (what has happened he .. is ... ) or lhe "'gimen ofjwtification (it is right bcca...., ... ). ond tbe ,...thetic regimrn that exprt:MeS,.-cat lutTerio, ond loss. TIIc# regimens are marshalled by Ihe stakes of two incommen.urable pre" (al the colonial economic pre. the stake of wltic:h is 10 increue meuurable monetary weallh (even if this i. in very f..... forcign band.): and (b) lbe AllI"rUn ~ullur.il and palhological genre, ,be >take of whicll ;, In expr= Ihe eJiminalion of a lT3dition and lbe ... tTerinB of tho .. who Uve Ihrough it or ... 1>0 are foreed 10 be oeparaled from il. The importance of tbis afi\1Il>1 .. pression of Ibe impoosibilily of expR'SSini. WTO
,

LYOTAII.D AND THB POLI TI C AL

is impo""nl htrc - u it is in LYOlani's 0SII)'t on Al,ma _ ill distinpil.hln, I stOluie thaI tunIS the Iepl. ~ mi/iwy Iud diplomatic metllodl or lhe colonial PO""" bood: .pinst il aIId I W1.IIP that rd'UICI to adopI lhQe methodJ p..:astly bca..- IlIq In: the IOW'CII: 0( I dupe. WfOIIi. Sponlanrity. then, bototCl>l a II>O'I'UDeIlt !hat CUlJIoOt be ~ and Wldcntood from ";Ihin tho I)'IIcm it apilUl. II is not a mirw;:ulous InOI\'ICfIt. btu one !hal hu to be uDptrly IIf«ll, since we Ire lransforo:ted IUId made by lhQe ', ... linp'. to nncrp u polilically jliimonlial. 10 !his ....... lilt UjIi' Fina of Flit diITcrmd becomes the jliope. p.l or pbi"*>pby, .. "PI'- I to llIe .... n:h for I resolution to lhe 000" ... . WbcIbcr this implies thaI phibopby and I pbilotophical politics IbouJd not OOncel" itsdf with plt lIIC!I u • free and jus! AJtcria iI. malin 10 be COIlSIideled bolo ... The If"CII ....1.... Tt. lben, t;eo in the WlY II .....-n lwo familiar criticisms of the laler Lyotard. TbcIoe criliciam can be thou.&bl of .. vlrianll of familiar ,,"Iical I ttach dcvdoped aplnJl poaunodmliam and pottalructurallSl pbilosophy. 10 underminin. claims 10 tOilb loci V1Iidity. lhete movemenls are oaid to inhibit the devdopmel11 of oonWle-nt and mcaninaflll pollIa. If II is not possible todmrmi ... llIe lrutlt of a given d.im o r lite .... idity or I aiveo argutDe\ll. tltom ;1 is nol poaible 10 develop a rcsp:msible or (CI1.lble politics. All IIJ11lDCTiti will IIItltnatdy rollftdcr on confticlillj claims !hat CI.i1 only be ' IW,,,,,';In!' b)lao appeal 10 fOlW, Any pooilloa will. in the IItIIl rnr illumod on his ............ followa .. jIatI U it Itaop ben I ' th w:iD to ....-, IIXII": ' He who _ the alrysa, bul with.n """I.,a - Ite who ......." the abyw with III eqIc'lda..-.:_ po.,' II ooura ...• (Nicmd>c: ~ z.""u...""" 29Il). The point of Niet_IIt'.IIJUtntf1I is!hal II takes I""Itu- COUf1I ... 10 wort throu&b the risk of nibilism tban 10 dmy it in the tolaa: 01 JoPcal abatno:tion. falsot: objectivily. lao;:k or ~llvily, or raith in ideala: ' I do !lOt Q\I oo1ckplrital,

n.e.

''''I.rc

no..

mull$h, b~nd. or Inlo»icalC>d men $loul·beamd. He PO" cs!teon ""ho kno ... fcar bul ...... fur, ..Ito..,., 1M ab)IP butlftS it wilh ",/dr'. The oJll)Ol-iI;on 10 rabe IOlaoc is c.u.:Uy Ramdatti'. poinl. Lyot.ard Clnnol be ""ticilled ror not putlins forward a lrulh on 1M .... t,man Wlr of

'm

"

lMP"'SSE

iNkpendt:nc:e, since hi. truth i. lhe differend. BUI it is a difficult truth. as much aOOut impomibilitie$ as abnut fnundation. fOf po~tical resolution,. An irresolvable conllie! givu rise 10 the war; it will Dot ID a.... y with indeptlldt:nc:e; it wiU nO! 10 away with a diplomatic solution or with dri"ut; il will J>OI even JO ."
A second critici .... fall. allhis point. To dd F... nch wril .... Rnd hi.larians to ilIusl .... le Lyolard', poinl and ta live a crit .....1 countCTpoint to thooe "",ition. that ust id.,.. and abpby and politia;. His SoCn.. of """,,ura,;ng a drift away from lix(d fonn. of po,...,r and hurtllUCTaC)' in capitalism is cssrntially anthetR;. Any moYmlml lhal can rount ... !"ni,ta""" depends upon an alTectlriggcred unroJlsciously in art_works but also in spontanrou. uprisinl and whose success is a malt ... of chang: (OM F: 21 - 3). The itTt$OlVlIbl. ronRiel can o nly be testified to in a medium capturing the fe<:linp and affect. that pennit the diff.... nd to appear without cancelling ;t iu one or other of Ih. ""' .... involved in the oonftict:

a

These Ie'" [Ihe novel. of Kaleb Yacine. MouJoud Mammeri. Julco Roy and Mouloud F..... oun and the binories of Mobammed Harbi and Albert Memmi] dramatise a tort. a dilTe ... nd between rolanialist and indi,en. lhal canna' be ... id in the langua,e of the oPP< only a"" for Ihe expr=ion of lhe dilTermd. AlTects have to be communicated. butt/t.ey must also be created an ...... What ,his ItIQn' is that allhough the sulT.rinl ~J>d loss of the Algerian people: demand. a mode of rommunicatioo thai doco nol hide il in tl>< aU -pervasive lanJll3.JIC of II>< rolonialist. tbe dilTe ... nd u affect also

"

L YOT A .. D AND THI! POLITICAL

~~'. 10 be: lripmd ia the 0Iluider. it IIII11t be: r~l!, ill order 10 he '"""", llna1. This fedia, iI elllmtial to L.)'OW1I. lh!"O\llbollt b.is wort.: il idanifia thai ...-bina; iI happmin, that ClllDOt IiDd run Qpi iM ill whal ;. bein& aid . This is .. ~ of whal be rp'" by the evml or oc:a.m_ that ucucb I"y •......,ulioo of ic ill tbe pi 101. "The DC II;' IheoriRd bat in iU palboloP:al ...- in !be phibnpby '" the lIIb1imc: "This iI prot..bJy I COfIlradio:too-y ftdiq.. It is., the wry btl a Jill', !be qucstioo-mark itRlf. !be WIly in ",biclo h /urpp .... n ...;thheld and IIInOlllleOd: 1$ II ~~ "The ql.lal;OII can he modulated in Illy lODe.. BUI the mark of the question is ~_", ""'" like the fec:~n, thaI nothina; IIIi,l" ""ppm: the DCIIhinpcss no",' (IN: 92). What Ramelan, shows, lhouah, n thll tbI: aU·toiI.m>w

antheta or lhe .ublime docs DOl do ju.tioo: 10 the pIIikNophy or !be difTermd, in parUeular, in lef1tlJ or. poaible poUlki. Wh<-re. after 1M DI/f~md, Lyotard COOICCII1tatet 011 tbI: diroct trigeri"l or the fec:lina; of tbI: IIIb1ime u thc si", of thc difTermd or CYalt, R·md1ni mumt "';111 ......1... ctrOl:t 10 !be ideas of impoaibililY alld radical diff... wort in tilt philotopby of !be IIIbIime. Whal he Ib n... is thallhe differmd can he fdl II mucb by • pi", ill dnc:riptiol! of tho con.ditiotII !bal aM rile 10 tho dilrermd II by tbI: oestbetit:o '" the sublime. Th", paintina. 50 .-ahoc>d by tho later Lyowd. is 1101 10 IN: prmlo.,.cl in terms 0{ the ew:rtl ..... !lie polito o{!be difTermd: '111 !be determination 0{ pictorial art, !be indeterminale. lhc "il hlppms~ iI. the !Mint, !be pict ...... "The painl. tbI: pictuR II (ICCW"faIOt or
ma:.'

12

11o1P,o,SSE

milCh. It is worth noting that Lyotard doeo tho o.amc in his ]989 note of introduction to tho Algerian texts (1989a: 33~9). II is a]so importaDt to not. that Lyotard is often a poor c:ommonlator on hi. own wort, if good commenlary i. to aUow 1ho loxt to Altain some autonomy and itl own temporality. He often reviews hil life with bi. contemponry corocem. and philosopby, revisiug Ibe put in order either to 61 il inlo the pi -nl tbesis ("Algeria as diffemld and as inlractable:', Lyotard 1989a: 39) or 10 ddIect incoogruous puc works ("UbidiNJl &O!S or the diff.n:nd and the be]iof io inttactable:o.... Howe'I'Cf. equali)' important is 1ho
ECONO MI CS AND TE R ROR Lyouord', iatereSl in t<:OnorrUcs. in tenns of. crilical analysis of capitalism. is pi -nl Ihroughout his won:. II taka diJT~=t fo""". varyinl f,run 8 study in I"""" ora potential revolution in 1ho worlo: on Alaeria. throllah a

"

lYOTA R D AND T HE PO ll TH;AL

re-evalualion of b.u;'; economicl in 1m"" of desire in LihidiNll & _ y (LE: 155--240), 10 8. crilical concern wilh the ulation of 1M capilalist language gam~ to olhe.. Ihrough Ih~ medium of time in 'T1w! Diff~rnrJ (rO: 173- 81). The aoalytical Ravour of Lyotard·. work on capilalism i, a COn"K'" in all tboo< W j>hilosophical framt:wort. what makes capital powerful and what dilTer, entiates it from olher pursui ... Thi. framework is l<>o:JScly Mantill, in UJ Gur,u tk~ Algbina<. libidinal malmalist in LihidiM/ & _ y and Iin*niJl;'; in 'T1w! Difftmld. Ho"-eva-. Ih~ political cont.. t for these analyses varies greatly from !he early to tM laler work. Wbe", the AlaerWt essays soek 10 allow for an undcrnandin& of capiUll in lbe conl• • 1 of. SO<:ialisl """"ulion, Ih. later work. ba:vme much rno", """]>tical about the role of revolution in framing lhe ",Lolion of economics 10 polilical aclion. Instead. l~ fall into guater Or lesser hiJosophy of lhe diIT.",nd is COtKrmed wilh resislance in the undermininl nf Idea. of reason, ralher Ihan .... ilh an nverthrowing or a wnrking Ibrough or lhe !."mIlion of a drili wilhin capiutism. The work on capiuliJm in u. o-,,~ «3 Alghinr.! has to be laken in IWO ways. First. il arrives al Ihe practical impossibilily of a socialist revolulion in lhi, ponicular ca.., but 'till within Ihe ....",h for a W
"

!MPAS$~

~ueracy

i, a . Iage on the way 10 ~volu!ion' '1 will then go on 10 consider whkh cl.us will srizc or bas al~.dy seized control of lhe adminiSlrative organs thaI emure e:o:ploilatioD. in order 10 85k whal line the revolulionary movemenl oughl 10 lake. after _ ha .... defined lhe struc!ure of power' (PW: 172). E<:onomic argumcntJ run Ihrough moot of lite """Y* on AI~. 'They allow lyolard 10 IkfuK !be operalion and timita of ~Iutiooary and counler_ ~lulionary po_r. In Ibis ""n"", • _U-known 'postmo<:h oommuoiSI party): ' We ha .... 10 get rid of a "'rta;n kind of patronising Maf1ism: "" ideolosY (Ihe Algerian nalionalist ideology] has no less ,rolit)' (even and abo .... aU if it is fgfu) than the objeclive ~lalions to which this Marxism ....""to 10 red""" iI' (PW: 199). AI lhis IllIge of Lyolllrd', work. whal will laler be analysed as • thorouahaoina parado. is only ...... as a conl11ldiction for a particular cla.. Or group, lbe oontradiClion must lead to !be destruclion or tranoformation of thaI class Ihrough revolution, bul lhis lum "f ~ven'" al$O promi .... a proper .esolution oflhe initial ooQtradiclions. By his latc ways tIM: idea of. poslmodern economic "Y$tcm'thatlhrivcs on its oontradiction. and worn with paradox lakes ...... r: 'eta. " ....utes an: demenll, among others. that pUI up a raiotance 10 tIM: ~Iopnllack observalion, memosy and at"Jll1D"ll.l lhertin ~ on the verge "f distasteful. in particular when one 00"""" 0,,1 of • readi~g of lhe earlier .... ".b. This contrast is • result of the differmt methods of the lwo periods. (The ironic slyk of the later worb will he critiei5ed with respc>Cl to its politics and incipient nihilism in Chapter 6,) lbe 6nt essay of Ul Gwm dts Algbktu anaI)'SQ a oontradiction in terms of imperialiot repression and terror. Frmr:h power is mown 10 depend

"

L YOT A R 0 A NO TH E POLITICA L

upon I~ mic policy ;nl" I~ mod< "f pillaging alld exploilati"n • • opp<>W.d I" in_tmf .... w material. 10 Frana: (PW: 172- 3)_ The """seque~ of" Ihi' combinalion are I~ expropriation of Algerians (rom employment and Ihe 5Oil, "'lh fCSul!ing pollWy and famine, alld very higb levels <>f prOfil due 10 a high Iev<:I of unemployment. The dishonestly clrl:ular reasoning (or thi' f<>rn1 of exploitalioo is 'social 'lf I~ colonists: bolh .... k 10 mainlain I~ north African economy in a pre-industria] Slate. If agricullure we", industriaJiso:d. wrilOi I~ dill'lCior o( agricullure 10 tM govemmmt of Algeria, lhe fellalls would become induslrial wage eame .., ' Is il really in our inlernllo prolwuianize future elements of 1M populalion, wlim social .lf administration, r:.lucalion, culture alld employmerot.

"

IMPASSE

This dcliDtS tho necessary relation betw«n totalitarianism and terror, All alpCCll of Algerian lOcie1y are colonised Ind IUn by colonialS; beooe lbe terror that IICCps into anytbing lbat stands outside tho rolonial system tbrough lbe Ihreat of slMVation and ,ep",:ui.c e~Jusion. Algerian. are terrorised ;'1\0 working wilbin a system lhal cannol aocqK lheir uaditions. claims to fair employmenl and 10 d...,nlliving condition •. This is lhc: Ie(>usiy ...,ks to .uw,ew lbe apparatus of state lerror wbere cppresoioo takes on ill mosl olMous shape and indepellllence' (PW: 174). More Utan t....... ly yeartlloter, by 11>0 time of Lyotard'. Just Gam",g and 1M Dif/ermd. \etTOf and totalitariani"" ha", been defined more gmtr.IlIy. Terror is lbe impo!lilion of a mode of expression Ibat is inconsistent with whal bas to be exp........:l. Totalitarianism is lhc: iIIegilimate grounding of un;",rsal montl and political jlldgrntmts on cxclusive ~iews masquerading as judgemmlS of facl. GeofTrey Bc:nnington and Bill Readings explain Ibis illegitimate utC1llion oftlUlh into value in differenl contexts. bUI lbey agree lhatlbereio lies LY0lard's key insight inlo terror and totalitarianism:

The repturntable law. the prescriptive which claimlto be grounded in eilher • description of tbe lrue nalure of IOcie1Y. or of tbe will of lbe uni,..,rsal ... bjecl of humanily, or of lbe grand narrative of bi.torir;:al destiny. instilules Inror in Ihal il sik""", resistance by viclimization: Ihose wbo lie oulside Ihe law (si""" lhc: law is lhe juslice of non-metaphorical realily) are unreal aod cannot spea~. (Readings 1991: 112)

Whercas the rationall~rror of the French revolulion is io prir>eiple grneralisabk in the name of 'Reason' 10 lbe wbole: of humanily, Nazi 'terror' makes an aco:ption and simply c~mioates the: .... t: jUII as in lhc: Atbenian funeral oration decried by Socrates.. wbe« lbe ,UpJMlgc tunOfl& lbe pronouns ar>oJ .. nte~inota""'" allowed a move from 'tbty were good' to 'we are good'. in 50 rar as ' '"'" are Atbenians'. .., here Aryan. recounl 10 olher Af)'3II' lhc: story of (aU) good AryanL (Bc:nningtou 1988: 151) Readings insists on lhc: concern with law and justia: in tbe later Lyotard. He dll_ our Blleolion 10 Lyotanf, separation of JUSlia: from matters or

"

LYOTARD AND TIlE 'DLITI CA L flC! aJId 10 the critique of I. .. h ."", 00 daiml 10 final ,"PlutDlation of rnaHen of (an. This is abo. critlqlMl of lCITor. ' Ierror it DOl incidenUll in Lyotard', IoCCOwlI of poIitiQ: OW" entire IlIIdtnt""di", of politics ... it w[",·istio insofar IU the political thcorill, the illite. or lOCicty claims to dcttnnine ... lutl jUSlice is. [0 deri~ poIilical p i ' " iptiom in ",(OWIO: 10 • ftl ibable Stalo of .ffMino' (Readiop 1991 : ]I )). Bcnn.inJ1D1l, on ~ otltc-r Iutnd. I II [he W 101 iam of odt.lli~ oamt._ Ii..... of lttilima[ion. Tnror illo IcsitimiK • lillie, 1"• . la.. accordirol to • 1I01'Y lIull odllCkt some: of too.. to too: acted upon (fOIIl an oriJiillil fOUDdation. Lyotard 04'tcn n:ttll1lS to Ittit illitTation of lqitm..cy and lqinninp [moa\ famously, tlKouJh not belt.. in hit Ittact. 0fI p1Ind ... tTa_ Ii ..... io TIw I'M/'''''''IN Cottdillott, ' tlw: pud IlltTali~ bas loll its <Wdibilily". 11). Hito faVOllled ....y of lhinkiol thit Ihrovah it in ItnIII of tlw: fOtoCtioro aJId q;limKy of the Inm ...... '. &I ;" the IIlItenrnt 'W o k""'" what ruson it'. Thit ,_. ito dilcuual best in _ of _ in 11M' may ·Uai¥CfSl.l history and cult~ral diff'~fl ,.,' in TIw Lyottmi R-s.r. 'Terror is 110 Ion&er UCiV ·.- :j in 1M illiJroe of flftdom .....1 ill tlw: .....". of ~our­ salisfaction. in lhe ........ of a Alilfaction of a ........ hich it ddinildy lalrio:tcd 10 si"",!.orlty· (316- 17). ""in. from lhe early dq :riptioll of IefTOr io lenni of a ;articular cue to the: 11.11/1" lertt"nl ddinilion is inll ructi..., and important. [n tlw: fOl!hLr. l !Xcifoc coonomic Irl"llIC1Itl and dQcriptionl of a .oci.al Ileal,ty form the ba ... fo r the idcntiticalioo of lCITor aDd the .~\ aboot ... )0.01 rom> revo[otiooary po~tical action mltll ... ke. In the 10011 ..... a lheooy·indep,ndttll economy and .000101)' "o~ndl a senmol claim thaI aloo applies to
no..

no..

many ""'Nalkl'..blr modH: M oreo~r .

..btl! i\ is. qlieltion of la.Iity. it mUSI too: Wldentood llutl rulity it not only.t pIIoy in """,iii... pltruellinked ~p "';Ib oomU:uolives • ..., oaemives. Rellily plaY' illClt out in the Ibm: ramilies tluotluo~ jUSlIxea ......... , but abo in aU the otbo:r families of phrqn ("'hich .~ nonetlt<:!t II WI!AnIb. ... bIc into the firM tbm: ,,_U II inlO one anotbtr). (TD: SS)

So ...1Im Lyotard d "ibn lUI eoxollOmio Ilid -ul coalnodictiont in tlot ..... Y' on Alp lot fallt fOllI of tlw: n,..lcamt in tlw: bter 1I'OIk.. There iI !

.

IMPASSE

nO one r¢alily to ",hich any critic can appc revolution in tbe role of the new Alaerian bourgeois and bureaucralic propridOr1 and power·broken, 'In reality. Ihere is no alternalive 10 uploitation lhan _iaJism; in =Iily, the national4emocratic slrnUle of the Nnnh African people contains within it the !IUds of a new mode of exploitation' (PW : ]14). Tl\e$e doubls grow and come 10 overw1>clm the theoretical apparalus lhat gave rise to tbe original prediction .. Lyotard moves from a theory about econnmic and social conlradictions and how 10 resolve them, 10. Iheory aboul why dcacriplive lheories m",,1 always fail 10 cap!u~ the $Dclal reality tMY sci out to anal)'ll<'. This failure can be ascribed to irresolvable conlradiction, inherenl in any ooc:ial reality; that is, that it mllS] involve different and untra",lalahle claims to trulh. II is importanl, though., not to faU into IIIe lrap of only readinS Lyotard', work bac:kwanb. The early work also siand. in judgm>ent over the later ~m. Wilh the dilTm-nd and the tum ap;O$t objeclivity Lyotard lo6es 1M specihcity and the belief in revolulionary pros>= of tbe earlier "'ork. The price of tbe critique of appeals to realilY and objectivity is • move away from political action that promises ooc:ial cbange on lhe baW of wcU· fnundcd analyses and predictioru. So lhe LoI.r work r¢t.ains the alTl!I:U and emotion oflhe earlier ",ork, but it canoot offer a rtrdl"CSll in the sense oftbe elimination of a "'TOIl, throuah a wdl·ddined pro8feS$ive political ~Ib. Again, des~ir and nihilism appear to baunt Ihe Loter Lyotar
ALGERIA AFTE R INDEPE NDENCE After Algerian independence, in the .....y •AlpN evacualed', Lyotard askl 1"'0 que"ioru tbal lead ultimalely to a KIISC of discouragement: ·Why was

"

~ YOT AR 0 AND THE ~OLITICAL

111m 1\0 rtVoIUlion in AlgeriaT aDd ' How an 111m Ix a revoIUlion in AlpT The . _ 10 110< first .. _ion is de,dopa.! in termI of IJoe apoocilY of diff~1 poot.re-.oIutiooary dand poIilicol portia 10 briDt .bo.1I revoIuDoD. He studies the way in ..,hid\ the bourg . .:.., the urtNon prolmoria' and the, unlry ra.cI '0 iDdcper+ieN? This..-eat:lion it then utcd 10 ""plain 110< fwure of poli'iaJ plOd wiD IOQrdJ revoIutioDary aims; Ibex ...... "" ,ued throuJ!> IJoe fi,JI'.-c of the c-!.indqlendence leader lien 8eb ltId lIis rt'Y(>lutionaty p",,,amme P' "led in Tripo:>li on hit I'd...., from prison, This ICCIion of 'Alp evacualed ' il omilted from ill IralUl.don in l'oli,icllya fanu ... of cluses ralher lban I fail= o f cIauet 10 brinB enouBh po~lal wiU 10 bear on what ..... a ....nh .... hile. if far from pent:<:!, polital

......-. So il il l\Ol only a quation of a politicol ...:v.um, but ra!her a lack of political ilnpu.be 111.11 ~ to • COIT\Iplion of po:>Iitical elmM' 'Wbc:n il ba:::ame ,lItrtl"ry to orpniw !he poIitIaJ inslnuDcal IW '1)' fOl' Ille ilnpk"Ulation [of the propammeJ wnftiel bfoke 0111' (1989a: 249); 'Truth is thai in Ille abKnoe of po \I'" frota the 1M' , ia ltI ~ """'l1li1 . nd ia OI'Jllnisloliomal dd· ' DC) !he fi&bt for PO"'" ba:::ame OJ)pOf1Mif,,ic' (1989&: 2S I), So it ..... 001 limply poIitIaJ CIOITUpOOn, nor simply the rail ..... of ~hltioDary cia...,. to no. opontaileOutJy, It waf the docuoduneat of polilict from ,""lut;"""'ry dum IMt led to tlle dllC' toee of "",olulion. L)'OtIrd anal)'RI tbis in tenm of the bowacoi*, urban """rken aOld ...... nlry, Firsl, the bourgeoisie, Acc:ordinlto LyOll.d, IJoe f.ilu<1: of IJoe AIBtrian bou.aeoWe it double, The fint fault is inherenl 10 any bou •...,..;"': Ihal i., to .... k 10 defuse le\'olulionary foroes in order to mainlain ill &riP on property, pg~Iit:a1 """,eo and culture, The WUlO1d f.ult, ~., is cllaraeterUtic: or lbe No rtb African hou •....,...., It is 10 Taitl moves 1..... 0<11 iMust';"[ ck>'dopmtol by CODOmtralinJ: capital itt lraditiortal formlluch .. land lod ,,"opelly (or mllal income. Instead of in_illl towards patter indU!llrial """,,llpnKnl _ and lbeitby ODDtribulinj to a (ultlftlllYOlutiort thn>uJh the emotion oIlt1l1rbill proletarial _ the Nortb Mric:IIJI bwr,llIiIit "ich to iu lraditions ... dul. This ailiq~ is a _ I tbroup all Lyoll"r , ....)'11 010 AI,""" (rom ........ of \be carlietllUCh .. "The Nonb African ~. ripl up to the OUIO)'II on """. revoIutionary A ......... AI every 111m, IJoe bourJeoisit is ItIt1Ito be reacti.., and baekward.looki", e~ (or ill role in IllItionaJism: '80ul'JUiba wanll to Ii'" tMllcadcnhip t..cl; 10 lbe AI..,n..n bou.FOisit: ;1 is II'IIC Ihilihe mornc:ot or F<1:nCh uNauslion, .,hk/o will f.vour this dl'llWJ near. 8uI this liule runl or. bour8C'Qi5ie. tJoe outdaled p.oduct of Ihe period of direct admini .. ralion, does nol O
,..,in'

lMP"'SSE

The French wilhdrawal from Algeria docs not lead, themorl', 10 an ;n,,..tmtnt in desperdlely needed faclories and farm m""h;nery, but 10 a speculative rush 10 ACquirl' land: During Ihe IlISt yu.n; of li>e war, Algerian rarmen; and manager<. profiting from lite ab«:ncc of lhe properly ownero and from lhe absence of conlrol, pockeled Ih. land reven ..... lands. build in," and smaU firm, repurchaiied by lhe " 'eak Algerian middle cia ..... Speculalion allowed illo enlarge iu n.. teu pretly quickly.

,,-=

( PW: 3(4)

But thaI i•• U ""pilal is for Ihis bourgeoisi.: 3 nesl egg. It is not the opponunity to put capital to work, bUI "l1l>< prolected and extended in lorms of properly and nol in terms of economic developmenl Ihrough investment. This i!I oerious enough .. an economic failing. bUI il bt<:om<:S a po~tical failing tbrough a double corruption of Ihe na.cent Slale. The apparalU, is affected intelk:c1ually and in term. of its nwd\n I>p,,,,,,,df: ' The corruption of the civil servants wenl along w;lh this enrichmenl of notables and busine5&lIlOn. They s.bolage<\ the pu rge< and favoured the inva';on of the administration by their cronies. The ""'" bourgtOisie proliferaled in II>< bosom of tb. Slate' (PW: 3OS). The speculalive practi£e of the boUrgeOis;" bequeath, lhe sllIle a destiny of eorruption and underdevelopment. It also puts the Slat. once again into lhe hands of F""r>::<:. sir>::<: lhe I>I:W leaders are easily corrupted inlO p"",""ing lhe economic ;nteresu of lhe old colonial powt'r. French capitalism gives lhe ,tale and;to bourseoi' burea""ralS fund, in relurn for an exteruiodependencc movement, because the mo~""'nt was born of Ihi' vt1)' regime of exploitation and corruption. All thaI rtmains on tb. plus side of independence i, the replacemenl of foreign oppt oors by Algerians. Th .. i!I no linle ""hievemem, but il is nO !'<'Volution. It would be ,"rons, though. 10 dodu,," a prejudi«elopment, investment ar>d progr<»ive politicllileadership be<;:ause;1 hIlS nOI il:;tlf t.e..n allo.......J 10 grow and d...'elop d"" to its usurpation by colon;"ls: 'The only bourpoi'"

..,,,in-

LYOTARD AND THE POL I TICAL

in lhe sinet and dtcisi"" $moe (_ bourgeoisie tbal P"'''',es the "",ans of prodUC1ion) "onl«J by a morcantilism encouraged by the Koran. ~ idea5 n:lum _ again much mon: Ughdy _ in Ii>( 'The Wall, lhe gulf. Ihe .yst..,,· on lhe faU of lhe Ea.lern bloc lind Ihe Gulf war (PF, 79). StroDd, Ihe pToleiarial and peasanlry. In the caoe of lhe u",,-o proktarial and Ihe peasanlry l yQt.\lrd has 10 e~plain wby they failed 10 pr-ovide conlinued impeln. 10 Ii>( ""'( Ilbsmoe of lhese cJaues from the posl,ir>dcpo:ndcnoe political some be aa:ounled for? These qlleSlion. an: particularly difficull. since !lock an"",'e.. such as 'Iiving condition. were impro.ed· and 'gric:\( phantom of unemployment and famine already haUDled the people of Ii>( countryside aDd lhe citin' (PW: 294). They are:.olso difficult .inoe those cia ..... 5howed """I couraB" aDd made """' MCriftca during the war of indeprode",,",_ Lyolard', reply is perhaps Ii>( most conten tiou. but alw characteristic a.pc<:! of hi, philOMlpby - regarding AI£<,n.., bul alw much lalCr. He oeparal.. lhe . ponta_ uprisioM of Il\IWI':S apinn wrongs or for needs an in lhe post·l968 essa)'l colle<1.ed in INTi." d poT/i, ded study of dis<:ourse and art. DiKour., figwu-. 'the evenl a. di.lurban"" I,h.-.)" defies knowledge .. .' (22). So deoira an: channelled but, •• in lhe ca,. of Alg.n.., lhey can aka erupt as .""nlO Ihal COme to disrupt an established $yOlem: 'How",~r, the qualitali,,, ..... nt o<>:un when the .ny forms Ihrough which energy is rendered circulabl< (the in.tilutions. in the sen", thai I ba.. ';'1011 10 Ihe t.nn)
22

tMP.o.SSE movements and th~ theories involved in underslandin, them or in givinJ poIilical dil'l!Clion 10 them. UndC1"St~ndinJ and directinn are n«, ""'Y, bul also insufficienl. In Ibe lanJU3gc of libidinal Eroiwmy. inlcllSily and dirr.ltt,,", are dissimulaled wilrun Ihex di'p05itionl. co"",,~tod but n"""r fully captured; 'I...t-I \1$ tIC' ront.nlto recognize in diOlimu\ation ~lIlhal ...... have been .... kin" di rr~R'n"" within idenlity. the: .ha",", ovall within Ih~ foresight of composition, paosion within reason' (52) , Th~ importanoc of the political ev~nt thought of in tenm nf f~lings and drsim also appears in Lyolard \aler work on the dilTerend, It is de'~loped from a reading of Kanl found in the 1982 ess.ay 'The Sign of history' .nd laken funber ill T7t~ Diff~ '£"" ~nd LYOlard's fullest treot,""nt of Kanl, L ·£nrlom.t~. Dy Ihi< t inlO the ",'rnlS. The .rux of the argu,""nl i< Ihal Ih~ significance of potitical ,,,'rnl. i$ iOOicaled by Ihe lublime f~lings fell by sp«:laton to Ihe evenl. The sublime i, • combinalion of Iwo opposed feelings; the feelin, thai II>< imaginalion mu,t provide a p..,..,nlalion of ~n idea of reason, .uch as Ihe idea of an 'emar>cipaled workin, humanily', and Ihe feeling Ibal;t cannot do so(TD; 165- 7). 11 illherefore a combinalion of upoctation and frustralion triggered by • hislorical e'"Cn! (in Kan!', "'ork, the French ~Iulion). What manorJ for th~ dil<:lI5S;On nf Atg.ma an: the continuili« aOO breaks with Lyotard's early ..-ork . He uSCI the Kanlian thwry of lhe sublime 10 further 8 lhesis about lhe helerogeneity oflinguistic pracli=, and by thi' he means to include all $<>Cial e'''''IS. In lerm. of lhe revolutionary aim. of the work on Algeria, the moll seriou, "'peel nf Ihi' mo ... e 10wardS lodal heterogeneity, indicated by lhe feelings of spc<:taton 10 • rullorical event, Ii« in lite .mtique of Ma",ism put f01Wllrd "raisht after lbe 5Iudy of Kantiall enthusiasm in ~ DifJerntd. I shall return 10 Ihis crilique and to the reaction 10 So"'aJ~ e/ txuI>o.~ found in libidi",,1 t:coJwmy in the lUI orilical ....,lion of Ihis .hapler, Natwithstanding I.le, IheomiC"~t mo ..... regarding radical sodal differ. enoes and I>
LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL

Sirugle. "'ben lbe masses broke ~nd lrampled loor own caricalure under· foot' (PW: 3(2). BUI Ihi, unily hid"" an nriginal"l of differences Ihat .hnw the nnlion n( rna .. to be nothing wilhoul the lingular desire lhat gave it OOIIilitency and .(rength: 'lbo composile charact ... ofwbal has been ealled th.t ""'Mn is a Itso momentary elomc:nl. Then: an: Jl"uanl$. workm. the middle cia ... each group t,.,.~ b)' tbe conflict bol • ..,,, gmc:ralions. b)' • more or Itso m""g 1KIbcn:n"" 10 lraditional culture. by tbe nalure of n«:dJ, by Janauaill" (PW: 301). Thi-s divisillal .... runs through own the apparwtly I1IOIt coherent cia ... th.t peasantry: Then class antagonioms are "",broidered nfllo the paniooloured costume: thai makes up 1M bIe
(301) Lyman:! and S<><:iaJ~ "" ba,ba,it', rea~"" comes to the fore ben: (and it is into ....tin' to note that much of tl>. close analy$ia 0,,"eS a areal okalto the sociolo;ical Slodin of Algeria by the now equally inHumtial think... Plern: BourdiN; .... S<><:"'k>,~ /'AI,;.~). This objtttivity hao th,", critical strands for any n:fkc1ion on thl: posI·iJldcprndo~ role of thl: ma ....;

«

I

1

3

Lyotan:! UpiaiM their unity and revolutionary fervour through thl: dWn: to denroy a "'If-image ~!Id nOl through a political do " conoc:iouSlle$S; it is thus an argument about f... lings of revnision and deliveran"" ralher lhan aboul consciousl\Olll and undo,.,tanding. No single characteristic of a cia .. or m.., i. allowed to dominate in ill definition or in any araU""'''1 for its ront;nuous idtntilY. There i. an awareness thai each class i. an amalgam of characteristics. each of which can pull i\ apan gillal lhe right situation. Classn are .... 0 to ""erlap through the$c charatt"';'t;':' and through comple. economic and social inICfT~lationshiJII. There i. no .unple economic: or ooo;i.aJ logic that alLo"., for Ibroretical accounts of the play of 0fIC clil .. with anatbe •.

The$(: points art" used b)' Lyotard, oOm in combination. in onIer \0 ~.plain differenl failures in the revolutionary moh"'~nt. F or cumplc. whm co".idering th.t rounlcr-argumcntthat lhe pea",nlry can be organised inlo a revolutionary rna .. b)' land claims, he Ihowo bow 11.0'" daimo do nol in

IMPASSE realily lead 10 coh..;""n .... H~ d',-id<;. the ""Hanl< by geograpbical region, in order to show lhal the nalure of Il>cir claims has to be diff.... nt: 'To understand [Ihe post-iDdq>o:ndeooc: hiaHl$l, onc CIIn tum to Ib~ diVU1ity of regional situation. aDd the limitlthey imrosc on social consciou.ness' (PW: )Og). In regio'" wh .... land is IlCaroe and wh .... tl>cre islinle land to be redislributed .unonll many .maU.hokkn there is "ery little pressure toward, land·rcfonru (308), On tbe: other hand, wherelh .... arelaboure ... rather Ihan """,ll·hoIdm, the Qb$w:1e lies in lradition and attitude. lbe historical relation belween owner and labourer i. partly ." tra_firulneial, in the form of a duty on Ih. part of Ih. former 10 pay 1M lauer in ~ind and to ensure lubct of a 10,,", ,,[interesl, which i, born only wilh mercan· tilism, but of an elhics govomod by lraditional righl< and dUI;'" (309) , This form of argumenl againO! theoretical unily and pnlilical I"sic Ihrough an appeal to a comple~, fluid and emolionaUy dri,'cn reality mul'S Ihrough"ut Lyotard's essays "n AI,"ria, though Ihe point h.... is not thai he proved to be lI<X"Urate in Ih. lim.·.pan of Ih....... y. "r thai il pmvides a useful startinll_poinl for a stlldy extendinll inl" lhe lerribl. presenl , Rather, il i. t" tWo<Ss Ih. philosophical polenlial and Haws "f Ih. appmach. fi ..t in lemu of Lyolard', crilicisms of the left and righl on AI~a. ,bon in terms of lbe: interaction bel"'... n hi. Q'Om work.,

C RITI CAL ATTAC KS ON T H E LEFT AND THE RIG HT lYOlard'. essays on Algeria are not soleiy """""rned witb an Algerian "",,,IUlion and war "f independence, They .tlldy the melropolitan dimension of that Ilrugg1. in t,,·o conn~ waY'. H""" do actions in F",,,,,,, affect Algeria? Wbal do thoo< action.lell u. aboutlhe potilical siluation in FNl'IoCC? B1'I)Adly, tbe: anowe .. to Ih""" question. are "" follow"

2 l

4 5

Th.", is an absence of solidarity and cOI>OOm for the AllIIulionary arid •• a stNIIJIe for indcpendmoe. That i., tb= is a belitflhat 1M """,lution must take place in IhI: conlext of an inlcrmotional socialism_ Indtpwd! capable ,,[ resolvins the
lYOTAR D AND TilE POLITICAL

The .... plan.tion for p<>inl$ 3 ~nd 5 bas been given abo. e, Tbo """"""ry t<1'rOrilulion of oconomie and &Oci&1 problems while Algeria is under Frencb oontrol: 'The absurdity of the: mi~\ary laY: in Algeria is lhal it want. al Ihe .. me limo 10 manase Algeria with Ihe Algerians and ";Iboul them (not 10 say apinst Ibem)' (PW: 266). ll!ere is a double hurdle In cross in any social Knd economic refonn in Algeria: p<>W1'r would ha~ 10 be given """'" 10 ..·ork ..... aNI tn Algerian workell. BUI Ihi. don not •• plain the depoliticisalion of French worken: 'Vel, wilh Ihe exception of Algeria (where . ueh a political lif•.• ''ttI if it is in decli .... appeared in January among Ihe Europeans. and " 'ben: it manifeslS it",lf """ry day without fail in the shape of Ibe anned activity of tbe Algerians themselves). France i. p<>liticaJJy dead' (2S2). Why lw p<>litics. or a certain kind of modern p<>~tics, oome 10 die in France in the late fifties, early sixties? J. il helpful In think of Lyotard', lal.r work on the postmodern as an anempt to explain this death1 Now lhese .... dang<1"Ous q~tion" They direct u. 10 Ihe mosl supe'fic:ial and well known of hi' worn. TItF p""motkm CoMir;"", and 10 Ibe mosl simple and blunl • • planalion of the shift imo a p<>slmndern p<>lilic:$. lI ut hi, work has little to do with sirnplyehanins Ihe dealh ofmodem p<>1itics and ~thing 10 do wilh the auempi 10 ~lical and 10 rekindle p<>1itics under anolher lui"" The poinls lhal he gi .... in explanolion for d<po1il~tion are "",,"ul bc<:au",lhty pm...;.;!. n...... chall"""" for a philosophy lhal does not want 10 ..... p<>litical desire seep a ..'lIy. ""The Stale and PoJilic:$ in lhe Fran~ of 1%0' puIS lhem forward ill • sketch {Ibe original venion numben each point: these disappear in lhe English tranilalion): I

2

Economic IfOlIo1h broUghl about by grealer productivilY is accom_ panied by a
"

IMP,o,SSE

3

4

S

Economic expansion has ltd 10 a homoS'ni ... tion of F rench

1if~.

Thow involved in mod .. of life thai had escaped tbis alionation, luch a~ farmen. shopkeepers alKl al1isans, now fall prey to ii, Not only work. hUI all athe:r mtdilional human relation$ $""b a. family lif~ arid lif~ in ooghbourboods h ..'~ brol<..., doWl!. Th;" leads 10 a more Icslinll individuallifeslyle. allhe:.am<: tim~ more diffi
Lyotard OOI1nectS all these point. to a single property of capitalism, that is, the: capacity to i1lCOrporate oppmitiOfl and critique into the Iystem. The dOJXlliticisation of the French proletariat and youth comes from the: way in which Iheir re...-olutionary political a<1ivities are aosimilattd iDio capitaliom. This asoimi\ation pla= any strusgle ' in th~ past leRM·.nd places political a<1ivist$ 'in the paMive mood', It i, IKIt only Ihe ide.s and demands of the prolO1ariat Ihal are a..un;\attd in Ihi' "~'By bUI al"" the: fonn' of struuOe-. The union becomes a moans ru management. and represenlatives of th~ proletariat bao",. pan of the bUl'I'aucr>'llic manasement da ..:

II is Ihus proletarian political life ilself lhat ;, aliena ttd. lhal is dioplaccd from its OWl! class in hybrid organisms (in thai Ihclr iI'=;" is workrr and their function is bureaucratic, lhat;, seized by Ih~ ruliog clal.s). The \'cry idea nr a glnb.al political project is immtdialely neutralized in lbe ""ork.,,· 0"" heads. locrtdulily. lassilude, and irony keep an e~p\Oiled class in '~p much more effectively Ihan optn viole".,.. (27S ) F rom many poinu of"';'w this litual;n" h .. much to oommmd il in term. of """",I Itabili ty. better working condilions and increil500d ..... alth - Lynlard is well awa", of Ih;'. But it slillllNds a ",volutionary critique because of the: erosion of "cti';lics and ideals in"olved in tbe passivity ind~ by the shift inlo bureaucralic capitalism. A Joss of 'di=tioo. seose alld valucs' mu>t be mnedic:d by "" 'oIUlionary activily. BUI Ihis cannot he lhe lraditioll.lll activily of the len. 'minusctM in ",!al;"n In the .-...1 dimon,ions rulhe crisis', Thi. io ",hy Lyotard's philosopby moves lowards poSlmo
LYOTARD AND Til E POLITICAL

THE LIBIDINAL DRIFT AWAY FROM C RITIQUE Why docs LyolOr50phy? A. I hope 10 lui"" li>nwn, .ony lesson cannel be ",,!ely lhal lbe AI~rian war mLlSI be coruidrra.! in lerm. of a difrcrend. Mall .... are mllCh more complu than lhat, nol only in Icrm5 of the diffC'tCllI <'OOdatinn of follll<'T ... h'es., lhe mcIhod of La GWtrt dts Alg'rinu is 1>01 tlLal of TN Diff",~nd. Mort 10 lhe poinl, I wanl to argue Iballrus metbod and ilO resulo. bequealh mOre 10 and are given more from LibidiIIaJ &otwmy than TN DifJtrNld, Finally,;1 is """nti.ol lO insist again tlLal LYOlard'. early work;s nol only 10 be judgr:d from the $Ialldpoint o f lhe laler work, CUlting crilical poinu can also he mad< against lhe laler work from the political activily of lhe .....y. on Aigtria. In LA Gue". du A(ghitlU, Lyotard's mcIhod depend. upon: (I) an ao1iculalion of the social field ;nlo da...,.; (b) an ".planalion of the logical rellliions bet ...-eo:n Ihose dasses in I(rms of objective economic and sociological relations; (e) a polilical aim of revolulion broughl about by lhe spomaneou, ..wng of ma...,. infCJm1ed, but not led, by critical .Iudies such I . tOOse pul fOIWllN in So<:i6Iw- 011 fH,rba, je, The emphasis; then, is on critiqUt: rather than political organisation and leadership (naturally, givm thai the main critical focus of tit< Socialimte "" barl1
"

IMPASSE

I

2

3

4

S

Action. are undelTlood bener in term. nf pbysical and un<:Omcinu. de.ires and nnt in tenm nf abstract ideas; 11tcre is no libidinal dignity, nor libidinal fraternity. tbert a", libidinal oontacU without rommuniation (for ..,."t nf a ""...... ge .. ). Thi' i. why. among.. individual. partic:ipatin, in tM sa"'" struggle, the"' may exist the IIK>SI profnund mi"",mpreMrWon, evetl if they are $it""tod in 1M ea: 'C.pit~lism includes. 00 tM contrary. in the name of increaoed accumulation, growth. de.'elopmeot . .w.. Q di.posl/if {di.posllioN..,lup I of lire ..gu/(uiotr of t:Otrl' is no ...... olulionary ' Ial. or primitive society that is J>O!. open to a capitalist exploitation of de$jre and hetcrogctteily: '. " . the"' is no exlernal ",fe",occ, C'o'tn if immantn(, from which the 5<'paraliop of what b(IOllp to capital (or pOlilical c<:ooomy) and what belongs to . ubversion (or lib;dinal """no my). can atv."ay. be made. and cleanly: wM", desire would b( clearly legible, where its proper """oomy would nOl he ",rambled' (108).

Once applied to the methodology of tM ..... )'5 011 Algeria, the .. pointo lead a_y from eIa_ and to desi= "Thlutiooary with capitalism. To some, includilli 1M early lyOlard, tbcsc oonclusions are difficult and revoltilli. But. in lJbldilllli UonomJ". he tai.. a pervt .... pleasure in

"

L YOl A R 0 AND TH E POLITICAL

avoiding any s",..,tenin& of the pill by adopting an affirmati"" .tyk fm: of ....gret and nootalgia. Thit .Iso mark. tM gmol dilT=ncc btl • ..,,, Ub/dj/Ul/ EclHlOmY and [)irjw Q pri. way of living wilh the weighl of tM pa>t. incl""inl a sbared CODOOrn ",ilh Algeria. Where Dcrrida won. bil deconJiruction within pa.t metbods and philosophies in tM dimenoions they ohare with Ihe p..... nt. Lyolard sean:hes for a cI""n melhodolotlcal brtak . So wh." Dcrrida says. amid mach laughler. Ihal 'it ....... mo .... Ihan an idiosyncralic comparison .. .: in the resolute break witb noslalgia. lhe .... is 8 psychOinalylic-H.gelian logic, a rigid .... I.olion. nO! very w.:U .... U\al...t: Ih ..... is ptrhaps mo .... nostallJia in you than in me' (3&8 _9). he ill nOI only making a good joke 81 lyolard', CJlperuIO. given hit wen-known anliHegetiani",, : he is also pointi.,. out thaI a resolute elTon 10 ......1'" the paJt i. as burd.ned wilh nostalgia a. the elTon 10 live wilhin tbe past. Negation cannO! escapt whal it negales. But thit is in lum unfair \0 lyolard·. analysi. of d..i..... t""ugh maybt not 10 hi. Ialer philosophy of the diITerend. LyOlard', wnTk on desi .... is precisely an effort to n of Ih~ ~ are nol otudied in termS of social and C'
"".,.j/

IMPASSE the sarne ""'Ole, the~ may ex;st the most profound misromp~hel\$ion, ...-en if they a~ situaltd in the sa"'" $Oclal and oconontic bnocket' (113), As lhe desi~ 10 escapt CC1'ta;n dcsil't$ orx:e and for all, (hoc Algc';"n Te"o'olulion had 10 fail, a.r::rording 10 lhe later tyolard. The desil't$ to accumulate a. a ret!l~, or 10 ~lfay the Te"o'Olution in .. If..,.,rving ""mpromi.. and caJcuJalion, or 10 funher lerror in the rnjoymt'nI of mu«IeT, are 31,,'a)'5 latent, No ~voJulion co.n banish them ('perhal" Iti. desi~ .till remained in the grip oflhe punili"" reJot;on he meanllo abandon . .. alrtady nouriOmy. Lyolard attacks Ihe early Baudrillard', definition of primilive forms of """hange that come before capilal ;n T1w Miffl)f" '" P,txir.oClitm and FOf" Q C,iriqw of 1M Polili",,1 Econarny of 1M Sign (tE' 10381. Of""u ..... BaudriUaro "'-'" then to "'nounce hi, own work and drift into hyperrcalily (A",e';""; SimU/aI/oJu), Lyotan::l al"" PUIS fo ....... rd a vitriol;'; auad: on his former associate from Sodal;.",.. OIl barba,~. Comelius Castoriadis, fOI Itis auempt to driine a generalillCd ',pontaneity and c..,alivity' as a privileged ..,alm in La Saci;', bu'e
.pIIo..,

SUI this don nOI fl« lib;dinal economy from lhe q","slion. posed by the earlier tyotard: Whal a~ W( 10 make of our Te"o'olutionary desires? They exisl.1tII do pain Mnd lerror. \Vbal. Ihm. should we do 10 Ii"" wilh o r Ii"" up 10 lhe desires. or to =1'0 them? It could n..... r be mough simply to proctaim the end of ....... olulion. si""" all the commentary on Algeria in Ubidlnal £NmOmy points lowarn. Te"o'olutionary desi .... thai ha"" bc.:n forbidden a ..,rtlin typt of OIllkt a..:ordinl 10 a Cettain Iype of eriliatl lboory. Amonl ,he mo,! preuing
"

LYOTARD AND THE POL ITICAL

dC$ire and "'pital commit him to a simple betrayal of hi. early revolutionary ho lIOught work? Can he still fi&ht on tho olde of those who .uffer terror, to do 110 tenaciously in tho ..... ys OIl Algeria?

a,

TilE SILENCING OF CR ITIQ U E Aft..- a close Stl>dy of Kant, 1M Diff"tnd.r>ds with a seI of aphorism, .,., capital . Numbers 236 to 239 are of particular interest to • d mnains to be listened to .. . This is the ....ay in which Marxism ha' not come to an end. as the feeling of tho diff.",nd: HO" "e''Cr, d.. pitelhese claimi 10 continuity. tho work on Marx in the diffe",oo develops a .. t of crilical point. against lho earlier methods: I

2

J

A .... rona: is not ... j>TeSSO
So. lit. lhe .... o,k 0" All"ria in UhiJinai &moomy, lhe philosophy of the d iffermd tries to e.plain tho a~ Or transience of =olutionary masses dlaned in . Algeria evacuated'. llIe methodology aod po~tical aimo are very different: now Lyolan! repl,..,.. both thoe d..cnptioll of relation. hot ....... n classes and desc::rip!ion. in temu of desires with a critique of the pouibi~ty of relating ",al entities with Ideas o f reason:

"''''''trained

The pliny is to mistake the prolel.arial - a ref"",nl oftbe dialtttical gt:n'" (in tbe Katltiao ...... ). namely, !be ideal object (and perltaps .ubject) ofthe Idea o f emancipilled wotking humanity - fot tbe reaJ working rio'" " tbe multiple rer.",ntl of'positi •• · cognitive ph ....... (TD: 172)

w.

have .... n tbi. argumenl on the incommen.urability of rognitive and Glher ph ...... al work earlier in the di!cussion of lerror. It Marko a thenr, e1ical and political demotion of ",",U11lt. critkal description in favour of tbe indicati,'e f... ling of the .ublime. W. have ....... tOO, that tbe nature of this f... ling is • COfl5titutive part of the argument fo r incommensuI1Ibility. It atllO

tMPASSE marits the $hin ;nlo a politics of trstimony, wbere we look for WI)'! of ""pmos;ng the diffnmd indic:atw by our feelinp, ... oppoxd 10 • politics of ~olution, wbere critique and political activism ma,l\I raae tbe eliminalioD of the diffmnd, The crux of IbM argument lies in tbe statemenl that this elimination is impossible: 'TIM: reprnstd d;fferend return. witbin tbe worke",' mO,enital, especially in the fomt of ..... urn:nt conflict. O' "CT the question of orpnisotion , . .' (11): 172), It i'lbis impossibility tbat will he questioned m... t strongly in Chapter 5 on ju.dgcment and TM Diffemtd, StiD, prior to any decision on validity, it is important to ICC wbat has beefI lost in Lyotard', drift away from revolution: tbe Ixlirf in tbe revolutionary role of objective critiq ... against the ill«juilies of capitalism, His WOTk On Algc';a is ~t the
3

LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND NIHILISM

FOR A REVALUATION OF LIB IDINAL ECON OMY

n..... .. no in""';,y wilhonl a

< forox wbich mikes. p'o'.110"". ito wrroWldinp by ....... in, it """,. m, .nd Of'M' tho nI"e of it> fto ..... If infidcljly "",k.. tho i"tldc] cry .. il does lbc: man Or WOman to whom il io ",Io,rd, it .. """"use thoir bod;eo. of bodin. """'" _ .. hauolin, ,he ....... II>< J)oin" OIl wbich force b<~" down. Your body i...U, unfaithful _ . if jcalo.. ,lie in!<noilin "'hich your infidelity briup iI, il 100 cries from [he: energy from it. and if it en.. a t ,he -... ,;m. .. your k»'<3". it is bcao"", they beionl to the ....,. pulsional

.urf..,.

rno"""""

,"]'[(,,">
or

,.k...

(L I::: 4 1)

Beau,ifu] and exciting or obscure a1>d dist.allcful'1 I, LlbidinDl &ooonry reaUy a book of political philooophy? If i. is, i. it a book of ,"",pOnsib" pbil""lphy. dttlic:aIMlo lhe true and lhe good? Or i. it what " .. oommonJy dismiss as metapby>ics: a <eI (>f daS$iCllI Of p$CuOO-o and tbe bead in.., of May 1968 (sec Us P"'UH rill by Luc Ferry and Alain Renauh). So a few Ihinxer1 ""efll thol step 100 far: inlo anarchi,m, into the advocacy of desire f..... of control and 50cial ....traint. into obscure style and

~[ B ID I NA~

ECONOMY AND

N[H[~[SM

a ..... y from clarily and ""holarlincss. Ii is easy 10 undcmand their moti_ and the gain and pkasur« that W\'~ thdrs on tht baok of a SUn<:epIS into polit'" and philosophy. It d<><'1 so drttpli\'ely: whe", t~ appean to be: shoddy inlerpn:lalion, Ihe", is oft.n camu! thoughl and preparation; "'he", Ihe", appea .. 10 be rom opinion and po$luring. the", is an efTorl 10 design a political po$ition in lhe lighl of mod.m difficulties and impossibilitie!; wht", there appea .. to be rh.toric. Iht'" is in fact an aHemp( to OveT<XIme Iht dis.abling .spocts of Iht po$ulructuralisl erilique: of tradilional philosopby. It would be mo", accural. 10 $;Iy lhat LyotaN', !ibidi""l work comes 'after and with> Iht critique: of mwophys;c. and nol $imply li.\ metaphJ$K:s. It rom", after and ..ith Marx, and tht desi", for liberaling political ",,1;0". It corotS after and with trulh, in Ihe om.. of 5<>oking 10 creal. new lTU11Is f.,,- a sil"",ion ,hal ",,-ul$ Ihe fragility IUtd rigidity of eslablished 0".... UbiJiNl/ fr<J<wmy is nol a work of anti_philosophy, Ihen, bUI of""w philosophy, Ibough il i, not n ..... in lhe =clionary .. nse of the IWU'..... IIX pIoilowphu, whose self"<W"rving efforu 10 markel a reaclionary and ,uperficial .. t of imellcctu&1 val .... was powerrull~ crilicised by Lyolaro in Tom/wall
The artioles in TINI>bfi,II a, /'",,~I/~c'''''' can he ..... as a paradoxical .... pon.. 10 ~er Dt-ws', programme for lhe ",,,,,,,,,,,I of Ihe Ief\. put fo",,".ro in hi, '11Ie " New philosoph.,," a!td lhe end of leftism' after a precise and variegaled accounl of the ",lation of the """ ..... IIX philOroPMJ to po$l-l968 lhoughl and to lb. left: 'We need 10 ~DOW bow lb. unil~ Of.lruggles, no longer pn:-gi ... n by an indusi ... primacy of olas$, can it..lf bocomc: a

LYOTA IID AND THE POLITICAL

JIlI'l"* of iln.uJe' (Dews ]983: 384). Lyotaro" .......... is lhal Ihis unily is pnvi.ody in lhe IcstillK>llY or l'1Idicol diounity IS resisl.lnOi: to Clpilal IS Oppelt1 10. pro/"c:ssio.Illial 'sdls a prod..a or a Jtf\"ioo llun Cln be ddined by its _ . and hena: can in .. i..eipk be • r (PW; ]2). The earlier 1""TWliMI pdrtlo. . it • A liricaJ allld: "" lhe .... y lhe ____ ~ sopMS ado", lheil philosopbics and publishina: llrat~ 10 lali5l"y and C'"ttuuoJly 10 <:Omc1" I!LIrkets: 'Bdtir.;l Ihc mea 01 CIa.-e] al>I< IWII<X pl!i/asoplre. have ind«d laken on • function of polioeman and conscience in lhe Frtnch media. Their position is loosely libeml democntt alld rabidly anl;. Ma rxiSI, anl;· Hcidc&I!'"riu, ul;.Nielzlchcan and anli- ll e~lian (oJl laid 10 have been compromiKd in IIIe horron of lhe lwenlielb Q'nluJ)'). 1lIcy follow and lhen allempitO lead mono! posilions "" the medii iss'JCS of Ihc day. Lyolard explo.ins thls moral and polilical . u.horj'y in .erms oI"lhc ~tion of their views (X COmmerlll on Y " .b.o commenls on Z and SO on). oJlied 10 thcir common r h " ' to .... ·aoc:qM.IbIe' SI""1o. OJIinioou ,1><1 to tbe lack of raJ cllloJIenF to Ihc " P"" 01 capi~Jism IS fUcd po""r thai encou.raaet IIIe ucIwije of 1M same

f74- t2). The mucll /III)ft radical ......, of ' new' searehN for in aU of Lyotsrd'i won:s is WI 01 , thou&hl UpeIA.w;nlina: ... iib "11)'1 of h Jurina: up to """'.,.,ponory coDdilioas and ~1J.1"bac ~ chan,. ,he shape of thinp and I\'IIIkr forms of thou&ht obfokle llId reaaionary. BUI IDOl\' than Ihis. hi. phiiotophy KCi<s 10 opeD the way for actions in I rt. potilics and philosophy II>loI al\' comi.lenl witb tbe unpredktlbility and IS )'CI UMX P~ value of Ihese evenl,. This is !>ow BiU Readings l<.:COunts for lhe conlin~ity of Lyotard's works on the polilica l in bis subtle inlroduction 10 Ly01UctJ, lraoes of radical disoensltS within modes and slructures of po~tical ~\alion, oac:iaI communicolion, or economk aocowuin, (ny), I belie¥< Il>lot. like Moi>ao>noed Ramdani in the Clie oK Lyot.ord·,_)'1 011 AJaeria. Readinp ,;..-es too much ..... hodo\oc··.] wei&ht 10 1M dirr<m\d all'ftlts and oppoailiotl 10 ..... blisbcd trutbs a ... present itt all LyOll..d·. works. Ihc earlier essa)'l do not depend on tbi, notion or silenl dirrctelllXs. On Ihc """Irary, lhe II\CII>od of the HSa)'l On Alg.:ria is 10 ~be 1\'1 1 condilioru IS IICC\lraltly as possible in order to reveal contnuliction. lhat <:an be o~rcome. It i. , melhodology Ihal prnuppotH a real . trunlc between fol"CClo. whel\' One is in the wrong 0U>d nced. 10 be o~rpowen:d. Thel\' is no

"

LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND NlfllL1SPoI

q ....tion of a nettSSity to lend an ear h) so"'" inexpressible olher al " 'ork behind aU difTe=ceo; Ihi. comcs bter. in Ii"" with failurn and dil m.,.dy a quibble o.'e,. 1M rtasons l yOUlrd gh~ for taking ~C1ion in lhe face of an injustice aDd a difT.rend, Tht import of lhese =sons comes oul mosl strongly in Ihe queslion of how to acl, If it is indt:ed Ih. case Ibal a differenoe is irresolvable and Ihallherein Ii .. its value 11$ a sign. IMn ...., are P"'h...t inlo a politics of endl ... l .. timony rHere is a difTercnd that $/10 .... again thai some difT.... nceo cannol be resolved or presented in a final fonn'), If, on the other hand, tMre art difTe=cn thaI bave nol yet been resolved because "'.. 1Ia"e not )<:1 underslood them, then "'" art pushed into. politics of a<:curate d"",riplion wilb a view 10 So beyond th. difTemlce. Thtre is no doubt, Ibough, Ibat Readings is right in hi. analysis of Ihe later philosophy of tM difTertnd. For example, Lyotard" argumenl against the /IOW....,UX pltilowpMJ or ·intellectual,' i. not on ly Ihal lhey fail to Wldentand tbe conlemporary relation betwe('1: 0( a ",vQlulionary avant-garde i< Ihal Ihey do oot forget 'Ihat polilics i. only bu,in... and cultu ... i< only tradition unless botb oflhem art " 'orked ","'cr by • oetlse of the differend , , : (TO: 10).

l YOT" R 0 "ND THE POLITI C" L

Defined according to tilt opposition btt\to'tl::n intdla:tuals and avaDl -garde Ihink..... thi, differend cannot become a re!uh in a capitalist 'Y"ttm_ It canllO! be rewl'"Cd for tilt be""fit of tilt lI}'$t.rn as a whole at if it WOK an obstacle to tilt <mooth runniog of a rna.hi"". or to a rn<>re profitable cir<:Ulatioo of capital. or to a gain of time in tenns of prodUl: economic genre comes up again.t is 11>1: heterogeneity of phrase regimm and of genre! of discou ....... TIle obstacle don not de~ upon tM "will "' of human beings in one ........ or anotllt,. but upon lh. differend. The differend ;. reborn from the very resolutions of suppo5ed litigalions' (TD' 181). But this is not tbe case in the " 'ork on Algeria. There. the desire for r.,·olutioo ~od for ..."Iution remains, all>I:it in a fra&ile .tal._The outc1: DOe quoted abo. e, can be read as a rellretfullKOOunt of Ibe differtr.:e 00"'«0 the politics of the differend aO>d the politics of revolution in Algeria; 'TIIe !'eIi.tance of communities banded around their names and their narratj,'a is counted on 10 otand in lhe way of cap;la]', hegemony_This is a rni'ta~._ First of aU Ihis resistance f"'lm lhis hegemony as mll<'h as il rounlers il. lllm. it 1"'11 otT tlte Idea of a cosol'" politan history and generat.. the fear fal~nlllw:k onto It&itimation through tradition' (TD: 181). The eoneluooo 10 tho _phori.,., i. a bin .... Ihouih perhaps not a ju.tified eondemnation of an earlier Lyotard: 'Proud "ruggk:s for iO>dependenoe end ;n young reactionary Stot..: lIowever, wlLat I want to show in this .:hapte, ;, tital the contrasl bctWttn TN DiJf~mu1 aoo t . also holds lrue for LihidilltJl Economy. bul for diITetenl I do nol WIInt to I<'

" ,-,

~lhod

dependenl upon interdependence of ...",nll and system •. Tbi, in I~rn lead, to a ; ' of a ",",kina within and ago;"'" Cilpilal. as oppo$t(l 10 a t I to ovmhrow or .... ist. Fi"t. diooimulalioo. 11>1: 1 ronoep1 of' and intenningiinlJ. but also of $ubvtrs.ion from within. will Ix explained and analysed . This will allow for a sludy of tho 11)'10 and rnW>od of Uhidilwll &-.momy. Then an inl"'T'rtUllion of Lyotard', libRIinal pel'l;" will bt developed in parallel with lhe study of Ihe greal.. t problem 10 besc:l that p!li!osQphy: nihilism. The question of nihili.,., wiU Ix appmacbed through 1k1eW%. Hcideger aoo N;etuche.

38

LIBIDINAL

~CONOMY

AND NIHILI S M

STYLE AND AROU M ENTS ___ lilt", io ooohin,ll>< m,;oo lulu in ",ali'y. nor d.,.. i, lack ..pm. '0 inY<>t. ,be IIrndn and very Ilart. r.ngor on her left hand "f1ich. in • <:On'"CnIIlioo. III< )'man. on";"., boco"", , I>< U afmd of ",-hal die btlievn 1o be )'t. ont can die (or il. one "'" Ii'" all one'. ""pnicity. ont·. 0 _ body , .. (",,!hio fin.goJ ..-hi
LibJdiNJl Economy is

~

,",OUM 11Ie~, ( L E: 4)

wrin~n

in a cinentlltic and ,urrea.] Slyle. II unfolds al thai vary impossibly, often in lhe course of a single trademark o,'erst",lcbcd """lena:. II shirt.. "",Ie violently. pannin, from a mundane description 10 metaphysical hyperbole and on to Jl,impsa of pun: IMory in 100 $/10". timo for bearings to be laken_ It n:lealleS lhe unconsciou. inlo a philosophical discourse through familiar lropes. .w:h as fleshy folds and ,preadl, and through destabilisin, images and claims. too mI>Cb or too far. Suggestive. unoteadyin, to~ and connections an: c..... atfd in an appa ... nlly disordered and bNlal manner, Sc:~ and money. love and jealO
,peed.

VirgineMis i.!I a cry forood oul by a.1llrus al once. a cry made of $C>'.,.,.l incompolio'ible on.:.: she open. UP. he tokn ""'. sM rcsi,ll. he sl>o: &ct. Ioost. he start. and
SQ_=.

.Ia,....

Or hegin

10 draw np a otraighlforward orilical dismi ... l. somethin, like

' Lyotard' i pltilosophy depmds on a binary ",Iation betwa:n desi", and ill suppl'e5$ion, ,..ith 1JI illegitimate valualion of drs;'" Ihrough tbeory _ kl"s de<:onstru<:t." Then Ihi, snemng donial makes )'
"

L YOTARD AND T HE PO LITI CAL

harder. 'We do> nOI speak II> 1M liberalo .. of desire: idiols wi lh !heir lillie fratemilie.. Ihe;r Fouriercsq ... fan lasies, lheir policyholde..· cxpc>:ed ones. and 00 love can """",il 0"'" jealou.y· (262). This does nOI mean Ihal LibidiMl &Momy escapes from traditional philosophical and political '1ueslioos ooDCernin, thoe true and tho: good. On the conlrary. the book has an importanl contribution to make to the ...... y in Which we ask Ihose '1ueslions and II, lhe expectalion. we may bave about possible an.wers, Th"", who do not pay attention to L)'Otard's ",ylo and its implication. for Iti$ argl1mJ""~lalion is 1M ~"y in ~'ltirll a ~,.sum aho'aJs d enrrgetics. The.., is inlensity, or enersy. hidden in aU')'$ttnU. Our task is to ... lea ... il. But what i,this energyt Whal eridc:ncc do)'Ou have for it1 Why is il aho'llY' hidden1 Why seck 10 release it ralbeT tlLan bury it deeper in the name of order and harmony? In ,bort. this awroacl! docs oot allow u. to gel al Lyotard'i argumC1\1$ and hence to understand o r de-vdop a feel for 1M .ubtleties of his p/tiIoo<>phy. The.., is no doub!. tbat some\ime!I he ~ this reading and Ihat may _ be desirableou a way of !hocking and C1Ilicinll u. into an uhra·revolutionary po~tics. Ths is lain HamillOfl

·w.

"

~IBIDINA~

E CONOMY AND NI H ILISM

Gran!'. view in hi5 inlroduction 10 UbiJ;nal UoMmJ' "'h~n: h~ slfOW)< the: ",andalous nature and .'alue of the boo~: ' Thi. is LyotKrd', """il book", do nO! up lum;""", Ie sublime' in u s rohier. de p/ri"'wpilk: Jea,,·F'~ L}"()/arJ, rHaiff III rnoJ,n,ili , 63- 98. csp. 90-93. The affirmati ve and 'cruel' phil<»ophy nr l.ibidiltlJl ENHIOmy i. read a. 'dnperalion' and 'nihilism' in nrOcr In explain why tile book .hnc:kcd 'iu few ",ade",', I hope In shnw laler in Ihi. chapler lhal Ihis emharn...ed revisioo rn",. the 'tandpoinl of tile philosophy nr lhe: difTe",nd i. ullerly "TOn! in its stalement. about the nihili.m nr lhe: libidinal philosophy. Lynlard e:,,, Ihem ca",rul1y and consiSten lly, albeit in a differenl style and ."""rding In a diITe",nt .. I of philosophical term •. Second. irrespective nr how Lyotard ",memll<", how he felt around lile time of ...·ril;ng Lihidi",,/ &<momy. Ihe main temu lhal lhe book introduces and puu inlo action .'" nol absolule in the stnae nr 'Ihi, terrible moment of nihilism and complele sceplicism' ('l.es lumieres. Ie sublime', 90). On lbe con"ary. each time .ueh a position looms il i. undone wilh 1"""1 prtci,,;on bul never wilh greal ease or simplicity, 'It would make u. happy 10 lie able 10 "'Inlnocrihe. inlo a ~bidinal discoursc.. Ih"'" intensities which haunt "1 ar1', tbou"'l and which, in gmeral, are dissimulaled in tile bnlS&-\ad l solemnilY nr the di5countS or ""'nomy and polilics- (LE: 104). It will be sb"""" below lhat aa:ording 10 Ihe COncepl nr di .. im ulation Lynlard', altilude In Iheory "'luld 001 ,,;mply be oPP""itiOfl. It is mo", or. luspicinn of a oertllin 'ota]isin, a pproach 10 Iheory and In il< libidinal purily. In Libidi",,1 C""""",y. he is "'lnoerno
"

L YOTARO AND

TH~

POL I TICAL

beroming fixed by a per!l'IIlIIC:rget and ¢WIves in 01", simultli1>eo1L1ly in many dilT¢retlt !KId•. w¢ ~re gio"" toot. to ~Xp"rimonl "ilb and p"rllaps to refi"" or discard in tackling funh¢r problc:ms. 'Thco¢ are adaplM to .~rli .. problmos and do 001 lay claim to. life led indepcDdootly of them al pure theory. BUI is Ihi' work across hournlarits and resistant 10 abstraction ~uing th. question of II>¢ he< .ssily of lheory? NOI "'1~ly. On¢ of lile main !K1d5 10 be inw:stiplro by Lyotard i, theory i... lf. H. i, o<>t , imply refusing 1M theortlical 'driv¢' 10 inlerael witb a 'given ftc:1d' in order to chaOI!¢ il on lbe basis of a more ·~UrQt. uooerstanding· of il. 11 is rather that be refuses to a.x:q>l the dominam hiotorical assumplion lhal Ihne concepl$ are sel prior 10 Ih¢ inW:Sligalinn into lbeir relation to .rulh. LYOIard .... 5 oul 10 show lbat lheory and "'p..... nullion. as lhey a", commonly defincd and relied upon. canoot .. tidy th. claims that they thwlselves ..... This corneo oul most clear ly in the final chapter of Ih¢ book, wben be refle:c'U on i" own SlalUI Q lheory and on Ibe libidinal charactor of theory and of tile rol>t\"(>tl hi&hJighlCd aOOve. BrieRy •• htt><:eals wi thin. lbc: Niewchc.on ...peots of thi" argumenl are not 1ItlIde explicil in !he relevanc passaget of LibIdiMI EroIwmy. Ibough Lyolard makes a numher of positi ... ref..,..",,", to him el_·here in Ibe book. BUI, wilhoul direct reference, Lyolard .cill rq"ltau t~ libH:Iinal alld economic pmpecti.... of will to 1""'= in NinDche"s study of lhe 'Egyptianism' of theoreliciaN in n.·llit~1 of 1M Idols. This anilude 10 theory began 10 pin a more sm<..,l aMeDllal ... and wilh linle or no reference to Lyotard ·1 libidinal work. For example, lwelve yeo,.. an.r lhe publicalion of DhiJlIIIlf f:cMtomJ., tbe colloction SIUI~~ of TIJn,ry broughl log¢l ha 1c:ading ,.Tilc,.. in Ihe humanilin around 1M quntion of Iheory. including Derrida. Jcan·L"" Nancy and Lyolard (by now in his ,ublimcJdilTerend phue). Derrida.·1 aniele i, rep ..... nl8live of the oollecti<)n in drawing our au""tion to !he CTOM-fcrtilisation of theorin. even wMn they deny il. and 10 lheir expmmc:utal and fluid nalure. He caIJs lhem

LIBIDINAL ECO NOMY AND NIHILISM

jetlies.•• in 3 projection bUI 31"" a 'Iabili ... ti",,_ The inl~raction of II>eorie:i

i, seen a. panly libidinal and f<X>ed for d iff.... nl theorelir;:a l purposes. The pn:scriptivelesson that be suggestS is that we lhoukl be internt"" in Iheo ... timl monstrous monstrosities 'which ....va present tbemStl .......""h·, that is. which escape a straightforward definition or normalisati",, _ Lyotord's work in LibiJ;",,/ Ecmromy is among olher things an aHemplto show exactly these monSI ... thM ·outdat. and make cumical all .lassificalion and rbythms . _ .'. In Ii"" with this ..;ew of theory and the mulliplicity of perspccli_. my !\'Oding o( LibiJill
,.",x

LYOTA Il D MiD

TH~

' OL t T t C" L

followed ot .cprodu.eed _ <:riliq~ q ;nlCrnl tu>d dilinktal, or folloy,t,'inl on Of cultin, off - but in 1M _ of analytin. 1M rusons and impulses "" have for lhal inlerQl or d isintcml. Even if in the end rltac have 10 be mluo<:t:d 10 the _.inlll'rK) of sinplar ~ .be pr",""" of rWuelion is ilKlf ..0101.

DISS IM UL AT ION I N CON T EXT

of lbe co ...... pI 0( d isPmulition in UbidittaI Etv""".,)', the fono..ina p11ltro\ 0( lopics can be 0IIade 10 fl.and 0111. In the UDt • •

"""

oppOJI'' ' '

l. I'OJUlrwc,,,,,,,u... "'" ,~ III ~ww ....... ' ... " ••..,., "'" upkJi'S
no.

2. A ",,/ilia <>fjfit~l. The poJlSIructuralisl .... y it firsllooked al in tcrmt of I poUtical opposition betWU\l: (a) ""'I whlch ia recuperaled or pulto work within a .ystnn (in lhe case o f flructUfllism tbitt ..... ns 1.11 evenl trealed II somethinllhal <:Onlributa ""'" uteful tlIl'aninp to .he 1fS'mJ; it is a ""'" information .0 be nploiled); Ind (h) thaI which __ pes the oysknl. Of more acarra~1y makes lhe syltrnI leak, tetlinl it ill """.""'AI IOO>"Vds __ pouihililiel lhal demand a C_IM mp:>nJe. LyoIatd likes ()deua and G ..... tari·. Ie..., ' liDo oIlIiplI' from AnlJ.OnIipIU 10 dlarllC't.erisc lbit oppositioa furthtr. There ~ion bet ....... a potilia 01 conq .... and a poIilo 0( exodllJ: ' We mlllt first pasp thil: ...... are ..... only ItTIIII. wop, ... ill rdllion and made explici' ill I .";1 0( """'Iuest; tb£y """ iJIM> be indit •• i-\>Iy. "",...11, and vain iIItcmiriei ill uodllt' (SO).

"I.Q

LIB I D I NAL ECONO M Y AND NIHILIS M

~/!"'t 10

Jrfine slnpl", ily M·itm...t!u,.;nl to """"" i/in 1M "",&;«. There i. conoiderablc emphasi. on Ihi. ;ndi05O'PC' thai pOlil' a beyond logic. meaning, rea..,n or prodacfivily. Arliumen,. luch as 'God is prescnl bUI i""omprel><... • (LE: SO). Howev.,.. despite stat.,. such a. lhi, Ont. om•• Dele ",., and Felix Guan..ri put forward a monl arlUment for Ihe reliposity ofLyolard's libidinal philosophy (Dtkuze 1977: 3S I. analysed in William. 1998: 129-33).

3.

An

men"

4. A di3,i",,'ion ~'''..... " kIl<JM'/ng "nJ Miltg o./!'clN by ks 10 UL 1 mUSI understa nd Ihem' (50).

Awml-I
LVOTAII.D AND TH E ~OLITI CA L

.vant.pnk dana: .ad m\&Sic. u ..~I u Nictzxbe·. use of da_ .nd the diony.i.... ; ·,.. dance. Ibm. DOl compoocd and DOtII~ bul on lhe CODinl}'. """ ;n ..1Iid! lhe body". FSt= would he. wilb 11M: mtuie. ill limb«, ill pilCh, inlcnsily and dw.lion.. and willi 1bI:.......u. (duem are abo linsm). .1 ...11 poinl in • uniqlOC relation, boxomi"l .1 .....-ry 1!IOmm1 In cmotiooaI !/'\Imt .. .' ( LE: SI).

6. I'n ;;oml,1on 1>1 'M lJI/lIime '--<'. uler, by tbe time of 77t.t Diff~""". LyOl.lld .." . ..... , Jlo ... by the combinalion of upoc\.olion and fnlSlnuion in ,'''' C"'o'ml Ind the Kantian fcooHn, of Ihe lublilTll' (lhe Is I, Ioapfwn;'.g~ II TO: 181 and IN: 104-7). In lhe wo,k On dinimulalion. we get '''''' heaUlif,,1 ~umplel of llIi. combin.lI1ion. but pUI 10 • dirr.... nl md, nOi 10 mIlCh lhe pnd IUbli"", bil11he inlcnsily of lhe commonplace: "'" 10 much lhe .,rivil of lhe ifni unknowable. bUllhe concealment of inlensily in.1! Ii..... 1M pootCntial for . ffeel" for moIKm, is abo in momonll of rest Ind immobi~ty: ' Illis "";Iinl mllS1 Iiso be Io¥. the sublime canVUCI of Ibmo!I Nno;maa . In lhe libidinal philosophy. ;1 is in the commonplace. wilh 110 IIffiI for IiCalo: befOf\' intensity. In Ihis ., IoasI. !be motl Inlo..::plitarian philooopby is dcmac ..

,><:

1'0' tllm: i, abo oomething we 5eek in • face in a MOnlpoLma""" ni",l. in a voicoe 011 lhe IOlephoilO, IOnIelhin, .boUI 10 happtn. a ..... verin. or a dim:l tODe of voice, I li ~n"", • bednell. an oruJllion; IKollll1u doesn't come. And Ihi .. far from tyokinll ramI· menl or disausl, lbit IU(n't" i, loved wil h lhe mO!llt dom.andinll impalimoe. (LE: 52) Al OW se d 10 the political Juooa"'Y of cquo.lity of "I."",mation (lad the ltJII 'nted cqoWily of whjecU). Ubid"w/ £ - , r pull f........n:I I do""""ltf of afToo;e all .-vm1l. aU Sln-:tUR$ of III nina an: open 10 !be most iIIl....., ICiXplion.

vI ~_I u irrrkY
...",,, "",lIns poIl,kull)" u 1M I""""" be, ..wn 1M I..... JlMs tif 1M $i,... 1M definition of. li&l1 as I litt of ~ helwcao ~po,...tKm u mtaninl and linl~I.a' .rrfCCl utocialed with lhe •• anl·pl"lk dina: is essenlia) iO the """""pi of diuimulation. Lyotan:l dofineoo lhe lian II " lenllO' or lhe place whell' incomm.nlurabit .)"SImi. co"", tOFlh .... wilh " lingularity. The alffCC i. iudf the I i", of Ihat lension. 7.

71it

IJ"~

LIBIDINAL ECONOMY ,<,NO NIHilISM

Tbrse definition, imply thai ~ny 'ySlem or structure conceal. affe<:llI: 'lbal Ibe .truclure be somnlting Ihal merely "co",,," the affect, in 1M sen~ that il ",,1.1 "" a co~.r: that is its secrel and al most its dissimulatioo' (LE: 52). So eo;ery "",nt and e,'<1')' sign is polentially slruclure and thai ..1tich e:teapeo 'l'OCture. This is why there can be no OUllide Ihe system . It is a1", why there can be no tOlal .y5l. m. Inst.ad. there is a co""n relation bet,,",n tJ>c, IWO: lhey bide eacb olher. The m.taphors of deceplion and duplicity are justified in Ihe way in which lhey express 1J>c, potenl;"l of an ambiguous origin for Ihe..,11 of uncovering and ,hroudin& that follow il. The ,ign is only fuo)' exploited - Of followed in its inlensily - ,,-he:n lhese actS lake il up. Tbesc: act. are irrelrievably linked Ibrough thai ambiguily: 'Our luxption of lhe: sign dissimulates it. semiolic raxption, ...-hich abo dissimulalC$ ours . ' (52), BUI, althougilihey can ""vet" ..... pe each other. lhe: politics"f syslem and fll singularily play for differenl stakes: 'Let us be conlenl 10 recognize in dissimulalion alilMI we hav<: bo:<:n !IOCkinll, differe~ wilhin idenlity, lbe chance'V<:nt wilhin th. foresighl of comP<>'iti<>n, !>USion wilhin rea",n between each. '" ab50lulely foreign I" ..""h olher, 1J>c, strictest unity: diooimulation' (51). S. FrNitMn Jri,..s QIIIl /III Qrgummr Qg~fuJl po/YSN!1Y, It could appear. from whal has been said ob,,,'e. Ihal Lymard's philosophy is con,islenl wilh polysemy, _ view thai lhe: sign is open 10 • potenlially infinite sel of differenl $Iructures and hcnr;c: different meanin&>. Thi, would rm'an Ihal tbere would be no definitive intCTp<WIlion. hut lhal noneth.\es.o interpRlal;on in term. "fknown itructUres waS Ih. only "lIy 10 ... pond 10 the iign. Lymard lum, 10 Freud's &y&IJ llt£ Pleacofy depends on an undocidable .. latioo between 1"'0 principles. Er ... "T lhe ple.sure principle and Ihe d.... lb drive. Neither can be trealed independently of the other in terms of an understanding of how thty funClion. Any ps)'chic phO"UOIIIt"IIon is al the """"' time. funclion of lhe d.ath drive and of Ihe pleasure principle: ' In eacb unique .vent the functions are undecidable: il i!I always a question of retaining lbe poosibility Ihal il may nm be posAible 10 assign an affect, Ibal is. .{mply a sign, 10 one pulsional principle lind one alone' (Sol). Aocording to Lyotard's ",.. din, of Freud, it i. nol SO moch lhat • sign can ha .... many different meanings. hut lhat thosc meanings are only properly interpreted in terms of lhe sign as interdependent. Thai depend"""", mnS! ilself he explained in ICTmS fll somelhinS independmt of meaningful struelures. This i. lhe ,ign as a ,inllul.rily llSWCi.ted with ;nt. ..... affe<:lS: 'Allhe same: time a sign which prodllCeS meaning Ihrough difference and opposi' lion, and a s.iJIII prodllcinll inten,ily through foroc and lingularity' (Sol), •AI lhe .. me time' or dissimulalion - Ihere i, no logical order bere, in term. of explanalion OT Rnalysi. or in lerms of politics. Whal 1ItiIUe.. is to affirm thai dissimulalion in the.ign in ordc:r 10 brin,oul inlen';l}, in "rueIU"".

t YOT A R 0 A ND T H E POLITICAL

This pattern of 10pies has beu lahn from 11>< !ieC1ion On diosimulalion in Libidinal Emnomy. l iko all 11>< olMr pam of 1M book il is .'rry <1m", and wri!1en in the CQmple~ . lyle oullined abo"". The panem and irs components are reproduced in differenl lI~ks and I;Onlt:lU. and at different lengtm throughoul Ihc book. 11 CQuJd be said Iha' 'hOT<' ;, an outli"" of tlte a'l!umrnu and oonCl'Tll' of tbe book as a wbole in tlti. pattern, SO long as we add Ihat some key example:! and application. ha"" been omillcJ from tlte panem due 10 the limited 1... 1",..,1 of them in lhe Ubidinal !ieC1ion. Thlt< an importanl discussion of M ar~. thcory and dialectics is missing. tl>oCed to tIIC1\tion the hilariou. perspeai\"es opened up by lbi. idea of di .. imulalion in manc!'$ of Ihcomio;:al discourse especially in this business (blandly tak.., on liIC!Ie days under lhe hlbel of Freud<>-Matllism) of the dialectic of theory and prac1iceT (LI<; 54). Also missing an: the ts$efl lial caoe of oolonialism, wrne examples from an interpntation and the dominant ca$< from the book. the SludY ofcapilalism. All oftbesc will be discussed at veator or lesser lengths below aDd in other chaplers, The tIT..,t of the pattorn and o f iu distoMion and expan';nn throud< Ih. book is tn nullify attmtpU to redua: the book to a single line or .tyle of a'l!u"","!. The poinu abo"" make important a'lwncnu aboullbe nature of lign •. the limits of slructul3lism. why dinimulalion is ne<:cssary and wbal politics should respond to il. But lbC!lc "'l!wncnu vary veatly in type. Then: is an i'''"J'''€'a'ion of Freud .n.d cases in I"'ycboanalysis. Then: an: ,rmarb an.d rommnuaries on an and l hc avanl-sard •. Then: is an QIt(J/ysiJ of the poten tial of 1M sign. There ate tM be!inninp of a _,aplrynr$ of dC!Iin: and affeci. lhal appears to owe much In SpinolJl and N~. are many ape"hr,. onto literary and historicllli text, and pusa .... by a veat ranv of autllon. iTlClliding Lyotard; 1hc5e openingS injec1a ...,!Ie of lhe breadth and CIIC.gy of libidinal life (modem and lntditional dallCC: wailing for oedu.ction; PmuS!; Cage). There i. 100 the dedurtiml of a poUtics of d;"imulalion with a concomitant n:jeetiOll of other more ob
n...re

.

LI BIDINAL ECONOMY AND NI H 1LIS!oI

serious coouarliclions, This pursuil wi ll Ix !>Iken furtl>
T HE P R O lll EM O F NI HILI SM lint il is "'" an ",hie!.. 1M or . noth<-r. that i..-.quirm. hr""po ... noed an "" '/ltN, Y"""I m>.n. but then or>< in ,.-1Och .... would b< lhe: .nn... nd nol.he: 1""I'"1!lI'0n. the ad,-enlu":r• • nd nol Ih. lheomici.rur. the hypolbcr.hizen .nd DOl tbc:

(LE: ttl

Even if '.., a=pl the ~.ding of Ubidillltly as a book of risolve us of a grave sci of conlnuliction. and Obscurilies Ihrealening 10 undermine lbe boo~_ If we work bad from tbe deduction of. polili<"S of diosimulalion through lyolard', analysi. of lhe lign as 1<1I",r betwce-n SlnJCIun:s and sin!ular a!TeCls, ""-e mcounter whal appears 10 I>< a "';ous conlnulklion. Though he profO$SCS 10 _k a pbilosophy of affinnal;"n in ortkr 10 <$Cllpe nihilism. Ihe book """"" 10 ta'*' hock inlo lhe forms of negal;"o Ihal be a$$O(iol<'$ with il. Unlike Ihe nihilism of wililhallhrea~n$ Ih. work on AI!!"ria through lhe desp>lir allh< ern.hing of IIIOdcm hopes by the adaptive qualities of capital, tltis lime tM .uk lies in the formal S1ructu~ of the ar,umenl' of Lyotard', philosophy, Once again. Ihe lin k wilh the Nietzs<:hcan argument on lb. association of !legalion. criliq~ and nihilism is ' -ery strong. Ho,.-.v.r. lyOlan! describes a modern ••:t of n ; bi~S1ic theories and praclices, no doubt informed by his ,,"'ork QfI Algeria and bi. " tidies of ,trucluraUsm and of Frt:Udian negalion in Dlstmu•. fi,Ilu _ He aJ", fail$ 10 discU!$ ~ he mo,.. shaded fonnallKnlunl of nihilism thai can be .AtfaCtcd from the complex ",uroo: of Nielzsche', apho.ums. nus is dO!le panicul.rly w.1I by Gilles Ikleuze in )tis NWlurllt and Pltim.,pily _ Iklt\Ue follows Niet=he 10 lite poosibilily of a tranSmutation. a one-way transformalion intn ~ffi"""ti"n. of nibili .... IhrouSh i.. retlcti ... ""pecl 8. the will 10 n"i"t~: Tbu. we can .... thaI II>< relation I>
.

lYOTA ~ 1)

AND T II £ PO LITI CAL

";11•... Dw..uction becomet active ,I the: momenl ... ben, wilb tile .Illa~ bftwun roactlve forca Ind tbe ";1110 noothincr- broktn. 1M ";1110 nothinpns it <;(Inverted.nd cr...... over 10 tile l ido of .ffirmation. II it ",1I.\(d 10 the: powc-r 0( . ffirmin, wbicb
We

<;Orne

10 know wiD 10

PO""'" ibrou&h lbe octivily

0( ......rin" bill il

into brin, or has ita _ at affirmation. Affirmalion is tbcn thaI which transl"01"1RI lbe activily 0( nt. .rion lnlo JOInt"Ihi", positive. It IUnIS ",'ay f.om .....Iion at ..-ill 10 nothlnpICIS by af&nnin&!be po.'" to oeple <;(lEna

IMI ...;u. This k _·IodF o("';U 10 PO~I is l be .... y for IliMism to lnnSfonn ilSdf into activily f...., 0( neplioa. It is ~ fOrlbe positive role 0( oihilism in a p/tiIooophy of .ffirmation _kin, to ,void ...... m into lbe pout passivily 0( a 'will to nothlllJ1llOll'. De\eui:II:'1 Clrdul 1111 0( dUliroc:tio ... is made possible by. \.Uot>OfIIY 0( active and roactive (on:a dnwn up from Nietzoche'. dto<:riplions diffem u ~MI"IICICf'I (the anilt, lbe DObIe, and "" o n). The .... lIIt 01 ibis tuonomy and lbe siudy of tbe rebotioni that hold bct"'m! ita Cllt,ories it tilt de:saiptlon of the '.... y oul of " ill 10 nothin,...... Aorordin, to Dele ...... affirmation is dnubly rdaud 10 ..,..Iion II lbe Iltplion of nihilism .nd the: dc$truction of Vllues: ·Destruction Ii lbe acti"" deslruclion Oflbc man ... 1>0 ..... 0.. 10 perioh .nd 10 be """Wmt nnounces the crealo,·, ' Dn;lruclion .. the Icti", dcsIruction of all kOlOWtl ''aI!ICS is tllo: I",il of lhe crealor' (Ock,," 19U: 171). LySCI of nihilistic chanocten (the ttmiOlician, for ClIample) and lossing Ihem into conlempo"''Y theories and .ilUalion' . The LoIl« nweo rno'" to Nietzscbe's Ilyle of thoulPli and 10 the idea llull affirmalion lie. in lhal style. The forme. owa mo", 10 Nitlmhe', ~.pacilY In d",w sublle COI>CCplual distinctions .... 1U1e still mainlaloin,a well .llnlClurtd. if <;(Inttalcd. ar,umtnl. Does Ibis dislinclion ao funber7 Does Ubidlnal &momy satisfy D
or

""",.00

LI BID I "''' L ECO"'OM Y ,,'" D "'Ilil LISM

"""... 11 does so " ilh

OV<: from lbe mailer 10 Ihe sen ... from .. n.. tion or aITect to maning and under· .tanding. This movement is al ....ays incomplete, whctbcr aa:ording 10 the model of re~giosily. where "n.le ;. always beyond our finile und ...• Slanding, or according to Ih. modem model of S<:ietta. wh .... .leD.. i. alway. a Wott in proves- and pan of an infinite reJfCS$ of meanings wilh no filllli origin, Not only is Ihe malerial commultd into a sign'lerm, bul also til< 'Ihing' whldt tb. sign replaces is it .. lf anolbcr sign. lhere is nothin, bm sign •. Fi ...1 consequeno:: Ih. relalion is lherefore an infinil. poU. Ihe lerm under uaminatioa can and mull lead. The other oonsequen~ is thaI "ilh thc sign btgins lhe sMrdt . (LE: 44- 5)

The model. of religion and i1ruc1uraliSi science share a J>" "ry dc>.,.lu· alioo of ma lter and aIT..,1 in favour of understanding. BUI in sharinS this the) alS<) share a n""'$!;IIty nihilism, since in denying Ihcmsel...,. III< ilffCCl and lhe o:le>i ... for Ihe affect and in "lIing off on a voyage of diso:ovtty lhal cannot end. they set themselves an imp06Sibk ta,k. Lyotard'l ~hoioce of 111< t.rm 'greal zero' i. nO! only an allu"",, to lhe absolUI. and ultimat.ly nihilistic namre oflbe dividt bul also 10 its role in n:tlt>cin& alllbilt8J to the measure of meaning and und .... tanding. The lurn away from Ihe aff"' t is doubly damaging ~u .., according to Lyotard'. work on F.-.ud;"n neption in Duro",•. figun! (1 16-:14; dis;u"""" in William, 1998: ~S4) and UlJiJilUll &0'''''''", tl>e turn carries lhe desire for tM .IT... I with il. Th= is a mnnam of the imensity of III< affCCl that accompanies a materia l ....ent - a caress. a smell - in the desire for God or fo r absolute blowledge (LE: 47). However. lhis remnanl ta k.. on a vitiated form. [n."ad of a daire fo r til< mO,-=eot of.1I< aff." •. "<>w rendered impo$Sibie and secondary. Ihe ... ;1 a desire for a ron«plual oomplelmess. thai is. 10 po!.Oe$$ full undemanding. This desire for conceptual identity should be. bul cannot be fulfilled in lhe identily of a knowing subjoct: 'One furtllSage replaces Ih. thing signified, IlI
"

LYOTARO AND THE POLITI CAL Ih~ m~aning.

T'Ilc'ft is thcmore Msplit iD10 a receptive and an active pan.

But for Lyotard this diviPon is the reproduction of the veat zero wilbin tbe ,ubj..,\. EveI)' material e~periwce beccool. Dospite his anod:. on lhe nibi~sm of religion, sTructurali""" critique and lheol)', !tis philosophy is not consi.tenl with tilt- aim 10 have done ,,; \h nihilism, or indeed wilh Ibeol)' and critique, once and far alL On tilt- contrary, iflh= can ~ a libidinal philosophy of int .... ity and affect. it will only take place wilhin Slructure,;, wilhin ""plion and wilhin lheol)'. So il is ralher an opposilion 10 absolule exchuions, wl>erever lbey come from, Thai charaeterises hi. work:', __ iT is in no way a malter of determining a new domain, another field, a btyond rep.....,.,lalion wbich would be immune to lhe ~ff""s of theaTricalily. not 31 all, ...., are "",U aware Ihat you are ju", " .. iling (or us 10 do Ihi •• 10 be so ""n pid" _ . .' (LE: SO). S<> lhe W3y 10 live wilh nihilism is 00110 avoid otructUfl'S.nd ')'SI ...... of negalion. hut To draw O\It the inlC1lsities. the .ffens and desires Thai Illcy hide, in order 10 aUow for funher crealions, funbcr opportuniTies for Il>eir conc:a.lmcIll and relc:"",_ In lIIe _ of the nihilism of the _tdI for meaning, The k~y lies in lhe affect. usociat...:! wilh lhe d\"sire 10 ....""h far and hoard meanings. Tbi. Juu a negalive side, in the """" of the desire 10 capitali'" on a new ,,,",,,,alion •• n.... diilCOvcry. BUI il bu. posilive side in Ih~ risk of destohilisation and IransformaTioo in The encounter of Ihe .,range: malerials thaI we an: driven lowards. This tnCO\lIllC' docs nol dq>end upon a pure m"l.riaJily. lhe doomod dream of an experience of something lIlat cannOT ~ a sign. Rather, it depl:nds upon LyOlard', hypolhesis Ihal signs are ·duplicito... •• lhal is, lbat lbey are open 10 a _ding lhal .,QreS Ihr:m as meaning and capilal. bul lIlal lhey are 01"" open 10 a .«
lito.cd region"

LIBIDINAL E CONO MY AND NIHILISM

by lhe dislancn ,"'hkh they fo"", back and evoke. Rather than ,..,..inS a new dawn, we should honour the new dissimulation in them. (1..10: 94)

I..yolard compresses Deleu",,·, 1rea1ment of nihilism ao corun;tuti,.., of affinnalion into the cona:p" of di .. imulation and duplkity. The oi", can be """,ivcd in a nihilistic or in an affirmalive way. bul !>tilher '" Ihese can exclude the othor. They are interdependent bocausc the inl<nsc sign bas 10 be 'inocribed inlo established region,'. But thi, -.no to be the worsl fonn of ""Iuivoca.lioo . If affinnalion and ""galion are'" d09l:ly related. if the .ign i. duplicilous in this ineluclable mann .... then docs IIIaI nol plunge US back inlo a position where no pm:i", couno of action i. posoible. where an affirmati"e t? Is not1his Ihe sure·fire way to a final 'will 10 I><JIhinanen, Deleuze a","-en this ob,ic<;tion by drawing a distinction bel.......,n QIlpo!ti, I;"n and differin&, one lhal be develop' wilh greal can: aller Nin=J€M and Pltilowp/t,.. mOSI not;;obly in DijJrTmN ""'/ /UfWllllmt, Negation is oppo.ition. affinnation i. differing: 'Negat;on i, oppru,d 10 affinnation OOt affirmation difl"" from ""gation· ( IlUI). A. opposed 10 the final 'Ihi, is nol Ihi,· of negalinn, .fftrma tion saY" ·Ihi, becoming thi' becom ing this . . .'. Where 1h. former defines a fi~:. For multiplicity;, the difference of one thing from another. becoming i. diff.,..,...,. from w:lf.nd "hanC<' is differellC<' "bc:tw«n all·· or di5lriOOli,.., diff.rellC<" (189). So when we say correctly thai negalion is as mIlCh a quality of will to jXI~r as affirmation. we are nOl committed to sa~ing that will 10 jXlWC1" is the same in negation and affirma1ion: 'If .... undersland affirmalion and negation as qualilies of lhe will 10 power we s« th~1 Ihty do nOi ba,.., a univocal rellotion' (lSi). Negalion posits being and l"'Ce" ity ;w;()rding 10 absolute diff"",ncn, Affirmalion i. becomill3. multiplicily and chana: and their affirmalion (0.1.= 0I.1t. Ihis nxloublal affirmation), To affirm is not ,imply 10 nOI ""gat.; it is to redouble differing as becoming. multiplicity and tgalion by differing and multiplicity, not by Opp<.lsilion, Yet 010 ".., read Lyotard', u'"' of
"

LVOTARO AND T HE PO LI TI CAL

HEIDEGGER AN D ME T APHYS[CS This palh"" of the ",lUrn of nihilism is described with great fon:c aDd ~auty by HridtUCr, in particular in hi, books and essays on Nietzsche (NimuM; 'The Word of Nietm;he: "God ;, [)(ad'" in Hridegger [977). Hi, argumenl ;, of use he... becaux it add< a different WIly of think;nl

about nihilism as _11 as providing a bala""" to De[=', interp"'tation of NietZlClJe ao a transvaluation of nihilism. Hrideggor argutS that Nietzsche', philosophy is 't;l[ nihi[;"k. even when it mak .... the essential link het".... n metapbysics and nihilism . n,. .imple version of thil argument is tbat Nieturding to H.idegg.... , will to power is a De8"lion of lhe .upnl"'....,ry Ihat remains metaphysi<:al bocau", it defines a new fouodalioo Knd v.l"" that it imposes on Bein,. Man and lhoe setting of val .... associalod with establishing man as "'ill 10 p""-.r .... lhis foundation ~nd lhose val .... , H. in ttrpl'C1s will to po ........ as the p"""rvinx and increa$inl of human " 'ill aJ ",I",,: 'Th. muggle for domin;o" ov.... the earth is;n it' historical "SF """ already lb ..... ull '" the fact Ibat wbal"""r i, ...""b i. appearing in thoe mnd. of thoe will to po ........ witbout )'<"t beina rcx::ogniztd or without bein. undc:l'1tood at all a. that ",ill' (tol). His commen1ary on NietZ9
LI81DHlAL ECONOMY AN D NIHIL I S M

God, ma~ appear I" look I<> sUpnlKnsibl. valUC$, bUI as lo.u:h it il alread~ 1M world "r Nietzoche', will 10 POVO...... So;1 is nol simply that metaphysics lurns ...Wards on un.;\lta;ttable ,uprasrnsory world lhal makes il nibi~l1ic. It is Ihat iu slructure of foundalion and valuc:-SClling 'fo'1l<"'" or 'coven up' .".ill."ce as somrthing which is neilMr a suprascns.ibl. idea nor ..i Uin&. bUllhal appears in bolh. Thinking is nihilislic w!>tn il lurns I<> lhese ideas and ...·hw illook. 10 ill own po"""" 10 creal. valu ... Indcod. 'exi'I",,",,' is us .... lIy defined in Ih ... l.mIlI and Ihal which is forgolten is besl allowed 10 appear as 'being': lui which appan indim;tly ...!>tn Ihinking is nOI salisfied with a final idea or set 0( values. The Ihoughl of being o r. more properly. Boing. and it, forgetling il on. of the mosl demanding. bUI also one of lhe most importanl aspeeu of Heidegger' , Ihoughl. It is 001 salisfactory 10 define tbese lemlll negativrly excepl in the name oflimiled ,pace and time and with the proviso tMI liIr:se d.finilions , ho uld be added 10 by futlher reading. For .xample. Miguci de Ilei$legui". H _Wutr and 1M Polilical conlains an enlighlrning di$cussion of thc:sc issues in Ihe contexl of a wider Sludy of Heideggcr and nihilism (63 - 86). The mO$t important aspeet of H.-idegger·, wriling on being and nihilism for Ihis Itudy of Lyotard·, nihiUsm i, Ihe refusal 10 pin down being 10 .pecific human activities (i""luding definilion): 'Y et even lhinking. underslood in lhe m051 o riginary sense. or for lut maller, pOet;';n&. to say nothing of ~11 other human "aclivities:' cannot of them· .elves bring aboul [the lum toward lhe trulh of being)" (de Bei. legu; 1998: 83). This remai ns only. 'possibilily·. Nietzsche's philosopby 0( will 10 po"""" is interpmod by Heideggtt as having exactly Ihe Slructure of the melaphysical fOfgellin8 of being through lhe emerge""" of man as foundalion for valu._pOOt lot Being il .. lf take its ri ... i.•. . oome inlo Ihe vitality of ill csw:na:. Thinking in lerms of values pm;!udcs in advance lbal Bein8 il ...lf will attain 10 a comin8 to prose""" in ito lrulh' (l08). Metaphys;c. ;. then lhe violence of a n imposilion of .....1.... o n 1M basis of •• Iructu", lhal ilself impose:i a value. In Heidegger's interpretalion of Nietu:h •• in po",l!.t 10 his iDterpretation of our con temporary valllCl and actions., man has takm th. pia", of God o r Ihe suprascnsible. Man', values and the val"" of man a",. for insta""". rno
"

LYOTARO AND

TH~

P OLITICAL

iu,,1f and ito ~ruth. and indeed in .ucb a way thou lbe trulb of what is .. sucb pa..a for BlnSlllnlly def.rnd x n$O: it is any Iboughl o( lbe 'M such'. ""11'II:~hing Iha~ i, usumed to be preseniiO us in ;IS entirety_ Bu~ i. Ihio view i1lCOllsi.lenl w;lh lhe opiril of LY<>tlrd', libidinal philosopby - Lcs.o in iu ""pl;on of the .uprasmsible. (or llIal is rightly to be called nihilism in 1M Heidesgerian "' ...... bUI in the way thai il occu 10 "void and go btoyond Ih is DCsation wilbo ut faUinS baok into meuphyUr:l1 HeidellK"'" inlO1'pRtation of Nietzocbe d.ocs nol aUow for lhe poosibilily lhal will 10 PO"'''' is an ~l1empllO I<.l beyond this Ik'galion, BUI il is possible: 10 inlerpret witt ~o PO""'- in ~his way and tbcKby 10 avoid ilS redl>Cliof\ to human wilt and benne 10. metaphysical (o""dation. Dele:=', definition of aflinnaliQn gi""n above is exactly one ouch in«:, p, tlll~ion. Heidcgger defines witt 10 pow.,. .. lhal out of wbi<;b mnapb)'llK:s ... Iums to lhe .ubject ('subjectness·). ~o ..,rlainly. 10 consciou,,1tSII of lrulh in il$Olf. 10 'ltlf· willing' (Heidt11K"' 1977: (01). nus i. a very otoict inlOrp ... tltion of wiD when oompared to Delew:e', associalion of will 10 pown '" affinnation wilh 'becoming. multiplicity and dla"",,' (N~t:sCN 0Ifd Philo.s<>plly. (90). Heidell8<'r al1riOOI .. lhe (ottowin, 10 the '\I<, .. ry' r.lation of will 10 POwt1" and consciousness: Making ooruciou. is a I"'C"'sary in'lrwnt1lt of the willing thai wilts from oul of lilt witt 10 power. It happen .. in .... pect 10 objectifi. calion. in Ihe fonn of planning. It happens. in lhe rpbere of 1110. uprising of man inlo Itlf-wilUng, Ihrou'" 11M: OCI.ItLcs.o diMa:tion of the historical situation. Thou",! meuophyNcatly. the '"Iualioo' is oonstanlly 1110. stage for the action of 1M subject. Every analysis of lhe situalion is groUDdcd. whether it koows it or DOl, in the melllph)'llics of $ub~t""u, (Hcid03Fr 1977: 102) BUI will 10 powt1". as vXwtd by Doleuu. illbe defeal of consciouOllCSll'" capacity to gather and idenlify; il iI the affinnalion of multiplicily and not Ibe identily of the object or the "'If. Will 10 po ....... is nOI plannina; il is cIIan
"

llQA;l >Ill ""II"" ""~ I I""", JO u0!inpx~ >Ill :tU!l~JOJ J""I<>U~ pUll ',•.mSll(:' J>l/10"0 1iulw"'J~1 a""II~IS J>I!l"U~ 01 ""P ' ! [1
"1.1"

',~~P!"H 1"'11 ~ U"lli. ~q!..oo IOu" ~1!UnWW"" R II"'" Zl""'IJi"V 1"'11 I>IJOJ 01 "II >111'41 .u~ '!'II pUI ~U!>fI. JO 10\II>1.1OJ "'II JO "<>!IDnb

"11 pUnOJE ~IIUnlUWO:> • JOJ ~"Oll. mli J.slI'P!"H ·J'.I.10~1 .Od '\1j3n041 "'I. IOU""" 1"'I1JOq1() 'I/I'! ~ll."I"'n 1",,1"'"1 I""!,,Op1!JOO" 0) ""Y!I"'l 1"'11 :)\10 IQ41 '! ~Uod~J lin[ "Iq!f$Od (IDO "'I.l "(9Lf :q6!161 ","\okl) .1 ' ,p!stn JI>5'\ ~U1ql 0, pUll '1 ~U!q, ") ',.211""4"""V ......"" "'II ..-ad:u 0) ....."'~ .. ..,. q~q ... 'PI'o", >td<»f'l~ ~u" JO U"!).lru)..p "'II 411,,, Mf'iIIUI' ' 0" PJ"IO~l '>wo" :lUI ... > pull ~ooq ,-fin( "'/. J~ '.ilflJpPH >Ill 0\ dn •••2w.. """n.,. "U.~ ilul~'!'I JO ",OO'"""""KI. ql!nOlql ',5<1)[ U\ UlOU •. ~~ '~I'''' '!'! UJOJ4 <)I,"4""n\l J'U~ ~U14! "I "'04 41~" w:!OUoo IU~ -JO,'W ' !4 ~q P>U)Vld'" OIl UIl:) ,uO)pn'\lu"»P_(IJOO, OIUl '.IlI"I')' H )0 W""I"" p>Ut<W.I'p ' .I)JUIO,''1 '(51)1 :Q&'061 PlWlo~l) ,"''''1 n '"410 '41 h)lU)41. Inoqv An 01 lIuo410U ''''I I! 'lIU1oq 'j 'oqlO .41 IU41 :>:I1I"'r"d .. I)J'I"'!<\ .. "'II 01 'Hu!"Il IIU!,U!41 O! P"4'!lqm" sAVI', lIU!'IU141 ',,,n"l''''H '''410 "'II 01 8U1~J11"'1 JO 'In l .lq1.ro41 1"'11 pUB 'XiIO "'II HU!lU14' JO "Ned"""! '1 ,$j"l'!"H IV4 1 pnil,v "H ~"I, J~ uS&>p"U "q uJ J_""3 1""_'PI'ff1 JOU. ""'11 "","os 41d"l' IS>I""H U! '~='I""uI <141 UOAOO PJ"10,(1 '(UOIPIIJIIUO»p 'OJ ~n"" uoll""!ldwI <1q' ""l ln"!ll lP >'0(1 JO wli1PBJOO I 'OJ 'anbtl!1"'I "P IIQ/JJ!I "7 ''''IIJII<j'''1-''''''''''-' "'" :WSIZBN UI .ull!"I')J H ilU!II'''!ldw1 = " . , . 1"'IU""~Ul ISOW '41 ,oJ '''''7: PN ,JIm "nWU 'Sl!!Jw:J "'" :lIi'=~lo.'UI 1141 01 :osu-odsoJ p:IJ:IJl!iU"". 'OJ '1"""'loJ "'II f"'" ~1flj"1'l~H '!d'\i>g "I' ""'I WS![81X>S I ~UO! I .N 41!-" lU'W'~IO ,'UI p:>S'Sn"",p 4""W ",4 po. J''I''!41 >III .IOJ )$IIJIS!W pUU ,( I!SOW!UU I.,nol' • "'• .Ii>III 1""4 IV qlI1>oql ' w>jqwd >III 01 >suOOm ',,<>IlI>P!'H 01 'lull 'WOI d~"""'l"" ' ,MIUU "£l JO )J"d ''(111110'1' Of dn 'Pllnq puv 01 lta= I! 1'41 WS!I!4!U >111 :xi"""" ow;> AQdOIu ·Slu"umll.t~ JC> ,UU'I u1 • • >j,(11 JO 'w.m u1 4""w !. " 1"4'" U 111 'Iooq "'II 01 """"">II'" :1.']11 1v41 ~dpu!Jd lIu\l'q1 01 -"""'UR UD '1i!J PJ,"O.(1

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>Jdwn,

3i\ I L)\I SV '1V:)1l110d

3 H~

,,,,-ed,

i...I:I,"OO 01 II!," .. UO!U!PI!JIU,," lu:ulldd" l8"'!).lI!Jd \\lOW V 'OJ ""Ollv p.1WIO,('1 """I' '.('IX!~ \\lO W

I'ISI11H1N a NV "'WONOJ~ lVN 1(]1611

LYOTARO AND TIlE POLITICAL

<>f ,he covenant. the f<>rg<1ting of a $ilent law lhat tak .. the lOul h001.aF aDd for= it 10 bra. wilons to the violent obliption it bas under.one· (lyotard 1988b: 147). For lyotard. Heide",,'" rault li.. in his failun: 10 altemp! 1<> testify to that which ""nnot be said ab<>ut specific evenU. We an: obliged to testify to injustioe. despite tbe neceuary inadequ acy of our ttstiroony. The..., i. a faint conn«li<>" between these mnarh and the <:ommenll in Uh/di",,1 Erwtomy $i""" lhere the refe...,na: to Htideuer takes plact- around the problem of the impt><sibility of poetry as a way of thinking Being: Ifth • ..., i, a profound failu...,. an impo6Oibility. of poelry today. it i, not be<:au~ we live in troubled times and lhat Bein3 has withdrawn from us. This discouNlO of profound .eaSOn. homo tbe lieU oul of us. NOlhing ha$ withdrawn . ...~ have not 'forgolt ... · anytbins; tbe ancient G=k .. Heraelitu,. tbe in_between of faith and knowledllC. an: n<> tOOn: originary than Jani, J.."lio . ( LEe 257) Yet, for Ihe early l yotard, the impoosibi\ity i, also not due to Ihe pora_ d<:Jxicalla'" that a~al'S in hi, work around tbe lime <>f Jw, G.>mlltg, It is due 10 dissimulation. tbat is, that any diso;ou ..... mu.1 remain ;n tbe grip of sysH:malisation and what Heide"", calb nxtapbyoiao: 'The failu..., of """'ry i, .imply.IIe impoos.ibility of anlH1>cory .. : (LE: 257)_ It should be DOled that although l YO\llrd is righl in >tscribing tbe forgollen in H.idegger 10 G reeoe. Heraclitus and the Ut«twcen, this cannot easily be .,Iended into tlte claim tbat lbey are originary in his work; in fact. Heide""r i. "t' Ihe following pol\~m of remarks thaI point lbe way towards a Slral~1D' (<>. n:lca,;ng inten!iC affect .. multiplicity and ehaDC:C within theory. blurrinl of Ihe borders bet",",n what is discussed and tbe lheary that discu5SCS it. Thi. blurri", can be acItiew:.j by allowing c~ to B"",rn Ibose b<>rdel'S_ Lyotltrd oftrn jW(tap!>6e5 critical remark .. tbt.)ry and vivX:l description in a chaotic and open...,ded manner. Thi. tactic uDdocs rep...,..,nt.ation by forcinl the reader to .-..conllitute the ...,lat;on betw ... n them: -it would let tbe pluggina in of iu IIDCCrtain border I.

S«k 1"'''-nltmvJJ through

8

"

~IBIDINA L

ECONOM Y AND NIHILISM

wilb lhat of its dienl body take pia"" in an aleatory fashion, without botbering 10 conlrol ii' (LE: 255).

2. M~"ipIy prlMipk. oj ~IIUlIc/a,""" lyolard not only renden u"""nain lilt dislinction btlwt<:n Illtory, critiq"" and what i. tbcorised. H. mulliplies lilt gen .... used wilhin each. This is don. in II tadK:al way sud! that no on. genre domillilles or !Ie....... as an organising principle for olh""" Apin, this does not make a reductive reading impossible, but it mulliplics lilt point. al .... hkh a rcspon!le may take.n unexpected and revitalising direction' 'Th= .... ould bt only div .... pieces, each pi= of"ariable f<><mal and bdonginJ to its 0'' '' time "ith which il btgins ond end. _ pka:s ....hich might or mighl ""I find lheir p!ac:e here lind Ihere .. .' \ lE 2506). Ampl 1M' jaj/~~ ;. ~!Utl'y_ But more than that, illviU jai"'r~ iIIw Jifro"'H. Diso.imulalion implies thai any di$C(lul"$<' is open to system. Jlisati(Jl1 or fragm
J.

Fuekin, ouJllI nol In bt gUllranl
=pe.

In addition to Ihex three pnociples of pa<Si ....., affirmalion, tl>t'" ~'" also principle> of acti,~ nesation, These cannol properly I>t laken for pnociplcs without tl>< lhree plrui,dy affinnaliv< nne< if they a,e taken u final lh~ ",tum 1lS 10 negation_ W. mUSI pay a1l.nlion 10 .... hat i. occurring to P •• 10 tl>< ~r of pa>.i";ty. by o~rvinllt"" "",.inll of negalion.

.j"""

d j 'H ",bfr~1 s~lul;ng OUlro/""S or offirm ~-Ioal 0«0<'1 IIJ Itft:f's!Itlf'y. It i. nihilistic to combine lhe free selection nr lh. ouloomc: I e<;u", identily_ Thory a", alway:. open 10 bc:inl sha nCrN inlo multiple affect. and .ystems. To will with no nihili. !;. il1lU1ion. is to will no OulC01l1(S by allowing til< chana: of many. It i. to will no .ubjc<;1 by Slayinll open In a multiplicity of aff~ and henc:e ')'Slems: 'sufficimlly refining ourselves, . , . bca>minll .ufficicnlly anonymOUs condu
Dc ""'

~'III
LYOTA R D AN D TH E POLl TI CA L

Whal "'" have is 0 given 10 be work"" with and opmo;! up, hence affirmed through blurring, mul1iplicalion and failure.

S, The sa"" i, lrue for the inftlKl>CC of the IUb';":l. In affirming whal oceu .... K... ..,~k (InOIlymlly by ~bcmJonlng Ulralpi.>. Allow for the p(>$Sibility Ihal It-.: ego. the self. property, nol disappear. bUI berome disinvesl"" in libidinal Anonymily is a lactic for undoing the organising power of tt-.: sclf and the StIbjcct. in lenns of inle",i lie! and wider syslems. Do nol analyse evenl. (through the sclf): '[The Freudian analylic relalion) is also the search for cau..,. mpon.ibililie!, lhe sea"'" for idenlily, lho Iocalizalion of desire, becoming conscious, masculinization, po"",r knowledge: lhal i., analysis' ( LE: 259),

'''''rgy.

Do 1101 ""lit.., lira, )'Ow ran r~ ~'hicll ~ff but also Ihe pain oflea';ng a ' )'Slem, ineluding the self. For all thai he owes 10 Spinoza, l yotanl refu<:ti"" of inlensities a oo Spino.. ·• PO""" and COMtUS. Pain and sadn ... an' not ududod from an increase in pow.r. '10 fu. the meaning of the passage. of .ulTering or of joy, ;" lhe busines, of con"';ou."..... aud .heir dim;w",' ( LE : 42). This is the main reason why a Spino,isl communily and republicanism cann"t e!Tl('rge from libidinal economy: there is no direction, there an' 0" COmmon nOlions tMI ra(i"nal1y limil Our passions and lhal Ihereby help 10 fonn a ",,;onal comm unit y, 6.

These poinl' an'"",r Heid its sludy of presence or>d lhe 'as .""h·, lyotanl', strategy for Ihe good conduction of inlensities docs nOl s questions on lhe ligh(ning flash of Being

LIBID I NAL

ECONO ~ Y ~NI) NIHILI5 ~

rWiIl we "'" 1M !i;hlllin, ftash of Iki"ll iq the II he., oll«h •.oIuaft'. 'The Tumin,' : 49). As in his """'" on Hackuer ODd the 1.10"', the I;IU1 of the UJU ...... I I...... on the issuo of ..·bethor he KlS paralPClm for the C¥ml by d I ibinJ 11M: lIulI as for Mllfl ODd ..'ho;ftby MIUI fulfils hit datiny (n). But !be no:Dl for tile IaICT Lyotard is IlIlhn the fedin, 11111 iI ..... ok! be: for 110 one ..... fuJfiJ 110 dcsIiny: 'ThaI link_I" 100 from IIw: eYmll mUll be 1tAI:Ic. bul Ibm won'l be llfIylhinl on wbich 10 link' (TO: 75). TIM: luspicion ia. lhen. lhal Heideget' JliU a11ow$ for the pmibi~ly 11111 'we' may b«omc 'WI.~ of lkina: 'Will we dwell "' IIIO!OO al bomo: m nel.meII, 50 lhal ...., will be:loo,g primarily w;lhin the fourfold of lky, eanh. mort~11 and di";nilies?' BUI, ror Lyot.rd·s IUbI;"", tvml lhis q ..... lion o:oncWa 100 mIlCh 10 !be possibilily and l pecificily of Mmylhical people and I life Illbe txp"nx of Oliltrs. o. mo~ property. Ihe OIh..... Thi. i. true in . differenl ..... y for Lyotard'i lCCoum in UhidlMl ~y. A ~bidinal poliliet 10 condUCI inlensily Ibrou&h IU !hiop. li don 110 puIi~dy. IlOl 001)' in I...... of aped"" OUloomt$, bUI also in Imnt of lhe muliiplicily of lind _ff_ Ihrouth ... hicb inltllSily is condllC\ed. In the nexl Ihis lIC\i,.., pa..;,ity ..ill be Iludicd in !he """lUI of capitalism and the criticaI q'le"h~ or .. betller pauivily &fDOun\S 10 poIilicaI o:oltabonotion lind Iadr. or po ......

_k.

.,..1.....

"""pItT".

"

4 LIBIDI NA L ECONOMY AND CA PITAL

PROBLEMS OF A PA SSiVE PO LITI CS Bu. z...m;', oomiobc:o ...... to be po ! 'II ......... _ ...... ,h .....«t br. qui.. diifumt "'pWo<. • po" • Hioal iIllft.. _ f.,.. inlalOity. I IIcsino rOl """"'"" .• , Sips .... Ibm "" ........ Lok... ill theif .... ad _ _ ........ Tbo)' do _ __ .... +\ Tbo)'do _ ""L2Ld~ dleyalow 'al:liooo,', Tbcy r...... joe Iilc tnnorlH--' tha, _ _ ... ,~~ ...:I ooci&I P:s ill ........ to prod_ arrects of .... ' in1 ..... y. (DP: 92)

No" ',,!

Active pIosaivily. in ,be oerue of I ,'ra,q[)' dcsiJllCd to let thinp .!Teet o ne ulIOOntciously, if • IoP:aI oon<:lusion of ,lie drill IWlly from ,be l ubjoc:c and from 'j1'lematio; control. In tbe libidi .... ' lyotard, pllJ$ivily is I n essential pan of polilica and mo",)i'Y. undtrstood as . ...... y of ~vin,. This roncIusion can . 110 be found in Gilks lklew%. in the Loti( i>f~ in panicuLar. bul on clooer inspc<;lion throu&h<>u\ his......-k, Ind in Michel Foucault in ~ Hisl«f of &xwJ;'Y. bu, abo in his work vir:""'II at ..... hoIe if we follow Drie:U>%', readin, in hlI FoucasJ•. In eaeh cue. DeW rotrlY or intensity is _plIO "1' m tbe IQUfOI' 0{ poIiricaJ hope alld tffon • ....,..;.tcd ..ru. tbt val .... of,he IIwnan 1Ut;.a and our bclidin ilS po_ 10 reaIix lIInn. The capacity 10 act upon t/linp rdiably, as 'I a ' ......1 JtnIO;tUIlS mirror lbc in,......., lUll.. of tbe sub;ect (ilS dcsira. dreams and ideals). has bu:on:w: JUSpCCI .. itll Ihex thinkm.. Can they ~ it with In a1tnnaliY'O political

Itnllqy1 This qU(:Stion nplairu why nihili:m! is of IIIcl! <:OfICmI to Lyotard. as it is for DeleUll\ alld for Fo",,"ult, if not explicitly I' lease implicitly ;n the dc~lopmcflt of his work and in the eyCi of his crit~. In the 1000 of the power or the IUt.;cct 10 will thinp. ;t ~ppca ... thaI tile world i. 1'C'duc:N to noth ;n&. But this al ... «plains why the th....e think." _ k to redefine

~!~!D!NAL

ECONOMY AND CAP!TA~

po~

as lhe optnnew to inten .. sou","" Qf cbange and the capacilY IQ condUCI inten.ily. If we accept that in bolh approaches the interesl in power lies in the Qn-ilion between decay. defined as lack of eMrgy, and tTealion. de!intd as a surplu.< of lrans(nrm.tive .... rgy. Ibm Ihe dilf..,:ne<: lits in tbe sou"," of lbat power and the .... ay in which il is brought to bear Qn lif•. [n lhe ca .. of the phii(gQJ)hy of the sub;ect. power finds a privik,ged soum: in the will tn "illed. An inorea .. in po"-" become. a difficult tlade-olf bc:1"toen an increa .. in the inten,,;ty tab, as the source of increallCS in power. Lyotard. Dl:leuze and Foucault do not deny thai there are ,""h Ihinp as decision. and that tbe!c decisi.oos can be defined iQ pari in Ie :&<:tioo$ only apprQat direct rep........ tation of g""]s Q' val"",? These q .... tions challenge Lynlard 10 • • plain why his philosophy is nOlth. simp~ paradox of an anti_ lheory and why it i. nol reduced 10 a po.ilion where 1>0 ~iOD i. _ihle ;n lhe faa: of an indislinct chaos. The lint questi<:C(Ind qu.nlion is more dif6cuJt. Whal exactly is a passive acti'it)'? How dues il aVQid nihilism in pnctice? M=

"

t YOT"'RO "'NO TilE PO L I Tl C"'L

pn:ciscly, wby docs it not rall prey to Ihe return of nihil;'lic forttl" l< il possible to put fo .......d • politics lhal can resist capitalism " itl>oot falliq back ;nln resistaJ>oe as pure negalion?

ART AND THE POL ITI CAL AS A C TIV E PA SS I V ITY In Ihe coJlectinn ofewlYS that prepares the way for l.ihidu.ol &Momy, ~s Disposiri/s pulsionnels, Lymard tm 10 answer lhese questions in lite context o[modem art. He defines modem Krt as an oct;ve passivity that b=h witb the lradilion of rep I · nlation . But more tlo.an th;', he begins 10 wrile about art as govemod by dissimulalion, 85 defined in Ubidu.ol &:Momy: all art is bolh represo:ntative and int<1l"'. The queslion is how to create in respon'" 10 art forms and materials so a. to exploil thai diuimuJalion to lhe full: 'so all those calculalions, the painler', measurerncnu. Ihe formali"", of ten .. ruks and haIMt .. lhe actor'. lraining, are not there to doow Iheir futilily, .s Weslern nihilists beU .....,. They are lhere In make possihle whal «ami call. the M"OtUkiful flo~. and it. el'lll!es€eltff, lhal is, the dl"ect of Ihe most 'trdnge emotion in an in.tant lhat cannol be located' (DP: n3). 1I0w can we maximi .. int<1loity in 51ructUl'C$Ihal are also open to a respollile in term. of furtber siructures and represmtalion!i? The ani.tic apprQaCb 10 the po5siIMUly of power through passivily allow. Lyntard to make much his libidinal philosophy oro the ,dation between structures (the dominant metbod. or dispositions in lhe history of an), lepl entalion and Ihe intensily of alTeets. However, the essays in ~, Di1posi,i/s puulONIeu also hii\der Ih. ~ of. libidinal philosophy in two ';gnificanl ways that are overcome in UbidlllCS& of Ihis n«x .. ry mo'.., comes oul in the essay 'Adorno come diayolo', where L)'otard experiment. wilb a rather crude p;ossivily in his o,,'n dilCOu ..... by adopting a method loosely related 10 B~r rougbs and G)-..in', (Burrough. and Odier 1970) CUI'UP and fold-in method and 10 IT-wid Bo"y's passive construction of lync.; ' I determined six ideas (dialectical, entiat indilT.re""", posilion, Iheology and expression, affinna!ion) within which I d;'tribulod all my th
.Iea,..,..

LIBI DI N A L ECONO M Y AN t> CAP ITAL

M leIS desill' run Ihrough hi' disposilion. Thai i. affimuuion' (,Adorno come diavolo', 116), BUI Ibi! method i! disappoimiog when compa red 10 lhe moch I1\OK Ihorough and minute attention 10 $lyle in Libidinal El'MOm,.. Lyotard rcalioed Ihal a crud~ mechanics of ~hallC\', appliW after thought> had been SClecled aDd expressed, cam~ nOVo'hero near intcm;ily "'hen compared 10 Ihe _noh for paO$ivity in .he ftow of writ ina and 10pics .. they an: being wrinen. Th"",.n: many reMma"""" " 'ilh olher lhink< ... in the laIC six.ies and ~arly $Cvenlies in \hio experi"",nlalion wilh tbe passive underminins oflradilional Itn><:lures. 1l>e pas$iI~ from 'Adorno com~ diavolo' 10 LibiJ;NJI Et:tHIOIf,,, is quil~ similar to lhe mo"~ Pltili ppe Solkn mad~ from hi! much-admired early works (Nombrrr, Draml!, /.;;ill_ II) 10 lhe lal~r Slream-<>f""""sciou,ncss work Par~dil, 1be early worb depend o n a conscious UK of modc:rni .. le<:bniques 10 bring cha""" and ulIC\'rlainty imo lheir construclion and r=pIiOD (sec Roland Barlhes-, Soll..-s Ea'WI;n), BUI Ihe l al~r "'ark ..dtie,," a higher iel 1980), Similarly, L},<>laN io greally influenced by Gcnrudc Siein, not only in Icrms of ityle bUI also in lerm. of philosophy of language: (TM Difj..-.nJ, 67-8), LyolaN
we are (Ibi,

boo~'s)

efTecI, p~'hed a$i
LYQTARD AND TilE POLITICAL

SlOpOOllfusin! onvitude with dependence, We would lite. book o f complete IkpenlkDCC' Iheoc pieces of tbe tpbcmcral patchwork would be compost
(LE,261) I shall ",tum 10 this importanl pas.sat;e below. HowC\'tr. lhe eXlension of passi"';ty inlo philosophy BOO potilico is the ICCOnd ",,,"on why tbe ...,.Y" in IN. ~I'if' pidJloMt& a", a hindra!>l:e as much a. a Ilelp, This eueusion canoot take place easily SO Iona as art is oem as the key to pa";~ity. Lyotard learnt much from Cezanne. a.ge. Zeami. Delaunay and Monory aboul the ..... ys in which .... can allow intonsil~ 10 flow Ihrough work. as well as undermine.oo ",new .tructum, But his essays on them run lhe rill: of limiting ~bidi!La1 economy to ~n aeslbelics uooerslood ""lely as art and 10 the marginal position of lhe avant_ ganlc .rlist. This would be a ret urn 10 lbe posilin, of an OUlside of $OClely. a 'good' ",gion thai somebow the negati,.., !lruclures of rtpresentation and tradition - if oaly for u Ion! as ;t ..... avanl_garoe and nol ""'Uperaled, AI limes. Lyotaro t""d. towaro, this noo-romanticism: for .,.ample, whenever he pUll hippy rno""",,,,,11 f ......... ro .Olhe ""ample of 8rat inlm.ily: ' He... a ... today', " . uptrmen" and .. m..le ..... ' lhe frinse. experinlel1tal paim.,.,. POP. hipp;es and yipp;e,.. paruitO$.. madmm, inlCmees? There is mort inlen. ity and Ie.! intention in one hour oflbeir life than in. thoulI8.nd woro. by a professkmal phoo..,pher' ('NOIC$,Uf Ie retou r ct Ie capital' al 01': 305), Indeed. the n"'taIPe. romantic rtaClion to lhe dominance of capital;.,., i. a cballenge 10 bim , inee il appea ... 10 understand lbe !ibidilLill potential of capilaL BUI romanlicismchoosesto usc: this poldyi.m· in L 'a""'rinal tk / 'u ";rlelru par /~ "..;~lUrr. 101"""" (56- 108. esp. 102), 1I0we"er. in tbe p~ou. chapler. I . bowed how diu imu\.,lion Oponltcd in all diocoul'$e$ and how Lyotard uset Ihis to al"",k any phi",""phy promising a privileged ",gioo or practice. The importance of h;' work on arl, IhOl. os ... tbetics but so a prolegomenon 10 a mort StneraJ libKlin..1 economy and politics of acl;'" passi~ity. So in lbe foliowin! oection. his .... yson modem an will he I'Cad again$! Rfringe poIilics and in the lighl of lhe libidinal eco
= ....

PAINTING AND DESIRE Lyotard', wark on arl. mucturalism and Frtud begins v.1tb Itis FrtllCh major dO<:toral dissmalion (DocI"'~1 d·tr~') publisbed a. D""""~' /iprr

LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND CAPITAL

(Lyotard p" ...... the French agrrga/;Of! in 19S8 and became _ Docteur es Leum in 1911). Th~ advocary of fi",re and alTect again,[ muc[ure and oenoe, and the critical Stance with mpecr to s[ructuralism and pbenom~nology in that book are [hen worked into [h~ more poli[i",,] and libidinal essay. in De. Dispo>i'!ft J"'lsioluu!k II i. worth noting tba[ [he critical reading of phenomenolol)' dales back 10 ~."" bofom [ho, ...... ys on Algeria see La Phb","';nokJgiL (1954) - [bough a[ [hal ' ["ge, the critiq..e was couched in to"", of [he problem. rai ..... for phenomenolol)' in a malerialist mading of history. In ord.. to co,..,,dep[h, I essaY'. 'La put forward in on. making cr ...... ref.rences to other works as into a lei. of lheoretical r<mlIrks. follo ...'ed by a cbronological a!LIIlyses of particular works. This divide and order is contradicted by lhe main findings of [he euay. This ii why il is bes[ tahn as a springboard for [he work in LibiJ;lIQ/ Utmomy ",[her than as a f....,-.. anding philosophy of painting. It would he bet[ ... to think of the ...... Y' as tending toward, art with philosophy (and also not towards philosophy as art). Ly<>tard dOt< not only in~lip.le the rela[;OII of philosophy [0 painting. Th. essay 'La dem, I. paume' makes very similar poinu In [he work on painting, but 011 !hea[re. The essays 'Adoroo come diavolo' and 'Plusieurs sil.nces' do [he ""me: for mu.ic llrul 'Sur nne liaure du diooour$' lIrul 'P: 227). Lyotard dOt< nOI wanl [0 =riental~ the interprttalion of painlins [0 the p;sydloanalyai. ofan artist', desires; in fact, h ~ is highly critical of whal he ....... a misappropriation of Freud. Instead, desire is a way ;nlo mall ... and alTecls. These work through a certain urul .... laruling of desire and againn ""olh.... Thi, dininction depend. OIl the now classic di.linct;"n io Freud of two waY' of uno:lcrstanding desire: d~ire as desire for som
""""""''Y.

LYOTA RDANDTHE

~OLITI C AL

the repetilion 0( affeetl. 1ft Ille cut o f Etot., il ila rcptIition 01..- ..' ''1 alld affecu conlributlfll 10 the internal fWI..m, 0( lhe 1)'111>11 (tile affeet trill"raI by fcedi.... or cteTcix. or 1ft. or pleuu~ lakm in the coofirma. non 0( opinioOJ ahool beaUly or form). In the cue of the M ill driW;1 iI repclilion of plOC ...... aDd affects thai cIiIIlttb thai 1""'1 runnm. ( • ......., 'datnw;tiw· repclition of a JCXUaI or other pnctia:). So in 011£ cut 'Defl)" iI <Je conMql>tnl re<ju;",menllo play otT the IWO drives 'piMI oor another - stnte&ies for . life between Iwo

de.lhs.

no...

Bul from lhe poinl of..;ew ohllo..mll ....11)" 10 IMoullh the Iysl ..... 1M dealh dri"", is u positive as 1M eorlFIk ltabiliuotion 0( ErOli. Like Dckow: ,Dd Quan.ri ill their An,;'OrJipul, l yourd """'" away from any . .,... 0(. DOnn IIId j""F''''''''' 0( val ... ill _ 0( driva. H. ref..... 10 oa:q)Ilhal il iI poaiblc 10 isolate""""" po o aDd usociI.ted affecu with nqalive results. This _ _ him (and Dc......, aDd Qlllitan) . .... y from tht bcalinl fllntlioa 01 r-)'dIoanaIytis. It abo .tj""';al<:l him from , polities 01 bcaltll and nomoaliry. or indeed • politiao of per>tI Aoft oj ill de Sode (Lyotard', ",lIollon 10 de Sad< is. I>
=1"''''"

Thi.... I<menl was in 10 • pwp initialed in lbe Vi""""",," ptychOllnllysis department ' 00111< inllructiolll o f Or. lM:an' .

.

LIBI D INAL ECONO MY Ar.l D CAPITAL

Lyourd cwims that when painting is $COOied in t"",$ nl dcsi ... , prott:S$ and afftrt it immediately btcQm.. a question of political economy a5 _11 a. lil» become clearer on " 'hal is meant and achieved by acti"e pass.ivily" T",'o conSC<]lI01IceI of Ihe definilion do bring u.s ck>5I. 5eIXInd. painling is the search for a relea ... from Ihose ~gions and an e"ension ;nlo> new disposition. and new

.IT=

More prt.:;""ly, Ly"lard speak< "f a 'dilution' "f pictorial ... gioll<. This in,pli ... Ihal painling is nol '" much an escape from its lradili<>nal region. and practices as an aperimemal exteDsion oul of th .... Ths extension "" nnol ~ primarily theoretical in the ",nse of a concqllual ,.,. dialectical exlO1lsion of the role: of art (a greater p<>litical role for j " innilution. based on lhe value: of cullure, or lhe participalion of artisu in social debate). Painting. ... defined by Lyotard. has neither this concql!ual nor dialectical clemenl in Ihe aplanation of how it ,,·orb. It i. nol defined in lerms of !KleioJ functions or values. but in term. of how it disturbs and support. lhem

LYOTAJ(O

A~ D

TilE POL ITI CAL

libidinally. Painling does not ti,,, by wbal ;1 sa)'l or communicate<. but by what aflect. ;[ conduct5. According to Lyotard. the bi'tory of modem art i, the hi'tory of this dilution. II is the search for the utm.ion nf the praclice of painting (';mply. the colouring nfsomt'hing) and ito afl...u (the way i, mnves us) into wider disposilionl and a""y from ,r;odition: ',here is • p<:Ilymorphy of modc:m painting t .. tifies 10 an analosous diloSOlulion [10 thai acbieved by alpilalisml of Ihe ob.i«ts. s!at... OO$itiflib;dina!' and 'En anendanl GuifTrey'. Lytltard Ii'''' brute mat.riali'l accoun .. of how C(liour comes to be ""I down 011 a .... ppon. Anyth ing from drip painting (pollock) through allOOOl irr,pe'"plible shading (GuifTrcy) 10 lbe applic.alion of lipstick i, ,u"""ptible 10 hi, descriplion •. The crilerion for cboosing one pl"llClia: or anOll\(r is nOI in the det«mination of ~ptabl. and non .... coeptable praclN:n in [mIlS of beauty. say. II i, in tl\( d.tection of. lra ... fer of libidinal energy from on. di'po,ili"" (Ihe SOI,up and arrocu .ssoci.al<:d wilh body-paiming - Klein. for .... mple) a", COndocl<:d into anolher (our id.as oo""""in, skin. colour. form and maIler. say). The crilerion i, thai of workina (is there. transfer?): "TIle almer. captu"" luminous entfgy Mild in...mbes il On film: is il paintinil Why ever nOl? 1be eye ""pIn"" the <Je.,,,lop«! and proj<:cled phOlognoph, lhe hand rq>ea1S il On K JOlt( of on. 10 len, ;. that paintin,' Many pop and hyper-realisl canvases a", made Ihi> "·ay. It is a di>posilion. il worh' (236). ThWitb. sen .. of·wo. king· here is nOI uti!it.rian but onergdic. in the sense that inten,;ty revives and di spla= 'yst.".. lhat tend 10 ;".,nia (dealh). A paiminS worn. and indeed any 0,1><. libidinal political ""I W01"ko. when il ",kasea feelings and < very discru[ when C(lmpared to greal ",,"olulionary mo,,<,mems or £reali>1: and d.,(ruet;,,, pushes. T1Iere io no ... ternal scale thai they can I>< judged by. It is ralher tbal furthtf act. show thaI ....,.,k in a rdali"" pragmalic oonteXI by pickins up on the mo=1 and inlen,;ty released in th. first. For .... mple. !be", could I>Ot be • libidinal critical ""hoo! wilh a..,1 of criteria ond mcasurn for judging the energy of a given an,work. 1be", i, intensily and movernenl ~ and DOt. jud8<mc:nl of inten,ity and iOO¥emtot - where a wort (say of philosophy) shifts alongsidr on. that poa:u!eo it. So thi, does not mean Wtthe", cannot be movemenl in crilique Knd judll'ment. It means lhat cril;que and judgtmet\t a", not the final arbil .... of movement. II does not mean tbalthere is no intensity and

,ha,

'"

LIBIDINAL ECONO MY ANO CAPITAL

movement in the desire and IUuctures of final judgements. It means that they are merely one ~ among many others 00 which they cd at their <:=Iioo bc<;omes dissipatr:..l and the moCy and terror tMI Lyotan! ...,k, to undermine. mosl notably in Ihe /igum of wiU. self and subj<>:t - hence his commiltnenl 10 acti"" pusivily. to 'apathy',

PAINTING AND APATHY

Thus the 'democralic' aspect of Lyotard ', libidinal economics. notr:..l in Ibe I""'"iollll chapter COfJ~ming afle<"l" is ",peated in his work on l"IintinK_ AU ways of ins.;rihing colour on a support Can coum lIS painting (lin.. on sand. Mto<>o), This inclusi""nm is one of the key direction. for hi' work 00 paint;n!! and his work . . . whole: docs Ihi. inscription of colour COfUICCIlhi. disl"'"ilion (mark' on sand) and iTO aflocts to another? Does it breathe new
"

L VOTARD AND TH E POLITICAL

wayl, Firsl, il shows IhallM dominance oft~di.posilion of rep~ntation is contingent; rcl'f\'$t"l\talion appeaml On 1M scene of painting quite lale (lyotard studi.. pre-repr ... ntalional ,digiou, and primiti,'e an to show th;') .Dd tMrefore cannot be considered lbe ....,""" of painting (DJ>: 242_ 58). Second. it .. ts Ihe question. 'Wbal is CQrnlItOO 10 diff• .....,t disposition.?' iUld 'How can Ib;' be appr"""hod will":lUt depending on any particular disposition?'. w. kDOw t~ an,""r to tho lirsl q .... tion 10 be colour and lbe inl..., .. afTect. Th. answer 10 Ih. second is pa$livity. This is described quite poorly in 'r.... pointure com"", dispositif lib;dinal' in terms of tho absence of lil>Oll and conlou,"" in Cezanne', work . Th. absence tak .. away tho "p' ...,ted object from Ih. picture and alloW! colours to alTect II! dirtCtly in tbe many ways in whicb Ihey can intonIC\. l)l< political direction for libidinal economy to emerge as I~ condllCtion of intensity inlO a. many dispositions ;U p06Sibk: ·Here. our hypotl...si. (and belid"), basod on lbe movement toward, polymorphism in modem painling and ecooomy. h;u bttn that tht force of w!>at i. paintod dots not lie in iu JlO'VCf to refer. to sedUC\'. iu ··dirrercn~". in iu stalus as signilkr (or si",ii'kd). that is. in iu lack, but in its fulln ... of switcb.ble libido' (267). This conclU$ion, whik setling a direction fnr libidinal economy. does not clLar.oclerlsc t~ way in which lhat direction can be followed. ThiJ WQri;: ;s done in 'En allendanl Gu;ffrey' and 'Freud selon Channe' in Ihe d=ription' of CCzan ... '. search for powerlessness and GuifTrey"llJ{J
"

LI8IDI~AL

ECONOMY "'NO C",PITAL

destruclion. This doubt and associated continll<'''''Y of tM ob~t ao~ hi, paintings and makes lbern "'orko of passivity. When we lum 10 Merleau-Ponly'. 'Le doule de CezallM', in Snu rlllOll......., il is 'lriking how many of his intuition. a ... shared by Lyotard only for til< two 10 b< oeparatod on lbe: role of !he hwrutn. For Mer!elou-Ponty, doubt;' a human factor, ..,metbin! Ihal CO
(DP: 75) In III< former, uistence is rtVelIled in Ih. parado.tical circular freedom of buman liv .... creating Ihemscl_ as Ib.y molly a ... , The bermeneulic reverie of til< psychoanalyst, multiplying communication. from nur$el'.... tn oursel_, \.ok .. "",uahty for 1M symbol of exi"e""e and exillence for Ihe symbol of "",nality. It looks for the imSC of the (UIU... in the past and Ih.sense oflh. past in til< fulu .... It is b
Lyotard'. CJtpLanatioll depends upon a non· human principle thaI "-;11 come 10 be compU",,\ed, though not ocgaled Of undermined, in its application in \eT11IS of the dissimulation of affects, inl .... ity and disposilions. For him, it is ))OS$ible 10 b< specific, but not linaUy, about II>e!e factors and processeo in ally given wo,I:. In conlraSl, Merklu.Ponly depends upon " divXlcd mUCIu... of CJtplanatioo baled 00 Iymbolisation and tbertfo ... on rcre",nce (Lyo!ard', great uro again). Ref.... nce is ilself Ibm undermined by an infinill' multiplic;llion ... here no final !fOund or direction is ai""'" 'eY\'T)'lhing symbol;"" everyth.in!', 'its fUlu ... to its past Ind its past 10 its

LYOTARD AND T HE POLITICAL

fUlure' , lbe only vestige of sen,. lhal is allowed to remain is human frt<:dom and its me desire In work against systems and structures aUitmlown '1'. their IUppnood initialor and recipien'- In ilS place we find a ,.t of economic bloch and I"'IISaJO< of inten
naj,..,

LI BIDIN" ~

E C O ~OM

V " N D C " PIT"

~

lhe i~VC1'SC, fronl ier or fissure? No il is rallllual and scns""llimilS wilh desi .... lhal ha,~ al ...·a).. been polymorpbous and perw .... ; any limit will do and pleasure can be token in erossiog il or in runnina righl up against il . TM combinalion of a .lnltelY (If ~n-~ a nd an economic: description doeo not commil Lyolard 10 an art or polilico d"'oid of mechanical complexily or difficuhy. It means Ihal it i< lhe .... ull of an . nempllo ere. Ie. f..... of (1tablished disr-:»ilion ~ to paint as a OOdy or mechanism and nOI with consciousn..... Ihe hi
men.

TM deslruclion of composition lin Guiffrey] i. lhat of III< painte,. subj«r. G u; rrrey never ,Igns bi. wom, never gives Ibtm lilies. doe< not keep catalogues. H. lherefore aboli<"'" himself as lheir owner.

"

l VOT'" R D '" N D TilE POL If IC"'L

BUI all hi. fo",", i. dedicaled 10 I~t"ilfr tire 'pau ala ..... . , Painting i, not Ihe paintCT" e~pression, tbere is no painler. Only tin ... surfaces, briltia""", tn.1 must be produooJ as ungraspable, (OP, 219) Seck

~~

Multiply principles of enuncialion. [nvile failure,

PASS IVIT Y AND TH E PRO BLEM OF CO LL ABORATION Lyolard', ..,.",h for a polilies of passivity and disinte=1 in specific oul, oomes can seem wildly al oddi with his ....."'h for a polilies 1n.1 escapes dominanT ')'Slem, and ,lruOIU=. Pern.ps Ihi, explain, the odd de$criplion of hi. pOlilics in LibidilftJl &oIIomy-. 'Our polili", is af ftig/ll, primarily. like Our stylc' (20). Haw can ""e n.., 'UeS of any kind . BUI il i, "ill a OIep away from lhe rigidily of ilructuru,....,n if they musl relurn laTer _ a fact that Lyotard adopTS al Ih. core of his philO5Ophy ;n lb. cona:pl of dissimulalion. For him, paSSivily i, Ih. only way of ....on.ing Ihrough Siruelu"'" ",hi\O: also loosening lhem an.d operUll3 Ihem 10 ""'" combinalions, since all olher "")'5 are dependeol on struclures for lhe am;'''rucluraJ oulco..... lhey wish 10 Jay claim 10. No"" of Ihis would make sen'" if lhe concepl of dissimulalion simply invoh'ed Ihe claim thai everylh;ng i. bolh inlrnsity Knd struclure or system. BUI The oo""",pt also depends on K sel of qualiTies conoerning the relalion of inlensily 10 slructure, The relalion can be more or less Ioooc; lhal is, a $Iructure can be in a more or Itss fa'i pr"""," of change, allowing unforeseen inlensilies 10 occur and Ihus structure< 10 appear lhal w... hidden in Ihe firsT 00 •. Th. final oulcome of Ihis pr"""," is alway. out of reach because the relalion beTWCC1\ structure aDd inlell5ily is I>Ot fixed in any way, BUI. as "'" bave!l«n in Ihe wort on art, Ihe poinl ofpauivity is In conduOl ""'" unknown and hence unfonan inlen.ilies inlo structures in order \0 .hift Ihem a,.-ay from .tagnancy and a .. pre$$i....., lerror. Th. dislinction drawn between direct action opening lhe way for new in lon,ili.. 10 be cor.du.cled and indirect oulcomes is an important 0"", IT .ho,,'$ how Lyotoro', libidinal philNOpby splits any action inlo ,.'bal is aClually loosened in given .lruelurtJ and oonscioU$ am... Th ... ~letneIlts.re in conflict .inoe an action is delermined in terms of chosen ouloome! by a set

76

LJBIDINAl ECONOMY AND CAPITAL

, Iruclurt (bow and wh.al 10 paim. whal th. beauliful is, why paintilll i, moral. for examp!c:), But this determination is contrary 10 openn... bo:ause it ,",k$ to eliminate the necessary unconscious and CO!ltingenl aspect. of •• ~nmtntalion. Intensily cannot be approached dim;lly. if Ihis mean. consciously; it can only be . Xperimenled with by a coll!ciou. decision I\Ot 10 aim for .pecilic oul"""",,,. This deri,ion is en<: thaI Lyotard wanls to exle1>d to all OlruclUre5 and ..... ry pan of Ibm> _ h.n~ his attraction 10 lhe capacily of modem an 10 in"OSI any oh;ect , In UlJidi/IQ/ &-c:Hoom,.. Ihis doci.ion and Ihe er.1 patchwork would be compOsod and addr:d 10 Ihe body. lhe fingenip>. all o~ ... the .h... ~ and Ihex (o",,"tion$ ,"'Culd. for a moment. make u. dependeot upon them . If Ih .... is noca~ tlloo", is no author' (LE: 261). So in pusi"ty. in the .."", of ,",kin. 10 b<<:Ofl~ a good condUClor of inlensilies. on. does nOI become Seti 10 anything Or anyo,,". Thai happens when on. foUo ...... a paniru1ar .trueIU",; for .. ample. in the way lhe ",Iation of aim and """"'iou. decision en,nare!i u, in a specific idenlily and self-«lnseiou.ness 10 which '"" become falsely ""ponsibl.. Dc:pc-nd"""" is inC\'). So Lyotard folio .... tbe Spinozj't answer 10 lhe .oxusalioo that with the 1055 of free will "" 1~ the power 10 ac1 and the power that goes with action. mal we lose - bo:au.. il dOO$ not •• ist _ is the capacily 10 choose .pecific outcomes, But wh.al we gain is on und.rstanding of tbe way< in which we may allow our en_ironmenl 10 connect ",th us and b~nce illCrea.. OUt PO"'' ''. no'" redefintd a,,.,, inorease in connectedness. or in LyoUlrd', ca.. a mo", polymorphous conduclion, Thi' io foTC<' (LE: 261). We canll-OI be serf, 10 foTC Duposili/s "../Jimuot/s and Lihidi",,/ Economy by a mo", aflinnati"" fonn of polilical action (albeil affirmation lhroulh passivity). Thio ;, why Lyotard', pref.ce

"

LYOTA RD AND THE POLITICAL

10 the 1994 odit;"n of Dhi., .. parI;" tk Marx ~r f'rtIKI;. pa"ic~Lorly inl~tnting in insisting on the waning dni~ to resist wlr.ile also stmaing a new libidinal CODCCpli<m of resistance: the mUlual resislanoe of the uncon· Icious to consciousnm: "Around u. people coDlinuod 10 cry: Frtedom! ,." mUllerod resi.tance" (10). 'Resistance i. a word wed by F~ud 10 qualify lhe opadly Ihat Ihe unconscious eppoon 10 conocirnuncss bUI also the laner> b~ndness wilh regard to lhe signs of the fomrer.' It is Ibis Freudian oeruc Ihal the libidinal philosophy exploiu 10 the full. BUI ....... shaU _ below, Ihis sl"'''gy is con,..""nl wilh capilalism. Is Ibis comhinatioa of I,*,nl by default and con~ an abandonmenl nfany capadly 10 resiSI capitalism or .,...., to define a polities lhat maintaillll some dill"""" from lhe dominance of lhe rules of marketsLyourd a.ks Ihis question in nearly all of lhe es$a).. of Iks DiJporiti/6 I"'fjio/tMts. It is an urgenl q"""tion fer Iwo rea.oons. Finn, a. "'" have ..... in Ihe early essaY' Orl Alg..ia, his work is eharactemod hy an awareness nf the power of ,,"pilalism 10 .uppon and even precipilate In.. ml>$l ~l'f"S$i~. ~m ... Second, lhe act of paosive experimentalion and lhe gt"non.l K;m of seek;ng 10 eondu<1 inl<'1lllily as wi
Thi. lrail of polymorphy is in detp

con~

with the spao;:e of modern capilali,m. A.pao;:e in which KH:allod economic illlCTiption is polenlially on an)'lhin,. There is ~rtainly an exlmnely pi ... i.., lim;, Ihal "'" call property or law of value. B~I, potentially, capilali. m outlines lho possibilily of taking anything lind pullin, into ci",ulation under ~rtain minimal eondilion • ... lbe", has 10 be meTgy ;n lhe Ibini and, if lhat is the case, it can he meta· morphosed inlO anothor ob.i<'d, action, afrO("!. what~_.

(DP: 266) Lyolard' s geneyal aim of conducting intmsily in allihinp is mirrorod by lhe capacily of modem capitalism II> gi~. ,·alu. 10 any object. This mirroring .h"..... up "",II in lho way pop an .Io>"lIied ••... ryclay objc<:IS 10 Ihelc:vel of an and the parallel way in which, in capitalist socie\ies, In.. ml>$l commonpla ... objc<:IS.;:an 1xcome objaor. of d!:oi", and importance. The posilive of Ihcsc 1'f<X' • 's lie in thrir a!ensi,"m~$S and =iiI'Ic:>Sn .... A. val..... btcome fixed in an and in society, lhey a", overthrown in an .... rlP.i!ti and liheraling '''''·I>lulion'. This proceos knows no bound. and is polentially capable of e><1t"nding 10 any,hin,. An and capil.~sm a", ,h. alii« nf lhe liboration of youlh from old values, of new sounds and

.'pec'"

"

L 1BIDINAt ECONOMY AND CAP I TAL

xn .. tio ... from aotiquated ,truetures of artistic merit. of _ waY' of c:cperic!lcing tbe intensilY and worth of undervalued or ...... ..... cultures. BUI. for aU the liberating merllY afforded by 8. new mo, .. mcm. there is slil1 alwaY' the gral\ing of capitalist mod"" of production alld bmoc control on il. The ... is ,tiD tbe suspicion and oft~n the fa<1 tlLal the demand. of lbe structure 1La.... dct~nnincd Ih~ mo .... ment from tbe OUtxt. Wbat Io<>$oning and wbat singular inten.ities are thex? Are they nol nlC ... dislraclions and p"mati'~ tlLal .1I0w a fundamentally unju'! I)"$t= to tbriv~?

LIBIDINAL ECONOMIES . .. il;' not tl1l< lbol capitaliom docs nol Ji'. II> mol pIea,ure In P' I ion 1M f ..... pa.S .;....,,1. 11 ;. ..,. I"", that"'" shouk! <:ooli .. "" 10 ",,,ale to inlOfJ'TOI ond Ir1n$I'""" it .. ifit -... • lion· ... if il._.. posited or impoood simple machinc 0( [,om tbe QUtoido u • violation of .U .sa;r<.•• if .. IIltI supported it ""' .. DOt J!pooilion. or .1 leas • • """p of

·.I......

libidinal di<posiUoru. (L •......,...., iN /'uphintN! "'" I
1$ this not tbe mOil era .... n of reacliona.,. views? Is il nOlthe case that old and ~ply unju.1 pow .... lie behind lbe attraction of new and 'valuable:' o,*"u and behind tbe ilJ~.,. ""IUlIliott of cultural or OIber differcnoes11. il not the cax Ihal "'bencvcr p<)SSeSSions and desires now in capiiali,m they do so on the back of ~.pIoitation and alienation? Lyotard .n~mpu to amwer Ih..., critical '1ueslion! in chapt .... m. IV and V of LibidilflJl

"--,

Fi ...!. Lyl>tOrd a,k$ queslion< of th •• lt~rn.tives and of the tbeol1:1ical r>=I to posil a possible jusl _icty. His belief that thm' i. no privile:ged ...~on oUIside: ,h. lib;dinal """""my is translaled inlo an ~Ilad; on ,he ra,her simple version of Marxism thai d.peoos on tbe cLaim thai llIbour ca~nol be reduood 10 ito eAcn.n"".nlor .. t tbe •• ...,n.e <JI il5 use-val...,. Tberdon:. revolulioo need nol occur in the absence of tbe crisis that this conlradiction oughl to ILav. induced in <:
"

vrOT,\RO ANO THE 'OL I TlC,\L

In OIher words....., cannoc hope to rWe tbe 'coolladinion' beI ...... n lbe Law olvah.. and =..Iive fom: throqh a modl.tlon. WCC&.llnot own:ome tht 'oonlrldiction' bnweenlbe upper ~ of tht visibk surl"att (.limllCd in 'reality·).nd illlowf:r ~ by ronsUlulin,.n orpniulion thai has knowlcdlC ollIM: 10..... (ol ocienlific theory). Thai '<:Oalrldinion' /$ "'" Mr. 1"beK itt DO conlrldic1ion bnwem ,.,.1 .1..... lion and lbeoretical INIb. in 1M _ 0{ a Heaeliao conlradiction that bunts and is mIOIwd, of • IUbstanor: thai boco.nes subject. (104)

This aplal... ...by no nMI ol lhooofllla leaclIina can brina aboul a revoIUlion WI I'" IfuUy raoI_ 11M: CODlnodlctioa _ oometbina thai Lyourd has SOIl,IbI to e.lj)lain from AJaeria. llu-ou&h May 1968. up to lhe st...x.1I re\'OllS 01\ Ibe ampwi olllill1DiverJily. Nanlel'n:.01\ the o utstim ol Paris, in the arty 1CYUl1ia. TIle 1_;"" bet_ fom: . nd vah... between labow- and ;IS exploitalion, iI .n IUtaetioa u ..-dl ..... IqIIlIsioD.. "J"hey work within one .nother a nd lhal it 1M unb.abblo relalion lhat M 111m bimself lbe w k ol undenl.ndinJ and Ibm wortina with ;n UbidiNJI

-

'"'"""'",~ 1M f.....

nry ",Lolion belMm fom:and .lawolvah.. 0' equi .... kno ... is CSS<1IliIllo Lyolatd·, wo,k on capitalism. ""I limply, il COIllCl down to Ibe yjew Ihll ..... 1"I)' rna" he uploi...:! in llnon""", lhal md up canot!linJ il oul nd that tbac I tnonUtn bu,n oul unless they Hnd ............ <J;Y to aploit. lIut what .'" 1m. cnc'lJY lnd S1noctUn:"/ Why.", they II"""'l"rily linked? LYOllrd doeo 1>01 provide an ... btlrut .'111""'01 and oct 0{ defi.nitionJ in respon5l' 10 this question. OIher thin his ...on. on lhe necessily of dissimulation outlined in Ihe previous chlolMe •. Inslead. he puts forward a K1 of practicalllud*" Ihal ahow f""<J;Y 10 be inlenlily. thai is. lbe inlen,ily of dc:I.irn and fcelinp. The otudieo ""ow lbe llnICIu", 10 he.o. Low of equinltflCe. thai i ........ y of ",latina illCOlJlmC:nsunbk Ihinp in order to allow for tbrir achange. Finally. lhey show _ bul not definitively - thai Iny adVClClO<"y 0{ either • • tructure free 0{ elKl&)' Of • IIl'\1C1 un: free or. Low of equivaknoe is bound 10 fl~. In lhe developiI .. ot or hilliudiel, lao ohowIlbe 11'" , or various 11.11'" or Clpitalism 10 be In r.-et-impoo.td CI~ty 10 IMILIF lhe oyposile bul 1'1(( 'l'rily mtanal«! requ"c,oenu at WC'IY .nd ruuctun:. It is importanl lo note lhat thls devtlojlillwt is not po"" in Ibe _ 0{ an O'.c,comin, ol poobkil4 WI could not be handkd in earlier I\qIeS. I.rostod, lao ........ how each IUF iI ...... ttd to OIlwn in !hot: .... y asp«U 0{ !be libidi",1 economy. O(Ibe ...... Iion bet_ intensity and otnoCIII"'- ~ IlIOn: or ... .,. t. Ead:o 0{ L)'Olatd·, studlel COCIIidom !hot: flUletionin, of a ~ too--.iI;: pnctiot in tmM 0{ how..-dl it WOfb wit.h Ibe tmSion bu. cen

LIBID I NAL ECONOMY AND C APITAL

lhe need to " Iab!ish equi""l"""", ~nd lhe need 10 feed lhe mudure. H ~er, giv"" his crilicism of Marx, he cannot .",ribe lhe import of ""erg)' 10 an exploitation of something ulemal 10 it lnslead. oronomio have that 'outside' al their ,"t"ry CQre in Icnns of lhe .,.... ary strucluring of lhe desi .... lhal drive lhem to • • ""mi. Acrordin, wilh the CO"""pl of dmimulation !his !\=sity is mUlu.a!; desires dq>md on Ihe stru,"u ....... mIlCh ... 1M opposito_ It would be "'TOng lherefore 10 anume thaI Lyotard dclll\CS desi", as a neW ulcliorily, The ,cal oou= of ....rgy i. lhen 1>01 """'" raw material, or labour force. or external ""orld. It is Ih. set ofdesirn lhat f""", an ""onorny 10 incorporate inten,;I;" thaT can""T be reduood 10 Ihe slruclures Ibal are ne<:eSsary 10 allow for Ihm! 10 be .xohanged. Thi. i. Lyolard', origiruolily: he "'IS himself lhe las~ of describing lhe pOSiliyc """nomic role of d..i.... and 1M way in which they are broughl inlO a struclure of equivalences. Through tbi. descriplion he is .blc 10 develop his underot.lindinl of a polili£s of 1M "",.iV( CQnducting of i,"en,ity , Econo-mies Ihal manage 10 maximise opportunilies for dilf.",nl desires and for lheir applicalion 10 ... many Ihingo as po"';ble provide u' ,..ilh lesson .... 10 how to be 5000 ~bidinal cconomisu. The key q .... lion is: lI ow do we ","ximi", 111= opporlunities. defined as libidinal inlen.iti ... allhe of lhe Mry. It, melbod i. ""jlh.... logical analy1is nor empirical =rch. hul ralh .... a quasi.historical su~y carried oUllhrough a ~ding of a limited numbor of mo", Or It'5 oanonical oronomic and lilerary luIS. The most .imple """norny anal)-.ed by Lyolard involves desires ~.presscd ;n lerms of ' !ICCd', To define need a. a desin: may seem plcQnaSlic. bul aocordin.lo his """,,,unl need is o nly 0"" .ub-typc of deoi", and in.-ffoct an iUusory one Ihat depend! nn an arbilrary determinalion of the ~nits Ihat an: 10 Oint_ The oconomy Ihal comes oul or need is one "" hen: I%nain wppoocdly nalural requin:ments an: gi'"t"n • IOOltelary value 00 thaI lhey may be cancelled Of s.atisfied by an .M'hitng,:: f".- IIfK'
.'pm><'

LVOTAIID AND THE

~OLITICAL

the pUt aro (He Chapter 3 above) to this moot limp .. _ y and <:riticita it for ita nihilistic ten , J. and tl>t, cby allowin& them to be C,,:b'D: J. 8~t the inlenlity of .. ·,o.nd f«linp is lost in this ,cPOCkJu"tioD. Tbey _ lit b«:alltelbey .... Iin",lIor aDd b«:alU<' they aumOl be satis6ed or cxduollF'l for ilnythin, cllt. Once we IItttie for the .;ew that \oYc or lUll .." limply lIiliop that CUI be Clnoclled in an elIdIanF. Ibey Iooe inlelliity in favour of an mdlts:e: cimllation of money for iu own sake:

bo_.

But I am not ... yinSlhal ,he body Ihat 'peIlk .. .. rileo Ind Ihinkl. d,"," not cojoy. il i•• """tion of lbe nat body of lhe pulsionl... ther lhan il' clIar8(". Instead of takin, place in linsular inltnsiticf. COmQ 10 be folded back not only onto Ih. DOCd oflbc i1IIirkct Ind the city. b~t onlo the =o ... ~ both .... «"Ired.. ooto the zero of monO}" and difCOul"X. (LE: 162) With thlt lou we cmbnrk on. nihilistic path to lou of CDCfIl' ddlocd.lS dct.i...: ' Nihilism brinp this "';110 it.: n I•. one"';U .. y. and tbcrd"..... the bodies: who a... sUPI'0f(dly tbcir bearen. nocdo aDd their pooptittOf1.. tbc talkin, mouths. create DOth;"'; bIll ...... ltl Ii u.m.ition · (16)). Tbc ... ~t import.o.nt """""",ic rtcp is not 10 much ._y from this nihilism. but .amc1hinJ that retards il. Thil is • point thlt retu .... in an Lyotud', I~btcq ...nt e<:onoJtIic rtu.diel in LJbjJiIIaJ u -y. in and prior 10 capitalism can only be IICa\ . . efTon. to C1U'" of needs. whal counta 11.1 • rccogniacd need is limited by an CJlI.....:onomic factor l uclI 11.. II. mo ..1 code that lIeU internal and ext ......1 boundllriCI for tbc CiI"'1OI'Y of nomI. An aristocnil ic or racist or tCJOist law ..... y forbid _ IoIICtlom of the rommwity from ......u.., or en;oy;allOllltlbinl " 'bibt tboec who Cln ha"" thac nmII may OI!ly satisfy them within wdl-
auo....,.

""her

"

lJB I DINAL ECONOMY AN D CAPI TAL BUI Ihis tendency can be pUI 01Y and lb. 'j'Slorn can be reiD~igorated by extending tbe notion of need and h.nce tbe notion of ..... Iue to all tbings. Lyotard claims thai this IIl1licipalOS capilalism in two WIIy5: 'First it exleDds tbe poso;bility of ~ng oounted and meMured to other .. glll.n .. of the: pulsional body.barul [intensities .. malerial cksilfl)' ( LE, 169). "Thore are """" things to need lind new things to r>eed thorn. Second. it becQmos nee ' snl)' to ascribe a ,.,.Iue of .xcha!li" to all things. Therefor< ..... Iue and 1M possibility of valwotion take on a much grealer importance and begin 10 unoknninc: and repLoce limit cod... Howevcr. thi' 5CCOnd propeny is a funher step 10 nihilism be<;:au.. Ih=by mo .... y and the judgenKnt of val ... take on a lI'"""ral role (' But ,...to \\,11 not be f...., fro m the gttat zero for all that. quite thc contrary' (181)). Thi' lI'"nerality accekrates the mo'·. a" 'ay from Ihc imc."ity of sing\dar d ..ilfl' The oompari$Ol\' and ratio, o,'cr the pul,iona! body ",Utah place by mean! of n>O!>ey. and $0 the body will ctu. to be thi' impos-sible land"""!>,, !wcpt by libidinal influxes, il ",II be excbangeable picoe by piece. ",n for pan. it is centred on ilS own Uro. il mat .. ilS
:0,

l1Ie cxten,ion of need, to the point wher< anything can be Biven a value and be""" where the conctpt of r>eed becQn>e$ redundant. in it, sen"" a$ basic: or natural. is a double-edged process fo r LyOlard. O«:d,., However. tbe vchicle for Ihi' val"" and the poWC1" 10 ascribe it take on ,.-eat .... imponaoce. thereby revcrsing or at lean threalening any ad ..... ntage gained. Lyotard think' about thi, paradox in term5 of two 'dealhs' that run paranel ln bi, treal ..... nl of Eros and the death dri .... in F reud (.... abo .... ). The """nomy ()/ I"""",list!d t>«:d. that turn, into an economy for aU poSSible deoires .till has th~ nihilistic dri .... 10 oompare and organis<: through the: """ting of monetary value, But il also has a Malh drive lo_k oot new and disturbing inten,ities that an: as yet ,.,.l""leoo and aUth. mnre inlen"" UId valuable for that. Desire for something thaI has no value and Ilto:-refore something for wbich one sacrifices on ....1f i. al"'3)-. ckstined to be given a vo.]"" in this gen ..... lised economy. There can be no ;nten"" d..ire satisfied in our sacri&e wilhout tbe CCIltralising ord .... making oeo ...

"

LYOTARO AND THE POLITICAL

of il by Bscribing uchangoabilily:

~

value and bena: ",·inscribing il inln a cycle of

BUI ,id< by ,ide with thi. usoote.s lordting. lbe Brabmin priesl i. gi,'.n • tip, And why is Ibi.? BccaWIC he who gives wilhoUI return, musl pay, Th. lime of joui$$ano;:e is bought. The lime: of IUs ravagro. brohn. jubilant. sacr<:
Thi, pa<Sllgo all"",.. u. to understand. lillie furlller wbal Lyolud i, Irying 10 do in his mldies of """nomic reLolions. Firstly, he wanU 10 sellhem alongside otMr powttful desires aod f~lings in order to >how bow lbey are inscpar. ble: se,ual desires are """nomic aod cconomic desires are ~ke oexual desires; they are .boutthe lension between lif. and death upressed ;n tM positi.,. al>d nd ct.aotic .. ries of int.nsities: r•• r. ~go, greed. hunger. jealousy. , . The .n.l0V' i. important.inoe it allows IUm to insill on the irration.l sick of any """nomy. Any givrn r:oonomic Slate may be modelled v.ry carefully according In aa:urate COOfIomic theories. but theoo will !leV", have the last word "" the future of that l yl1em. since il' i".,lusion of aDd depend.nce upon libidinal inl .... ili", . n s it up to their unpredictable occurrence and In lhe difficulties ofhaDdhnl them. The desire to acbieve equivalence and tM desi,.. to satisfy 'need.' are all the .tronser br:<:au.. of the way in which they inten,ify and make possible Olber 1m obvioully r:oonomic desires, Tbi • • ,plains ,,'hy Lyolard oonoentroleS on topics duu are u.uaUy shicJ away from, the """nomic:! of prostitution, "",,ual use and perversion. In lbem wt ..., mo,.. clearly what iI dissimulatod in all exchangn. Secoildly. he...,k.s 10 show how Ihis disoimubotion Kllows lIS to undersland the so-<:al\ed oon · tradictions and par.do~es of """nomic .... thango. They """ur i>ecOIuse of lb. ""'y in which sny ."",,,,my i. " "'uSll~ bn~ a tendency to 5I85i •. Ihat ii. a purely rational uchange whe", the mosl perfect 1)'Slem aUo" .. for the most .,mo.nt sati,faction of ~ •. and a lendency to unmeasurable excess. lhe sacrifice of pans of a Iystem in a desire lhat cannot be e""hanged (an individual or a group tak ... over by a singular desire. an 'uo«onomic' obsnsioo). For .... ampl •. in ord.r to resolve Ih. tendency to ... economies a. , imply efficienl way. of distributins good. """"rdinl! 10 n""' .. and I>enoe of diminisbing their inten,ity and expanlion. ocooomies begin to ooncentrate desires and Ih.
.

LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND CAPITAL

hoard 1l\(Ine)'. M<)fI("~ was allowed 10 aa:umulal. in FnI[I(C as it oomored •• many marketS &l pOMible in order 10 can"" • lllale of lack and ~ dependmoe .brood (!his is • libidinal Slat. in craving and tile pervenc> pleasure taken in causing it): 'Thu. an •· ...!erior.. is formed on tile otller .;de of lbe: customs banier whO$le only role is tn be emptied inlo an "inl.rior''' an enonnou! lransf.r of th" energies current on lb. ambiguous body of Europe. f... lling Ih. incande=nce of the Versai1!es f""m' (UlHdiNlI £CONJmy: 199). Again. Lyolard wants to insisl on th. libidinal quality of this form of ..:onomy. 11 il a matler of jealousy and ofth. 1"""'..... pkasuru lhat can be taken in keeping somethinl only for oneself and tb.n destroying it in fronl of Ihose oJ"" ba. deprived: 'Such is tbe: jealoulY oJf d ..polism wbicb f... l• .,...,..,.ntilism. !hi. lauer could nol content il5elf "ilh Ulking and destroying. but had to presenl in ;txlf wh.at it annibilaled Oft th. outside' (199). 1be us<: of lite ooncept offuelling is imponaol he", beca .... il .bo.... bow Ih. analysis is r.... of negati'~ connotatiol\$ concerning natural need. and be:nce nalunl wa.tage: jealmuy in aU ill will·to-d ..troy i. libidinally inlenSt and henee val .... ble. Bul lnal is nol 10 oay thai jealousy does nol di .. im"I.", O1h •• oonnadictions. There is no valid meta.theoty nf r""ungs and deJim thai allowJ ul 10 classify them according h. imponance. inlensity, dtain. of caUSt and effect. Mm:anti~sm il5e1f faill be<:.iou"" it depu
MODE R N CAP[TA LISM AND ACTIVE PASSIVIT Y Modem capita~sm emerges to bury thil limil tcnok""y of mercantilism. As "ver. il cannel finally it. but it can!Cl it to work alongside olber opml1ion. and dw .... in order to ""ntrol its destructi"" capacily. Umit tendc-nci .. are o.... rcome in modem capilaUsm through a new understallding of the re[at;on between eJ
0""""''''''

"

L VOTARD AND TIl E POLIT I CAL

bavrn, value or on lhe initial value of. thina. In lCm\S of intensity aloDe. the e~lemal and internal boundaries of capita~sm an: infinite. lhoup lhi, is nOi lhe case 0""" I~ boundaries have 10 be .ubjected to Ihe law of equivakn=. Lyourd doe! notlcsllhis directly QfI an cc:cnomir; model. b\ltthroogh an inlerpn:lalion of classical Chi!IC5C .rolics. Thi. i, imporunl beo;:au~ il . how< how his COnomJ wilh Taoism and passivity. nOled abo"", in lhe conlexl of an. is placed alonpidc an inlerest in modern capita~sm ... oppoocd to disunocd from it. A paS$ive politics i, not something thai movn away from conlmlporary economics. bul loward, il. 'The politics i. in no '"'"y n:g ...... ive or nOlulgic. if that means a return to an earlier ...,nom;" model. On lhe cootrary. the greal.. t opponunities for a J'i"Sive politics an: in modem capitali..,., This is also true for an and. indeed. for .. xlIlIlily and education. This relation and examples of Ihe "ralep.. open for laking iu opportunities an: studied al greallenglh in hi. work on the p;oin ter Jacqae:s Monory, Indeed. in Ihi. ~bidinal period lyoard nnen aJ$IM'I thai art is polilical ;n a wider ~n .. pn:cioely becau.. it is libidinal like C'\'Cf)' Other di<po.itMxt Or sct-up thai can be ...·on.ed within capiulism , Ths doe! not me.n. though. that these opportunities are ea.y to t.a1:. or IhattlKy can Ix taken Olll:e and for all - in lhe ...... ora final move wilb no return. 00 the contrary. Lyourd...,ks out an ",,-,oinll and difficultllraltIY 10 OV1:rtOme . . .t of probl""" thai bu. been O\Itlin<;d in hi< work on """nomico and lhal <'Ulmino" in lhe dupJicitl>"" Clpacity of modern cap;uli, m 10 in...,.t ;n inl .... it;.. wrule aIM> delayinllthcir actllal oo.xufTt'J\>:e. Thi. delay i. dl>ubly pmbkmal;" for Lyourd. NOl only d<>es il mean Ibat money continues 10 tale priorilY o\,er singular malerial desi .... tbrough lhe J>eW desin: 10 _ Iheir mOJ>euty ""Iue iDCrea" over time. Now lhe val"" of alilhings i. counted in tenn. of growtb poIential over time, Out al$O a new and Iypically capiulill dOW) of libidinal fillU .... lake on veat imporUlX:e: the desin: 10 oklay pleasure heinll uk." in something and the 'e and honno libtratinll otX. It i, ralher that the desi," involvul an: ch."""teristic of capiulill n:lations 10 m<>I> thi' auocialMxt of money. lime and inlensity is how 10 exploit the capacilY 10 inlensify desi .... while n:oistin.g Ibeir nihilist;" funnelling into the men: n:lation of time and mor.ey. Hi. study 'plilS inlo Iwo al thil point he auempllto ;n...,.tiga l. the n:lation of lime. money and int .... il;.. funhtr to lItow. 001 ill contradiction.. but ;1$ nihili$\ic lendencies. Out he al"" looks al the different wa)'S in which a properly libidinal politics can ,",'ork within capilalism to affirm inlenlity despite Ihis trend 10 nihilism.

.

LJBIDI~Al

ECONO MY

A~D

CA P ITAL

Taoist erotics are close to capitali$tl'l through tbe tmSion involved in Ihe desire In gi .... as much pleasure as possible 10 a partner, bUI onJy in order In gain benefit from it '10 Taoist erotics, the arrangement is sucb that it will npcratc in .uch. way a. to arou.. in the wnman, by mtticulou. analysis and consideration nf Ibe postures Bnd pt........:lUI'eI proper Ientfil< the other·s. This conflict is the source of the intmsifi¢ation of pleasure througn the Slralegi~ used In drlay Bod 10 exploit: 'Whal Ihe womao gives Ie.ds In an a,onwn, siruggle and Ihe cry. by mearut of Ihe innumerabk outflows of liquids described in Ih. T",at;"'" ""hiclo is nolhing more lhan her ... aler [Yin] whieh has betn shaken up SO much; and Ihis is why Ihe man. wbo is 01\ lhe Yant side. "'ill be abl. 10 be enn.:hed hy Iei>::ing it" (20-1). The incomm ... surability of riches, YiIr and Yung. is crucial he", bccau.. il forbids a zero.sum game and he""" a resolulion Ihal caleul.t.. Ihe maximum common benefil a,,.ilable 10 all partne ... Lyotard i. critical of game theory throughoul Ubidina/ &""wmy becau.. be believ.. thai a game is mi.unde1"5l00d when il' stakes a", "naly><: In draw him in a Dd 10 lx<:ome an cnd . It is only from lhi. Imoo of i!>COm/Il.nsurabk dmu Ihat pkasure i. inle",ified. From the point nfvicw oflibidinal economics. Ibis lension has a oihilisl bul alao an affirmalive compOOenl. It is nihilisl in lhe tum towards ralional calculation and in lbe move . ..,.y from libidinal inlen,;ly In",,,"d, lbe $locking of an abstract , ..due (child",n. a dynasty). BUI il is affirmali,. in lhe way in wb",h Ihe SlratelY for achicving Ihi. stock depends on an inl .... ilicalion of plea,,,,,,,, and desir ... This opposition is cha raClerised furlher by Lyotard in \enos of a nibm .. mo'·. to""ards lhe subja:l. poosessor of """f"VC! and desiring futu", stocks (my dYllllsly. my .."",n). ~nd an ' ~nonymou.' SCI oft<:dlniques Rnd body patl1lbal can be lools and Iocalions for intensily. Rul .. and cod.. no Ion,., g,,,em desires, SCIlsal;ons and ""here

Ii'.

l YOT A R 0 A "'0 TH

~

POLITICA L

tl>< way intensity is~, 'The rule is no 100FT a line passin!! ~fOUnd the 6c1d wbe", what mInt hawen indeed takes pl=. ,,'bile =Iu.ding what mu.t not take place ... it $<'rvQ to do nothing mo", than 10 eng<'nder. by tllo impossibility of oitWiting tbe act in .dation towards il. this non·place or tM unthinkable: pia..>: wh;';h is preci$<'ly tl>< pa .... ge of inlen.ity' ( LE: 2(6). This explains why ao.pilalism is an opponunity and an ally for 1110 po~ti"" of libidinal t>OO<>omy. 11 is no longer only a question of having to, bruk.nd Iran.' ..... rulcs Ibat forbid thi, or exdude that. It is no longer only a qUotStion of .nero ",in, to go be)'O< dri~e towards anonymous and ""utral int.,.,it;" thai i. ODeIIlial to the capitaiisl ruk of inCTtasing intetuity. The principlO$ guiding Lyotard's passive politics o utlined in II>< prev;o.u elLaptor (.... k po,...,rlessn .... multiply principles. invite failu",) and expL;oinod furth ... os an active experimentation with passivity ~nd apathy a ... , tl>< intensily that can flow inlO tllo system. The latttr "",urs when sp(Wtrnents gain 100 mu< unstable dissimuJalion of intensities in structures or d""",ilioM. Thi. mean. Ibatth. idea of lhe po~tical best UlilM to optDiDg the , (ruc(u", up is $til1 thlot of ""live pall;vity. In "" way. Ihoush . does tbi. imply IILaI "'" must no longer lhink and act in terms of t",ditioruol politics and economics. o;""n political and economic: S)'ilem. and thMries handle libidinal inl~Mities and will fail 10 handle: othen. They .'" lb. Structu",," within which a polilical ""'teg)' of acliw p""iv;ty mIL'll tok. platt. But"" nne of ,I><m, with its .i!lt$. ao.leBories. programmes and solulion •. must be taken as Ih. right or final One. In fact, act;ve pallivity must be deployed 10 counter that idea a nd iu apparenl truth. So Ih. key critical question is not; '10 Lyolard an absurd revolutionary. !Cekinll to move .WllY from form. of tbougbt and action tlLal "..,

.

LIB I DINAL ECONOMY AN D C"'PIT"'L

know 10 be atl ... JI N:lali¥eiy true?' He wants 10 remind .... of lhal rclllli\'ily and, indeed. 10 encourage il. Instead. the key qlleStion is '10 Lyolard lackin, in judttmrn( when he advocates a political strategy of npcnin,1hc: way (0 unforeseeable ...... 010 a. 1hc: solution to nibilismT This i. the qlleSlion Ibal must be anSVo'eRd in Ihe fol1o"";nl and (he final chapters.

5

THE TURN TO JUDGEMENT

QUESTIONS OF J UDGE ME NT II is common to yjew lyotard"' work in ;15 entirety as an au<'Tllpt 10 af!\K fo r a special rol. for :ed their prOper field. Seoond. C'o.. nt, defined as ]imilS to knowledge demand lb. greatest auent;"n in an. philosophy aoo

111= di!clplines are in fact intert ..ined in their relation to events. Thus,,,. We ha,'C' SttfI, Lyou",r. libidinal philosophy inves{iptcs tbe di ... ruplive effea of intensities on dispositions, dcfinf:d respect;,..]y as nnprepo~!ics.

d;ctabl. """"" and any .t....,.ure o.pniiCd """"rding 10 • unifyinfl'" of rules or la~ The Hbidin.ol politic:! tben goes on 10 adYoca~ experimentalion ...ith ways of encouraging the """"rre",," of inten.itie:s and III< •• t .... ion of different disposition. iIIto Qnc another through tbe disrupli," capacily of evult •. Modem art is Qne fonn of this upmmcolation. Thank. to it and 10 a study of Far Eanem mu and tbeatn:. Lyotard begill$ to 'ke1Cb a set of principles for this experimentation. I ha~ ain&kd these: out .nd.fJUOd tbat they provid., the key for a <XIMistent and e~iting devdo!>" men! of hi5 libidinal philosophy and politics of active passivity. Thi. is itself a moVe out of an impowc: that h. is scrn to go doWD in the early work! on Algeria and in lOme of tbe later text. on Man:. and Fn:ud. How..... .,r. I ha~ al", RI"JuW that then: is a break in Lyotard's work hcl""een libidinal coonomics and tlte philosophy of the dilTen:nd. For enmple. tbough they . ban: a desire to oPl""'" termr. tlte means for doing '" an: very diffen:nt. In tbelibidioal works tbis takes pi",,", through a $t"'~1Y of flight ItTTOr is undermined by an indirect n:1eax of desi .... aoo f.cling> thai affirm wbat ltTTor sect. to e~minat • . W. IIec into intensities of es stf"ll<'turtS Ihal lead to termr through the imposition of fixed categories and set laws. Thi. undcrntining. lhough. i. pun:ly cha.-.;e.driven a. 10 il"ua:ess with n:gard 'pcci& targets. Sometbing will be undermined. but when and how and with wbat <XInse(juen= is open to . hance. Tt>. crr""t "f uDdennining ",rnethin. pr«iae is not t~on:

"

TH E TURN TO JUDG EM ENT

an aim of a libidinal politia;. In tl>< lator works regarding tl>< philosophy or the dilfe .. nd. a >!"'togy of direct m;'Iance romt$ 10 the foto: talify 10 irresolva ble dilf=noes by arousing and liS\enin, to tl>< f... lin, of the:

sublime. f... ling of II>< sublime i. primarily "".d... tic. Lyotard works on it best in hi. lIudics of Kan!". Third C,iliqlH! aDd tate political writings a nd oflhe A .... rican .... tract expreMioni.l. Barnen Newnwn. Tho f.. li nS of lhe subh ..... a conjunction of pleasure and pain. is releasc<:l and allowed 10 indicate i=lvabJe diff=noes. A politics of Ihe differend ctoal" new idiom. Ihat aUow for ,I>< diff.",,,,,,, 10 be made clear: Thm: i, experimentalion and an in bolh p
~

This i. wl>< in'.... tion of a new idiom). Ibat lhey a", summoned by langull",. nol 10 augmenl tn their protilthe quantity of informalion communic. able Ihrough existing idioms. but to m:ogni~ Ihal whal r=1llin. 10 be phra...J exceed. whal lbey can presently pbnuc. Knd thai lhey mull be a1k.....ed 10 in"ilul. idioms wbicb do not al",ady exisl. (TO: 13) For e..ample. lhe f..ling of lhe subli .... may call us 10 lhink about ..,ualily in order to be obI< 10 show how diffe",nlsextS are inromm .... urable. lhal is, have: no common mea.ure wl>
"

LYO T ARD AND THE POLITICAL

simply to become part of a wider s)'SIetn of jU51ia:. On lbe oontrllly, lbe new voice should disable a COmmOn justice of resolution! and shared values. So wbal is the main opposition between the ~bidinal pbilOiSOpby and the philosopby of th~ differcnd if it concerns neither means (~~perimentation), 1\01" central field (e""nlS). nor .... ft\ tbe end result (difference affirmed at tbe ...pen!le of illegitimate systematisation)? "The an,,,,,,r lies in difTemll inte!"p"'tations of tbi. end and in il$ .. atu. within tbe meanS and field. In tbe libidinal politics. the end can only be ",ferred to .... that which ma,y OOI:ur wh." that politico is pun.ued. It is neitber its dirtCt goal nor ..,,,,.thing inlrin,ic to tbe political act (in tbe ICItse of cause and efT..,t. for cxampl~). So. in this case, .xperimenlation is lie.".". a ma,Uer of affinninl differences or .... ki"i to oppoSe syStems. Funhcnnon:. wbat i. to count a. an .vent is not defined by rad ical differeooe:l and. indeed. cannot be oelr:<:ted aooording to a r.1t diff.",nce. On lbe COIltrary, an event i. a . ingular attraction that oo:urs in an alMory fashion and thaI can only be inviled through adi."., passivity. We can""t consciously ... Ieet whe", we a", saing aDd wh.ot ""hid. win take us tbe",. Indeed. any ..... nt may do with no prejudice .... to its fonn. So tbe ... can be no privileging of radical diffe!"ertOe$ ~Iber al tbe level of event or at tM lev.1 of goal. This daes 001 mean thai diffe"",ces canDot be in play. Tht)' .'" n=rity. since an inte1!.ity oo:urs wben: structum clash. But how and whe", tbey an: to dasb we cannot know. In fact, tbe only ",dial differenoe al play in this scenario is that of tbe unpredictability of !be relation of intensily aDd "rue.u ... . In tM libidinal philosophy, incommC1l.urabi~ty I;'" in tbe rdation of int"".ity and Slructu",. [n lb. pbiloaopby of the differend the end ........... a conscious goal for . xperimentation, act SO as to testify 10 a\>$olut.limits. This end also determi~ th.liekl of even",: e"",,\1 occur with. diffe"",d, that is. on !be border of ;ncommensu",ble genres. Lyotan! detine:o genres by a ... t of laws that so""m the way in wbicb we muot link on from I aiven event; th= laws tben detcrm.i1lC wnat be calt. lbe .tok.. of the genre. for e ...mple. knowledge. tbe good or t be beautiful. So each lI'tard in I rather simple 'performative <:Ontradiction', .asily Hushed out with the q ueslion: ... notlbe lansuage ........ to ciling radical difTem>oes?' lbe .ublime is a 5OIution to the contradiction in 10 far as the final determinant of timi" between Fn ... is tbe fec~ng of the .ublime and not some

"

T HE TU~N TO JUDG EM ENT

tnln..,."denl di5C< libidinal pbilO$Ophy. WI: nole Ihal int .... itie. - th. ("ding of pl.,..u... and pain rombiDed in the fccling of Ihe sublime - a ... ,igns of a politically more imponanl evenl, a dilf."",d 0' inot>mmtnsurabilily of getll'U. This ""Iulion is amined from ""me: of the fitst Slab!. al a philosophy of lb. dirr.... nd in TIre P<M'm<><Jt,~ CMtdiIUm. Notwith"~ndin& lite book'. prominrnoe and infl ~, I will ,t ... , clear of il. II hu an illegitimate 11alu... wilhin Lyotard', work ~r.d in debat ... OIl Ihe poslmodern. due 10 ito ea .. of "'0'" wh.n OOInpan:d 10 hi, 011\0, mIX" more and deep books. It is a small irooy. but nO C/.t L}'()lu,d. me,;re la mO< juxtaposilion of ditT."",1 Iypes of discou .... in ord ... 10 escape a n:dl>Clion 10 lhe simple transa.ndcnl accounl OUllinN abov •. In lhis chapl .... lhe 1lI1.r book will be my main in <:onjun,lion wilh lynlard's work on Kant and II>< sublime. Howe .... r. baving d~wn a diSlill<1ioo belWttll LYOIKrd', libM.tinal work and his philosophy of 11>0 ditTc ... nd. il is imponanl 10 nole how 11>0 imrodl>CliOll of !he f... ling of 11\0 sublime atT«1s il. The ditTe ... nce bet .."een I.... n ... lotions In polilical end. beennl.. much "",all ... wl>< f..linx d.fi"", our a<:lion in term. of a n< dilTerence a ... m.gilimal •. So II>< sublim ...... nl is som.lhin& lhal grabs UI "" Jlrongly Ihal any of our act. 'follow "" from it' - .ven lhe ad oflrying 10 pretend il did not happen _ Ihis is il< ntttSSity. It is al"", IhoUih. an ....""1 thaI makes '" awa", of lbe .-.:dundal><")' of resolulion, a«Sa1}' ",action as if it oould not be . ubsumed under bridging la ..... and rules'.

,'''''U'''''"

me"",,,,,

nz..

LYOTARD AND TIlE POLITICA L

For .xample. the .;~ <>f vK;lims who are iDCapable <>f .xpressing lhe WTOIIg do,," 10 them can he a .u blime evenl in LyoWd's 1ImIN:: ' Silence as • p!traoc. Th. expectanl wail oflhe /J illu!p~n;f1g? as . ilenee. Fee~ngs lIS a phra.s.e for what ",n not now be phrased . The immediate illCQltlmuoicability of desire. or lhe immediat. incommunicabi~ly of murder. The phraIN: of love 01" the pkra", of dealh' (TD: 711) [0 his philowphy of language any • •• nt Cim he thoUght of as a phra"" indudinlsilen~. In Ihi. case . •ilenee is a phraso """",,"ponied by a sublime reeling thaI IOmel king need, 10 he PUI inlO a phrase of understand ing. tha, is. a cognitive pbrase. lIuI lhi. i. '''''Clly what canno, happe-n if we remain wilkin lhe boundane. of understandinl defined a. knowlttl", of (aMI her'. desire. 10..... pain. dealh). So il $tt!m al Ih;, point thai any ph"..., can be on evenl in tb. ",nse of callill3 \IS to ... reh for. new and ultimot.ly im~ibl. "" Y of exprwing Ihe difTerend betwe.n a giv.n definilion of kno .... ledge and a 'f"",' lut cannot be comprehended ~ccording 10 lui definilion. Ocarly. thi, diaen ....... inl• .....," with Will,"",,';n·, philosnpky. notably with his refteclion on the im pos,ibilily ofpri,·al. i.angua&n and his mnarb on pain. A study of this relation "'ould he v.IWlbl. since Lyotard i. sirongly inO ... n.:nt b)o Wing.oslein, nol only in lhe idea of language games. but more . il!l1ificanlly perhaps in h;, lat.". work on th. r<>lo of rules and la ..... However. I "iU not pursue Ihi. mailer here. pm-crring inslead 10 cor.oentra te on politics and lhe question of judgement in Lyotllrd', reading of Kant. Thi. approach ;, justifiable throullh the more oven poliliclilink. aoolhe more in-dopth aDd preci'" t ... atment of Kant by Lyolard. Lyotard'. philowpby of Ian!ua", has been otudied arod crilicised at gr.a l., !enith in my LJ"'IarJ: To'4'tll"dr Q Pos'tttodm. Philosophy (]998: 62-89). My u", of 'im~ible' in d=ribinll the w k of. pOlitics of lbe diffe~nd should nol be t.k(n a. a sil!l1 of a snaighlfo""..rd logical contradiction atlhe hean of Ly
"

THE

T U ~N

TO

J U DGEM~N T

significant inlen.ily. The IICCOfId concerns the nalu ... of litis significalion: the .ublime is a sign of a differend. As an intensily. lhe fee~ng oflhe sublime is an incapacity or limit caused by the conjunction of two opposed inlo:nsitie:s (pleasure and pain: .xpt:ctatlC)' and r... r). The opposition maJ:a il impossible for One of the intm.ilin 10 dri~. us inlo • !leW singular atlraC1ion aoo new structure:!. in the way il would Ottur in love or dail'\", for example. Instead, we: al'\" driv... back inlo the incapacity aO>d what it .ignifies: lhe diff=nd or absolute diff.... nce. This does 1>01 mean Ihal we: a ... ,imply I'\"nden:ttion i$ the _rth for ways of ""Iifyin, to the diff....,O>d. If we a ... dri~n by the lublime. " .. canl101 think our "'"y into incapo.c:ily aO>d nihilism because the primary e,..m is a)..,ady a drive to act: Itroce the combinalion of pleasure and pain, .xpectatlC)' aO>d f.ar. The ddinition of a .ublime .'"CJlt as limit also .,;plains why L)'Qtard ia able: to claim that the sublime event is nol a sign as undc:mood in 'INClurdli,m. I have called it "". following Lynlard. because of the ... liIlion between the . ublime and tbe dilT.rmd: the former indicata the latter. But thi. does not imply that any panicular .ublime . '.nl i. a signifier of a panicular positive Ihing. of a signified thaI can be comp ... hended and IINCIured in a relatioft 10 olher , ignified,. The .ubl im. does nol conlribule to a Struclure of meanings Ihat underlie a structure of 5<nsalions. 11 inhibit. botb tbose 5I.NCIure:! by 'landing out a. a privilegcd "'.... 1. 11 cannot be """,porated . . . """.al;an among others since il cannot be compared 10 the claim that certain

"

LYOTA R D AND

T H~

POL ITI C A L

""'01. d<'mand Our .uenl;"n rno~ Illan olhm. N.ilhcr poSilion 1ead,IO an i"",pacily 10 iI<"I, Or indeed 10 =pond 10 a panicular injuslice; in bolh "'" an: driven 10 do juS! lhal ~nd we should .... k 10 be so dri""n. Neither makes Ih. claim 10 be able 10 .... pond equall y 10 all ca ... of inj u'I;""; ..., ha"" 10 be called to them Ihrough libidinal inlensilies or th. f... liD, of lhe .ubli.... . However, lhere is a mllCb more reslnclcd range of f...lings Ibal prompt polilical action in Ihe <:a<e of lbe dirrcrtt>d when rompared 10 lhe libidinal ""onomlCS. In lhi. . .n.. lhen: i. a two.fold lack of joogcmc:nl in lbe libidinal phil...ffo:-t on dominanl Slructures. i""h"Jin,l~ lhal may aUow us 10 ma ke ",iso and juS! ..lecl;O",. However, tbi. dot< nol me.on lhal l yolaru advocal.. an abondonmenl 10 lhe pa5Sion. and 10 lbe sonoes. Dissimulalion and lbe "" sary asoocialion of iUlrnsilies wilh lhe ""Ii", stralCgies lhat let lhem flow mean. lhal one can ne>= have oed to develop and work wilh a given waleg)'. The libidinal philosophy i. far n:moved from a hyporaestholic pooil;"n; il ;,. ;n fil<"l Y<:ry pr..-:i.. and complex bc<:au.. of lhe sen.il;';ly of 1M relation bel~ given """", urn, acts designed 10 loosen lhem, and lhe appearance of new imrnsities (that open 1M /\old for further complex work). Therefon: one can never have done with jud..-.mnl in lhe $en'" of a refinemenl of $Iralegia and in the ..,..... of practical e. perie""" ~ SO long ~J .... mnembn Ihal Ihis experien(:(' is fragile and $ubje(:t 10 revolulion •. So probloms toncominll judgemenl cannol be escaped eilher in Llbtdinlll EconomY'" n", Diff~T~nd. Bolh book> invol"" .'8u""'OI$ a... il1$l familiar and importanl uses of judgement. Vel Ihey differ in 1M degee 10 Which lhey flee il or r...,.,... it for. privileged realm. In lbe: remainder «Ihi. chapl." I will .... k 10 """l>-e so"'" of lhe problern..o associalod wilh lbose 113"""" wilh respedlO judgcmenl Ihrough a dioclWion of LYOlaru's Jus, Gaming, in lhe caSO of Ubit/iIW/ &<momy, and IhrouJh a diocuS$ion of Lyowd'. reading of Kanl, in lhe ca .. of n", DilJe,.."". The main qli<'Slions guidio.lhi. chapter will lhorefon: be lbe followin •. 1

11 !l«m. lhal a libidinal poJilioes eannot eh.,.,.. iI, ad versaries or ils allies. 11 is incapable: of calCgon.ing ,group$. bodi.. and lCIiol\$ iOlo JOO
96

THE TURN TO JUDGEMENT

2

3

4 S

6

path. Is this lack of discriminatingjudgml<'Jlt in Libidin<Ji £co,oomy a sign oCtile book'S political redundaDe)'? LibidiItaJ Erotromy appears to defmd a double political coldnm or cruelty. On tile one hand. il affirm. Ihat our .truS&ln must choose us. Th;" means Ihal juslice cannot ~ uni'"mNlI and thaI causes a~ fought For on the hllsis of duo""" and ~Ialive int .... ily ralh... than On univenal meril. Does a UbidinaJ poUtics lead to a parochialWn. where claims tbat would he deemed j!W from Ibe poinl of"';'" ofa WlivelUl juslice have no righlto e~pect our attention or C8~? On tile other hand. once lVC h.\"C been ch<»n> by a stnJUle, the ...... tion of whetber it i. a just 0"" b
'"'"' THE NEED FOR JU D GE ME NT It is noll"", '''''1 the _reh for iotensities or like thi"" is a political """1<1". bea .... <>f tho problrn! or iqj"'tioo. (l)'1>Lard 1979:1: 171)

JudgwJmt begins 10 become an oveTT problem for Lyo.ard in Au Juslr (197<). In lhe book. Lyolard is asked a sen.. ofq .... tion' aboUI ~bidinal philosophy by a young philosopher. Jean-loup TlIebaud. "The main thfUllt of lhese queslion, i, loward, ethical judgement and political responsibility. The first remarkable aopect of tho r'"tsj)On>CO is tbal tlley a=pt Ihe pertilK"l"lCe of tho questions. That is. LyOia rd docs nOi anSwer with an atUICk on the demand for judgemeal. calegories. criteria from the point of view of the Ubidinal mveslmenlS thai underlie them. Why da you desire- judgement?

LYOTARD AND TilE PO L ITICAL

Why i. lbe dtlire fo, judjit",Cnl 10 be nlued abo.... O(ht:!'st I, judgemau an appropria. .. ""pon~ 10 ~ po~li<:t f7f becomi~1 a good oon,h>clo, of imcnsili..? In Olber wo,ds, .... mighl Ita"" expected _ bul we !IC\Ie, g« _ a n:spo1l11C along lbe following lioes: Judgnnmt is dtpendmt on a par1icular Iype of "ruelure a~d libidinal inveslment It i.tbercfore ,ep..";"" of Oilier i~'·ClI. mml. and ruc\i,e wilh ... gard 10 other possible otfUClutCl. Judg<"",nl IICI. up oPJ'OSilions betw ... n judI" and callt, bet ...... " cases, betwt>en lillO'S, bel"'""n lawful and la"'1css and so on. None oflbest is 10 be dtlired above any olher. Besides, Ibe lask ofa politics of pa .. i"" activity i. 10 flee the liud nalure of thi' ' Irutlure and lhereby 10 1000000n il and opm il 10 new pOo.ibililies. So jud"""mt indicalCl • doubly neBati"" lhought. Ih.al is, wilh "'"ptel 10 ""ternal possibililies and wilh "'"pcct 10 inlcrnal model of Ihought and .. nsation. In lbi... nllC, it is nihili.tic. Priorily gi....., to judI'" mmt run. rounIC, 10 the acti"". aflirmati ....... arcb for passivily. "",ntalian m...1 take pi""" free of conscious judgemenl.....,,, if it is alway> dissimulatw in tbe stnxtu"," from which it ~ aru.llowanl. which il i. dntwn; SO in UhiJina/ frmromy we find a mach more ,obutl ripOole 10 demand. for judBCII>CnlS based on Iheory: 'Reply wilh questions. Idllhcm: and you, lheoreTical di!aHj,IIC, whal is il? All your questions Ita"" lbe unde,lyinB ref....,,,,,,, 10 this dixou...,. this If\IC speech' (LE: 241 ). BUI in All JOI.m Ihis a\1ack n""", tak .. pIaoe. lo"~d, lhere is a quilt differeot oou nl..-, booed around lhe projc.ot of a minimal judt;emenl that Owel nOlhing 10 K1 law. and calegories. Thi. Owel mu
""pc...

JNS": 32). Iii Au Jwu, Lyotanl·. an.W('1'$ are rouoIsins wilh libidi"'" ufNIOnIy. How_ .-er, tM exp~ returns in 1M Diff~m,d (! 16). as docs a discussion of Cashinahua pagan $Iory.leUio! (A~ J... I", 63---11; 1M Dif/cmtd: 152- 5). In l.ibitIiMl t:mY, 1M papn _ and nol paganism - is disc\WCd mainly in

the llCClian "" 'pagan thealrics'. ,,·h..-.. Lyolard dtaw. a distinction bel ...... n ... ligiollS thealrics or ..,I-Ul'". taken rrom AUiII$t;pc. and papn lhealrics taken f,om Varro. lbc fonne, are said 10 dtpmd on the rcfell'l1CC 10 one God absrnt f,om thi. world, while lhe lane, multiply !!ods around eaclo wo,ldly encoumer in o,der to mark its in\e'll.ily: 'And for eado COIUICCtion, a

"

THE TURN TO JUDGEMUIT

divine nalJ1le. for uch cry. int.".ity and multiplication broupt about by aponen<:a both apc: of hoin. U'lel ... when ODC: 1000 at it with aIobulous, sad, platonic eyes. "'hich in faCi is of no W~. but which i. a name fOf the passage of cmoxions' (lE: al_ In contran to the fundamental ""gation at the he:an of Augu.ti",,', a.a:cunt, pagan theatrics a", a st"'tegy for affirmill3 intensities and for a"o;dill3 negation by naming Ihe diff.... nt desi .... that clash in Ihe intensity. They escbew judgement , in<:e it dopc:nds on the: affirmation of wh.alover 0<:CUl'$ ('a divine ~ for each cry' ) and since the: cries il affirm • • '" th~I"'" " ..... f to he judgnl (th. ,00. a ... 'of nO ......')_ Auau'ti",,'. God allom for a ... fe..aJ of each aCI out.ilk it~lf, hut this use andjudgem."t do not take plaoe in pagan Iheatrics. So, ht.... the pagan is a case nfa libidinal """nomic political .t",tcgy. If _ take Ihis ...-..ion of th. pagan, lyota,d's an.".. f 10 th. questions conoeming judgnnent outlined in the p""";ou, section (question. 1_3) bwom., I A libidinal politics is not redundant , in th. sen .. of I""kin,the po$.i. biti!} of a ch."." dir«:tion . .. nee its dir«:tion i. to affirm whot Otto", and 10 draw out itl int.""ily. Th is does mean t!\al specific directions anMI be .. lected. but Ibat already presumes a . tnoc:tu", of choioe .nd domination over '\'ellts ignorant and "'p"""i.. of the deepe1" Ube,.,IIing PO"'CI" of int.mit"'. Th. politic$ of aCli"" passivity is a choice for the: libel'8.ting power of int."sit'" and apin.t the illu";on that a 'frt<:' political decision for or against a gi""" case is JUSt or ..... n possible in ilself,

2 Yeo. a IibidilLlll politics is parochial. in the: .. n .. ofha';ng to wor'< witb a giv.n .. t of .""nli lind. indeed, of affirming that ~ty. B~t this 'working with' il not parochial at all, in a conscrvati"" and reactionary sense. Firs!, ther<: is 1>0 n"CC","ry limit"" to our ' parisb' : it can .. t.nd far and wid. according 10 lb. inten,ities that _ COM""t and the .truCl~res that reswate them. s..:on.t, wh.al occun can only b<: affirmed by exporim
."""1

3 When an int.",ity pa .... throuiJh us, the", is no point in askin, wM\he, it i.just or unjust. It is passing ~nd w;U pas._ So doxs this mean lhat where !he'" i. pain we mu.1 simpty a=pt it? Yes, and rna",: we muSI also ~pt

"

L YOT AII.D A ND TH E ' D LITI CAL

thlt tbm:;1 deli", for pain ~nd thlt pf.in is an intensity. thll is. JOmClhi"l po.tlflllllpi""t bed structura and (or lheir ""lmIiorI and deformation. BUI thlt cIo:o ~ mean thl.1 we: mlUt be puai"" with rt:Spa:ltO crwhy and Yiok_ Q lrunp that we: an: involved in and sub;ect 10. Who:n they.", the n:MIh 0( 1M inloltnn<e 0( stnICtura wiill rt:Spa:I 10 0Iha1 and to ineompf.lible inlensit ies. aucllY IJ>d ~ an: """,willy and K1iw!y"""'ed by I libidinal poIilics Ihlt leeks 10 "It I..... luIt tbcy di!;simul.at~. Thil;' tilt dis.inctioo in Lyotard', libidiDal pltikNophy .1uI1 iJi"II$';'" 10 ques.ionl OCH'OI:C1'nio. judpleot and crwhy. II acti""ly _kl to eliminale lhem .... heu lhey Irt' .he result of .talic and exlu,;"" IlructUrti. whik rt'r",inIIO make jud... meolS with rt'1~rd to tbe rt'lca .. of new intcmilies of pIIin and new cr""ll1ruCl ures in .hal eliminalion. It b a polilics lhal takes on lbe dIIo lltog,e 0( combating . llruel u....1auehy. 100 Ion. Q it is indicated by an inlemily lhal '"hoo!oe:s ",'. bUI it is also I polilics Ibat CIOnnot-=pt lilt responsibility 0( "';0, judgu .....1 10 COnslrucl • new struelUrt' r"", of cruehy. This upbi"" why tho oo:Iion on pf.pn lhallm in UbiJillaJ u -y bilk. I t 1M possibility cia libidinal poIitia ...here Ibm: ..ou.kI be 110 crwl ttructun:s, 'Our daD..,..• ..., libidillli ~ lies in buikling a ""' mo .... lily wilh iIIis cmuoIalioo. of pmcIaimin. Ind broWa"in. thai tho libidillli bind is Iood. lhal the cimdation of alfcru is .ioYfui. .. .. thai aD pain is reactionary and .,.,.,.,...11 .he poisoot 0( I fonnation issuiol from tho 1"'1' Zero .. .' (LE: I I). Lyourd'l emblm""1Cfll "';th rqard 10 lhe otlool· 0( ~ ~y.
·1""..

1.

no,

""I"""'"

In A~ J",u. Lyola rd alioWi lbe dill<: ..... ion 10 ",il\ 10 papnl.vn • ..ow cha"'Clori6ed and defended primarily .. a 'way of judtin. wilhoUI cri leri.'. TIli. i•• Iho<:kin, rewrsal Ii_ in his ronner "'"" of Iho Icnn lhert' is no jud"".... ol nccpt in torms of how 10 allow inte""itiH 10 <>ttur and tllto how best 10 affinn lhem, But. in tht latllT we. jud... mcnl otC\IfS first. rr>akin. a rnnckny of tbe urlior priority iJiwn to the IoCti>.. ..,areb for passivily_ Popnlsm dosi .... tcs 'pn:cisdy • slnllnion ..him one judp One jud.... nOi only in .... UtIl' 01' 1nI1h. but also in mantll' 0( beauly (aesthetic d!icaq) and julia . lhal is. poIitia "'" ethics. withotll co iten .· (Au J...,r. ,lJ). It may appear 1....1 Ibm: is ""y link diff.", y ben:, if..., ute LyoW'd 10 man thai a papa 1tra1C'lY is dcsianed 10 allow io\Cftlila 10 be affirmed aad unlClum (0 alter. and that this is ..tuo. ;. ...... nt by judlin. ",i!houl criteria. BUIlhis is noI tilt case at aU, oinor throuJbout the book j\ld&<"..nt wilhout criteria is ...... "" IOI1KIhillJ! !Oct;'" thai iI aided or diJt;C\Cd by in","lilies, I( is not a",...., by_product lhat Iwtppci\S to be •.... 't"""l criteria' beau.., of (he nalure of thl: politlc:o of _kinS to be • ,000 conductor of i~t.n,ilict. In''tad . in Au J""lr (he probkm il how to develop 'a aopacity to jud... • withoUI "riteria (36).

'00

TH~

T U R N TO J U DGEM £ NT

The ... venal Ibal has taken place can be explain<: Ihi' 0 field of j udgemenl w;lhoul criteri a i$ Inal of ethies ~. 0J>P<>I'<'d 10 knowledge. lhal io. if il i •• field "'ho", objects cannol be sIIo"'n, wllilal have: a differenl alld importanl ideal reality, is il nollhecase thatlhe objo:cts ofethics .... exactly laws Ihat ""' .... obliged to follow? So i$;1 nol lrue IMI judgemonl in el hics has eritoria defined by obliption and by lb. fonn of laws? 3 Does nol polilics presuppose a polilical oommunily" Th...., mWlI be a community defined either by intorest and hence by cognilive jodgtmonl. as 'n ...nat is besl for lhe """"",,unily ;n a p ...... case, or by a shared ... of ethical laws Ihat are cill><' prescr;btd or 10 wbieb membcn nf lhe communilY are in a position of obligation' The "",,",,ily of community fn' pOlilico is tllll. , Plalo, NietZScb. alld Wina •. However. by far III< m<>'1 importam and m<>,1 surpri,ing rtfere""" i! Kant. Hi. work had appeared ,try linl. in Lyolard', books up umil All JlUr. (111< ... art only ""ry brief remark" in Uh/Ji",,/ ErotWm)' and 'h .... i. SOm< di$(;u,.ion of Kanl nn .pac:e in La r,em. Thi. anS" "ef n..... r really com.. in Au JIHI~. InSlead. "'" a ... p""n a ••:rico of ralher hermelic and eva";"" denials and rciw"lions. This i• • xplained explicitly in tenns of Lyotard', Ih ... unresol~ relalinn 10 Kant: 'To tsilaling IItill noping Ibal1h;, i. in vain and Ihal lhe:y a ... not potry, and let', !Jly K KaotiKn position' (141). LYOlard is deluding himself here. Hi! hesilatinn ;, nol meaningful ,itll% til< book has aluady incorporated 8 Kanli." framewo rk for Ih. d;ocussion. Tho: ....1 proble:m lhat Lynlard', philosophy bas ba:thn. invoh"Cd in ;s lO/1mhe:, Kanl', philosophy can be inlCfJ'll'ted in such a way a. 10 allow for judgement 10 ... place lbe 'cruelty' of lhe: libidinal philowphy bUI wilhout ha,ing 10 commil Lyolard 10 a polilics based "" Kamian cn~'ions of knowledge, ob~galion and communily.

fl",

'"'

LYOTAMD AND TilE POLITICAL

lYQTARD'S [NTERPRETATION OF KANT Lyolanl <.k...,[ops an inlorprwolion of Kanl in L'DllitauJitwrtt: It. crltiq"" klll1liMne de I'Msloire (1986) and U(OIII lit, I'/lMlyllq"" du ,ubli_ ([991), n.e.e books illCOrp<>llIle _U-kno .... n ...... ys on K ~nl in a modified form, nmably, 'Introduction i une elude du poiiliqllC selon KanC aDd 'L 'archipc[ el k ennc <.k I'hisl0ri00-po[iliqllCj' in lbe forme r. and 'L'inleret du sub[ime' and, 10 """'" e.tenl, ' Scft'U5 communis' fonbe latlCl, Thtst works """rlap to a ...,ry greal txlenl and can be diYid«l inlo ...... ys Ihal prepare (or or explain Lyolanl's w:e "f Kant ("r lbe benefil of hill Own pltilosophyand lbe boot: lhat ..:Iually delivers lut philosopby (TIlt D!ffn-ntd), Fnr example, wilh tbe e"""",u,,n of chapters IV and V. L 'DI,itauJilI.ftM ill a[mosl a ...,rbalim rtpt1ition of ....oO': done in no., DifJn-~_ Similarly, most of lbe lecture not .. coUccled in f..er<»u .... r /'tINJ/}'liqw du ...bliltU' .re exp' sed in a miioCh ligblCr folUl in 1M DifJemvl. l1Ic p"blicalion daleS of lhese I.,." art lberefore misleading and il wou[d be ""'"""810 think Ihilll,," two [aler ...·orks add 10 lbe earlier O!\C. Thai conlinualion and appliQtion of Ihe politics of lhe differtnd lakes pl""" in L'(nh_Ut aDd M","'lle, p')JlmO11 realm is lhe supenensibk. Ihal is. the rtalm of Ibini' in thcmstl .. os ,hal cannot be intuited_ ThU5, ..... know that a ""ienlific con_ O
J'"

=<m. Why i, Ihi~ ",If problr:malic7 Tbc In,,..,,, comes from Ihe SCI of impossibilil;'" outlined above. Two distinct and imporunl aspoets of rtason h."" to be kept apart in a way thai ;. detrimcnlal to both. We ca nnol appeal 10 lci in nalure. BUI moral acts. OIIr f..... adoption of morallawo.. are

'"

TltE TURN TO JU D GEMENT

meant to bring about a mo~ jun and harmonious natu",. at least to t~ dogr« that we an: part 0( it; '\1\( conctpt nffl'ffiJom ;s mr8nt to acluali.., in t~ 5(tUib\e w<>rld t~ md propooed by it. laws; and natun: must coo..,· qucntly also ~ capable nf~ing ",,,,roN ;n such a way thaI in conformity In law <>f ito fnrm il 81 least harmonisn "'ith the powbility nf the end, In ~ efT""tuated in il ..::wrding tn the Ia""$ offrtclnm' ( Kant 1980: 14). So. o.'e. and abo"" the fact Ihat human. mu>t be awkwardly thought of as causally dotemlined qllOf! aeslhelic and. hence. political ..,ooes. For Kant. it is poosibl. 10 bridge tile gulf bet".... n mHu .... and freedom. but only in On. di""'tion .",J with restriction.:

·.""8.

The concepl of freedom determines nothing ;n respect of the Il>c<>rctical cognition of nalure; and Ih. ooncepl of nalure lik...isc nOlhing in respocl of IIIe practi<:alla".. of freedom. To thai e.lcnt. then,;1 is I\Ot possible 10 throw a brid!!" from Ibe one realm to lhe olher. - Yet although the detemlining grounds of causalily according 10 Ihe conctpl of freedom (and Ih. practi<:al rulH Ihat Ihis conlaim) have no place in ""lure. and lhe ...."ib1c: cannot determine Ih •• uperxnsibl. in the Subject; "ill tl\( con''CnO iJ possible (nol, ;1 is lrue, ;n respect of the ~no .... ledgc of nature. bul of IIIe ooo5cqu<:nces arising from tile ,upersmsib!c: and bearing on 1M sensible). (Kanl 1980: l7) So ;1 is conceded lhal theoretic!ll reason has no priorily 0'..,' J>1"'IcticaJ rea,,!n, science has no priorily nv« moralily_ But ptaCC"l ari.ing from lbe .uperscnsible and be-~ring on Ih. ,.mibl.· , Klonl argues Ihal il i. poosib1e to jwJv - 1\01 10 kilO'" - thai a r"", l1C1 is confimled ;n n~tu ..... Thus the ooofil1lLiltion that Sttm«l 10 be miwni in

'"'

LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL

terms of o~r f ..... ac\j as moral agents is available ~ not in terms of ca~so, bul in lenns of judgements concerning end •. Thus we cannol say '\his practical act cau.....! trus natural pben""",non', but we can say 'Ibis natural p/leo<>mnlon IppelI'" to ha,,, Ihi. end or purpn .. '. wilt ... tilt end or purpose is practical in the sen" of being tbe ~uh of freedom (il would make nO """ .. 10 speak of ends Dr purposes ,,'I>< ... tl>< .... was only causal determinalion). The: IaUOT lIatement all"",.. for judge.... nt. co~rning Ihe unily of nolU'" and moralily: Ihis or Ihat purpOSe: in II>< n'alrn of fn'edom (moralla .... ) rnu,l be pos$ible in lenn, of joogemems ~rn inl! tl>< pull""'" or end of nalUral phenomena, 'The: effect in IICC<)f'daIlll: wilh tbe con<'tpl of f.....:dom is Ihe finaleDd whit:h (or the manifestation of which in lhe 501\Sib1e world) is 10 e>< p<>Mibi~ty of lhat end in natu ... (i.e, in the natuft of lhe Subj""l as a being of Ih. S<'tIsible world, namely, as man)' (Kam 1980: 37~8), So althoup ociena: cannot detenni"" f ..... aclS, our kno"'ledge of nalu .... determines ",bal free acls ..... possible and confirms II>< end< implied by thO$< aclL For cxamplt, let a $<1 of ffttly adopted la .... have II>< purpose of a harmonious human """ely. This purpose is limiled by our knowledge of hU/lUln. as pan of nolu .... and possibly confirmed by our jlldgemems coocerning Ihe pUrpD$< of nalun'. Here II least the gulf bet"ffJI nalure and moral la"", is bridged: '[1be faculty of judgeme,nj wilh il!l concq'Il of a finality of nature, pro..wes lIS with the mediating collCt'pl belween cona:pt. of nalure and Ihe concept o f freedom ~ a con""'pl truol makes polSible the lran$ilion from lbe pu .... theoretical [legioJalion of II>< unden;landingj 10 the 1"''''' practical [legislation of reason] and from conformity 10 law in acconilonoe wilb lbe frnmer 10 final ends according to tho lane,' (lS), Thi< bridge is essential 10 tho Kantian project in allowing it to develop and Rourish as a philDSOphy thaI unifie< knnwlcdgcc, morality and our capacily to make judgement> COfIcerning ends , It bewmes CIOpable nf puning fo""ard • critical study of tbe .... lation, thai hold belw"",n nalu ... (Ih~ rtalm of wcde\'$laoding), an (Ihe realm of judgccment) and freedom (tbe realm of praCfical reason), An i< lhe realm of joogt'ment because jlldgemenl applies 10 our faculty to r"",1 ( pleuure and pain), nlther Ihan In knnw (undornand) or In desire: (ralionally OhONe to ""I according 10 • given moral law), Kanl's criTical philnsophy bre:aks out from. ralher Slerile dedurtion of impassable gulb inID a mo ... product;", critical discussioo of whal bridgingjudgemtnco a rt: lo,;timalo and what coDCluoon. can be dnlWD from tbem, For example, in his Kmll', IImlw,ir 'ThMry (199?), Salim Kemal noteS how Teleological judgement, lhat is, judgement cona:mill3 ends, makes nalural be.ut) and fi"" an pos$ible. Wilhout the validity of lhex judgements we could nOI speak of nalUft oxcq>l in terms of CIO Uoes. and "",nainly not in tenn" of lhe pleaou ... 01 PUfJl'OK asooci.lod wilh nalural beauly. '[teleological judgemenl) alloW1 u.s to see obFl •• s art ~ •• lhe

''''

THE TURN TO JUOG E MENT

prodl>Cl of ratiocinative human ",'illing ralhe. tllan a. the .««1 of d.terminate causes _ and tbm"" •• fme an when these judgement. sali..ry CIIlr judgements of tasl.· (! S9), Polilics and culture a. in.truments of human community can legitimately enter Kantian philosophy at thi, p< >1didily of those judgcmrnts'j. Thi. sense of communilY is ,h. pCeS about values I!uided by a commiunent to tile iW... lopment of common judgement:

no..

_wr"

by tbe name uruu< rom...",,;' is to be understood tl>( idea of a publk sense, i.e. a critical faculty " 'hich in iu rdlecti,,, act lakes """"un! (a priori') of the: mode of rep~ntation of e"eryone else. in order. IlJ i, ~...,..., 10 weigh its j udgement with the collecti ... "",son of man kind. MOO thereby ."oid Ihe il lusion arising from subjecti ... and penonaJ ooOO;lion, whicb could ... adi1~ be taken for objecti ... , an il1usion Ihat would C>lert a prejudicial iollue".,. upon it. judgemenl. ( Kant 1980, lSI )

So with ......... _ " " I I Kant wanU to avoid the: t ..~p of making general statement. on the basi. of subjeclive v;.w.. But he: is also constructing a space for collective judgements based on a balancing oul of ,ubjtctive judgcrnenlll "'Ih a rdlectiOll on tl>( judgement' or othe ... This ...adina of M"nd MmmUl'!" pIa""" Kant at tl>( very hoan of a modem
'"

LYOTAII.O AND THE 'OLITI C AL

as lhole (talum 01 0\If $ubjottivily wlHob WI: ~ ";Ih and which .... «NDpoHibie "';Ih otben' whjedivity' (KmIaI 1991: 163). This rordllsioll is 01 """" COla, n to Lyotard. H. on ... mwna to lbe .....'" qUOted abo"".1 toy .~ts ... bis works on Klnl (~_ l'-,y,1qw ... 1iIbIimr. 262- 7. 1Tw Dif fm ,i&. 241 : 'Serq.Il$ commllllis': prwimJ. The ",om,l line oIhit HJI1f'IC"I is thol Ibm: is. poaiblr con(usioa btlwco:n I Il1In .......... w and iii aothropolopc:al inltlpr.Ution 01 J#iOUW' , ..,......11. Th;' line is also p ....ued in Lyot.ard·1 essay on Hannab Armodl, ·Survi-'l.nl: Amtdl' in /.p,,.,u d 'tiIflDln ( l99l c ): '1 ~pell, hm:, Ihal A~ndt', view. on 1M wmobilily 01 K'ltIUI «NDmun;' a", ...... al 1M u"m"" or an Ibulli"..ly ...aoIo&isinJ ",""inl o r the Kanliln "ItilSIl$ commun;. .. . Certainly, bi, tell lends it",,]r 10 this b«:aute ulbropulOlY is not ... iminaled rr"", iI, as would ha .... boen "'Quirtd by 1M tllruoendmtal analysil' (&ti), I have OIbIIiOOied Ihilbo lel' po~lkal CUlly in depth d ... to its . Ironl relations to Lyourd', work 0<1 Kantlnd the wblime Iud oIhor Later essays 001Ui0dered in Chapler 6, It is, however, In importanl pulilkal essay on Armodt, Broadly, Oft P" "'it,,:..,;, an ,,;ther be tUm lIS a wputtOliblr JeOX that I II shalll by tl'lOlCODdclllll nh ~ or lIS • ' :' my empirical pn."x:du", for do",dopm•• community...-hili: takiIIl ......... 01 01 d iffuUAS in tnllIm at an and IDOfIIlity. In both CI . t. A' ... NO •• S.....u is iclcutifiod ""f)' ";Ih the Kantlan ded..rnoa 01 the ill "II tily at llwilll Ihc , lity depend for tv"')' OM upon lhe same conditions, ~inllhat they are the l ubjoel;ve condition. of the puosibility of a OOJIIilion in Fnerat Ind the pmporIion of lhese colJiI;li .... r..,..llia whicb is "'Quisi ~ (or wee is ...... u;.it. aoo ror o rdinal)' sou.nd undertl.llndi .... tM po ' '''''' oI .... hicb we.IlI ... titled 10 praup",*, in~' (l~), JOOl"' ",...11 at Wle iovol'l: l ho barmoniolos ... of the W>dcmaud ..... rtUOiI ....... aeotbnic jud.,..,W:III in ' ........isiq OOJIIitive and morlll disinlOftAoi n n allied to plflSUill. Lyotlrd bas no ....... , ,..,." ";Ib the sharinl oil Ill." ca.-cily 10 mHo J\IdI j ......"'... I.. ;" fin, hit wltolc ."", oacb 10 Kanl 'l lelll is 10 II,"",plIO define '""'" NO.U" ...... IS lhe IrILS(\t.Kk~w coudition for. shared IUlt aowl tloo-nl:c: 10 ratrict this UIIivenaJ ..mte to lhe beautiful . In 10 doi"", be k...... lbe l1l1I. ,",'ilhin lbe boundaria of. vay l pucilic Iype 01 aeothotic apprecialion (' W. aU wrc 1M puosibi~ty 01 mallli ... judF"w:nll 0I)l't0C' ning 1M beautiful ckfincd IS Mint ..... withoUI inttrell"'). Smnu """""UII'-' is, IMn , not • briod", Mtwcon racullies .. a mode of jud...... nt Ihat aUows (or • ,",,"III ""n"" of oommunily 10 ClMfF in moralily, polilics. aesthetics.

*"

lIi'Oi'I""

t'"

''''

rHi! rURN TO JUDGfMENr

II is ~Iy II )IC<X'WIry wlldition for making judgement. collOOrrun8 th~ beautiful that involves a sUp1<_ Il ffljuittS in Ium I IJ'8J\...,ndCCming objcclS and to re$IOO it 10 the .ub.ie<;ti..... It is lherefo", not a b,idge betwccn difTe"'nt rNlms alld it ~nainly <'annot allow uS 10 '~~ difT.",OO<$' in ordn to build a sen"" of oommunily . • illOO it quite 'pecifically does not allow fo, judgements co""",ming ,,<:Iual difT.",,,,,,,, of tast •. H",,-cwr, II fIKOJ>Il way of ddining....,.,... {'{]mnlun". whil't nil! 'taning from Kant'. deduction of the ~ity of sha,ing taole. takes the dtfinit;o.. of lhe snu,,-, a. ,upcl",,~sible a . top fu'ther by claiming thaI il is not only the harmonious .mployment of the fa<'Ulti .. that is """,,"sorily ohared, but also the oommunicabililY of judgement. depc:nlkm on that <1l1p1oyment. This mo,., is O$$f ,he C' /II_ <>f JIIIi8.mm, (1 990)). l yota.d sides with the mo", IICtplical position COnttminl actual judgemenlO of taslC becauso of a strong opposition to lhe requirement to ta.~ into acrounllhe 'mode of representation of anyone ~I""'; 'The del .... t. point is the anyo,,", d..,· (l.ef<>M sur /'olW/rlique "" suNime; 261). If this is taken to mean 1""1 il i. "·o·.... ry and possible 10 ta • • someone el..,·, view inlo """,,,unt in formin, a Hn.!w ,,,,,,mUII':'-, tben it """"",13 hil an<1l1pIJ to define the difTtll'nd as an unbridgeable eonfticc. His polit;';' of resiotan~ to hegemony (induding hegemony a.hiev-ed th,ough lh~ mean. most respectful of difTe .."",.. ) would founder on this possible communicalion. So he proposes a wunl...;nte."",t.. tion of the key pas.sage. h ;. not to be taken Ut.rally 81 ~n appeal to a ""~ily to T<11tct on .. position OIh.. ,han on,,', nwn. but as an e~planation of how 'a power of appreciation' tak .. into con.;de"'tion. ' RikkJkhl nimm,·. soolher. 'ondt>rm' ",""te... , il may be.

'"

l YOTAIlO A"'O TltE PO LI TICAL

TIwnI is lhonfore no

in PI";", OWl" 10 &II Klual mcounltt will'l ano!~ "1lIc 7 wbtU: " community" it no! constiluled IiI'Sl: b)' opinionz Jiven b)' individualt. II ··unfold,··., 10 spno.k lhank< 10 a work 0( Yariations lhal "c110"",1" and lhouchl alone. in ·'Gedanken" . puts inlo elf«"1 in ord ... 10...:ape from its "pri... tc:" condi1ion. o.privul 0( lhe Olhtr by ilf Own aet or appreciation' (264). The hal'11>llOy bc:tween facullies implied by L.,te and lbe: beauliful remains only. tran5Cm(ienlal condilion. It dotS nOI kcomc: a !>;osis for an acl .....1 polilic1 bUN around the ...""" .......,.,"";. ddined as I p'ocedure. lIut thil iI IMIly one Ie, or Lyolard', relation 10 Kl nt. He also "'lUllS 10
I'"

DCCd and 110 lqilimary

ht 10 ahow lhol lbe: oondioon for the f... ~n, 0( the , ubli,"" is the d ..... harmony or foculiles md the distu,ban<;:t of lilt ItYUIU 10 . joaivdy' (286). A rwo.fold poIilies is '''k led in lbcw IaslIina 0( UrtNu SUI' /'~)',Iqw till .nJJIw... ~ .. an appeal to tho .ublimc . p..... oommunily. ddincd cjtbtr as moral uniVft'lalily Of as lhe .... or acstbeties to acbic¥o: a political \t"1Mogy diRded lowanll univenality. 11><", is also an appul 'pinsl Iny oonoeplion of .ubj.a ..... unily. Tbae eo!IW 10Ft..... in tile crucial politics of the dilferend outlined in IIIe Lau ... chaplers of TM DI/f~mul.

Prio, 10 Ihe I ludy of Ihis pol'ties ....e CIIn now IllJwer tile questions raised w,lh J"'n'Loup lbebaud above. I On the rd"tion of 1udF1D"nt .. ithou, entrna' to knowkdF. Lyotard aploiu the radic:al nalwe of his int:tl pittaUoa 0( the ",If betWftll foculties 10 diminat:t k_'le
''''

TH E TU!!.N TO J U DGEMENT

an incommensurability of tM .takes Ihal JIOY<'m an appropriale conealenatinn of phnl$t:S wilmn a genre. for <:lample, "The slakes implied in 1M lrag:ic genre. ilJ inlended . 'JCO"!S (shall we say the feelings of fear ,nd pity on Ibe pan of its add.. 'I and lhe stakes implied in the tecbnical genre, its own ($ha1l we say lhe availability of 1M referenl for Ihe addressor', wanu) are for t~r pan incommensurable . . .' (TD: 128). Scientific and e1 hical claim. cannot legitimately resolve political conflicts bc<:a""". fo r Lyolard. polilics i, lhe 'lawlcs&' $lntggle belween ro.lm, or faculiie$. The wont conflicl' arise, allcast with regard 10 Ihe dirrettnd, ....!>tn politico i, laken a, a genre and given an illU$Ory .take: 'Politics alway' gi ... rise 10 mi. under.tandings because it tak .. place as a II"nre' (14 11_ So the polilical, wilh .... pect to L)'otard'. philosophy of lhe ditTo"",d, i. to fun!>t. thl:: ."aren... thaI tlltre are no 6nally legilirn.... ,tak.. in politics: 'At the same time, tbough, politics is not al all a genre, il !xlIrs wil""" to lhe nOlhin",ess which open. up "ith each occurring phrase and on the """,,";on of which the ditTerend bel ....""" gen .... of discouT'>C i. born' (141), It is in Ihi,~ .. thalth. polilical i. judgement without criteria. It i. an inte~ntion in polilks, in Ihe name of dirr=nd •. Ihat must remind us of the impossib;lily of 6nal JUSt judgements. but without d
.t.......,·

2 In te!"IIIJ of Thebaoo', questions conoemill3 lhe exisl"""" of laws in «hX::s. Lyotard ~ tMI Ihere are such la".. - although lhe number and extenl of Illtm are minimal. Ho"''''''', thl:: full fom. ofTh'baud's quesliortJ lies in lhe possibility of eXlending lhese elhi<:a! law. into the politio;:al realm, lhat iJ, 10 givelhc ethical a delernlinanl role in politics. BUl lhi.cannot uoke plao;:e, for thl:: ""'$(ItI$ outlined in Ihe pre'iious point. So, il ;s lrue tMt judgemenl in elhics has crilcria to follow and tb<$C may be formed in """,rdance wilh lhe Kantian Categorical Imperative or, for Lyotard, aa:ordill3 10 Levinas'. rule ' Ihal Ihe you ;. !>evcr the I, and Ihat lhe I is never Ibe you' (1 14). But . in bolh ca .... these criteria Mve no legitimacy outside their proper field (moral laws). We are nol j ~Kificd in applying morn1 laws to nature 0' to any Olh., /iold (gen ... ) "'i>o<e ,tu.. are incommensurable wilh the elhical gen ... of obligalion to a primary principle _ Kantian or Levina,ian. 3 Finally, in ....ponse 10 queslion, regarding Ibe pmupposhion of a political community by politics. Lyman! points out Ihl no givctl community, de/inod by moralily <Jt .thics. can lay claim 10 he tbal communily. Thi. is because hi. idea of politic:! as struut<: presupposes ditTerend. ralher Ihan any form of homogeneity_ If lbere i." presupposed polilical communily. il can he defined on Ihe ground, of neilb ... knowlcd~ nor «hies, There i. no natural or etbical community because a polilical community etnC1"!"' .DOIly when we have 10 bring Ihe elhica\, Ihe nalural

"''''<><:e,

'"

lYOTARD AND T HE POL IT ICAL

and rite aeslhetic rogelher. Any rule thaI guides rite formarion of Ihis communily mu", bridge !:M:rween I~ incommerulUrabk fieldf. Thi5 bridging cannot lake place kgitimaLely bUI only 'as if' ir i, Iegilimate: 'c. u sa~1y through freedom Ii "es sign .. ne'.-." uanainable elTocts, nn. chain, of dTee ... No "nature", not even a .u........ nsible one, not even .. an Idea, can result from oblipt>OO. The imperative does not command 0IlC to act so as to prod""" a comm uniry of practic;o1 reasonable beinp, bur ... if rhe maxim of action were supposed to !:M: a maxim of this community' (127). In addition to Lhis tum ''''''y from an ethieal communily, tile range of traditional ..... ys of defining a Irgitimate politics is rej«:t«l by LyolJird on tM ground5 Ibat it il anthrOpOlogical and thu. an illtgitimal. extension of tlte realm of knowl«III": 'The tc-nnl dcmocncy, ~UIOCl"llC)', o~garchy, monarchy, and anarchy (,,-hieh .te:.igrun. moded despoti..., (which .te:.ignate modes of dominatiwl or aUlhol'ization) belong 10 narrowly ~nthropologic;ol or pojitiro-Iogkal doo:riplion,- (142). In many WIlYS, though. tb= an~"", ... only 5uccoN in SO far"" tMY I'll;" ,,"WGuestions concerning the way> in which 'we' come 10 f«lrh. differeoo and become aware of tile gulf between faculties or the illCOfl\ll>Cnsurabi~ty of~re<. By TM DifJ",mJ, Lyotard is mach more clear ." to wby a form of ~u~gcm""t wilhout c:-rilCna' is impol'llint in term< ofllle political, but h. is It-ss clear on ho .., the lestimony fo. differcndl or irresolyable COfI.8icts can con.'itu'. such a joogemenl and. indo«!. o~"'" it. implicit paradoxes. The an,,,,,, ....oo raix questions concerning Ibe relation of Lyotard', politics of tM differend to lradilional. and by his own admission. noct!my fo""" of politics ('What polilies is abour and what disringuiohe$ vanou. kind, of po~lies i'the ~re of diocouroe, or the 'lak... whereby diffem!d. are fonnulared al ~tiptions and find lheir "regulation"" ' (142)). The section. rhat follow pUI fOl"Wlird a critical interpretation of Lyotard·. communicalion of lhe differend lhrough the f",~ng of lhe sublime and ItiJ justification of lbe . ole pIa)-.d by the differend in the polilica!. The OC>.I chapler explain •• nd c:-rilici... his developmenl of thai role in the C$SiI)'S publi.J\td art(f TM DifJYeruJ.

JUSTIFYING THE DIFFEREND Whar doc:! tbis 'a5 if' mean for LYOlard? Hi, int"1'relalioo of Kant departs from the norm in nol raking transcendemal dedllC1ions as lhe crux of Kantian a'lluntU1. lnltead , ,,-hile recogni,ing rhe imponanoc of the dcdu Or failure oflhe lal1 •• is inextriclbly link«l 10 tlte ..... Iidity of thc fonner. In.. ead. he reads Kant'l te>
n"

THE T U RN TO J UDG EM ENT

deductions: ·Sut. in my opinion .... Ihelic judgemem conceals a mOn: importanl =rei. lhan Ihe 0"" of docu,,," , II is Ihe IICCI"et of the "manner" (ralher th.an lhe method) by which critical thought pl'Of.:Uds in ~ral' (Lrrotu JIIr / '(lIIIJ/},rique oughl . . .' (240--41). The need fo r unily i, the , ian tlull givt:$ a ....ll-d.t.rmined direc1ion 10 thoughl. It allows uS I" follo w a ' P<"'ific Ii"" e""" her.,... there are aoy crilical jwti!icalions for taking thaI tine. SUI. m"re Ihan Ihat. i! also allows .... 10 proc:ced where crilicallboiJihl cannot of rigln - wilh lhe proviso. Ihough. !hal Ibis pl"O<'O:M is itxlf limilcd by crilique as 10 lhe claims il may mab. 10 'What is orientalioo in thinking?'. Ibi. i. the main poinl of Kant', .rgumenl. He wanlS 10 allow for n:aSOn to flUX : : j apins! 1M Slroo, claims of """plici5lO (thaI caJI even come out of Oi/H;W. 246). bUI ,,;tbout faWng back on to prc-<:ritical dogma. II is on the nalure of Ihis pre-<:rilical need that Lyotard again dcparu from. reading of Kan l Ihat allow, for reason to proceed in a sure· fOOled manner ""ross divXles between facuhies. As in his t"",lment of .<mnLf """"'IIniS. Ly"lard a'lues Ihallhi, need i, .ilher purely , upel"S<'tl.iblt and hence of no use in Ihe juslification of a bridge bel~n Ihe ",n';bl. and Ihe .upc:nensib!e. or il is an an lhropological observation and hmcc dcvo;d of any univenali",bility. The need of reason canl!Ol juslify Kant's claims and involvl:S him in a vidQtlsly drcular argument:

!ell".

It remaino lnal if lhe critical wat and is able 10 judge even in Ihe absctice ofla",... Th i, foeling. ho~,,,,,,. is in lum only a proof(lkwriHlI) ccrtifying lhallhere i, a righl and a

'"

LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL

dUly 10 judge oUlside II>< la .... if SOIIK nalu~ pun .... its end. by mean. Qf Ihi. r..,ling. No e~il i. madc: from lhi. circle. (TO: 135) H ow~r,

Ih. po;OI or I..yornrd', interl'fWllion is 00' ,im ply 10 remain;n tl>< posilion of hopei", arod dangerous oceplirum fcart< way i.....ide opmmooalion wilh f..,~np a. 'igm: 'if Ihe third Oiliq"" can fulfil ils mission of unifying lhe philosophical 601d, il i. abo¥(: all nOIix<:auK its lheme Ih. regulali¥(: Ide. of an {lbjccli,'. finalily of nalure, il is because il makes manif.. I, under the bann. r of " 'Ihtlics, lhe rtfle..i¥(: manner {If thinking lhill is . 1 work in all of lhe criliocal I.~I.' (Urotu"" /'a/w/ytiqw du ,ubi;"",: 21). So Lyornrd gives priorilY 10 feeling!! and 10 lhe limilalion. and impulse. lhey give 10 Ihoughl, a. oppooed 10 lhe rtlulative role of ldeu , We fod; lhe f..,ling comp< I>< possibility of a Kamian polilK3 and hi~lory is oonsidc:rt< book, L}'ola.d mak .. hi. claim mo", p"",ioc by OIaling Ihal "'" may 1"''' from 00. realm 10 another by applying 'the form' Qf I..... from one realm 10 anotlleL Thu. "'" d{l oot ,uppose that gi,'<:tIIa .... arc valid across ..... lm!.. bullhatlM principles thaI IJ",..,m lheir formalion hold in both. Thi. formal OOfTt'poOOnn is what I>< mean. by judgement by analogy. FOT .... mpl~. wo 1"",1 nalure .. if it cun form. to 6nalily in response I{I tile fceling of plea,ure that occun with natural beauly, Similar arguments are developed belween Ille ..... Im of judgement and II>< realm of freedom, whet-. "'" take the beautiful •• lhe . ymbol for (I. if it "",re) lhe mOl'll11y good. Eacb time the use of th. 'as if' indiocat .. an operation of a .. thelM: judgemenl in a non-nOOCS$JiI}' fuhion, a
.'pose!!

1\2

T HE TUKI< TO J U DGEMENT uJlimal~ly

jUJ(ify doing so. "T"M univen.al dai"", of Kant", polilics founder at this point as they become contingent"" a sharM ftding. In L·En,/ww3;· """"" aDd In a lesser e~lCnt in "'" DijJert'nd, Lyman! is prqIIImlto ~dmil tbat many of Kan!'s political f«lings ....~,.., so widespread as 10 appear universal. But be wants to insist that tbis OOnstnsUI ha, broken down in contcmpo"''Y politics. Tbe events and feelings Ihal mark our time indirnte an abya b¢lwcen f""uJl~. gtnres and beooe political posilion •. Tbe,.., is 51ill some .enll< of community in these feelings. but it i. a contrary one. II is common ""nse Ihat Ihe,.., can be no community beyond that sense _ 'hough Ihis i. coma only if ~ remember that in L 'fAtlwllSiasItH: Lyotard is "'ing 'common scox' in a mtllnitli doubly remo,-.d from everyday usage: 'T1!e ~ion< Ii....:n 10 Ihis highly d • ....:loped '">ense of comm unity"' ,",ould be: called: Aus<:hwitZ. an ab)'!$ thaI open< when ""e have present an object ""pablo of validating the plifll"" of Ihe Idea of human righlo; Buda.,.-t 1956. an abyu that open. before Ih. Idea ofth. right of a pc:<>ple .. ." (108). Tbe ta.k of . ju.t conlemporury politics, ddinod firsl only by il5 f.. lings. is to bear wilneMto these ab)"UC$. ,hat is. 10 be:ar ",itn... 10 tbe difTerend . But i. not tlti. u.. of 'ju.t· in conjunction "';th ",on'empornry' a. illegitimate a. Kant"s1 Lyotard', philosophy of the dilTereod need. more than mere obo<:,,·.lion. It mU$1 eslablish that we ""nnOl bridge between realm. or genres of discou ...... ifit is to live up to its claims 10 a higher j .... tia:: ' By . bo"ing Ihat the linking of 0"" ph", .. onlo anolber i. problematic and Ihallhis problem is 11>0 problem of politics, to 9<1 up a philosophical polit ies apan from lbe polities of inlellect .... l. and of po~lician$· (TD: xiii). But bas nol I~is already been shown in Lyolard', ""'Plical ~ading of Kan~ That is, if ...e take lbe transcend..,tal deduction. a'ih. final word on Iegitima<:y O'"eT si--= realms, t~en the impossibility of bridging has been set up and need. no funhe r work . Y~t that only ~1I0 ..... for critique, a •• tnmscendcntal ruling over .... hat can and wbat cannot be said legitimately. Tbe polilics of lhe difT""'nd ",,!uim !lelual specificily. Lyot;ord r>eed. to be able to say in .pecific cases 'Ihi, i•• sign of . gulf or a difT.... nd·. Thi. is nol the: sant<' i$ saying 'th;, .UlI..",..,1 that bridges between two realms is J>":""Sarily illegitimate'. Indeed, tbe former appears to rule outlhe 1.".r: a gulf 01" a differend is nol a mall ... of oigr1$ of leIual casts, bul • traDsorndentai malter, a condition of the possibilily of legitimate rul.. in given realm,. Yel he inai.\.< on lbe possibility of feeling Ipc:<:itic difTcrend<, rut"", than deducing Iheir obMract necessity. The argument for this occurs in h;, reading of tbe section 'A ,..,f\eWW attempt to answer Ihe qu .. tion: " 10 Ihe human race conlinually improvingT" from Kant', la, l largt work. TM co",~.t of F.u:u/lk•• repro-dur;:o:d in Paii,ieai W,i1inX" (1990). The problem oflhe gulf ..,parating "" usal nalure and the realm of frttdom i. Slated crudely at paragraph 4 of tbe $<>CIion: 'For ...., ,,~ d""li", wilb f.... ly Bc:1i"8 beings to ...·hom 0"" can

'"

LYOTARD AN D TNE POLI TI CA L

dietate in ad''lInce whal lbey tnighl 10 do, bUI of ...-hom one cannol pudirl wbal they ""Iually K·i11 do .. .' (180). So il ~ppears lhal...., canllOl predic:t improvement because any evidence aJ to objecti\", human behaviour can atway. be OOIItl'lIdiClcd by human freedom, cally, 'it is impossible I" oonn"" Ihi. Idea lhat brid,,"" bet ..... ..,n I..." realms or I..... " IJide, of a diff.r.nd'. The impoosibilily il lhe mult of the oonjull<:lioo of plea.ure IRk." in altemprinllo furnis.h.uch evide""" wilh lhe pain of ilS failure. Of impenance for lyotanl·. argument (developed in the 'Nolice Kant 4' section of T1rr Dijfrmld: 161-71);' lhaltbe nepli"" Ihougtlt is hued on the feeling of lbe 5ubJime lSS<)OOia\ed ... ith a gi""" failu", to presenl. For example, in anemplinlln pug<: lbe 'itt of a .u blime 'object', to pIC... '" lhe objecl '" havina this Or lhal greal size, _ cannol bring an inluitiOll in accor-d ... ith a CO"""'pl. Our KIlsible •• perie""" of, "y, a mountain or rnauivc COfj.lruClion;' not d<:lmnincd and 'table cnou'" 10 oonDtd with a properly formed concepl of lbe uiKlentanding. So, even Iboush lbe: excmp~J)' .... ormity or grcatn .... of lhe thina should allow u. to oome 10 lemlO with 8real size or srandeur, thai lask proves beyond Ibe facuhies lhal .hould be up 10 il. Similarly, in allempling 10 ",U," Ihe polilic:alli&ni&:a""" of Ihe ""IS involvtd in lhe: F",nch ",vOluli"" •• pcoctato" cannol make these aooo,d ...-ilh an Idea of reaSOn .uch a. lhat human. are capable of progress, We ha,,,, an Idea ofhumanily in pmgr... bul ... hen ...... anempllo make lhal coincide wilh lhe fail. The Kanlian dw.nilinn of an l
Ii''''

P""'''''

act" _

'"

THE TURN TO JUDGEMENT

though we C8JIoot oIT... ao inluition fo, that Idea. In the formulation of Ideas 0( reallOn, we ,Ian .... ilh a """""pt and. quite legitimately aod r ........ rily. gi-= the demand for oompktion in reamn. 10gicaUy npand il by mo"';og, for example. from great to greatest Or from pan to wbole. Though il is a require"",nt for tbe concept to be in conformity with an inluition. tlUs cannot be tM caS(' ror tbe idea, Ii... n a timitation on Ihc faculty or imagination: il is nol capable of representing tbe greatest ,itt Of Ihe wbole 0( humanity. Kanf. di",,1Wion of ideas in 1M C,;/;qlH of p~,~ Rf't1WII (314) CJlplains 10 some extent why lyotard ;,..i,l. on IW"lI Idea, wilh a capilal (as I bave done here) sin"" it i. easy 10 fan into confusion conceminillhe ri£hl sense of Ihe lerm - as it i, now.''''' more common 10 call an intuitioo ao idea (a. in, 'my idea of the colour rttl·) Ibao when Kant ....... wrilio,. l yotard·. use of lhe term is buill upon an inlerprelalioo of section 27 of the CIi/iq"" of JuJgmt..nt: The f..,lin, of the ,ubtimc: ili. lherefore. at 0""" a f..,ling of di5pleas"",, arisiog from lb. inadequacy of imagination in !he l!e§tbetic eslimation of m.agnitude to anain 10 its eslimation by rea$On. and a simultancou • • wakened pleasure, arising from this "Of}' jOOgemttlt of Ihe inadequacy of the ...at ..1 f,""lly o(!IeO'" beini in aa:ord willi ideas of reason. so far as 1M elTon to attain these i, fOri.. a law. (106)

Th= ili pain in tM n=wry failure 0( the imaginalion in the wk of presenting an intuition Ihal conform, with an Idea of~. But tltis docs not simply tum u•• WlIy from .""b attempt •. because tMre i. also pl..,su,.. in the fUJi ... tion thaI it is n.. 'ary for u. to .... k to otTer 'u<:h intuitions: 'Enthusiasm is a modality of tho rto:~ng of the sublime. The imagination tries 10 supply a direct ... nsible pn;stnlalion for ao Idea "f .... IIOn , .. It docs MIt 1,...< .. J and it thereby fto:ls it. impot...ad in the preomoe of a particular "ent, lhen il is alio a sigtl "f a potenlial for progress in lbe h\Unln race . •in<:c "'., $han: a faculty tMt dri.,es ". I" act in a positive way with respect 10 ditT.rend. or to the gulfbel"'~ .... tm •. Tbi. i. wby Kant'. ca.. in 'I. the buman "''''' conlinually improving?' i!J proven. al 1....1 according to lyota.d ·. int<:' ..... U1tion. NOlwith .landiDI the lendentiousness of bi, int<:rpretation. given i.. dependence on a very Darrow view of the Kanlia... ublime and on an

",

LYOTAKD AND THE POLIT I CAL

insenion of that view into a tot that does not ovenly <:all for it, lyolard hu at least providtd an " ,ummt (Of Ihe case, But his point is doubly difficulL First. it does not quit. do what Kant sets out to ""hie"" since t~ panicularity of the ..,blime sign is to 1caVi' I~ spectator in a confused stale. ",,"ught ~tW«D action and inaction or .' ........ "nd fail un:: 'Ihe "_11'1''' does nOI quit< tah pi""" il is a "passatl(''' in I~ course of coming to pan. Its ""u,se. its mo'=""t, i. a kind of agilalion Oft lhe Spol, 0"" within tho impa ... of incommensurability, and aboVi' I~ ahysa. a "vibration." u Kant writ.., thaI is, ". quickly allemating aU",,",lion loward. and fepubion from. lhe same nbpl" (C,itlqw of Jlidpmerlt. I 27). Such is the >Iale of GemQt fn, the Speibl~ to pa... uch a judguLw:nt. Ly",ard's lale' wort. is. in fact, more deptndenl 00 anthmpoloiY than K.tn t' •. H( aonnot show that what the f«lin, indicates is in any way necessary , H. cannot .... eft sbow that lhe r..hnS h.. any Ia.ting effect on a giva! spectator: that it has occurred once;n a gi'-eon . iluat;OI\ is no gWitantee lhat it will occur again. Gi"~n these l ingular failures, il i. important to ad< what btco ..... of the politic:s of teslifying 10 lhe d;rrerend annouDC«! al the heginning of TM

DiDe'eM_ THE POLITICS OF TH E DIFFER END The: politol aim of testifyin, to tb. differmd has a lIfon, attraction so long ao _ ~ Ihatlhe diff(rences invoh-ed senu;I'I<'!y (:a.nl'lOl he bridged. But, because Lyota,d's pltilooophy d(])Cl'lds on lhe coolingenc-y of panicular r..linp of the ."blim(. he is ~ in a posilion to pro,-e Lhat any gi-.,,, diffe"""", i. absolut., He can say 'At this moment my f«linp SlOp me: from al1(mplil'lS 10 bridll'l' Ibis diff.,..ncc with the aid of thi. Idea of "",son', 8uI in no "
'"

THE T U Il N TO JUOGEMBHT

capable o( resolving a difTemlox. He is nol ....'tIl in lhe posi lion of uying thai Ihe idea will nol serve ror olh.n or ...... n (or himself.....ox lhe feeling of lhe sublime subsldts. II oft.n seems Ihal his philosophy of language and bi. view of p res and ,.,.,.,ilk difT.","", lead, 10 lhe polilical aim of giving voice 10 one or Olher opprtSSffi side of a difTerend . DUI. gi"en Ihe =ily or his ~rl 10 II>< (eeling o( lhe sublime in hi, crucial encounler ""ilh Kanl. Ihal kind of leslimony is limiled in how il can be gi,'tD and in ",'hal il can adlm. It i. nOllht case Ibal by simply &ivinll voice 10 a vielim 0(1."0'. one l¢Sliiks 10 Ih. difTe,..nd. Thai expres.sion musl al 1e..1 aim 10 cause a feelinll of lhe sublim. in lhe 51""'1810" This is nOI the ruse in mMI in Lyotard cannol simply ad,veale • polil'" or uncoveri ng anject could ne~. be simply one ,i!k of a diITe,..nd. On Ih. conlrary. ;1 has to be an objes1 imponanl essa)'$ ","rill"" by LyolO.rd an., T/rio Diff~"nd in order 10 .bow bow lhey.", applicalion' of Ibis political and philosophical method and how tbty exbibit Ihi. h .... h=. and n;bilism. despile olhor meriu. A neptivc critical condulion must be a" i,'ed al aner Ihi, 5ludy of lho role of judgement in Lyotard', philo»ophy of lhe diITe,..nd. [ shall pUllhis critique in lerms of th. quesliOTU about jndgcment Ihal remain unan .... ,.d from Ihe firsl ""Iion of tbi, chapler:

IICVCI"

,i.",,,,,

4 The higheot fonn of judgement cannol be dalmed for poillical and philO6Ophical j ud,"",""I' oo"","rning difTernnru. These jndgem.nt. "rn reslricted 10 .ingular inslants whe", the", i. a f«ling o( the subli"", and 0'" cloxd 10 any outside in'pe<1;on or ,,".n "'lro'pe<1ion. n..,.. cannol lhe",ro,.. be a sen.. of rushesl operating hel"'om fonn. or judgemenl. Howevcr, Lyotard is justified in defending lhal closu"': Il>c-re may he a form

'"

LVOTA R D AND T HE POLIT I CAL

of judsemenl based nn !he .ub~mc that does nol allow ror ismSmtnl indrpendcnl of iu nwn crilerion (Ihal a feeling of !he sublime is ft!t).

The polilics of !he differend is 001 viable in lerm. of reliability; Ihat iI, il cannol guaranlee that iu judgemenll will 1..1 any Ion,.,.. than a gi~ 'oxperience' of Ihe fcding of lhe: .ubUme. Neilher is il viable in terms of gcnrral conttplion< of judl!:""'<"l; thai is. iu claim. to ju'line cannOl he in,poclOd. So, 1>01 only is il a pnlitK:s lhallenifies to .boolute diffe,e",u. il also (\epmd$ illegitimately"" an "gleement wilh Ibal notion of difftltl .... for iu own claims 10 juSline if II>ose claim. are givt:rJ any ..... Iidity beyond a givt:rJ OXpe. i
6 Due to ill dependence on unpredictable oo;urrellOOS of the fcding of the sublime, the politics of the diffnmd cann", be ,.-ell defined in terms of wbat ;t §lands fo., including abo<:olulc difference. Instead. it ilCQuim a minimal consistency from Ihe in\cmal logic of thai feeling; that i.. the pnlitics of the diffnmd depmds upon but is also defined by the lri""ring of "simullaDeO'" auTaCtion to and failure of an Idea. of rea"",.

u.

6 THE SUBLIME AND POLITI CS

THE D1FFEREND AND POLITICAL PRA G MATICS After Ihe work on Kam and judgement in 1'Iw DifJ"md, lynlard', philo-sopl1y is directed 10 a sophisticated po1ilicalpnlgmatics. Thi. i. dri,"('I\ by the probl.." of how (0 testify 10 Ike diffm:t>d, give01 direcled 10 lhe aclual conflicl bUltt> lhe ne<:eSsity and failure of the Idea in actuality. "The teslimOlly to the diffemld disapp.... a!i a direct engagemenl wilh an irro!Qlvable difference and moves lowards an undermining of lhal which would rosol"e "",h difTe .. lICCS. Perhaps the moll striking aspect of this pragmalics is its negalivily. The particular is t~okled Ihrough Ih' medium of a universal in a way that negalos the desire 10 lreal each panicol.r case for i~lf. "The universal is laken on with a view to bind iliO lhe feeling of Ihe subli~ in order 10 u.ow lhe Umitations oflhe Idea. The feeling of the sublime pUIS lhe add" 'T into a disabHnl! tension lhat negates pleasu.. wilh pain and vioe ,·ersa. The .. is no escaping tbi., $ince il is the result of Lyotard's arg~nll concerning Kanl', d,d",,\ion of the gulf bet",..:n facultios. These a .. .-ssential for Lyotaro'l dedO>ction of the poSSibility of the difTem>d and of th' incom· men,unlbiUty of gen .... Ho""e'o.... mudo il ofTends fTlings for direct posit;,.. acl;on. Ihe poUlioal. os thoughltbrough tb, diffe ... od. <:an onJy be resislance

.""moo

gi-.,,,

".

LYOTARD AND THE PO LITI CAL

101M MIICIOOcipal desi", in lhe polilies of the diff''''nd is a ncPI"~ one: to negate Ide •• of reasoo as ""y. of bndginS diffemlds, Whal i. more, the way of acbievinS this ncption ~ nol open the way for an affinnali,,,, dri .... accordins to • singular intensity (plea.ure tbrough X, for nample)_ Exanly the opposite lak .. plaoe in the f.. lin& of tM sublime: 1"'0 intensilies block each other. Dcsp;le the con_ nection Ibrough a sha~ inl...... in the tvenl, lyolard's lalff oollClem with justice hu broughl bim 10 lhe onet opposite of hi. earlier .... ork, Ihal is. to a ",nu""i.otion of Ih. mO;-tTJ>/!'nl afforded by intensities and to the primary aim of neption_ Ths does not moan Iltat the I.ole, ~se nfthe polilieal cannot be vicv.'Od in a good light, Lyotatd', resislan~ to Ideas of ",,"son is givm a positi .... and quite traditiOflal contnt in the later chapte" of 1M DijJ~_ ResioOl he thOUght of in lenn. of O!'l!anit $Cnses of 1M human heing and the $ubj0 delib..,"i .... polilH.3 of modem democracies, the differ=d is e~posed. even lhough Ihe lranoa:ndental appearanc:e of a .mgle finalily that would bring

''''

THE SUBLIME AND POLITICS

il 10 a resolulion persist> in helping 10 forget the dirr.mI.ploiled by capitalism and its capacily 10 IhTi,.., in 'y.I""', where differenoes an: maintained 001 ,ub5umed uooe. Kgener~! meaSu~ Or sct o( nonn .. The firsl ""k. 10 bolsle. tht ideQIogical and narrali,.., sirength of demoaacy ('These an: the n:oson. (0' OU r uni''' .....! ideas'; 'This i. the aocounl of why our values an: legilimaldy un;'.., ..... I·). How""' •• Lyolard lries 10 rniel"Cnt manner and if Ihey instilled a SCnSC of futilily in the Mional reade, (..,..,,,,bing Uke lhe worb of E, M . Cioran. for ..ampl.). BUllhi. is not lhe ca..; if lhe~ i$ a lwing from ralional n:constNCIion 10 failun:. ;1 in"olv .. ralional judgemrnlS against Lyotard, ouch ·Thi. aTllumen, i. i""""'plet.·. as opposed to a ....... t;.,., of the coll,pse of rca""n itself. The book n .. nU." a. an invitation 10 follow an immanenl lhesi. and .. t of argumenlS prior to judging any of Ibe aternal cases or .rguments tbal it applies to, The aphoristic $Iyle of 1M Diff'~ is dialogical both betw..,n aphorism. and intemally, wit h a .trong emphasi. On ql><$tion. and an,,,,,,., ,,00 the ..,onornicol pu,.,uil of an argument a.cro.. a .... id. range of topics and problem •. We must look to the coll...,ion. of essays lluil follow T'/N, Dijfe,.ttd in order 10 find L}''
B'

LYOT .. RO .. NO THE POLJTIC .. L

L YOTARO'S POSTMOOERN I RONY 501~tion

Lymard 6nds for punin, his tboory of Ihe diffttend and the sub~me into action collClems a shift in form altd otyles. ThiJ shift can he justified altd e:1ves indusio1lll and exclusions.. For a 'wc' 10 cmc..,.. lbert ba, 10 be a prior selcction of who is aUowed to "U lhe !lory of Ihat ' we' and a prior unokrstandin, of how lhal lIory is 10 be told; thi' uDok .. landin, ""nllOl ilself be jl1ilificd by the namolive. His work OCI thia .'llUMnl tak.. p!aoc Ih,ou&b lhe ana.lysi< of Cashioahua slory.lellin. as rtponed by And ...·Marcel O'Aos in l.i Jit tk~.,aiI ~~. "The prob~ .... ilh any narralive of a right to tell Ihe ,tory of • community is that i1 involv« _ c:il"C"llla, 'trur;l urt: "1l>e Cashinanua narralor. authorily 10 tdl hi. stories i. dra""n from his name. His name. though. is authnrized by hi. stories. especially those thai recount the genesis of namt:I' (TO: 155). So, ;n thc case of thc 1789 Declaration: "The Dation. inasmuch a. it is _ communily. 0"'" the essenlial of its consistency and authority to the tntdiliO!tll of n"","" and narratives. These tradil;on, an: e:tne:I dubious wbcn applied in •• pccifK: ..... and. then. the application III", pJa.r;:e throu&b rite medium of • narralive: '"The mcmbcn of lbe Constit,,",,1 A..cmbly would have been prty 10. ··tranlCeSldcnlal appearance"' and ~n The

THE SU B L I ME AND POLITI CS

perhaps 10 a *"""IUl. n..y hallucinated humanity within tbe nalion' (1 47). So the ...",Iid Ia.k for bi, polilics. afler Ih. isolation orlhe Idells ope"'lIi", in a givm commllflily, is 10 idcnlify aDd retell thai on.n hidden and forgo n .n namti'o"C. Butth;, mellin, must lake on a ~ .pecific fonn. namcly. 0""' lhat rekindles tbe cf\(rgi.ing eIT..,t of the reaUsalion Ihal our vocalion i. to bring universal idea. inlO tbe actual, but that also makes u.1ooe hope in the possibility of SO doing. The form host .uited 10 these 1I. ;n Inb is irony. tll.ol if, a. Jincere as poosible ao e_ocalion of lhe drh'inl .... mllive accompanied by ilJ alm""l imperceplible undoin,. The ironic form of lyOl~rd'. 10ler essaY' lak.. on many diIT=1 . 1)·1t5nearly all orwhidl haH hccn used by him 0., ... 1008 periods. They include: I 2 3 4

S

6

Rcport«l dialogu .. bet~ anonymous lhird-person male alid femal. voices (· H.'; ·Sh.'): 'Ca n Ihoughl go on wilhout a body", ' lnleresting,; Fictional wort stori .. wilh an overtly philosophical Ie$son (moralily tales): 'Mar~ goes 10 Japan'.·A poslmOO<'Tll fable'; Ma nncrcd. hyper .....lh.lic .xercises on COmmon oomcmpofllr)' problem" 'Sc.peland'. 'Domu ... nd lhe mrgalopoli. ', 'The zooe'; !'flIgrOent. and rd\tdion. pro"oked by problem. in aestheties or work! of art: ' Newmiln: Ih. in.laot', Ibe .ublimc aoo the ."lnt-prde', ' Somclhing like commllflicaTion ...·i lhoul communicaTion" 'Representation, p ..... ntalion, unprcscntablc', ' Speech snapshot', 'After The sublime, the sial. of aesthelics', 'Conservalion and colour', 'Obediencc', ' Paradox on lbe graphic artisT" ' A mOnumenl of poosibles" ' Music mulic' , 'Anima minima'; Di ..... lalion. on familiar philosophicallhelhef, su conlemp<>l"'dry ="",,",11: ' Rewriting mod.miTy', ' M.It... aDd timc', 'Ll>gru and ItCW, or tel~­ gflIphy', 'Time loday', 'God and Ihe pUppel'; Remarks <>n oontemjXIrary political, ~ulTural and philosophical issues: 'TIle wall, lhe gulf, Ih. SYSlem'. '''The .anh had "" roads to begin "'Ih"', 'TIle genera) lin.', 'A biza rre panner', 'Directions to ser>"anl''. 'Unbeknown.t', 'The iOlinw:y of lerror' .

Quile often an .... y j U'laposes lhese SI}'1es in order 10 reinforce lhe ironi<: eIT«1 or 10 corred a failure in irony. The categorisalion abo .... i. therefore approximal. and open 10 review, depending on whal i$ laken to be: the dominanl .Iyle of a givm ..... y, The common Ihread lhal holds Ihese styles logether is 1M combillillion of great familiarity and IlrangcllC$5. On the surface ea.:h or the <:>say. gQe$ over a well-known oomemp<>rary problem, Iox:h as ' Whither t~hl>Olog;.·..1 man?', leasing oul e$S<'Otiallheomical or common-sense condu.ions. These are then synthesised thank. to an Idea Ihat we are nol dearly consciou. of, but lhal >trik.. u. as fundamenlal oocc il i. broughl 10 our altention by

LYOTARO AND T HE PO LIT ICAL

L}'Ught logdher lodoy by lbe hounan task of making om.. of technology', OUI Ihis strong and eonvi""ioll line of argumenl, luised around" .luired sen.. of whal is <><xurrin, 10 us and why, i. almosl imperoeplibly undenniDf:d by ot1>cr suggestions. The operation of Ihis .uggestion takn many form&. and Ihi •• xplain< tbe vaIYty of styles. Each t;me. though, uIICCnainly and doubl a", introduced often in a very shon .pace or """"rding 10 a variation in delivery. Th. pfOblom for tbe reader is tluillhis doubl &1QWS on doser inspeaion: Wluil can oppra.r, al first. to be an incidental remark or lapse in style is. in faet, inlricalely wOven into ,,'hat appeared 10 be most familiar and clear-cut. The ,ublin>(: is a produet of this lechnique: tbe moment of lbe 311raetion 10 Ihe syntbelic and purposeful power of 1h< Idea is al.., _ fall inlO f~hnil' induCC0 Idea. But lhe negative ..... aknw of thaI work i. also shown. Who .. can w. 50 from bere? W. have been painfully discouraged from any meaning and, by e.ueo,ion. from other thread. that couk! guide us on from lhe pictures. We luive al$O been allracted to lbem for lheir negat;ve power wilh respec1 to knowledge. The rnulling frustralion and di9OQuragtm01l1 is

'"

THE SUBLIME AND POLITICS

rq>eated througb aU of LyDlan:!', later essaY'. Th;, ilOeLf reinf"""", their nihili.tic: impact. W. are rq>eatodly dra .... n in, thnl dropped: 'The photo ceases 10 wppor1 the arpmenunion of lhe scienlists, il SUiprndS lhe diate..:tic (for an instant), ynkasbn! tableau vivanl. Grasp meif you ean . BUI it wililx or has been too early or 100 lale' (1].4), Nihilism aside, an internal problem with this approach is il. lendency 10 Failure becau"" of Ibe skill. and kn o.... lodse il demand. of il' readers. I $hall not qx-nd m""h lime addressina lhe diff=l f>OS$ible non-ironic: inlerpreuuion, of Lyolud', !aler ll>ougbl. 0tI the ooe hand, lhe", i. a &imp\< first-or-der readina who", tho ironic func tion of the e5$ay i. simply missed and "-l>" 10 10 beyond "'hat in the pall may h."" countod a, the fuodameotal humao ,'alues and 10 embrace a ,upcrhuman, highly t..:hni""l and immalerial set of vall>e!l. Thi, readinl miMes hi. allemp! to undermine slICh dreanu by demonslratinl their d
"'~ On tho othor hand, there i. a reading 1"',1Ial" overly atluned 10

Lyot~rd',

work OIl the event Ibal,..". the laler essay. a, moves into a .tron,ly tthic:ol ,tanoe. On lhis reading, lhe work OIl na'rlIliveo of legilima,i<m, on Idr... of realiOll and 00 actWiI a,p""" of OOIItemp<:>rary """""", <eclInology, philosophy, economics and p<:>lilK:a, is llrictly crilic:ol. Strict in tM stOSC lhal il can divest it$$ition. This would M the- philosophy of resistance tn mod.m Idea. and contttnp<:>no.ry roltu,.., politics and economiea in the name of tM e..-ent, of ",hal caollOf be ,ep, escn1ed a.a:;ordiol In those ideal and within lhooe cooternp<:>rary ItfllCtU..... Thi. i. a mO ... plausible position, if only becau$< il can cite many ;mp<:>rumt pas.s.ges where Lyolan:! doses ..... ys Ol\ lhe- idt.a oftestifyinllo thai which cannot be rep ..... mod but "'hidI hal an ineslimabl. val"" for Ihal '-ery re.liOII. For uample in 'The ,"""ral line', dedic:olod to Gilles Deleuu, be makes Ihe followina claim, '[[bumanity .1001 nol p ....."'. the inhuman rq:ion in which w. can meel this o r Ihal wbicll completely escapes the um:ist oFrigblS, .... do not meril the rigbli thaI "''t ba"" been recognised' (PF, 12 ll. The pas.sase quotod abo .." cannot be read as • simple ap<:>logy fnr an 'inhuman region' wilMut cancelling Lyolan:!', moll consislenl &l'!urnenlJ "'lnoemina how 10 ~ that whicb escapes rights or Idea .. Rcsisla""" can only take place: thrOUgh a posit;"" attraction to modem [
'"

~

YOT A IID AN D T H E

~O~IT ' CA

L

i! is 11... ys dcpendell! Of! the f~li", of!he lublime, pcThaJll e>.u:ndcd to other f,,"'inll of """ulta....,... attraction and ~Ision from 101 a position in illdf _ o.>e ~t is ...... nt to . 1I0 w modem ins.i.u.ioaJ to be proIonpd f.... of modem doi"", to universality in Itmll of norm. aDd val..... Poli!ically. 1M IWO thin kon sha~ a resillanee to universalit)'. Bu t l yotard'l potition is m..ch lighler in lCrml of whal il.ppli., 10 _ Idea. - ~nd how il uodtrmillCl tMm _ tbe lublime. The: price of this metllodol~ cobe~nee i. a nihili,m thllt maktslM claim tlLat 110 is supportin, or retiain, liben.l democracy impossibk to IU$lain. This may also be tbe ease for Rony. but the mtSOll' will be diffntTlt.

THEIN ti UMAN If 1M ironic form of Lyotard'. essays ill>OI primary in ttrms of billa! ... poIitn the ..I«tion of the 1oCI...1 cues ~t tum back OW cnth...aa.m for liven l<.ka. of mtlOll is impo .... nl and distinctive. I uve divided thae CQtS intn two cate.,.ies: tM inh"""," " nd .....11.... This is 0 ... ,.,. ha, divUion and ..Io!ction ofheadinp. ~ tM cues cannot be IeffI 10 a:M: riO< to a of CQnoep .. <>pp<>OoIe proj«t of tM lat ... CISIt)'l. [t would mate no ....... to Ipcllk of l yOlMN" philosophy of tM inhuman Of of ",.11... , for tbi. would be 10 ni nt""'""" the t~ .. fthinkina by kadi", Ideas Of Cd Ispect of the con,ribution and theIpproach to i"humanity in a alllt en!iali" and non-truscc:ndo
eon,;"""",

new..,

'"

•

THE SUBLIME AND POLITICS our Idea of the human_ SUI he don nOI ac<::epllhullhey offer lhe la51 word on lhe Idea in iu capacily 10 provide a powe1"ful Ihread 10 conlemponlry Ihouibl_ For enmple. on< of the dominanl Ideas disnlr.sed in the later ..... y. i. 'The human mWI not be .anh-bound· or, mo", fonnally. 'The human is inor",n;';', At finu s.ighl , there appea"10 be lillie connection bel ....... n th_ Ide ... and lhe Kanlian definition Ii'= in the pr<:";OUI chapl..-, because of the appar<:ntly sensible prope"ies ·..."h_boumf and ' inorpn.,', Th_ oughl 10 be seen as conCO:p1i of lhe undeManding thai can he 'l:rifi«l throu'" an appealln ",nsible inluition., SUI LyOiard rai ... them 10 an ideal level by making th<m horizon. of an abslract Ihoug!ll_pr«:C'$!, This proo<ss begins, fi.-.I, wilh the observed depletion of eanhly «:SoU","" bUllhi. is Ihen reasoned 10 Ihe abillract limil of Ihe end of the world as providinl a viable environment for buman life, Socond. aclual ...... rch inlO non-organi<: 'yslems Ihal uhibil human capacilies .pch as thou"'l is "",soned 10 tlk limil of a wholly non-organic human. Two actual field, _ conc:..-n wilh Ilk environmenl and ","un;;h inlO artificial intciligmco: - ha"" their COe Idea is Ihen only given ito full sirength when the myth or namllive of Ih. end of the world is also a namlli"" Qf a renewal of human lif. elxwher<:; Ibi, is lhe poslmodem fable: from Ih. essay of Ilk .am. name, 'AIl oflbi. ","arch lums out, in facl, 10 he dedicaled, closely or from afar, 10 testing and n:-modening the so-callM human body. or 10 replacing it, in IUch a way lnatlll< brain remains able 10 fUOCiion with Ihe aid only of lhe ....'IY .-.:sou"",," avoilob\e in lite cosmos, And so wal p"'part: of lhe negenlfOP;C sy>tern far from eanh' (PF: 91), 11>e poinl here is 1>0110 determine wlklher LyOlard i. ullimalely righl in bi. isolation of this particular Idea and namllhl:_ This would lead 10 lhe falUOU. journaliltic diocuuion of lhe importance of scieooe Iktion, political opeeclJeo on the lwenty-lim ""nlury, apocalypli<: movements and SO on_ AI Ihis >lage, his work is pragmali<: 10 the extent thai uppooing lhal [d.ea5 O:ODOCmina a nonorganic fUlur<: provide a gwdin. thread for thinking aboul the futu", for humanily: here is the ironic: Yenion he proposes for il in 'Time loday' :

m

L YOTAIlO AND THE POLITICAL

The human race i. al",ady in the &riP of the II" dty ofha.in, tn <"IaCuare the solar 'yitem in 4.S billion )nrs. It .... ill have b«n lhe lraMirnry ".bicic fo r an oxln:mdy improbablo ~ of com· plexifil
n.

Lyotard gi,"(!' this

,pee'"

.'w .

(IN: 6S) ~,wunt

in .uch a way thaI il i. shadowtd by tile

",ali"'lion tballhe buman i. nOt what il pre$<'rVed o. of val ... in this Idea of a non-organic human fulu ..... Fo. example, in 'A poslmOOern f.bIo· he his 0"'" version of lbe namlli~ that underpin> the [de. by analy.ing it in tcrms of a double mi'lilke on the bW1Llln. "The na.rative owes nothing to a human hisloricity. It is. physicol hislory 'conoemed only ""itb ene.gy and mailer as a $\al. of eDCfJY' (98). It i. not a hillory of paST, prcsmt and futu", wh.", the capacity of human comciou ...... hold. past and future in a priviicged preoont. It is a history of.n"'l\Y wherelhe pre>ml of energy does nOI prescr.'C lhe paST o. anticipale lhe futu",: 'AI for lhe events ("it happened Ihal . ,") Ihal punctuate the fabuioLl! hiltory of encrgy, the lane. neilher awaillool ""ainlthern·. The hislory has 00 end, in lhe ... " .. of. lon ....·fo. m'lancipa.ion; it i. "",,,,ly a pa . .... from "'" m.al.ri.ol ,Ial. 10 a mon: complex OtIC, ""ith no ..0.. or va lue OtM' Iban growth in complexity, Finally, rhe hislory dors no! allo"" ror hope, a beu..fUlure belonging '\0 a .uhp;1 of hislory who promises himlher'1elf - or 10 ""hom has been promitoed - a final perfection' (99). So lhe irony of Lyotard', thesis regarding lhe Idea oflhe human as a ber on a non-organic fUlure i, Ihal the lIamlti"" tha I brings Ih;' ide. to ~fc for n. is dehumanised. It is K poslmodem fahle in that it is shorn of humon meaning ""hi)" still mainlainin!! the form of modem teloo~1 namllivu: 'For h""k of an "",holology, the conjugated, lhe conjugaled m""hanicalDw and conlingency of the story it lelh \t.a"" IMU,III suffcrl", for a lack of finality. Thi. suffering is the postmodem stat. of lhouan', whal i, by agr ... menl called in rhese times its cri .... ill maIKise, Or ils mcl.D
"Me

T

THE SUBLIME AND POLITI CS

IIOmetimes Bppur lhal he i. not only using Ih. mda""hoU. lhal .... ult. from Ih. moJi .. tioo ofth. md of humanity in t""hoology, hUI that he YK"" it as

Ibe only possible reaction to Ihis process, Somelimes h.

in~ill:S

Ihis

conclusion; lhe IateJ Ih. essay, Ih. more lrue: Ihis appea'" 10 t.. ('Wilh no cognilive or ethical pretension, lhe fable granls inolf a poetic o r aeslhelic .taluo. It ha. wonh only by ilS failhfuln ... to 1he pOSlmodem atT(!C'(ion, molancbolia' (PF: 101)). Thi. w<>uld imply lha1 lho", WlU no point to lhe dominance of Ihal negalive inhumanity . The", .'" Ibemo", lwo ... nses of lhe inhuman al work in LyOlard's laler ...... y., The one he 5e. a ..... n a. hwnan ..... SOD in Iho sense oflhal "'hieh provitlnn Fabk. 10 hi' mOSI """,ful dofinili<>n< of . he po$1modern in ·Ans ....,.;n' lhe ql>eSlion: Whal i, Ihe poslmodern" included in lh. English tnmslalion of lA COltditkm IHmmoJtrn~ (l9"Nb; English lransliltioo 1984<:), Properly, the postmodern in .rl, philosophy and lil.talun: i, tbal ..'nieh dislur'" an emerging order in Ihom, It d ocs so by I
r,..

LYO T ARO AND THE POLITICAL

Thi, ",.an, rhal rtwril;ng works wilh rhe sa",. 'malerials' and in Ih~ same direction'" rhe an, pOlitics and philosophy of lhe inhuman oUlline!'ril;ng ha. been.1 work. for. long lime: now. in modernily itself.' If 1110 direction bert is clea r and indeed ralbor unorigina!. the malerial, for fo11",,;ng il art very hard to pin down, Ibough Ihey alone can make the effon stand oul from Ibe proUf.... lion or doubl. aboul modem ' Iechn.,.. .a.nce' . In Lyola"'" definilions of tbe postmodem and the inhuntlln, lbe:rt is" .pl;1 bel"... n a rtlum 10 FTnId and tbe matttJ oflhe UJlCOII5<:ioUI and a use of Kant and 1110 Iubli me:. On lhe one hand. lbe prnctice of suggested =Iltction Stt\tII to indicalO a ,,'ork on a .pccilic ulICOnscio"," malltJ thai undtJlies order in art, Ide., and so On. This reo.:olltction aim. 10 rtlea .. affecls in the ...... of using lhem to indicale and work Ihrough lOT"'''''' " 'ilhin orde,. This is exactl y what Lynlan! does in u,ing irony 10 allow whal Ideas co""".1 wilhin lbem .. lves 10 "'OTt . Iowly to lbe .unace. Tho =Ilcction, bo"'e'o'tl", doe:! nol work directly on aITec" but on the mallre shared by deptb aod oarl"ace: languase a. !be fonn of communication. By experimenting on t be fonn of language in Ibc: many difftrtttl """ys oUllined ab<we. hi' irony can allow doubl 10 CJCep into order. Thi. fonn. in il' opennes:IlO eJlperimentalion, is Ihal which leaves lbe Idea opon 10 a return of Ihe affect: 'Being prtpllred 10 receive whal Ih.oughl is not prt'potred 10 Ihink is what desc:rvntlte ruorne oflbin king. A. I bave said. lhis attitude is 10 be found in repuledly ralional langwt8t u moxh a, in lbe: poelic. ill an, onlioary 1angua~, if, Ihal is.. it is ,""",,nlial to the copiti"" discou ... to progress' (IN : 7J). On tbe otller hand. away from this definilion of I,," inhuman as a n:lalion bet...-..", "IT""t and on/tr Ihrough .. form Ihat makes both possible, Lyotanl alllO defines 1110 inhuman in Ie""" oflh. Kanlian , ubli",.. In Ihis ca. ... the affects an: not invoh-ed in. tran.f,,,,,oc or inte,f.,e,,,", tbrough form. 'They art involved in Ihe delennination and communicalion of a limit 10 o""'r, a poinl on which ;1 depend. 1><01 lhal il cannol caplun: or rtp~l . ~ diIT~I~""" is bctwocn Iwo types of resistance, Ibough LyOl,anl oftrn potSgei from one 10 1110 other be<;ausc: they share a pragmatic .eslbelic respOnse 10 Ihe problem of 1>ow 10 resist. Th. $vanl.ganle in an, politi ... or philowplly has 10 be: conocilled " ;Ih fonn and arre<:l<.

n"

THE SU BLIME "'1'l0 POLITICS

But. in tb~ case oflhe sublime. Ibislance is in lhe name of an impossi. bility. thaI is. in the e' "eftl a .... blimc fcc~ng lie! the limit of tile claim. of reason: 'The q..eslion mark of the Is il hawening? &tops. With the O<XUTref><X. lhe will is defeat«l. The a,,,m-gardiSlliUk mnains Ihal of undoing Ibe ~umplion oflh~ mind wilh ~pe<'l10 lime. The sublime fco:ling is the name orthi. privalion' ('The $ublime and lhe a,,,nl.pn!e·: !(7). Whereas. in the case of anamne1is. rcsiSlall<X is in lhe nam~ of an im.rf.... ncc. lhal is. a passage of inlense affecls from mau ..... the rich form of language. 10 Ih. order of a language overly dclermined by llCieooe aod tecbnology: 'AI a Ie~l below languaga;. work •. instiMiol\$. al'o1iays lying lalmt beneath the audible bUI never rov.red by il. Ihi. brealh does not spak. it moans. il mUllc",' (PF: 2M), Whal is implied by Ihis divide in definitions of the inhuman as disturbing maU.r 01' disabling limil'llbe lau .... is mli ... ly COfI,istenl "ilh the aim of reoitin8 the Idea throu8b an oppeal to th •• ub~me. The inbwnan i. lhe sublime ilse)f in lhe way it indicales Ihat Ideas of ...ason cannol be p!(3(OI«l: Th~ ,ublim~

is not a pl .... 'u .... il is a pica ...... of pain: ...~ fail to

pl.:.ut the absolute. and IILaI is a di.pkasu .... bu~_ kl>OW thal"~ ba~ 10 preKnl it. thai the fllCUhy of fco:linll or imagining is eall.d on to b"", about the sensible (the image). To present wlo.al ..... son can conceive. and even ifit ""nl>Ol manage to do this. and _ .uff.r from this. a pure pleasu ... ;s fell from this_ (, Represen1
'"

LYO T A Il D AND T HE P OLITI C A L ~"son ;n

Il>eir rok wilhin democ:nllic debale: by lriggc:rin. il in pa,.,icipanu 10 lhal debat., this is M Ir.nsf
M A TT E R Furthe:. objd' and 'Dom ", and Ihe megapole'). In these ...... ys, Ito: writes on space a, landscape and dwelling place '" a, to ..~ ... w and dioturbing ways of thinking abom our .. lation 10 what we ..., and whe ..... liV
132

THE SUBL I ME AND POLITICS

moves from, study oflh~ orpnisin& printiplco al work in our ",\ation to. \ane f~ is coveml over by • counlC1laDOO and uneo,,," the countcnaDOO. The INNOCENCE of .... alking in il is fOfionen. Prescriptio", ","gin to come and go bn"'ft'n you and me' (190)_ A ~ible art of the f""" .... ould Ibm be 10 f..... parts of the face. ils flcsb. ils colour from organisalion in order 10 rcleaS1:' new poMibilil i«, n,,,.. conncction .. new ""')'I of thinkine- Thi' move barb back to similar moments CODCCmill3 fIesb and body paru in LlbiJi1l<J! ENHJOmJ' ('Gaze of an eye .•10.... , IhO0 mOrt: Ihan a profile. EIIYJX' (29). This ",Iurn 10 ~bidinal philosopby can also be found in the main of TN InhllltJQ!t and p~~,,,,,,,*,.,, Fabl~s. LyO)UlNl ",/ket. again through Chance, Ouchamp and John Ca@!'. Bul each lime. wile", Ille early won: 51! ' ••• conductinll of int .... itio!:$ thrnugh malt.r Bnd a tnt ...· formation of WUeed for judgemml discllS5Cd in the previous chap1
rd.=

l YOTARD AND THE POLITICAL

profOlllld malta. The armlCd soul "" 'the minimal condition ohesthetics' is giYCfl a comprehensi .... role in th.e lata work; it bu claims over aU 51ructurcs: '11 would suspend not only tbe prejudsmenlS of the world and of $ubs~ bUI abo those of,ubjectivity and of life' (249). Ho ___ . from th.e point of view of the main co"""Pt of il>e libidinal pIIilosopby, dissimwation, the mistake lies in the idea tbat maller hu this all· inhibiting bold 011 other Siruc:tUret through the simultaneity of temlr and delight. In the 3Oul-oriented language of'Anima minima', Lyolard desaibes m.;. hold thus: "The l1IIimll is tbreatened with privation: lpoedi, lisht. lOund, life would be absolutely !acting. "That'. '""". Suddenly the threat is lifted, the terror lifted, WI Mliglr,' (245). The detcription ofmatter u sublime in il.l mOIl raw relation 10 smsalion p....upposes that structures an: DOl _."'ry fot matter to cause affects. But the combination of _salion. described in the ""blime (terror and delighl. pIea.s= and pain) are dependent on contingent llructures. "There is no '.. ' wry relation lhat holdl between the structu"," mcc:ilted witb expoctation and tbote associated with the fear tbat nothing nI/Iy oo;>;ur. So then: i. no "'"" liT)' to the sublimity of. given thina. Not aU .pcctato~ are rmdoered $ilenl by a Barnett Newman painting. There caJl he pauern. of behaviour and arCistM: creation that break the bond of pleasure and pain in tbe .u~. Lyotafd admil.l u mucb when be makes distinclionl bet"au ""blime and nOll-llublime art. For Kant. however, the Savoyard peasant who 'unhesitatinalY called all lovers of lOo ..... lI1Own.in. fool.' (II S) can at Iea,t in prirlciple become ... bjec. to the sublime power of the mountain$. 11Ii. ;, because the .u~ dqlcndo 011 • shared buman nature that makes the sublime equally IIh.reab/e (116). In the coDOepl of ofusimuLotiOll, Lyotafd 'U",,"U that inte,wty must .... ort throuib structuret and that their relation has DO rwcs"ry f... ures. HiJ po~tica tben deploys principles for an active passivity thaI aIlowJ intensity to be conducted throUj:h as many WllCtUTel U possible. thereby expJoitiq iu polymorphous quality. This po~tica io also ... b""nive of !be latcr work on the ""blime. iD panicular where it can be n:o:Iuccd to. claim for a privileged n:giOD best adap«:d 10 the occurrmce of the feelin, oftbe sublime. Any .uc.b reaiOll is always in contact with othe~ and is always opea intensities other tbm the ""btimc:.....ould he the claim of the tatly work. LyOUtrd claims. in 'ADima minima'. that there is a pun: acstbetlc even. thai bu. special and djgblinl ril"
'0

on.

7

CONCLUSION. A WITHDRAWAL FROM THE POLITICAL?

NOSTALGIA AND ANAMNE S IS I.. (~" ",",urin. lind ~·"'01 ..~r ,he ""I< miahl be with tbe tb<me of the sub!i ..... 1110 nihilist problemalica from whldl it ]>footeds is diffllS«l in10 overy trun.... nt. U..... ry and .nistie. of tho ocnsiblc. Nihilism docs "",.;.an end the efficitncy of the ......' no, .. of ...... ncipation. it does not just load to ,he

,i.,...

.... ofv.tl .... . nd th< dath of God, ..-hick =>der ..... aphy>i<:l impoooibio. It ca," .... picion 011 the data of ....,betic:a. (PF: 24S)

The two> dominant and most consist .... l political po$itioru 10 come ou1 of Lyotard's muggie with nihilism an: Ih. passj,"C polito of I..ibiJUrtII Eronomy aDd the acti~alion of Ih. f ... ~ng of 1be sublime againO! Idea. of reason in T1te Diffrrelld. I lia .... argued tbatth. fo,,,,.( is mon: I,,........ful than Ih" lane. ;n ...,..pinS a fuodam .... tal reliance Oft negalion, bccau.e il has an affirmative oritntalion wilh rtSj)Cd 10 (...lings and desim defined u

libidinal inlmsilies. Aa:ordin! 10 LyOlard', definilion of nihilism in UbiJiNJl Eronomy. Ibis fundamental activity of nesalion and limilaliof!

;ovol,..,. alum .way from inltlUities, Ihe alTo"", lbal can dillum and reinvigorate a moribund Slruc\u~. Gi",," lhat tl>< tum is fUOOamemal, tl>< drift away from Ibis rein"';gor.llion is final and the grealest danger Ihen becomes II hopei'" rdlcction on Ibis .ndle:u defemll. So, even if • phik>. sophy is bw.ed OIl I"" po.... r of feeJingo againSI muoluru, as i. I"" caoe in lynlard', Laler philosophy, thU philosophy can still "" nihili,tic, When affect. are 'till th.oughl of in terms of a fundamenlal negali"" .truc\u~. woh u th. connection of aUnelion and repulsion in a nq:alion of on. anoll>
'"

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IIO!'' '

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Ina

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,.11 1"'1\

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podso.dl _

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P"II!WIVUl :Iq """ IIIp U* ....... ~l2U1I JO :pi! "'II """ "'!~ MI .......

JO

~:>I[ ~I ~I!No ~ IIIp MlJ .(.1" 1 )1<:1 .ah~n ~I

JO

~III 1110 lum~

100II\!A' .... ]1 q1no.lIlI ~JO "'''"" IWi!U!W. ~ OJ!"bxC>! '!A!).)I """II \II) ...oH '_11'" I1J!l""'I ""I 1u!m01JO~ JO SIO!I!A!).)I "'!I II] ""!I ",,!I!!od ....!I!""ld

* olllll~~ UIOJJ~"""" '!'I11l~d 11111 IQp1JoKl ~ '(~tt

:.::Id) ,p;I~p= all I'InQI(I I] "'Q~ 1",1 0.1 ""!I"OIII.... 11ft 100 '''''''11''' III]Jnq JO »UUI"W "'II 11I!lllnI:u .:.oj I:>]POd 011 "! OJ"'II P"V '~'" 01 pxn dw"'P"(] 1""'*11 n '.ntnt!p Mpo.(lJ"P.. p". IIUU!IUW! :1 JO 1 1141111'" lnO-lwnq :Iq JfIIW .bu. '''''''11 IlIo.dI ;unlln:l 1"'" .(poq "'1\ """" ~"I!p;I'WU'! "'II lOJ •... ""'"J lJ"'III JOJ p;l1F'!!OI 1OU;m;oomlll 'mo:p< ~\III..L ' 1IO!l]p003 rAOIJl:».Id pu1 snopuou"" '!lll1u]Jnouoq III!"" poIlq> ;m JJ"I JO """III., :,IrI2]:"" 1W!'lV, : 1 P""I!' P .... 'WfP pMlA' • 01 A:ootII!lWI llOq ""'" .... N '1JO!lOUi II! ~nJ.Jft1Jl I'" lillp "1 , """ pu1 do!PO) ~nlS!P ~I ,(oql :sam).:olUl1! qtllO.l1ll _.11"1 JO ~pooo ~!\iO<'3' • JOJ :n!l" I "'"'" ~ JJ"I JO qJOlll. '1IlO¥Uq :Iq 01 -"!-'! .... o! pu11J!1'1 ~M"qd JO :a:wl!lfI ""'ldoa ~I MlJ ""'OIr- 1111' p;IoOlOfJOJ >q """ 1'=1[11"""" ON .. Id CfI[I

,u

'V J I.I, I'O~

3HJ. (JNV aIVJ.OAl

CONCLl)SION

only the prejudgmentJ of tlUs world and of SUMtallOO but abo thOle of subjectivity and of life' (249). We Ce. comes fonh 8$. coming !)ac,k·. Whallhis me:ans is that !he f<:ding of the sublime: occu ... as a return. in the smse of beinl lCIXImpani.ed hy a f... liog that sometlUtlj lost has "'turned in a different fann. The f...linl of Ihe sub)ime is Ihen not a remembering of a positi\'C IhinJ; it is an attraction to a PCSis. How can they be repea ted in dilTen:llt Silu.olion •. Ibat thl:y then connect. wit bout elevating the impossi_ bility to "" position of sin&k mO$t important a~pect of a poJitK:(> How could that potiti<:s survi"" .. an activity that "",nl beyond singular illllanCC:l

L VOTA ItO AND THI! P O LITI CAL 0( ....··I""! Lyowd',

workin& tt.ro..,b !be put • llihilistic ..,,;j .... bjeo;t 10

!be same WIIlradictioM IS Iho politO 0( Iho wblime: 'All Wt I CIlD do • ttll how I CLII DO Ion&er evaI tdl the story' (II). this t • "'"'Ylhin& 111m 111m: CLII be DO ... y 0( CII$Uli!l& • MUtt e..en for tlwse loCI$. 1'Iwte • DO or drive to oeaork tbe put in \be libidinal philo1Opb)'. pqsivily" ddined. fint. in _ 0( positi"" piQo;iples WI allow for dIanc:e _neCtiODS aDd iDttmitios to IWde our KtionI (_k po.c.] . , in Ibe blurri!l& O(botd.ets betv.tlell wllal • dj.,,, l ..,,;j Ibe tlwory lhat il. mulliply priDcipiea of etllLDCiation, and invite f, ilure inlO do.:o...ne). Second. il is defi ned in terms of rocpti"" pt illcip .... lhal auKIe us ....y from the activilies of free ....bj«u, from ~f-idcntily ..,,;j from 11>0 Kloction of affects (do DOl wiD IS • free wb;lndoni"1 tnalysis, d o not belieYo thaillTOI:U CIlD be chOleD). Tbe IW1I to lbe pUt could 110( tbetd"ore be willed. Neitlw-r could DOmlp. be pt ..... vtod IS W I wbicb ai- "",,\inuit)' 10 .... ' loCIioM. A IIOflllaic IU....u., would be OM 0( tbe ItniCIII/"CS WI c:ouId I1UP III. But. II __ II il did.. Ibe principles or Iocti"" puaivily woIIkI pus!> for ill deuliXioa II I lUUCIurc that auidecll>II' act;vily. IS. primary..,,;j iIobtlod _IIrt, III _ U"' thai we CI>IIld. ct.w+ , W I """'I to IIW:IJI for ........ WI dcfuwd wtUdtt affecll wtft III>bk ""'- worth ...kctia&Doa this simply amounl to • witbdnwal from the potitio:ll, dcfuwd IS • ~ ClIp. " ...1 wido poIitiall t...!ies iII.... ""'- Ihooiy? Do tbe princi~l .. of 11:1 ..... po . ';Iy oIlow for critical wort apiall a aiYftO ou.te a.ood for • bene, one? 00 they . lIow for a pl~tio:Illlnll&k 0/1. partio:uJar"", for riahll and apinsl diJf;riminatioo and iIIjllltioe. for !WImple? Could they form lhe bIsia for. political idoroIoty thai exoulcl
o..c.

....w"" Act,,,,,

_i.,

w-

'''''''hiq

_1fI1)'.

OJ.

CONCLUSION po~tical .tructures.

The main concept of libidinal economy. dissimulation,

implic$ that .tructura an: always necessary. But. equally. tbey an: always open to the unpredictable occurrentt orin to""itito. libidinal economy is a Slnitegy thai _kJ 10 1 _ struclUres and 10 opon lbern up 10 ........ possibililies de6ned as now com'ol'allhal can be .hooen. in tn. ..",.. of guOl be judged nepli""ly with resp«:I to whal may be 10 oome, ';ncc it is nol defined. This allow. us to interpn:t lilt tall liDe! of LibidiNl/ EcMomy as a respon .. 10 lb. problem of tilt withdnlwal from fam;~ar ....... of lbe political gon""ted by a philooophical rcar of nibi~sm: Wbal w<>uld be inIC .... ling would be to llay put, but quic:tly ociu .""ry chance 10 fullClion as good intcnCCrou' tensors in the bodi.. of &igm;. We invenl nOlhing. thafl it, yes. yes.. -~. T'II<-~

(262)

;, no withdrawal. in lhe .. n .. of a night 10 a place ",mol. from

political .ituation$. We mU$1 '''''y puf . N.ither is then: a wilhdrawal in Ih . ...... of n:fU$ing 10 ...·on: through Itliditional polilical institution., SO 10Dg as their goah and ",.thoW are not laken as final. InSI.~d. familiar polila l Itnxlu .... (declarations. manif.. t .... organisation •• prograJlU'JleO and project, ) an: &il" within which ~ must follow tbe principl.. ofacti""

'"

LYOTA R D AND THE POLITI C AL

puoivity in order to allow DeW, dcotabilising intensities 10 0CCIIl. So ' Ibe political' is M""sary but 00{ primary. II is a COOlingmt coolel
A POLIT I CS FO R W HOM ? However, even if it is the cue thai Lyotard does 001 simply tum !til back on ImitionalICD of lhe political, would nOI • &. IC,al active passivity imply • ,"';ble ond (0 ' ''''I polilict? l.ibidiNri Eamomy is written .. if il is for • minorily <''''''' ~bidinal economisu') ... b.... c.riste-noc is made poaible by lhe role of conspiraton. They wort. within Clpilalism for the power of intensities. Their identity is IleetinS since il is defined by events tbat are btyond their onntrol, tllouglllbey are cIared by tbe search ror passivilY. But the principles of sud an activily do not have an in-builll'Qtriction to a limited sroup. The work on ~bidinal oconomy is not easily "" ible. bul neither is it a form of osotericism. So ... hal bapporuo if we all bccomtCOtUpiralors? A general a>fUpin.cy appears (0 toe a conlmictioo, lince then: ... ould toe oobody 10 am.pire .pinsl. Would not lhis lead rapidly to an absence of political .truc1un:s througlo an . ~ nco of people prepan:d to uphold thtm? WliCre would intensitica occur then1 Do not subversive and oeditious feelings and dcoireo depend on cnmpla structures of laws. indusioruo. excl usinruo, CllqorisatiOllli'1 The ...."""r to tbete questions lies in a pm:ision of the qllCSlinD 'For wllomf In Lyotard'. libidinal philosopby, the 'whom' could ... ve, toe 'people' . Ihal is, wdl-ddined political acto ... The peraliaation lhat &oes from a small "oup !o all acto .. is beside the point in terms of the principles of active passivity and in temu of the n:lation of intensities 10 lUUCtun:s. Then: is nothing Ir.uuoeodent of intensity and 1UUCture, such .. the essential buman lubjca 0' soul. Neither are inlensily and SUUd.ure s~bIe to a tram.;endcntal atUll)'3is, for eumple, where the development of .tructure 5F5

""

CONC LUSION

and tM Upe>ielloe of intemity are shown tn presul'JlllK IlUbjcctivity and intentinn&Uty. Of OOUIY. tbesle bald as.senion, only ........ to explain why 1be to adO ... is not taUn tn be the right approach; tbey are not arJl"TlCllts as such. Indcod, DO final arguments are givetl again.t lra.ucender>oe and the lnUIsoendeotai. Ar. I have argued in Chapter 3, the form of LyoJanfl Ill"!UlllC1lts is such th.t specific positions Ihal depend DII a tnmllOOn01. 'happen to' W. Inslead. IIIe structures V. Y. yo lhat organise and exploil intensities - 0010 how tbe ohort·hand (or (eelings and desires .. misleading allhis point - aro 'able rearranged iOlo difTmnl struct~ W. W'. W" by tbe unfOl occum:r>oe of an uomaDageablc: intensity. Ntilller does the: activity A 'make tile Slructure' X, or 'BCCQmp!ish the act' Y. or 'determine: lhe: phenomenon' Z. !n.tead, X becomes X' hecawe o( tbe occurrence of inlensities. "The ad Y must be explained in terms of tile structures and intomities involved. The pbeIIomtlIDII Z presupp<>scs a relalion of intensilies and Slructura and nOlhin, mo .... for exatPple, io LihiJIMi Eronomy, l.yotan! tnmsfonns tbe co!Klt])t of tbe Iabyrinlb. developed in terms of a ...nco of examples, in order 10 de$labili,.; a reliance on the: subject or l ubjcctivily. He seekl 10 show how the: patlCTtl of events Ihat come to make up. path through. labyrinlb a ... not explained well in \erml of 000"""'''' deci ....... by. f ..... Jubject. He also occb to show thaI the gme holds IfIX for lbe usumption ihallubjcctivity, ddincd as a apacily to act, is presupposed by tbe palb . Inslead, the plllem of ~ts iI resiscant to meaning aod not only iD the ........ of action. by somethiog for something and 0( a meaningful activity, communication, for example. It it abo resi.lant to the altempt 10 dccipber a true objective meaning for the path or .... "" a trend toward. a final ,.....nioS (including 1M collectioo and organisalion of....-cry past rneaniOi attributed to the pith): 'No-one has the power to draw up lbc: map o(tbe great film; lhis. seen from tM outside (but it has Do outside) would be some kind of IDOfIltroUS beut wbm;c COfI..tilutive pan. wnuJd change acwrdinll 10 unprcdict.ablc: mo,h. _ lations. would appear and disappear with the oame terrifyiol ease as virtual inial" on a "" ..... n· (U!: 36). for l.yotard, the labyrinth does not pre-exist the evetlU that take place in it. Imtead. each time the« iI an ~I. defined as the oo:urretIoOO of an inten, ity. DeW Itruct~ (labyrinth.) appear aloopide ~! ....... changing their relal;on to ear;:h other and their relation to the new .....,nl uodentood u meaningful. So lbert .. 00 (:Ontiou.ity. in tcrtn!l of Ie...., or meaning. as a pltb unfold .. This ;, hecallSe it i. not a path throu&h • labyrinth, but through a multiplicity of labyrinths witb an umtablc: relation to one another wilh reprd 10 .....,nta: 'The Iabyrioths ... in DO way form an

memlOl:

'"

L )"OTAIIO AND TIU POLITICAL

oren:by ;1 is also a fal .. res""" .. to the ."""unto... of olhen: ""There are ""Iy rncouDtm. cac:h tracing.1 fuU spr:t:d around itself a multi· tlld~ of transparent walls, oec:m thraholdl, open iJ'(Iuncb. ernpi)' Hies in which each encounter Oees from iuclf, is forgottrn. or is repealod _ ceas.ing then to he an c"""untff' (36). "The: principles of acti"" passivity are important b=tuse Iht)' are directed away from the iUusion of. valid permaDCnce, wllcther a Iosical rule. a t"'..-ndonllhinl Or a COndition. Th .... illusions rt
'"

CONCLU S ION

LYOTARD, TRUTH AND P RI NCIPLES Whal is the nltus of the concepts 'iUusion' aDd 'falK' in Lyotard'$IW1! a w:ay from fu.ed identities and values? H is work gillff the consil \eTlt impr m ion of an atlad on mistaken and damaging belirfs, .uch as the belief in tile IUbject or in . . .lfthal be uiCSlD undenninelhrough tile principle 'occk anonymily by abandoniog analysis', Thil implies lhal be depends upon aDd can .upply a oen .. ohbe IJIIe and the lUI as the contradiction of falsity aDd iUusion. Yet lIandards of trulb and IUlity a re I>tV\'T given, if by Ihcm "'" u!lderotaDd definitions and argumenlS for \heir tMb and cxi.t=, II could be argued lhat in tbe later work Ibis i,supplied by lhe , ublime, bul as I have obown, Ihat traps him in the singular moment of the fee~ng of the sublime wilb no basi, on whidlloe~teod illhrough time, Then: is I tmible IIDIipsism to 1M work on lbe .ublimc that Itopa il from providing I basis of any kind for. politics. Solipsi.." is not 1M main problem for \he libidinal «l<>I>Omic philosophy, in the KDS<e that il never comes down to a feeling but rather to I set of """"'l'II aDd principles that come OUI of an ""lectio and indefinite ..n.. of dilCUSlioru and obi:crvatiom. The ""lecticism and latk of detmninacy are sign. of Lyotard'. principles of active pusivily at WIlrk in the philosophy lhat puIS them fOl'\fl\!lrd; illw been .w:ayed and dira:tcd by an opennw to even'" and Ittacb Of! tile forms Ibal restrict il. The OOl>Ol:pU and principles aive the libidinal work an euens.ion bey1Jnd lingular OCC\lrftI!Oe$, or (,,'M , lhat the laltT wort lacks, So, somewhat oddly, given tile wild .tyle of the earlier works and the mon: obviously philosophical roots of tile later WIlrks, the libidinal philosophy 1Iand, up IIMt from tbe point of view of I _",h for lhe n>OSl ooomleOI and def"""ib!e philosophical and political position , Indeed, lbe main daim ofthi. book, in lerm, of ","dings of Lyotard', work, is that hi. and other commenlators' bias loward, the later work is miSlaken, In compamon to Diff"ntd. UbidiItaJ EaHtomy is a mon: effective and can:ful response 10 the ihn:al of \he nibm"" thai can be tTa<'ed back 10 LyoWd', early -..ork 00 Algeria. However, this sceptical and sometimes violent ruction to LibidiNJ/ ~y is cao.ily understood, since;t is invited by the book" auit"'" 10 araument and to the mana",m"n! of the feelinp of ill ruden, It is provo",,;ve and can appear i""'PQnsibie. above all with n:spcoct 10 tnidi, tional ... ~ of UDdentanding Innb and political action. I have COMidemI the probk:"s implied by this approadl in terms of its &fJ\UIImts and , latUl .. theory in Chapter 3, The IICCIlU.tion that it is merely a fanciful mela, physics was answtred in OIapter 4 . 1be oame chapter also "",ponded 10 the problem of tile Ippa=lt Jack of poailive direction for the phil<*>phy and politics; this was tackled mainly in 1C1tII. oftbe '1 ....lion of whether libidinal CICODOIIIM:s involves a oolJaboratioo with ("pitaliom as oppo)lo)(l lD a coD$piracy within ;1, In Chapter S, lbe problem oftbe lad of jud&COienl and

n.e

'"

LVO T A!l.D AND T HE POLITICAL

the pOSsible i=spon>ibility of tho libidinal work was otudied in the context of Lyotard's tum to judgement in hillater work on tbe dilfe .. nd. In eacb of these casco it tw.-ame clear that aruwen to tlte problems were not lading. lyotard', work gave explicit grounds on wbim 10 develop posil;"n. that sI>mw:d nnl only an awareness of the problenu.. but abo a capacity 10 overwme Ihem by developing. OOf1sistent philosophy and polilics tbal I ha .... chanocleriscd as a.cti,.., pawvity. But. oquaUy, il aloo becili", way lbey can bemlbraccd as part of aOliv. pasoivity; that is. at !calli from the point ofview of its principles and the affirmation of. radiatl open....., the result, are r" "'I)' and 10 be

CONCLUSION

wdoomed since tbey contribute to Our capacity to ooDduct new inlmlitiea, !leW feo:LiDp and desires into lhe polilical.lruc\ura """ live "';Ih. This i.the oecond particular inteml of Lyol,nfs anti-foundational philosophy: it JOel further than "", ... Iy atttptin. wbat """ may commonly I« at faulu: it "",,1<:>:1111" them and t1Kab) e.capeo the nibilistic hubris of beI~nB that we can live without them.

'"

BIBLIOGRAPHY

tn_.

liard.... Roland 1980: So&r> Pa"" Seuil. llaudrillud. J ..... IJ72: F.. • OUiqw <J/,/tr MIbJ

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1.nia. 51 LoWr. Teioo. ~~~ 1971, no. "'in<J< ± ,.:n, ....... M. .......... 51 ] " .., . Toioo. 19119: Ai Jr • • , ....... C. TIImcr. NO'6' "ott: Vono . •• ; ..... "' ....... (cd,) l'l'n: J It... LFfJl_ I . '"'" Rou"""" ......;.,-. GccIfI'C')' 1\Ia: LJ'O'"'': Writ ... dw £_. M'. ""'''' M·.' a" UaMniIy !'reM. dE .......... Mipd 1993: H. W.U" .,.., ... '<Jiflbl. t""""'" Ro."..... JIurroucho, W~Nao .... Odier, Ooniel 1910: n... kI;.' ", ..." h "". W_

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1990:: 1M ~ II! lra.U. 101, Later witb C. $tivaIo. Now VOft: CoIwD'oia UaMnily Pn:a. I9\lJ: Diffin"''' _~ . ....... p, hu.... ! -..0 . A'h"D,I,' .., Gills .... Guttari, FOlD 1m: "",$.0, 1\00&' C ; SdIL..,.. , ' " h . ...... R, H .. toy, M . H. I.&nc. New Yon: V~ 1917: A .~ B. Mw' • Mo.-polio: U .......il7 01 M;,. ., .... _

no

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t ,. , _

s..m..

........

d. ~t ... ' 0"",,, )041. 162_' . Do,, · " hoq .... IIII'J: 'Some ... _ , . " " " Ir1IiItB. a\>c>Id ~-un... pool ....... potuitismo. and t>l1KT.....u orismo' in O. Carroll (od.1S'~"'J "' ~. Now y ...... , Columbi;o Uru-vty " -. Dow.. I'o'or 191' , '1"bc ··new pltilooopbtn·' _ ,he end ot Id\l&m. in R. Ed.,1ey olld R. Osborne (od'j fIJ>d!·r:a1 Philoooplry ~. pp. 3M - I(. London, VetJO. Dolo 'Y.

L~ .......F .. "'!;fto 19'U: ' A .. _

...........·.T_'"

~~Y

1917:

lAtin a/ m.;,,'tra,lItft. 1..oncIoa: Vmo.

'"

BI BLIOGRAPHY

Fariu, Viaor 1989: Heid
"--

P"'*

Foucault, Mi<:bd 1m:

n.. Nu,,,,, of Sn:w"lI,y: "" 1.,r<Jdu
H. """""'.....,.u,: Pmfuin. 1987: n.. lIu of PItaAlt:

,'" Nil",,"y of ~"""Iily. Vot- 1. Inn •. R.

H urIo)'. H~wonb : "",,,wn. - ::--:' 1983: n.. NU of ,''' &I/" ,''' lIul".,

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of &xwoJII,. V......... J, R. Hurley. Neooo Yorl<: Yin,.,.. Gnon\, lain !hmilton 19\1J: 'Introductiou' ill LyotIrd 19\1)•. Guyer. Paul 1997: K.t, _ ,'" 00_ of T....... cambrid"" Carnt>oidF Uni,"";'y

......

Hhdt ..... l . Manid 1m: 1M Q..ml<wl """"'""&t;f Tt<1iNHt>v _ 01"" C-", Ir• .,.. W. L.o.i'l ~ yotk; Harper.nd 11 010. _ _ _ 1987; Ninuc/w; Vo'-> I 10 4. I...... O. F. Krell. Neooo York:

Horper<.:oIlins. Klnl. lmmoDuel 1m: Cn'lqut of,.". _ . traa •. N. K. Smilb. 1..oIIdon: Mocmillan.

-

_ : -_

1980: 011.,... of J~'. Irati •. l. C. Meredilh. Oxford, Oarendoo.

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H. Reioa. CarnbridF: C.... t>OidF Uni-.i'y

KomaJ. Salim 1997: K.t(. -4 .... ,"', ... 11woo-y. L.ondotl: Mocrttillan. 1'''''1e-Lobutbo. Philippe 1987: LOIj,.,.... Patio, CbrioIW, 1kMl1JOis. Looolle-Lobonbc, Philippe . nd NI"'Y. J...... Loo<: (....) 1981: in F".. Ii< rloDmto,.:
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LyoUrd. J...,·fronwio 1<Jol8: ' N.. .., 1925·. T""I" Modi ... ... ll. Ma y. 2OS2_1. ~== 19loo1: Ul l'U"' Iw'" .qw. Porio: p, .u.. Uni,.....;tai ..... de f railU. 1971: Dix
:

7h>Iiif_, .....

_

19800.: 0.. ou,....;li[. "",,_h. :zr.t odn wilh • _ pm""". ""rio: Christian Bowp>is. (Font edn. Paris; Uniorl Gtntnle d'&Iilions 197).)

=== :

u. p,.,,;. Ii< priol l
1_

1_: L·p....'""'"

Ii< 1'•..,........,.

P'"'' pHol",. M_,. Talonc:e: L.e

CuI", A.!tnII.

- - - 19341>: D<1fr-Iu. New Yotk;

SemioI.,.t(e ~

'"

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1'",_

Lyo1ord. krn·F",.",.w. 1984c: n.. c-JitiM: Q &t-' 1M KN>o.'w,.. G. IknnlnJIDD . 1>II 8, Musumi. Manc:bosI.., Mancha, .. UI1i"";1)' p""",

'ram.

:

= = : 1984<1: T~ tk I'lttltlltc,wI., ,,"Ir"~" Paris; G.lilbe, 19U.: J ... , ~, tra ... V. Godiid>, MiDI_polio: UDi"";,~ of M i . _ . Press.

::::=19l!5b: LJ. I_'"*-,,. Pario: Centre Goo ..... I'ompidOll. 1986; L '&,~: III ni'"", Lm,irnN tI. l'!Wroi... Pa";': Galil<>t<>tcr Univeml)' Pt-..s. II~ ,I '1n)4f,·. Paris: Gam••. 198k L '/~' ,......,-1<. "" k ,,,,,,,,. Paris: Cali .... (Tn ...., 1991.) 1983<1; 'l· l.tCrCt du . ublim<· ;" l .·L Nancy (ed.) 0. s..bJ_, 1'1'. 149_n.

=

::::19881>;

= - ::-- 19880: 1'"""11.,,,......· Pa,;,,: lleli • .

Utw. F.,m, C-I. New yo,k: Columbia U.i..mty 1'fnI, (This if'odudoes . n ..""Ilent biblic&nphy ~ Eddie n&hisyao of WOI'U by oDd "" Jco.·Fn~ . L)'<>Iatd. nu. .......,"" is . .... il.lbIt in • <:Ot>5Wt1lJ' Updaled

ro,m on II>< lnl~m.t at hnp~l.unl.lib,uci.edulindiYIJot:"""'U.kII~ol&,dI ioo.:l.btml. This comprel>l:nsi", sil<: and its ..."", tIllli ..... te tbe otandatd rot lyoutd bibbop'ap/ti<>.)

--0-:-:: 1989:0: u. """" .... ~JVrlnu: &ti,.. 1~56_/'iI4J, ed. M . RarodaJD, ... ris: Galilbe. (Tra ... al 199k.) ~= I989b: n.. L"",""{ fI.nJtk;, ed. A. Benjamin. o.rotd: 81od .... 11. 1991a: n.. 1'111.....,,,,: Rlf/«tiotu "" nm.. t ...... GeofTT<)' IknIliD&l<m and Rachel Bowlby. Cambrids<-= Poli1y Pre:.. 1991b: lir- _ 1'.-.IJ~Iqw"~. Pari&; GaliIOe. 1991<: ~., t/'.,y-.. Paris: Galil6o.

:

199Jb: N",."jil" prolmot/.... . . Paris: Galil6o. (TraM. a, 1997,) 199k PoIill, and ed. !lill Readinp and Knill hul Griman. London: UCL. = = 1996: Sipi MIlirr1Ia. Pari<: GruooI. 1997: !'wln'- .n FIJbk•• O . Va n daJ Abba:1<. M ...... polis; U.i ...... i'y of Min.....,... 1'fnI,

=

f

'nI....

:---C 1998: CIoombt, _do : r.t/kJu,hillqw tI. MoIroou, Pario: GaliI6o. l)'Otstd. Jein· F.......,;, "m. 1988: U. wItim tI. pIo~. S. J..... FrtJJtrt>U I.yotl"t/: Rim;.., Itt _ "",,;,•. lilIt: Los oaltitrs t Kilnl: ,Itt H.... k'.... ,....1 imp<><' Df"" Crltiqw of loti."' ....' . CIbc:a&o: UDi....,..;'~ of C1>ieoan Preu. McrIea ... Ponl)', Ma urice 19116: Snu" _ _ _ . Paris: N• . NoD<)', Jnn-lllO 19l!S: ·Dits I...•. In J""" .... Oerrido (ed. ~ u. FortJI' Paris: MiDlIit. _ _ _ 1991: ' Lap"", judicii'. ' .. ns. D. Webb &1>11 l, Williams. Pit n.. w"",,"* Df P~~f. D. 16-40. Nitwche. Friodrith 1961: no., Spo*. 2Mt1rl..."",. t ..... R. J. HoIliD.ak,

'* """,

J_'

H.""ol>ll.WOI1~:

Penauin.

.

,

BI BLIOOII. ... P flY

no

""ur....""

-:--:- I96Ba: Wi/I '6 f'twHT, 'ran., W. ood R. J. Hollillplt. London: W~oId.oo Niooloon . - - - I968b: T>rll(fl.r '" r« 1d04 tJNJ rM ,fnri·C/JriJ" R, J. Itollingdalt. Ito,."..,..;lswonh: """",in, Ramdani. MoIwnmn1; tbe md of tbe poIilio:al', in l yowd 19930:. Ro"y, Richa,d 1989: C",,'~y. IroJiY. S<Jiid:uj,y. Cambridr<' Cambridr< Uniw-nity Pteoo, Sol ..... Philipp<: 1970: Noltth"" Paris: S
'ra"',

,,«

u. WilliAms. 10"'" 1998: Lyotunl: T"" ..... ob d f',mlMdmi f'Ioi/oscpily. Combtld&<: Polily Praa.

'"

I NDEX

boUI.....,;... 19.-21: and rcvolutiooo 2h.Z Buz""'ih' , William '"

0CIi>< po";";.y S7-1i1. ~ aRd an ~ and ""ptalism 7f>.-$9: .nd rupifa<)' l4!l; I nd F roud ~ and poio'i., 1.J..=j; and politial " CiteS)' LTh and political llrut1Un:s I JI-4!; principle$ of S - 6! . J..g; .Dd nihilism lJ2; .oo

C"&,,. John ,y, ill capitoli>m lJ_27: 7'9-89: .nd AIFVI) 24; I nd OfIY lIO- 1: and ,he law of "'I";"'''''''' IIll=.1.: .nd linUt l<1>dencia 8'-1: and ' - ' &J..=t Cashi.. h"" 21. I" C.. ,oriadi>, Comcli ... 11 CWn ..., Paul ~ 1.1..=1. W CII,,,,:o' W

_lJia 1l!; Ind d.. sublime 9'-':

and ,ruth ~ ."d tho ..ithd",wal from tbe politial 118 40 "'~omo,

Theodor M ~ ,U. TI. &l

aIlIrmation

o.in
AI#rio ~ M. ~ ~ .....

capitalism 13_21: and \lit difT.",nd

Ooran. !i.M. UI

9 _ 13; and bbidin.al OOOftomy 23_ 32:

Co/bon M

.00 truth !ldJ

coloniali>m ~ lJ commonplaoo iI6 oommuna tion 1. l.O1 rntiq ... 28_33. 43 .... , S2 orud.y !l1. 100-1. 1-"

a1im1tiotl 26,,1 .... mn<Sis 1l6d D'Am, ADdre-Mum L22 • •• i-f""nd·Uo..lism I.4.bS

W_ U

o."unay, Sonia 66 Dol. ...., Gilln ~L2S ~

~ ~

ll.

~ ~

68.

'16; . 00 Ibt diffrnnd UO_l;

OM urn,;", 1.21 depolilici!.alion 26,,1 D<..n.u. J""I_ ~ 1.2 _ ~ ll. U1 des;", t. b 6()..70. ~ and.,..". &b! 0.-.. ,.... lkli Bonbes, Roland 6!i BaLJdebi.. 66 Baudrillanl, JnD 1] do lkiltqui, Miauri 11 IIcIUlWJ'OI>, 0e0ifIq' lbJ.2 bioarl phy 1

dialectial ~ ~ diff...,nd 4. :t f.~"", 01 • poIi,a of 116_8 : and j"",*,n ..", 108_ 10; . nod


a

ikHlrdieu, p;..,.. ],I

'"

IND!lI

............... IJ - l'; and AI"';' 1}-17

....... ~!1S!O

.. pllno.ioD J

F...!i .... 2. ); _
Fouc:aull. MidId 6.Z.:..l .... F....

• 1'im> 1I

Fmod,liip_ j1.1L i1. M, l!!!.

uo)

lQ

_Iboofy Il:J GnuI .. I.... Huni_"" 40-1

_ , .... »-1. ~ I:l::J. CNatwi. RIilt !!.@. l j <Mi'rrqo. Geoos lIbS CNyet. hili IlI1 o,..a.. Brioe 61

Mllbod. R.""'Ipb 1111 Mal ..... AAdti 1_'

",,~J~ W

It,S" (l.W.F. ;!!!, LlIl H.idtL • Mortilo ~ ........ · i.,.9

'_n' _ .... H • •. b....... ri&hU l.2l:.l . . .. .

.

P"

_

Man

;;;;;;;';'iliom M _S 1'O
and ............ ~121

Ill!: aod a"i6ciaJ 1rI~ Ill; and bUltWt;1y Wi and Idol of ,ho ~UItWt 126-7; """ niltilisnl !l! - l;

a Dd Itit_ lk1ion III ;I0Il1

JJ..l.=fi

IAIb..I

1i=lI

......... llhl

ldeuof. -'" 14, 11 ..... 16, 11 9; and b"""';,y 119- 29; and irony 122-4;

;nl'lllnerabi~.y

' I " .......

1.1-4. ll:l ..... 1tO' 1ll-4; """ oiItiliut> Uk4

-a

U

. _ ""

1Db.""",~

I '. ll.~!!.!!!; &ad .. rlta...-

...... &lid

.......... '. Jot_S. Y=1 Mtthod ZI:2. iJd MOI\OfJ. 'lOCI'" ~ 66.

No..".. J"n,L"" ~ ..... OIi ... 11. 111 _2. 125 N........... II&mctI !tl. l.Y Nio<-"" FricdrirIt lQ, R.

~ ~ ~

'" UI.' -,t. 1 2~,

lho d

....

~ _lif. ~ _

ilK ud PO"'" 6l "-voir 116-9: and 'n,m

-,

... ·'w ,. 0'-..

"

,

!!; uti POP";"" 99-100

poiaE '

s ll:L 11

punch;'''

p

' .iIy 1

'a·,,,,

!!. ,.

I 22:!1 Ii .' ' ., pIwuo "lit, .- t

'"

117-J;

h

. . . '1

_

.. _

19. ~I!J.'.), 61j~ ~ aDd
. ;hilitr

e: _ 101.......1'0<117

IN OEX PlaIO L!U po~tical

artion I polilia.1 """""",j'y 1llJ PO~li<&l pta ..... l.,. 119 21; and n
dilformd Po!Iock . Jacuan

pop an

7(1

1B

no. p~"ntO
JIO'UlfllCt.noIism L J.Q. pl .l:Q. 2bS P'roost. M,roe! ~ quictiYn

_

ll. ~

21

S''':n, Genrud< 6.1 ;lyle ~. ; and UbiJinaI c.-y )9--4); and irony 12l--4 5Ubjool L. SI-2. $9410. 1L 141 _$

a

wblimt

I.l. 2J. Ill. t 13_14,

])0; and

.nlh","""" II $; and ;""'Y 124~ .oo ........ 134; and "",talgia Ill; and perfOt"...ive ron,noJictioM 'Ud Icdll'olop 124_ ) 15_19. !lIl Thf

U

Ramdoni. Mobammod l!::Jl. .lti R..dinp. 8ill 17 19 .!tid recollection 130 R....ult. Alain :Ii ~ ILli. I:!O. lJO;and .... bot.,. U reml.,ion 13_21. It and lho bou,Jt(Iisic ZJ..=.2; a nd lilt dirr.",od ll::l; in F",,,,," ll=1 rewritj", 129-30 Rorty. Richard 126

sado-nwochiom &6. Soann, J .. n·Paul ill ill

mInU " " " " " " ' " ]Q)-3. ,.., ~ ~ ~ dupl jci,,,,,,,.

ll; bislorical II.; oDd UfllCtunLIiom 11 9.

~

~

T..,ism ~

II

";nJUlarity oU

SoIt _ i. 11 _ 12. oolipsiun 143 SoUon. Philipp< M Spi ........ 1Wuch !8.. 6£1 'pontoD
'oLaliiarian politico 121

T toIsk)"ism l.! truth L ~ L !1.. 14}.oS; a nd AI"';' ~

. nd OIylt !lib{

T\IfIIC1. ' .M. W. 4. u"""",Ia.abiU'r 1.8 VI . Den A_. Goo .... III Varra 'll!. V"""';lles Ki

Whil.read, Rochel. III

wiD '0 powtf & _ Willg1.