LYOTARD AND TH E POLITI CAL

Lyotord'. 1I'Ork ;. M>m<how obviou.ly poli.ical. bul bow1

LJ'otlJFd aM ,io< PoIUicaI dcmorut"uos thai irs not so obvious
all ... U. I."... Willi.ms do<O iInporlanl and oriainal .. ..,rt in
Mipins In uru!cm .. xI .. -hat <i<terntinos 1M poIilical for
Lyouord _ no< tho h)'ll< about pot.tmodcmity Dd "'" iuor tho
.xpe ....... of the ditf.rrnd and tlto obliplion 10 bea, ... ;11 ......
lout the: oomplia.tod and undot ""...a.led notion oflibidillOl
""""",,,y. Relurtlinl to Lyol.rd', early wort. """111 .. "",...,.,.._
si<kn hbO;Jiniol ....... omios 10 ani, ... 1 a rudinj of tl>< political
u 'aotivt passhity'. His oval""tion ;,. at one< pHSiona ...
O<Yei"C, and pro"""'ti"".
Lyo'arJ and 'M Polilkal orr .... the firsl .ysl ...... lic analysis of lhe polilical
impli<:ations of the .... ork of the highly inft"""li.! and conlm,ema! French
philosoph .. Jean-F",,,,o'" LyOI.rd_ William. clearly lraces Ih.
of Lyolard's lhoughl from his early '-brxi. t ...... ys on lhe
Algerian "ruWe for independerlQ: to his break wilh the thoughl of Marx
and Freud. This i. compared wilh Lyotard's laICr writings on Ihe politico of
desire and his highly inft"".tial auompt, 10 baSt a poslmodem political
discounc on the sublime.
The book Jituat'" Lyotard', Ihought in tenn. Qf lhe dominant political atld
philosophical positions of the twenlielh o<n1ury. e><plorinl the reasons
why Lyotard lost llis belief in ... ,olutiona,y politico and !he CO!lK<jlKnoes.
both negath,., and posili\'e, of Ihis lou. William, panicularly emphu izes
l..ymard', n:lationship with Kanl, HoKkger and Deleuze an.d illuminates
Ihe polilical dimension of l..yotard', writings 0" on, I;ttr.!ilun:: and , ' yle in
philosophy.
J __ WUlw.. i.l.cctu",r in Philosophy at th., Uni\'e"';ty of Dundee. H., is
Ihe .uthor or LJYl tUTd-To""<JfJ" a Post..wtkm PlrihJJoplry.
THINKING THE POLITICAL
General edilor"
Keith AmellPtarsoo
UllltI'slly 0/ W"",'lrk
Simon Critchley
UllltI'sily 0/ UJrX
It..,.", 1Itao .... have ""'" II>< 0""1<_ of. dialiDco .Dd doalknJ:inJ body of"""" br
a Dumm 0( <ontinenlal !lomite" dial bas r .. Dd.....,UOUy 01_ 1100 _y iD -..bid!
pIoiloJopl,iooJ qucstioDo af< conceived oDd This worIo _ onojor
o:ballenl< 10 anyocoe 10 deli ... tloe ...... ,ially <OIItntabio <0,"",'" 0( '1M
politioal' IDd to IIlinl anew tloe pohtic:ll import and appIi<:ation 0( pIoiloooploy. How
d .... =1 Ihinkin, on time, history, lan_, humanilY. ollerity. desire. .....
J<i>dcr and culIW'< open up Ito. poaibitity 0( !loinkml tloe poliliooJ antW1 Whol a .. lbo
implic:alioDo of lOCh think ... for OiU of and .. lalion to lbe Indio.
ioIedop:s o(tloe onodoern .....00.1. melt .. libcralUno. oociaJism and M.n.ism7 Whol ...
tloe political oapooosibilitia 0( pIoik>sophy ito tloe r_ of tloe ..... ......md (dis)otder?
This ............ it .... i ...... 10 ptOXDI II>< ,..od 0( II>< 1Dlijor coo:otiDmlai thinkeD of
ou, time Dd tloe poHtioal ddoo!<S Ibtir wort. Ilu ,,' ... 11001, to a widtr olid."..., ill
pIoilooop/ly oDd ;,. politioal. oocir.l and cullouai llIcoty. The aim is neilbor 10 o1isooIve
tloe .pecificity 0( tloe 'pIoiloooploiooJ' iOlo tloe political'. """ .. 1ldo Ito. dial ...... lhol
'tbo political _ tloe 'pJoilosopIDcal'; .. !her, -'" vohuno in lbe ....... ..;n nl' 10
mo.. that it is only in tloe rdati(>n bel.",,, tloe two thaI tloe new poaibilitiol of
lbo"SI .. and politico o:a.oo be acti ... ted.
\loIumeoo almidy poblioJoed in tloe ...... are:
FOUCAULT ol T HE POLITICAL
jM S ........
OERR10A ol TH E POLITICAL
Ilidtord _,h
NI ETZSCHE ol THE POLIT ICAL
DtItUtI W. Qooo""')'
HEIOHlQER ol T HE POLITICAL
MifwI Ii< &Os.,.,...
LACAN ol T HE POLITICAL
r_s,u"""""
LYOTARD AND
THE POLITICAL
James Williams
London and New York
s ,,, . .,,.,.11 . ' . .... USA_c '
bt' ,. '''dft
:t9 _ <10 51 ..... New y"",. f!i'Y 10001
,- ,: k , ... 1 , ... of 1M TO]II "-" a...
C l!(II)O J_ W_
...... U '"' c '. '4." If Doooo
" 00"1-1':: """"" "" phil boot ...... Il10 r ....... _Ubnrrj
W __ '96J-.
L)'OIanI""" tIoo poll': 'I '-Wi";", p
.0<1'1::" .:'. ,:-"'1 ,; .001 .......
I. L,ro<anI.-'-f ... , . C""I'I ..... ~ ; r
,-
.?C26I.LI6.WS5 1999
DIP'.G92 *71
For Rebecca and Nathan
CONTENTS
I.
I ' 011"0<1",,1;011. lyot.ord on MalraU1' nihiUsm, art and politics 1
2 lmpa!.5C 9
TItt: Alg .... ;"" \I
Erononrja !MId terror 11
AIg .... ia ,,(I ... iNJ.,,,..ndnJ 19
Critical allarkJ on 1M k/i and 1M right ]$
T1u! libidiNll drift "" ... (rom (T/liq"" 28
1M ,j/e",;iI>g of crl/iQu! 11
1 Libidinal Economy and nihilism
For" reWJ/lltlsiotI "'libidinal <<0lI0I>I)' J4
Slyk and tlTpmt<'nlS 39
m"in",lorion In conl,,1
TM problMl or nlhilimr 49
HeldeU'" and /fte/aphpk1 54
1M po/i,ka/ a.J "",I ... pa.uMly 57
4 Libidinal Economy and capital
P,oblmu 0/ Q piWi ... po/ilic' 62
Arl aNI 1M poIitkaJ a.J "",i ... ".wi.iIY 6<1
Pain/iii, QN/ daiu 66
Pain/iii, tIIId apatity 7/
P....,lvity unJ ,Iw p",hkm of roIlDhora,itm 76
llbWinaJ fflItII1ff!in 79
Modnn "'Pila/ism anJ "",i ... p<Wi>i,y 85
CONTENTS
5 The lum In joogeme,u
6 The .ublime and
7 Cnncl ... inn. A wilhdrawal from lhe pol"1ical1
Nos/a/gia and /J5
A PO/llb rM un
L .. OIurd. ll'llllr anJ prwiphJ UJ
"m
"
'"
'"
ABBREVIATIONS
Rdc""'",," 10 Lyotan!'. lexlS will usc (he foU""ing abbKviatiollso
"
1
INTRODUCTION.
LYOTARD ON MALRAUX:
NIHILISM, ART AND POLITICS
One of tbe last boob to appear before Jean- Fnmo;ois Lyotard', death
(Pari .. 20 April 1998) maru a baflIinJ departure. Siglli Malrtl lU (1996);'
a biography of tbe FTC1>Ch lwetll;"th-antury writer, politicaJ activist and
politician And"; Malnlllx. Why wril< bio8J1lphy ot II>< rod of. eo"""'"
as a wrik, on philoSQpIl.y, art and oocic1y? Why a biography within an
Ibal i. resolutely posHlruc\uraJiSl in its opposition 10 tbe modem
dominaooe of Ih. self and lh. subject and to positivist conoeption. of tNth?
The .. is 1>0 object or . ubjc<;t 'AndU MalraWl'; ooly a patchwork ofbook ..
inO-""","",- languages. events. .1ru<!Ures. if there were, 10 capture ,uch
6gure- with ilS intentions. beliefs, r ... lings and des;"", would tell US little
about 1M genesis of literature, III< significance and truth of an. {If d.e
importaooo and ful>Clion of politico.
SigN Malr<nlJC, is nol a .impl. biography. LyDlJlrd Q U, it
'bypobiograpby' (SM: 35S). 11 lOCI ben.alh thc ligurc and invents an Andre
Malra"". 0"'" Ihat npccllOf deq><r mo""menls and influences than could be
divined from Ih.lir, proper. He al$o call. it a of 'mythopoicsil', lhal
ii, the anislie distillalion of a figuu From a milt uu of heterogeneous
ekmrnU: Ma]ralUl', !\{)vels, life, politics. .uboonscious,IUs f""nds, memin,
10"", 11K iI not aff2id 10 invent in oro .... 10 I .' ....... ' of lhal
""pression. In response 10 those who already _ here aU that iI COfTUpI and
decadenl in and in Lyotard', philosophy, in partir:u)ar, I
would say that $igrll MI1!r1llU is a work oflhc n ..... _found malurily of tlUs
utativi.t ""d hypen:ritical lradition. It show> Lyolard _ble 10 c:rc.olC
c:on,,;lIenl wbole and 10 . peak Ihrough it, wilhoUI having 10 doeeonmuct or
..:lr-wnsciously to undermine IUs OWl! argumenlll and CCftclulion., bulll$o
without havinllo resort 10 the SUlpcct devices of objcc1.ivity and pooiliviHII.
It is undcmood lhal thil iI LYOI.rd', Ml1kma,. produ.ctivc fabcbood tbal
openlla on and tells the lruth aboul much more thai jill tpOI\ym: 'Anotller
documenllo add to the file of this connj""""". Would I conr ... that ;1 is a
c:ountCTfcil? BUI mythopoiesis. as we .baU _, make. tbe to-<'. 11cd "life".
,
tYOTAIlO AND THE POL IT I CAL
Tht! authWlic i$ what it sign., 1\01 ",h.1 a third pany vtrifi .. or confesses'
(SM: 19).
It i$ in the Spiril oflhat malurily lhat 1 ask ' Wby Lyotard', MalrUl'X? TIl<
qll<:"$lion i. pul not 10 Ili, intCfltions, but il Qne thai helps tQ d"' .... togctbC1"
the different strands ill LYQt.ord1 pbilos<Jphi<:a1 politics: his early OUIYS OIl
rev<>luliQnary Alg('ria; hi' cruel and passionate - and bell _ WQrXi
on libidinal econQmy; Ili, m<H1 f&mQUi 'Ihe pootmodem coDditiQn'; and
bi, mosl inft""ntial conoepl. on Ihe most ju'l philosophical and polilK:a1
teslimony, Ih. diff.r<:nd and ' the Lyotard', Mulrawr; it a lif. and a
"'t of worn "nlWing 10 JUrvi,., and aflinn il>oelf through Ihe
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 M modem 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.lifomi<l, Irvine aDd Emory Uni.,.",.ily, Allanta) and
ac:adcmi<l ,,orldwide. BUI th.al academic work has a politi<:al ba<kdrop aDd
lopic. An early $Oclalism allied 10 the revolutionary DIO'/ertlenll of OIrangers
th.1 hove been hed with and loved (Algeria for Lyolan:!, Indochi na for
Malnlux) is folklwed by an inr:scapablc .mantt 0( .videnoc for the base,
i""ff..,lual and terroristic nalut. ortotalitarian on l he left and on the
righl: ' We became inlelligenl just in time to .... communiom decline into an
onhodoxy .... OUT ge""nltion lived in Ibe sIo .... undermininl or lhe
caloslrophic breakup ofboth ..... and positivism' (PW; 81).
Neither Lyolard. nor Malraux. gives up 0<1 political action, but it could
never be the politics of panics and faciionL Malrau.1 tmbarks on a
allcmplto form n air "Iuadt{lll for lhe Spanish Republic agaiMt PnllICQ',
Gennan and Italian planes. Lyotard in.,.il .. the ha,red of h" form ...
comrade:. and colleai\l$ as be writCI and lives a li bidinal pbilosoplly of
passivily to dClires. f_ of lbe O',<lSOCI"$ of order. orga nisation and ji>dge-
men" ' Politico. too. i. an i""tilution. Fringe group 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 failbful ly' (PW: 49). TIl< political. lhen. i, never this ;I\$(ilu-
tionali!ed It ill a drivt" 10 act. undmt ood U a ncocssily for a
ilself interpreted as an unstable relal ion of feelinp. desires and sttu<lu .....
Lyotan:! does nM define: lhe politK:althrough iu inst itulion, or Zool, but &I
an ancmpl 10 reopond 10 feelings aDd desi .... IvithoUI faU;ng back onlo
well-d.fined hierarchic< ill &nod and ""U, lhem and us, origiM and vl .. I,.
,
IN T RODUCT1ON
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<Itum .. , to govern our wo rds and our acto; thus the quest;"" of power
among our rank, i, always stilled, alway. displaed into the question of the
power facing lIS,') The anSwer for LYOlard and for Malraux lies in an. both
.. model and .. ""'y. They think through an, act through art and Ii""
thanks 10 an; it is the pouibility of life and tile political Three confusion.
mu.t lie avoided bere. II is not tlultlife.oo polilics are art, in the sense of
woru of an _ lif. asa novel. politics as tbeotre or speciacl<. It;. nottlult aU
lives and polilics are an. It ;. not that aU art is politics. Each of these views
repl...,.. one overbearing otruc:ture with anolher .rtistic one, An, tben, gives
sense and dim:tion to a life, gives rise to a politics of artistic representation,
hQmes the privileged political realm.
lrutead, the ....... of 'possibility' in the expre.o.ion 'an makes Iif. and
politics pouible for Lynlard' ;' one of providing an " oW' to a political and
existential impuse' 'W. don't tveIl ba"" the hope any more Iltat what we
otand for;' a situation that remains to be crealed' (PW: 89), Two trail>
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 _ pity of the death of
structure aod ;rulitutioo, and 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
Abo ... aU, this does not mean thaI eilher the political or art is
defined primarily in opposition to i"'titutions. Neitb i. tveIlto be thought
of all an alternative 10 them, Bolh an: ",ltal lItlIkes it possible for us 10 Ii ...
with ;rut;tutions,
As a think of libidinal economy, Lyo1ard defin .. this possibility all a
conspiracy for the politic.al within politics, The libidinal, our dcsim and
fcclinp as eq.w ""rtM" io the economioco lhat ,""""uot for them aod
allow us 10 harness them, is to he released in the economic, thoUght of .. any
system of How and ... change rather than as the economic proper. Thi.
equality concerns questioru of depmdenoe - no 'ystcm without libidinal
desireund feelings; no feeliogs and desires witbout systems. But. on l1uUl ....
of explanation, an unfamiliar asymmetry holds: we cannot fully explain or
control the libidinal from within . system, for ;rutan. by followinS a theory
on the role of the passion. io political economy. Lyotard obse..- one sucb
,
LYOTARD AND THE POLITI CAL
play of orpnisation and oftM libidinal in Mal",,,,,', haphazard
creation of coLlection. of anwnrks 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:<l in lhe lOJPc oflhe collo<lion or in lhe 110 .... oflhe book.
This passivily i, necessary. lbe obsessive conlrol of possions and desires
would kililhe work. or alle .. t subjec1 illO funher un....., libidinal precipi-
tation. and. """"", ullerly II<pt;ve desires of control and oIimination.
Apinstlhi. LYOlard deploys what I shaJllalCT call a Slnlfgy of
""live passivity to con.pi ... with the unpredictability of lhe libidinal and
asain'l the Klf.<JestTUC1ive urse or Ih. economic to have dOli< with lhe
unknown or the unreal: 'It is """"theless a constant that [Malra",,',] !IOvels .
.... )'1. p<ofaoes and, above all. hio ",udies on an asaibe ... wlt Or crealion In
a foroein !ruin tlull nooed. him , .. the: moment of humanism is planed under
the aePs ofille Unreal' (SM; 336).
As a think.r of the differend. or of an absolut. diff.rence betwcrn twn
sides or a COfIOict, Lyourd thinks of the: of living with the dumb
wtiaht of politic::! a. a minimal resiSian<:e 10 an aUia""" of ao iUU$OI}'
dialop;al mlmlt and capitalism. In Ihe Iater)UrI of his work - roughly.
from lhe lale oevtntic::! _ he nudics tho fedina of the lublime lhat 110PS lhis
fabc bridgins bel,....,n absolut. diff".""" . So hi, aim i, 10 Icstify 10 lhe
differend. lhe two sides of which a ... coupu in a conllict Ihal admits of nO
jWI resolution. thai is.just from both pointo of view. lbe political mull bear
witness 10 this impossibilily of a ju,tine lhat brinp both sides together; il i. a
political struult apiml the impo$ition of common around whe ... !lOne
nim.
So the rcelioS of lhe l ublime must be JeI apinll ideas of .....son, ouch as
humanity, in order 10 nop tbc:m grinding difference inlo a men: market.able
and produccive variety. or inlo the terror of an obviou. COrutD.", ('or
COlIne there is. righl ... ay. of cou"," then: io. way for me 10 understand
you'). A..."rd;ng 10 Lyolard. tho f ... ling of the sublime baltl our drivel 10
understand. 10 judge and 10 overcome. II does IlOIlO m""h co"""llbem as
leave lhem in ,u'pense by weldins to !bem r ... thaI indical. lhat
diff .... nce is impossablo. Th", Turner', poiolinp of the 1M OIJ [Holl',
P= of Sr Golllard captu ... the bridce as a fraplo line Ibrown
between &mit alps thac threaten 10 II ... tch, twill and throw il inlO lhe abyss
II lhe fainlCOt chanF in Iumwluo", ,kin. lbe ... il a bridge. but not one
t!\at you f ... 1 ;, poSAhle. II is sill" Ihal lhere ;, hop: in fo,dina the
wal.rfall that has cUI U imparable gulf inlo lhe mouolain, allied to oign
thallhe!toP<';' in ""'n. But, b<causc Turner worn Ihrough rcel;np and the:
senses, lhe <X>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.
,
INTROOUCTION
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 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 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 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 foundalions 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!", &<I,neal< is 10 mi$S Ihe
positi .... way in which he develops t he political in ",\ation to politics. His
philosophy is nol OOn.;51ml with. "'gulat;.. .. runtion wilhin poIilics (al
lhe ""plive thai oonlribulCS to reason even a, it i, dismWed) because lhe
drive behind hi. idea of the polilical is nOI primarily onc of opposition. If
we und.erstand LYOllird u driven by. conlrary and cynical will to lhow all
lhal is ... ronl in poIilics. we misund..,llInd lhe drive behind the political.
11 is nol lhat modem, in,titutional i, miSiaken, or wron&. or
luilty, or cootradictory in some llraigblforward inl<llectuaJ sense, .. if we
could identify this or Ihal fault and decide whether il
surgery, rectification Or an enti",ly new body politic. 11 i'lhat. for Lyotard -
for 5IIfI1e 'UI' - cannol be Tbi, ."plains why he ",Iurns to
Malraux, born lwenly-odd years before Lyolard, biTih (Versailles., 10
AuiU" 1924), but formed by the same cenlUry and lhe ... me philosophi<:al.
artislic and political "''''''''' of possibilily and imposoibilily: ' No matler whal
il says, a political formalion nouri>hcs itself wim and t><OpagaICS the wne
d"""p1ion: 10 believe or make believe tbal Ihe", i, a ,c"lCdy for non_",os
iSM: 173).
The word capturtd bUI also lransformed by Lyota"', """"unl of Ihe
lhat govern Malraux's life is nihilism. caonol ,u",ivc
nihilism, bUI lhe polilicol can. The medium Ihrou&J! which thi' $ItuUlc
lakes place is Doc:s tbis commil Lyotard. this book and t he political to
an .... nlial definilion of life and 10 determinalion of the political wilh
""peel 10 it? NOl at all. Nihilism and in SI"'; MairakJ< are gi""'o a
,
LYOU. " O AND THE POLITI CA L
IIoIotiDl ddinitioa. They I cloak lhfO'Jl1\ 0Yef In illlkttnnillalC Itnigle
betvoem 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/.
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 and
nihili.m from Sip; Mo/,tlIU help ..... o ulllkntand why:
IAndA! .ulTtrcd from] a .... lady. muclt mono .. no... than
ralison: I nibilist terror. NO!: nihilist thou", .. but I bta,, _wmed
by nothi"", It
(27)
Here lin ;111erwa, 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
... nihilism bae fI'Onen<d. Vut vision of a Wctot dCltined 10 d:: ptD
ill lac:k. Bu. tho: aize of thor painlilll flib .0 hide ill true motif. once
apin, a f .. r of II nguap'.
"'J
Nc>. lUI 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<In and cowen
.... cycle'. siltoxe.
"05)
TlIc _ reptillI iutlf. and the _pimt thor ..... reptilil it. A
dreadful oontnt:tion, a despair, make Spain l1li ec:ho of his most
intimalC sulTtrin ..
(2'"'
For Lyounl, 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 bel". works. WPF ,
history. lUI .... tiVCI. the ""';"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 ....

I
I
INTIlOOUCTlON
wilhOUllosing their apacily om- a full 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 $i,,,,, comn out of and .. plain, his relation to womrn, to litoralure, 10
languag." 10 pla=, rounu-it. and conHict5.
For an aplanation of Lyolard" anraclion 10 Malraw<, ,be mO<t impon-
ant of the:sc mutual relaliov..rups i. with politics and the political, under-
stood again as an act that refu ... to hope for or be guided by an institution,
A from SIP; MalraJix stand. oul in ilO reliance on the aplanatory
power of nihilism, It could be autobiographical ratber than biographical, if
thaI !Orm "'.,'" no! ao S\"po::t wben applied to Lyman! as wben applied to
Malraux fAhl You maR me ran into biographical imbocillity. At my aF
.. :, quoted in 1996: 2). lbe pa .... ge uncoven tbe dominant
nibilism in Lyotanf. philosophy and his attempt to live with i I '
For [Malraux and llataillel, tilt resolutioft to sec: into the depths,
the conviction thai the self and diO(ouf$<: forbid true communica,
tion, thattbis only comes from ""treme on the ..
of spasm, agony, the sense of with no ".,.y hack, iii .... 10
their respective understanding of nihilism an analogical con",
q........, .. . , only tM inhumon. abjt:ct and innocent, and no{ the
superhuman, can accomplish tbe murder of God because it
nourishes itself from the roning corpse.
(SM:244)
Truth and tbe political only nihiUsm wlltn tbeyare no longer thought
of within the categories of tile self, tM $ubjt:ct and di5couI'1n.
What "'" commonly understand as communication, as 1M lJlInsfer of
meaning between $Ubjt:c1O and, rdltxi .... ly. from Ihe .<If onto tilt self, is only
an """"" to a nihilist truth. A truth 'for w' _ that unleashes terror and
oothinsnes5 into lilt and inlo IanguaF.
Lyolan!', work ba. been a pr<:dominantly tbink and
defend tho extreme aperi<1>: on tM bordert; of disco,,"" a, .... i"aotto
nihilism. following questi"", ",Ik<;( an enquiry into Ihis attempt as it i1
pumied tbrough tilt ,;;. cbaple .. to foUow:
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?
2 1. Lyolan!', libidinal philosophy me",ly a reaction 10 tbe
disa"ers conden.ed in Ihe ulimpt.e of Or docs a !I("W and
"""list."t.."... of tbe polilical CI1>erI" lbere?
3 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 ICAL
0( pauivitYf To what a1eD1 iliCIM pu.;ivity. mere AIIitudu
10 aopitalismT
I. lhe turn to judpo ..... m in l.)'<IUrd'. phiIotopby of I'" diIT=nd .......
ractiotI to .... __ or jYdj",wm ill .... libOdinal phih-ophf! noc._
l.yowd' .......t .... tho I1Ib1imo jkooide tho basil 01.
, Can l.)'GIard's ........ .ner the philooophy 01 .... difl'rrend be ddeodcd
on the lfOundo thai it aon full'll fllDCtioo within. demo-
cnotic: politics?
6 noc. lhe _1IlP of l.yowd'.laltf essaY' fiIOM: Ihe problem of whal
the poUtical could be? I. puaivity' withd ..... 1 from polilo
.nd from lrulhodaims?

2
IMPASSE
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 <ollenion of
lyotard'. _y" on Aigtria ror Socialiutw ou wrinen betwcen ]956
and 1%3 (thest: for the rno", part (",n<lale<! in Poliliall W,;IiI'/g.).
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"<'$OlvabJ. dirre,-e""",. In thi. case. this i. tho
diffemld betW(:CJl colonial powu and indigmou, population.
Ramdani', argummt cove" llucc of Ih. most imponanl aspects of lbe
Iheory of din-.rend - ;15 legal, aod affective versions. The Ion
done 10 1he AJ",rian ptQple will never be able 10 express lb. wronl done 10
it through ,be Frmch la .... court . The linguistic helC,Ogtiloity otands
between the p!true regimen of Ih. colonial power, whether in tbe cognili""
regimcn (what has happened he .. is ... ) or lhe "'gimen ofjwtification (it is
right bcca...., ... ). ond tbe ,...thetic regimrn that exprt:MeS,.-cat lutTerio,
ond loss. TIIc# regimens are marshalled by Ihe stakes of two incom-
men.urable pre" (al the colonial economic pre. the stake of wltic:h is 10
increue meuurable monetary weallh (even if this i. in very f ..... forcign
band.): and (b) lbe AllI"rUn and palhological genre, ,be >take of
whicll ;, In expr= Ihe eJiminalion of a lT3dition and lbe ... tTerinB of tho ..
who Uve Ihrough it or ... 1>0 are foreed 10 be oeparaled from il.
The importance of tbis afi\1Il><nl i. hislorical. polilical and philO$Ophic:aL
Rarn<iani ara- that Lyolard'. ionlat;on of the Algerian ditT...",d allo..,
for a more ",""urat. and truthful aa)um of lbe cvcnU of lbe Algerian war
of independence. 11 can be turned again" coioni.lli.1 revioionary a.ocouoll
Ihal eilher de..y tbe validily of lhe war or deny its jwti6calion through an
appeal In tbe economic failure of ind.".ndcnl Algeria. The war draws its
validity from Ihe ditT...",d: il ;. a jU>1 .. pression of Ibe impoosibilily of
expR'SSini. WTO<Ii in any olher way Ihan JPOIlI_1Il upr;oi"i- Sponlaneily
,
LYOTAII.D AND THB POLI TI CAL
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 n.e. apilUl. II is not a mirw;:ulous
InOI\'ICfIt. btu one !hal hu to be uD<ientood u bavin, a
oobm:noe only In re1rospect and llIdepcrvknl or KClIWlII in tennI of
ideology.
The thtory 0/"1"" diITC"I"C"Dd Rho aU.,.,... for I po61ical ar,umcnllo ertlerlF.
Ramdani oonlralta l)otard. polili<::! of 1et\lfyillj 10 1"" diITerend and.
Iefl.willil polili<::! of ... in, Algeria witbill 1M broader $lruule for inter
Illlion.1 tocialilt rc-vohuion. San",', 'Stalini",,' itllnaJed 0111 fO' I pan .... -
la.ly 011"0<11 e.ilical altack In Ihis Lyotatd I nd ""plaiDs
this ,,"liciIm f,,"her in the 'omva' chapCcr or pIP,IT'" MaT;I
f"mMI(I )'-I7). Philosophically. the dilfcrmd allows for '.,.)10'" or man-
pr<>ptrly IIfll, 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 .... <II Ramdani. w<>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
or 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 r<clonlns bt:oJ,nc ''''I.rc 0I1lIe coatll\jlmo:y or its
aims and tDCtbods and w:iD hcDoe IUbiidoe inlO ey1Iicism and thc:Ii nihilism
"' ...... Ite. IIJIIiDCDt from no. Will If' Pa>nr 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: no.. 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 or raith in ideala: ' I do !lOt Q\I oo1ckplrital,
mull$h, or InloicalC>d men $loulbeamd. He PO" cs!teon ""ho
kno ... fcar bul ...... 'm fur, .. Ito..,., 1M ab)IP butlftS it wilh ",/dr'.
The oJll)Ol-iI;on 10 rabe IOlaoc is c.u.:Uy Ramdatti'. poinl. Lyot.ard Clnnol
be ""ticilled ror not putlins forward a lrulh on 1M .... t,man Wlr of
"
lMP"'SSE
iNkpendt:nc:e, since hi. truth i. lhe differend. BUI it is a difficult truth. as
much aOOut impomibilitie$ as abnut fnundation. fOf 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 ."<ly with revolution. Any posilion tbal d<nieo the
dilTemld belween coloniali.m. defined by il' ecooomic .takes. and the
AI .. rian people . .u d.efiM<l by a culture, ItU. an unlruth and prolongs on

A second critici .... fall. allhis point. To d<ny resotulions is nol 10 <kny
action. We mU$t act fot the dilTerend. and Ihi. "",a,," again'l tbo .. who
cannol sec it or refuSt 10 sec it. In Dhi.., a P<JT(i. <k Marx e' F ... .J.. LyOlard
expl<oilU litis Ihrough a distinction drawn btt""etn .... i.tance and Ihe
in a new and pun: beliMing. In this later evaluation of Ihe
wark of $ocitJ.Ii.- "" he .... ks la underline Ihe di,iUusion"",nl of
lhe aroup with 1 .... ditianal l<ft_win, PIlrty politics and wilh liber:al demo-
cracy. Ba1h olTtr the illusion of a jU$t "",rid ,..hile implicitly living
with the hegemony and injustice of capitalism. Ramdani....., AI,erian aJ>d
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 ab<lnletian to
deny lhe dilT .... nd.
This is the 'Irong aeslhetic and literary qualily of L)'iltard', phil<n<>pby
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$OlVlIbl. ronRiel can only be testified to in a
medium capturing the fe<:linp and affect. that pennit the diff .... nd to
appear without cancelling ;t iu one or other of Ih. ""' .... involved in the
oonftict:
These Ie'" [Ihe novel. of Kaleb Yacine. MouJoud Mammeri. Julco
Roy and Mouloud F ..... oun and the binories of Mobammed Harbi
and Albert Memmi] dramatise a tort. a dilTe ... nd between rolanialist
and indi,en. lhal canna' be ... id in the langua,e of the oPP<fl-SOr.
But is also a lort because the indigcn has been judged
aa:ordi"l to nomlS and crileria. in a lanluagc and 0 cuJtu .... from a
oflhouJlttlhal not his.
(R.amdani 1989: 14)
BUI an aeslhetic medium is nol tl>< only a"" for Ihe expr=ion of lhe
dilTermd. AlTects have to be communicated. butt/t.ey must also be created
an ...... What ,his ItIQn' is that allhough the sulT.rinl loss of the
Algerian people: demand. a mode of rommunicatioo thai doco nol hide il in
tl>< aU-pervasive lanJll3.JIC of II>< rolonialist. tbe dilTe ... nd u affect also
"
L YOT A .. D AND THI! POLITICAL
10 be: lripmd ia the 0Iluider. it IIII11t be: ill order 10 he '"""",
llna1. This fedia, iI elllmtial to L.)'OW1I. lh!"O\llbollt b.is wort.: il idanifia
thai ...-bina; iI happmin, that ClllDOt IiDd run Qpi iM ill whal ;. bein&
aid. This is .. of whal be rp'" by the evml or oc:a.m_ that
ucucb I"y ......,ulioo of ic ill tbe pi 101. "The DC II;' IheoriRd bat in iU
palboloP:al ...- in !be phibnpby '" the lIIb1imc: "This iI prot..bJy I
COfIlradio:too-y ftdiq.. It is., the wry btl a Jill', !be qucstioo-mark itRlf.
!be WIly in ",biclo h /urpp .... n ...;thheld and IIInOlllleOd: 1$ II
ql.lal;OII can he modulated in Illy lODe.. BUI the mark of the question is
""'" like the thaI nothina; IIIi,l" ""ppm: the DCIIhinpcss
no",' (IN: 92). What Ramelan, shows, lhouah, n thll tbI: aUto<H>iI.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 Lyotard COOICCII1tatet 011 tbI: diroct trigeri"l
or the fec:lina; of tbI: IIIb1ime u thc si", of thc difTermd or CYalt, Rmd1ni
mumt "';111 ...... 1 ... ctrOl:t 10 !be ideas of impoaibililY alld radical diff ... -
ma:.' 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 iI. the !Mint, !be pict ...... "The painl. tbI:
pictuR II (ICCW"faIOt or <Vall. is DOl Up! . ible, and it is 10 thla thaI il
lin 10 wilncu' (IN: 93). Social and ..... nomic d . iJAiollJ hive II am.1 I
pan 10 pIIIy.
"The J)Rci$ion and lrulh of Lyouord'. work on Al.,m. iI paradoxical. al
leall wilen conlidcrcd from a position overly aoo:UJtomed 10 the allocialion
of lruth with polilical proareu. L.yoll"!"' lrulh is mlical bul without
providinl lUi wilh .. He alloWi for. mtique oftbe role of
ido, l. in the d- , iplion of lhe Alserian WIf BUI be does
DOl proide UI "';tlll foundation for . RVOIutionaoy poIibca, becal1Je of lhe
ituillmoe lhal .be lrulh oC !lie """flict IieoI in an inlflCUlbie oliff .... :.
Ramdani asQ bow il ...... pma;bIe (or llef\-win& F--=h intelloctuailO Ii""
_ pi ..... anal";' OC!be ..... than any otltcr eommo:nlltor, indudlq
AJ..,w. IlIlntcn ..... ali,ists. His .. bSU does IlOl _tnt!: Oil
Lyotanl', 1_ run lperil teiLhi"l in AI&eria (C ..... tanline, 1952---4) and his
\0-.0: for !be coually (L.yowd 19891.: l8---9). but Oil tho SorMJimw ""
""'".;., Jroup: ' In 0I'dcr 10 omdenwod ..-hy 1 militant intdle<;tual ..... bIe
10 Iho..- dcptlt in tbI: analysis of !be Al..,n..11 .......... bow he .... Ible
10 ...... 1 _inla I1!Ibcanobie li&bl 011 lhc Al&erian ",oIlLn ..... !be
colonial qUCllioa, we have 10 look al !be hlIIory of tilt- J10up be beIonFd
10' (1989t : 24). This focus is jUllificd but a150 """u-adiclooy ill terms of
Romdani'. Uilii of l ho philotoplo.y oft"" d,fTermd 10 fl1uM lbe Al,man war:
lhat pIo.ilolophy Ind tbe ...... k of SoriDlisnv OIl batb<wle In: no perfect
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:
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 &<HI-
OfI1y is a metaphysi(:al strike', DP: iii). Perbaps this antibislorieal lrait
comO$. out moot clearly in hi. pleasingly but historic:ally reslrictive
aUlObiography lain Hamilton Oranl', di.:uWon of lhis
book io hi. introduction 10 UbldillQ} &.mom}" is particularly instructive: and
on lhio issue: (LE: x"';ii - u). Alainsl the tmdmcy to pri"';lege lhe
author. 8Uto-criliquc:. Granl draws our Inontion 10 Lyntard's attacks on
this kind of readiog: ' 8 uI this is not " sanity trial _ we an: interested in
writing, and .. riting, says Lyotard, i, i .... ponsible: (u). In a later
.....",......Iary on bis own wort, Lyolard welconxs general rewriting. that is.
on 1ho pari of any reader ... a fI t< II)'''peeI ofreadinl and writing (see
his foreword 10 11w Lyo/a,d Retukr). DUI 1ho rewofking of the n.ays on
A]geria in I""", of !be diJT..-....I imJlO'OS a restrictive: lidiness thaI doeo 001
aUow lhem t!w:i. full coolribut;"n.
I do 1\01 want 10 deny the imporuux:e of oonno<ling Lyolard'. arty and
IalCr won:. That linlo: aU""" for a ' trDQi p ..... ntation of lhe main charac-
terislics of lhe worlo:, mosl notably the philosophy of 1ho ovent, 1ho belief
in aMolut. diJTert:f>O!S or the diff.n:nd and the be]iof io inttactable:o ....
Howe'I'Cf. equali)' important is 1ho <kvelopmmt of Lyotard'. worlo and the
.ubtJOIy of eacb individual tate on an i ... ue: 0' lopic. So whilst agrceinglhal
tho diJTer.-nd allow!; for a Cleaf and consistent nplanation of Lyotard',
work on Alsen.. 1 wanlto . " .... Ibal1bi. work i. also a .tage ",,!be way 10
1ho diff..-....l _ and. particularly diflicult one. I oWn want 10 Sln:ss lhat we
have: m""h 10 learn from lhe detail and lhe complex construction of all his
in lho way lhey show lho limits and difficulties of all 1ho diJT=n1
anal)1ical and philosophical 100" and positioQO Lyotard is "plIO blend as.
modom-day casayisi. In onmtntIIling on his articles for s"",kJil.Jm<o ""
b<uba,je, 1 want to insist on litlle-appf:iaiN areas of bis WlJ(k, .uch as
eoonnmica. potitical and social critique and lho siudy of !be limilli of
n:volutinnary critique:.
ECONOMI CS AND TERROR
Lyouord', iatereSl in t<:OnorrUcs. in tenns of. crilical analysis of capitalism.
is pi -nl Ihroughout his won:. II taka fo""". varyinl f,run
8 study in I"""" ora potential revolution in 1ho worlo: on Alaeria. throllah a
"
lYOTARD 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 to olhe .. Ihrough medium of time in 'T1w! (rO:
173- 81). The aoalytical Ravour of Lyotard. work on capilalism i, a
COn"K'" in all tboo< W<l,ko; thot i .. M suivn to understand. within a siva>
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 Algbina<. libidinal malmalist in LihidiM/ &_y and
Iin*niJl;'; in 'T1w! Difftmld.
Ho"-eva-. 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. fall into guater Or
lesser <leg; of workin& wilh, bul also resisting, capilal. The work
concludes wilh complicity bul also .ub",rsion. whil$! the j>hiJosophy of lhe
diIT.",nd is COtKrmed wilh resislance in the undermininl nf Idea. of reason,
ralher Ihan .... ilh an nverthrowing or a wnrking Ibrough or lhe !."mIlion of a
drili wilhin capiutism.
The work on capiuliJm in u. 3 Alghinr.! has to be laken in IWO
ways. First. il arrives al Ihe practical impossibilily of a socialist revolulion in
lhi, ponicular ca .. , but 'till within Ihe .... ",h for a W<lrk .... ' revolution in
diIT.",nt coodilion . Soc:ond. it is a J'l'<"CIIrsory .ign of. Iheo ... lical f\a",' and
practical failure of thinking in term. of revoIulion and beyond capitalism.
Thus Ih. m.ays .. Ilow US to undet'"$\Md ""hy Lyotard rod, up abandonilll
(Iik. SO "",ny of his COrtlemponu-;e.), but without givin. up on
Marx as a philoloph .... l resou=. They also allow us lochan tbe emergmoe
of various """,I ..... ys of lhiM-jng and r ... ling that <XKOe to replace !he
Marilit model. (The best """y oItowinlllll< 1"'''';$1.""" oflyotard', debt to
Marx i. his 'A Memorial 10 Manti"",' . In these issues il is
es!ICntial to keep in mind the principal insighl and main ent .... 1 edge of
SM/alisme "" barbarir. This is to aoalysc the O"""'sary relation bet.......,
&overnment and rrprasi'" burea""racy both in capitalis! states and in
Stalini"",. and as a corollary 10 other revolutionary "",,,,,,,",,,",,Is., most
notably Trots.kyism.
This insight is "","Iially economio: "'here Lyotard tt"lll:eS the operation of
and the attainment of a:onomic growtb in a broadly
or StaliniS! world 10 economic toot. dependent upon bu ... aucralic manage-
ment and tbe hegemony of a bureaucratic cw.s. It i. interesling to note thai
many years lat.r l yOlard ... tum, to III< difficullies of this posilion bet . ... "
capiuli,m and in his biography of And ... Malnlu.. (SM: 179-202).
However. Ihis does not imply thai S/all.ftm "" barbark P"" up on
revolutionary ainu. The po.-e,fu] crilique of the: leading socialill move-
ments of lheir day and the association d",,,,,, between lhese and capitalist
"

i, a . Iage on the way 10 ' 1 will then go on 10
consider whkh cl.us will srizc or bas seized control of lhe admin-
iSlrative 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 'They
allow lyolard 10 IkfuK !be operalion and timita of and
po_r. In Ibis ""n"", _U-known 'postmo<Iem'
paradox betins 10 erne"" io lite conlexl of a modern coooeption of resoIv,
able contradiction!; one that prefigures his lal<:r analysis of !be pl'O'lSi .....
ness of capital and tlte way il exceeds individual or group conlrol. Eacb time
a class or nation is 0CC1I 10 bold po_r Ihrough economic means. it is abo
OCC1ItO be caught in a position wh= those meIln' bar the way 10 resolviOi
wider and, in lhe long ltrm, serious..:onomic and oocial problem .. In
order to preooe"", a social and polilical dominan"", a mUng claM i. forced 10
make o:onomio chokes that either clpen violent and unsustainable divides
with other classes Of hUlen an economic decline with the same end resuh,
Thus al Ibis .lage of hi. work, Lyotard's philosophy and politics are heavily
indeblod 10 Maf1, even lhough lhe 011 &roup""" tbcir
work as a departure from lhe mote rigid potilical de .... lopmetllo of Maniom
and ronstantly """k to distaD'" themselves from many of its Olrando (mosl
nOlably Slalinism and !be potitics of the Frer><: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 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 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: of lhe ')'SImI, But. as I ... id, lite
laner has need ofluch "bstacles to improve its peno""""",,' (PF, 73). This
1993 essay, "'TM Wall. the gulf. lhe s)"tcm'. hegins wilh a rememb11lDCC of
LYOlllrd's work with Soor/aJS- "" iJ<uINuk, \b""8h !be >lack observalion,
memosy and at"Jll1D"ll.l lhertin on the verge "f distasteful. in particular
when one 00"""" 0,,1 of 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. F rmr:h power is mown 10 depend
"
L YOT A R 0 A NO TH E POLITICA L
upon <xcl.u;..n "f Algerian. from the "",an. I" CCOfI<KItic
devtlopment. This m:lusion f"rceo Fra.cb <OO<H>mic policy ;nl" mod<
"f pillaging alld exploilati"n opp<>W.d I" in_tm<nt. The nalure of
Frcnch is ddined by .... '1 weak capital in_l"",nl .1Id
approprialioo "f mean. "f prod""'i,," in mining and agri<ul!ure I" facilitale
expo" <>f .... w material. 10 Frana: (PW: 172- 3)_ The of"
Ihi' combinalion are 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 'l<Obilily' - laler defined by LyOlard a.
abililY 10 conlinue exploiting Algeria 01 """'.i .... rala of pl"QfilabiUly_
Fra""" hu an inlerat in koeping Algeria unde..oe.,.eloptd:
In Ibis .ph ..... the interesl Frencb cartels coincides wilb Ibal
<>f colonists: bolh .... k 10 mainlain north African economy
in a pre-industria] Slate. If agricullure we", industriaJiso:d. wrilOi
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
.l<Obilily presUmc5 an in ....... development?'
(PW: 172)
But this cyniciom fueia the oocial revolution wi,h a popul.,ion of
disaffeelt:d and Slarving work ..... It aJ50 fuels a national revolutionary
fervour oince wealth alld po ...... an: .... n 10 be .almosl exclu.ively Frcnch:
'11te enlire daily life of almosl .U M ouIilllJ i, thu< taken 0_ .nd "",,und
dOWlt by the handful of colon;,U: Maghrebi society is, lotalitarian society,
where exploiullioo presupposes lerror' (PW: L 74).
Economic policy is caughl in I circle thai cannot .Uow ;1 10 find an
economic 5OIution to the conflict. Onc:e exploitalion and a ooocornitant
revolutionary fervour are ",t in motion il is no ionger poooibk 10 xcok 10
weaken thai fervour by d<velopment. jobs and wealth. Thi. is beaux
nature of" order in Algeria has been.wl by an economic policy thai demand.
replc:ssivc poI;cilli 4' ;n .he Mas/tKb ,he polio!: perform an esstIItial
economic alld -"'Cial rok'). It is impossible 10 bruk Ihai rdaliOd withooi
",ninl off an ..... n Bruler push for revolution, sin"" lid is kepi on .hat
m""emenl by keeping aU forms of po ...... ;n colonial hands. In ..... rly
essays we encounter a ca", of Lyolard'. dcfinitioo of lotalitarianism and
I .......... ; lerms to which he ha.! a1w.ys ""';bcd greal pbilosophical and
poUlical importllnce. Terror ;n Maghreb is 00' only lhe .bral of
flIndom brutality and btil aJ50 !be imposition of an .Iien culture
and .ystem as only poo,ib/<: oociaI conduil in term. <>f administration,
r:.lucalion, culture alld employmerot.
"
IMPASSE
This dcliDtS tho necessary relation betwn 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 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: I<CODd
strand of LyotaTd's argument on lbe impossibilily of economie morm.
Economic exploitation Iea& 10 a revolulionary national;'1 Ixcau ..
France is idrnlilied with alllhc: reprmivc aspectS of Algerian society. The
ooly rMl ""Iution - LyOian! and ow barbarlt tend In make greal
play of Ibis anti-idcalinie camontic and social realism - is lben 10 achieve
independence from France: 'Thcrcfore the struglc situates it .. lf
immediately al Ihe national level; it spontar>e(>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 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
(Readings 1991: 112)
Whercas the 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 the: .... t: jUII
as in lhc: Atbenian funeral oration decried by Socrates.. wbe lbe
,UpJMlgc tunOfl& lbe pronouns ar>oJ .. 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 poIilical pi'" 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 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 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 ' Wo k""'" what
ruson it' . Thit ,_. ito dilcuual best in _ of _ in 11M' may
UaiCfSl.l history and ,.,' in TIw Lyottmi R-s.r. 'Terror is
110 Ion&er UCiV.- :j in 1M illiJroe of flftdom ..... 1 ill tlw: .....". of
salisfaction. in lhe ........ of a Alilfaction of a ........ hich it ddinildy
lalrio:tcd 10 si"",!.orlty (316- 17).
no.. ""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 ... for the idcntiticalioo of lCITor aDd the aboot ... )0.01 rom>
revo[otiooary action mltll ... ke. In t he 10011 ..... a lheooyindep,ndttll
economy and .000101)' a senmol claim thaI aloo applies to <COD.
011110 . nd .ooolop:al delCrip!ioM. the in tcmuo of IIIbjrct
(terror) and polil ical aim (to .Iiminatt terror), the two .pproaches au
fondamtfltally inconsilt(tlt'l 1M Ifvcl of theory. no.. laltr W<lrl< rcjoctllhe
ptivikgro ralc givm to dttcriptive !IeII1cnc:es in 1M early .. ork . nd turns
apinst any objoctive .ppc:.1 to realily. Instead, illimiiIJ.. showinlj: and
rna killilruth-e!.oim, .boUI IOIIlCIhinl become onc mode of speokilll amo",
many ""'Nalkl'..blr modH:
. .. btl! i\ is. qlieltion of la.Iit y. it mUSI too: Wldentood
llutl rulity it not only.t pIIoy in """,iii ... pltruellinked "';Ib
oomU:uolives ..., oaemives. Rellily plaY' illClt out in the Ibm:
ramilies ......... , 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 t lot
..... Y' on Alp lot fallt fOllI of tlw: ! n,..lcamt in tlw: bter 1I'OIk.. There iI
..
IMPASSE
nO one ralily to ",hich any critic can app<al in making polilical predictions
and in dnermining rights and "TOngs.
Instead, lQJily is lhe site of im:<;Oncilable dilT.'"' ...... or dilTcrends.
indudina diffnenocs about mallCfS of fact: ' RealilY cnt.aib the differend'
(TO: Lyotard's "'ork on AIgt"N i. nol simply about a
dilTtrend. It is a painful proam.s toward. the dilTcrend through the failure
of In appeal 10 Ihe realily of resolvable conlradictions. The fitsl way in La
G_u Iks AIt.' rIms dcdllCel a socialiOi and nalionaliOi revolulion in
Algeria. But Ih.i. dcdllClion already betraY" doubts about the future of 11>c
revolution in tbe role of the new Alaerian bourgeois and bureaucralic
propridOr1 and powerbroken, '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
the $Dclal reality tMY sci out to anal)'ll<'. This failure can be ascribed
to irresolvable conlradiction, inherenl in any ooc:ial reality; that is, t hat it
mllS] involve different and untra",lalahle claims to trulh.
II is importanl, though., not to faU into IIIe lrap of only readinS Lyotard',
work bac:kwanb. The early work also siand. in judgm>ent over the later
Wilh the dilTm-nd and the tum ap;O$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 rt.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 wdlddined pro8feS$ive political
Again, and nihilism appear to baunt Ihe Loter Lyotar<l in. way thai
occms unerly .trallJlO when we uperienct the force and conviclioo of the
essays on Algeria: 'Lastly, it is importanl to under1t. nd and 10 male il
undcrllood tbal the only lasling solution. (Ihe solution. lhal none in the
Itrugglc can provide) arc: cla .. ..,lutions, lhe fi .... of thc$e btiu. the dirocl
appropriation of the land by the peasanlry' (PW: 178). Though. 110M of the
protaaoni.to can provide SOlution. there is . till a belief in a solution. By
lhe .nd of the work on Algeria thi, belief in the possibility of dcducioB
solution. i, on the walle.
ALGERIA AFTE R INDEPENDENCE
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
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 poot.re-.oIutiooary d- and 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,ic<II W,i'illts on 1110 ",ound, 111.11 il ooncem. 'a
dewled of polilical manoeuvres' (3]9). Thit j, a 'Mme fince il
leaves the . tad .... with the imp ..... ion lhat the fail,"" of lhe revolution is
wh(>llya fanu ... of cluses ralher lban I fail= of cIauet 10 brinB enouBh
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
polit ical 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 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,
""",eo and culture, The WUlO1d f.ult, is cllaraeterUtic: or
lbe Nortb 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 ... ,..,in' dul. This 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", (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<fl'ftI<nl a social
foroe' (PW: 186).
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><r a IIOU""" of ..,,,in- income to
I>< 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
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 purge< and favoured the inva';on of the
administration by their cronies. The ""'" bourgtOisie proliferaled in II><
bosom of tb. Slate' (PW: 3OS). The speculalive practie 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 exteruio<t of deals 00 the uploilalion of raw materials:
"lbu. imperiali"" found a new bridgehead in the country among the
SpeculalOr! in the administralion' ()OS).
Wortc oliU, lhe Algerian bou.gtOis all: i"'llO$ likely to move lheir
capital 10 ' ... fe' foreign shores al the finl sign of !'<'Volulionary fermenl.
leaving tbe Slate doubly in bock to foren that wish to II: a continuation of
Ibe p ... revolulionary economic o;t"'lIion (306). In LyOUlrd', eyes Ihis is the
ultimate be1rayal of lhe revolulionary ;r>dependencc movement, because
the 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<! v;'w of the North
African bourgtOisie lIS opposed 10 the ' Western bourgtOis' from this
critique. Lyolard. point i, rather lbal ;n Nonh Africa lhe bourgeois .. ha,
nol been allo.......J 10 develop into. 01 ..... capable of de>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'"
LYOTARD AND THE POL I TICAL
in lhe sinet and dtcisi"" $moe (_ bourgeoisie tbal P"'''',es the "",ans of
prodUC1ion) "<IS the European boartt'li.ie _ . .' (304). His . rgumemo an:
economic and do nol conc:ern "'"i.al 'ossmceII'."The Algerian bourgeoisie has
001 beu aUo...-ed 10 away from economically "."daled lradiliom
MO>onlJ 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 wby they failed 10 pr-ovide
conlinued impeln. 10 Ii>( ""'<lluli<ln independence wa. achkvcd. How
ClIn ti>( 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:\<I""" " "re
aos" .. ered a", manifnlly unlt'U<'; 'While lhe faction. muggJed for po,,'er,
Ii>( 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 contentiou. 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<l aoy polilicallbeory tbat gi.-e< Ihal spontaMily direction. at the
lime or ...... D in 'erma of II late, inltlpre"'tion. l1Ieory dna not playa
delCnnininll ,-01< in rna .. rnovanmts, InOicad, the ""1Y notion of mas.
depen<ls 00 reactions and dnim tha i bring di'paralC groups togetber for
lhe length of time it ta kes 10 """'" against a common abho ..... nce or towards
1 common good.
This divioion of dcsjre aJ><! theomical conSlruct. allied 10 a conception of
an original disparalmess of society, bcoomes one of Ihe mosl important
aspeelS of Lyotard's work, It appear> in lhe postl968 essa)'l colle<1.ed in
INTi." d poT/i, <if' F, .wJ. In tum. these .... )'1 anticipale Libidin,u
&-tmomy: 'One can imagine _"y society as an eruemble of person. ruled by a
system whose function "'ould be to regulate the eOlry. the dUlribution, an<l
Ihe elimination of the that tltis ensmtble .pend. in order to nisi'
(PW: 63). The same Ihou&hu can .!Iso be found in Lyotard'. nlt1>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
$yOlem: the qualitali,,, ..... nt o<>:un when the .ny forms Ihrough
which energy is rendered circulabl< (the in.tilutions. in t he sen", thai I ba ..
';'1011 10 Ihe t.nn) <u", 10 be able 10 ha ....... lhat energy _ lhey bttomc
obsolet .. (6S).
In Libidinal ,amom)'. Lyotard dc""lopl the carli .. desaiption iOlo an
opposition draw" belwoen inlenlily (energy) and diJpositionl (o'poi ..
lioo)_ There U an irreducibl< diff.rence separating the energy behind social
22
tMP.o.SSE
movements and theories involved in underslandin, them or in givinJ
poIilical dil'l!Clion 10 them. and directinn are n, ""'Y, bul
also insufficienl. In Ibe lanJU3gc of libidinal Eroiwmy. inlcllSily and
dirr.ltt,,", are dissimulaled wilrun Ihex di'p05itionl. but n"""r
fully captured; 'I...t-I \1$ tIC' ront.nlto recognize in diOlimu\ation ......
have been .... kin" within idenlity. the: .ha",", ovall within
foresight of composition, paosion within reason' (52) ,
importanoc of the political thought of in tenm nf and
drsim also appears in Lyolard \aler work on the dilTerend, It is
from a reading of Kanl found in the 1982 ess.ay 'The Sign of history' .nd
laken funber ill LYOlard's fullest treot,""nt of Kanl,
L Dy Ihi< <laS<", he Ibink. Ihrougb """nl, in InmS of
Ih and, in .bocking contrast 10 early work, Ihe key alTe<;ts aR' tbOllC
of lpoctalon. One of lhe di'tinguidti", f.alures of Lyolard' , work 00
Algnia is his illSislence on 1M d<ci.i"" piOn 10 tIC' played by Algeria", as
oppc ' 10 fomgn synlpiOthiser$. including Tn"olulionari and workerJ, In
lhe work on KAnl, lhe oppal;le i. Ihe case: it i ... if only the more delached
feelings of oUlsid ... olTe' a lrue in.iiJ>t inlO the ",'rnlS. The .rux of the
argu,""nl i< Ihal significance of potitical ,,,'rnl. i$ iOOicaled by Ihe lublime
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..,..,n-
lalion of 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
What manorJ for 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 $<>Cial e'''''IS. In lerm. of lhe revolutionary aim. of the
work on Algeria, the moll seriou, "'peel nf Ihi' mo ... e 10wardS lodal
heterogeneity, indicated by lhe feelings of spc<:taton 10 rullorical event,
Ii in lite .mtique of Ma",ism put f01Wllrd "raisht after lbe 5Iudy of
Kantiall enthusiasm in DifJerntd. I shall return 10 Ihis crilique and to
the reaction 10 e/ found in libidi",,1 t:coJwmy in the lUI
orilical ....,lion of Ihis .hapler,
Natwithstanding I.le, mo ..... regarding radical sodal differ.
enoes and I><leroge""ily, Lyotard', arguments the inactivilY of
the prolelarial and peas;tntry coDOCnlrale on Ihe objecti"" diswlulion of
ma_. In ,""""uated' he ascribe< lhe coheR'nce of lhe mas,..
involved in the of R'vOIUlion 10 a reactioo agaiosl the impo""rilhed and
ra.ciol imloge of Algerian . Tni. reoction ;, .. mll<h a fight apinS! the lacil
adoption of Ihi< image ill Al gerian. as il il againOi French occupalioo and
rncism: 'The pUrJuit of indepcndcnoc CO."isled in deheri", o ..... lf from
the colonial nighlmare. It could nOI be more inle"", titan durin, Ihe
LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL
Sirugle. "'ben lbe masses broke lrampled loor own caricalure under
foot' (PW: 3(2).
BUI Ihi, unily hid"" an nriginal"l of differences Ihat .hnw the nnlion n(
rna .. to be nothing wilhoul the lingular desire lhat gave it OOIIilitency and
.(rength: 'lbo composile charact ... ofwbal has been ealled th.t ""'Mn is a Itso
momentary elomc:nl. Then: an: Jl"uanl$. workm. the middle cia ... each
group 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<I (hinlerland). cia .. antagoni ..... thai
are more or less diSl.inct a<:<:on:!ing 10 tbe dqree of apilsli'l
poDOtratioo inlo tbe countryside (it is dominanl in the colonized
flatland. ), or aocording 10 the ..... istmce of the Algerian feudal
class (as in the high plain of th.t Constantinois or lhe Oranais), Or
a.crordiog to Ih. survival of lribal or village communities (in
" "hyl;e. io the Aures).
(301)
Lyman:! and "" ba,ba,it', comes to the fore ben: (and it
is into .... tin' to note that much of tl>. close analy$ia 0,,"eS a areal okalto the
sociolo;ical Slodin of Algeria by the now equally inHumtial think ... Plern:
BourdiN; .... This objtttivity hao th,", critical
strands for any n:fkc1ion on thl: role of thl: ma .... ;
I Lyotan:! UpiaiM their unity and revolutionary fervour through thl: dWn:
t o denroy a "'If-image nOl through a political do" conoc:iouSlle$S; it
is thus an argument about f ... lings of revnision and deliveran"" ralher
lhan aboul consciousl\Olll and undo,.,tanding.
1 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.
3 Classn are .... 0 to ""erlap through the$c charatt"';'t;':' and through
comple. economic and social There i. no .unple
economic: or ooo;i.aJ logic that alLo"., for Ibroretical accounts of the play
of 0fIC clil .. with anatbe .
The$(: points art" used b)' Lyotard, oOm in combination. in onIer \0
differenl failures in the revolutionary For 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 .... 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$l, onc CIIn tum to diVU1ity of
regional situation. aDd the limitlthey imrosc on social consciou.ness' (PW:
)Og). In regio'" wh .... land is IlCaroe and wh .... tl>cre islinle land to be re-
dislributed .unonll many .maU.hokkn there is "ery little pressure toward,
landrcfonru (308), On tbe: other hand, wherelh .... arelaboure ... rather Ihan
""",llhoIdm, the Qb$w:1e lies in lradit ion 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 and to ensure
lub<iSl= even in tim .. of grealllCarcity, This meanS Ihal 'social .. lalion,
are nol t he prodo>ct 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 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 ,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 dimen-
sion of that Ilrugg1. in t,,o 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"
Th.", is an absence of solidarity and cOI>OOm for the AllI<rian masses ""
IhI: pan "f I"" French classes.
2 TIt .... is an absen<e of revolutiorulry political desires lImonlthe French.
even in the conlext of a ..,..oluti,," in Fra"""_
l The Fre""h left wing i. not Cllpable "f r<Spo<1ding 10 the
situation"" rcv<>Iulionary arid a stNIIJIe for indcpendmoe. That i.,
tb= is a belitflhat 1M """,lution must take place in IhI: conlext of an
inlcrmotional socialism_ Indtpwd<nCC i. then nnl a step Inward
..... olulion; quil. the contrary,
4 'The French left wing has not taken on board the lack of desire for
..... "Iuti"n in Fra"""
5 The Fre""h right ""inll is nl>! capable ,,[ resolvins the <con"mic
contradicti"n. that rise to revolutionary dcsir<S in AlflC'rla_
lYOTARD AND TilE POLITICAL
The .... plan.tion for p<>inl$ 3 5 bas been given abo. e, Tbo """"""ry
t<1'rOri<lil: oonlrol of.U Algerian institutions by the Frmch is a final barrier
10 lhe res<>lulion of oconomie and &Oci&1 problems while Algeria is under
Frencb oontrol: 'The absurdity of the: 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 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 oome 10 die in France in the late fifties,
early sixties? J. il helpful In think of Lyotard', lal.r work on the post-
modern as an anempt to explain this death1 Now lhese .... dang<1"Ous
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 pla-
nalion of the shift imo a p<>slmndern p<>lilic:$. lI ut hi, work has little to do
with sirnplyehanins Ihe dealh ofmodem p<>1itics and 10 do wilh
the auempi 10 <rcate new "'lI)'S of tmolLinl lbe and 10 rekindle
p<>1itics under anolher lui""
The poinls lhal he gi .... in explanolion for are "",,"ul
bc<:au",lhty pm...;.;!. n ...... chall"""" for a philosophy lhal does not want 10
..... p<>litical desire seep a .. 'lIy. ""The Stale and PoJilic:$ in lhe of 1%0'
puIS lhem forward ill sketch {Ibe original venion numben each point:
these disappear in lhe English tranilalion):
I Economic IfOlIo1h broUghl about by grealer productivilY is accom_
panied by a <hanl!< in Ihe ... Iation or worker 10 work and work 10
.. pital. There is e...., greater worker alienation in work bec.au... the
talb Ihey ha\'C 10 perform.s dil:lated by the: mea ... 10 IJUIIter
productivity no inlttest Or real meaning for them. This also means
th.t lhe relation belween panicular taw and amounts of pay has
become arbitrary.
2 In ... tum for Ihis alimatioo worke .. r=ivc more pay in teno. of
pur<:hasing power. But this does not mean IJUIIlcr freedom, or thai
work ..... have become equal to own ..... , The corollary 10 inc ..... cd
pur<:basinl power is IJUIIler oUlllide control over what is pur<:baocd.
Worken' need. a ... lailored 10 whal is prodoccd: and what is produ=l
is tailored to tbooc needs: "The need ..... fccl are leu and leu our IICCdo.
mo ... and mo ... need .. aDd lbe infaUiblc symptom of thi.
alienalion i, Ihal the sati<fa.etion of needl does DOt proo;ure rt:al
pleasu ... (271).
"
IMP,o,SSE
3 Economic expansion has ltd 10 a homoS'ni ... tion of French Thow
involved in mod .. of life thai had escaped tbis alionation, luch
farmen. shopkeepers alKl al1isans, now fall prey to ii,
4 Not only work. hUI all athe:r mtdilional human relation$ $""b a. family
arid in ooghbourboods h .. brol<..., doWl!. Th;" leads 10 a more
Icslinll individuallifeslyle. allhe:.am<: more diffi<uh bUI al ... more
oxptrimonlaL So a global sen .. of "",,;'Iy disappea .. wilh ,..... In.t
it is p05Sible to r:O<\.<lil ule thai _se.
S This Joss of .. m .. ;" most ,""ute amonlllhe: younll. TMir depoliticisation
i. the fomt by a more g"""ral separation from social valucs.
Lyotard OOI1nectS all these point. to a single property of capitalism, that
is, the: capacity to i1lCOrporate oppmitiOfl and critique into the Iystem. The
dOJXlliticisation of the French proletariat and youth comes from the: way in
which Iheir re...-olutionary political a<1ivities are aosimilattd iDio capitaliom.
This asoimi\ation pla= any strusgle ' in past leRM.nd places political
a<1ivist$ 'in the paMive mood', It i, IKIt only Ihe ide.s and demands of the
prolO1ariat Ihal are a..un;\attd in Ihi' bUI al"" the: fonn' of struuOe-.
The union becomes a moans ru management. and represenlatives of
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
ruliog clal.s). The \'cry idea nr a glnb.al political project is
immtdialely neutralized in lbe ""ork.,, 0"" heads. l ocrtdulily.
lassilude, and irony keep an class in much more
effectively Ihan optn viole".,..
(27S)
From 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 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<lcmity and the
libidinal: he can ne;ther work within a sy.tem ",h.,.., capacity 10 assimilate
Dtutralis it< val"" and inlen$ily, nor work 10 overthrow lhe
syslem scmrding 10 traditional ",volulionary polito.":,,.,. Ihi. hu fod lbe
very ClIU .. of Ihe crisis.
LYOTARD AND Til E POLITICAL
THE LIBIDINAL DRIFT AWAY FROM C RITIQUE
Why docs LyolOr<r. method after La Gw". du AlghlAll What
doeslhal indicale in lem,. of probltm.! with thai method? Whal can
W( kam from his ..... ys on Algeria, in lerms of wn(emporary politiCi and
phil<>50phy? A. I hope 10 lui"" li>nwn, .ony lesson cannel be ",,!ely lhal lbe
war mLlSI be coruidrra.! in lerm. of a difrcrend. Mall .... are mllCh
more complu than lhat, nol only in Icrm5 of the diffC'tCllI <'OO<IOmic and
social groups and desires involved, bul also in term, of lhe mcIbodololD'
employed. Irmp<Xtiv. of ... 'hat Lymard says in his mnlelp>datinn of
follll<'T ... h'es., lhe mcIhod of La GWtrt dts Alg'rinu is 1>01 tlLal of TN
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 $Ialldpoint of lhe laler work, CUlting crilical
poinu can also he mad< against lhe laler work from the political activily of
lhe ..... y. on Aigtria.
In LA Gue". du A(ghitlU, Lyotard's mcIhod depend. upon: (I) an
ao1iculalion of the social field ;nlo da...,.; (b) an ".planalion of the logical
rellliions bet ... -eo:n Ihose dasses in I(rms of objective economic and socio-
logical relations; (e) a polilical aim of revolulion broughl about by lhe
spomaneou, ..wng of ma...,. infCJm1ed, but not led, by critical .Iudies such
I . tOOse pul fOIWllN in So<:i6Iw- 011 fH,rba, je, The emphasis; then, is on
critiqUt: rather than political organisation and leadership (naturally, givm
thai the main critical focus of tit< Socialimte "" barl1<uir group is bureau
cracy). The focu. i. on ol.a$o ralher Ihan individuals or panies. It i!o
nn rt"Volur;on, rather Ihan on ""olution.
By LibidiNll &Momy lhe th....., Slran'" of thi< method are ulldo"" and
replaced. Thi . i. not a mallor of whimsy Of bUI a reaction 10
inaccura.:y alld a ""ulting painful failure in the early work: ' , .. "" Ibal [our
readers] w nsxlor Our nighl into libidinal eoonomy for whal ;t i<, lhe ""lution
t(} a t(}ni pain and the breach out of a difficult impasse' (LE: (17). Page. t 13
to I S4 of LibidiNll Erotwmy are a cruel dissc.;:lion of lhe desira behind lhe
Iheory and lhe 'realily' of Lyo\ard's ..... Y"' on Algeria (and relaled won. by
olhors). This does IlOl meaJ\ lhal the laler work is only a metaphy5ica1 'blow'.
If it is metapbysical, il i. to be: read from the t"""'i, that Ihe is nothing
OUI,;<!c mota physics. Thuo 'reality' and 'Irulh' only lake (}n lhoir fuU prulo-
""phial (0"'" fram lhe Niet=hean P<'rsp<Xti"" oflhe desires al won wilrun
Iho creation of a reality and " truth - that is; one among many,
Tbc: wmmenls on Algeria io LibUli/llJl are ..... ring, as raw today
they must b."" bttn in le:ss cynical and knowing days: 'han, on tigltt Hnd
.pit on me . . : (Ill). l1Iey are .. ritlen to lrigger (to bury) desires deep in the
reader. But il i!o possib!e to read off a theoretical position lhat dissimulates
lhat emotion:
"
IMPASSE
I 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 rommu-
niation (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 $it""tod in 1M <a",. social and
economic bracht' (Ill).
2 libidinal investment in an action is unstable and impermanent, It
changes and dies in a practke that it energises and gi .... dim:tion to. So
a _ial identity does not ooly define the investmCltt; the oppOti .. is also
tbe case: Nn .... these disparities, which are beterogeneities of in .... tmem
in tM erotic or deadly nux ... are of cou .... fnund witbin any oociaI
"movem ... t" whatsoever. whether minu ... 00 tbe lC<Iic ofa factory. Of
imm ..... , wh ... it spread. tn a ""hole country or """tin ... !' (I Jl- 141.
3 Any .ituation is prey to an open sct of heterogeneous de.ires, Or, in the
wurtis of UhidI",,1 frrmomy, political economy i. libidinal and
there are no primitive societies (122-7).
4 Given tbc<c Ihree point<, l yotard goes on 10 claim capitali,," a. the
1)"lnn best luitod 10 handlins _ that is. chanllClUlli and expioitinS -
desi ... in their unpredictability and hetcroJt1lt'ity_ C.pitalism adaptS to
n ..... desires and can regulate heterogeneily through monetary jui",,-
Ier>ea: includes. 00 tM contrary. in the name of increaoed
accumulation, growth. de.'elopmeot . .w.. Q di.posl/if {di.posllioN..,l-
up I of lire .. gu/(uiotr of t:O<Iqut"I , a di.Jpo1/li/ of ptrmanCltI co"'lut;:u. The
speciality of thi. dispo,ili/ li .. in a nonain usc of currency. which is a
game with time' (154) .
S So the", is no oUlSidc 1M pottntial of capitali$l1l. T'I>trl' is no
...... olulionary ' Ial. or primitive society that is J>O!. open to a capitalist
exploitation of de$jre and hetcrogctteily: ' . " . the"' is no exlernal
",fe",occ, C'o'tn if immantn(, from which the 5<'paraliop of what b(IOllp
to capital (or pOlilical c<:ooomy) and what belongs to . ubversion (or
lib;dinal """no my). can atv."ay. be made. and cleanly: wM", desire
would b( clearly legible, where its proper """oomy would nOl he
",rambled' (108).
Once applied to the methodology of tM ..... )'5 011 Algeria, the .. pointo
lead a_y from eIa_ and to desi= "Th<y lead away from an impossible
privileginl! of a class, 01"." .... a desi",. to 1M q .... l;oo of whal the proper
pltilO5Opbical reaclion should M to tbe helerogmcity and ilUtabilily of
d..; ..... They lead a_y from a belief in a revolutionary ota .. , and ., ....
more, from for a pos'-revolut;"".ry .tat . Instead. lbe cenlra)
qu.eslion btw/lle$ how beslto be rev<>lutiooary 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 p<lrtjr Marx Frnd: Ihe lant' . hares many of the
imight. of the foTlltotr. nOlably coOOl:ming the rod of critique:. but it does
nol make the leap into affirmatKm. But 10 fail to make Ihis leap it
incomislonl.
There is amll<ing. bUI 10 some delJU al$O quite ...,;0 ..... di"""Mion
btt",..,n Lyolard and Dmida on lheir dilTning attitudes to nostalgia in Ihe
coU"",ion of Ln fou tit I"hommt: ci pat/lr <III "".,.j/ dr JacqW$ v..,rw
(310--15). Thill i. reprodnced in pan in TM L}'O/Qrd 'l1Ien. I
Ily<llard] would be indocred if I we .... 10 inlervroe in your nostalgia jn.1 ..
you we .... indisc=t 10 inl.rval. in my ...."Iul.n ... (3&8). Th. humoroul
10"" of Ihit excbange rna'!:l a subtk bul importanl dilTe ..... ..,., between Ihe
two think.". in l\>ri. 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 anli-
Hegetiani",, : 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 <how lhal il is fUlik 10 wanl
10 e<cape- OT n.pte desi .... and d";res.
N",,"'here a .... the paiD oflh. lesson. learnt by lyotard Mnd his methodo-
\oj!icaJ .... mo .... clear than in the .... feIC""' .. 10 Algnia and
"" IxIrbark in Libidinal co"omy. In a difC('! lin. 10 lbe argu-
m.nts in Algeria .-.acua!ed_ 1100 a libidinal sludy of lhe desires 81 work
in tM Algerian war of independen= Thit lime the posl-independena:
disaff""lion. bourgcnit oorrupt;on and disint'lIJ"'IlH>n of are nol
otudied in termS of social and C'<OOI1OrIIi< conditions, bUI in !emI.< of Ihe
impermoneDOO of desi .... : The .... a .... libidinal posilions. lrnablc or not. lhe ...
a .... position. in,'esled whidt a .... immedialely disinvcst...t. the energy passing
onlo other pieces of lhe "".1 punk, in...,nling new fragmenl. and new
modalities of lhal is to say of inlrn.ification (I ll), use
lerm jouiHa"",,. or enjoyment in a strong possessive and .Iso :sexual sense.
indicates lhe indiff.rence of desi ..... It can be taken tbrough anylhing and
d"", nor fit judgtmenlS of good and bad or 1M guidaDOO of conance.
Dcsi .... knoWl no norm or din:<:\ion: it <:an brinS poUtical actors logether.
but also puilihem apan: 'This is wby . "",npl individuals participatinS in
IMPASSE
the sarne ""'Ole, may ex;st the most profound
... -en if they situaltd in the sa"'" $Oclal and oconontic bnocket' (113),
As lhe 10 escapt CC1'ta;n dcsil't$ 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 accu-
mulate a. a or 10 the Te"o'Olution in .. If..,.,rving ""mpromi ..
and caJcuJalion, or 10 funher lerror in the rnjoymt'nI of muIeT, are 31,,'a)'5
latent, No co.n banish them ('perhal" Iti. .till remained in
the grip oflhe punili"" reJot;on he meanllo abandon . .. alrtady nouri<hing
conlmlpl for lhe body and exallin, " oroS as no,olialion demands'). Thi. is
al"" true of other allempls to renew Marxi.m through lhe dcfinilion of
no",,1 zoneslhat can be and must be allo"ed 10 g.ow oUliidc the hegemony
of capital.
In Ub/Ji",,1 ECOI>Omy. 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' 103-
81. 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 Comelius
Castoriadis, fOI Itis auempt to driine a generalillCd ',pontaneity and
c..,alivity' as a privileged ..,alm in La Saci;' , bu'e<nICral;q." 1'011. /I and
du """'.' ........ 1 """''''' I'm I. /I (LE: 116-19). LyOlard's
objection is tbat can be no general theory thaI can define such a
So there can be no simple """oluHon in favour of it. To conlinue 10 make
,bis claim i. to misundrrlland ,he""pacily of desi .. to...,.,pe and undo Our
lheoatical ca"'B0";" of creativilY and spomancity:
. W( had to $OY: let'. also idea . . . , tit<
idea of a Te"o'crs.al of pos;lion in the .pIIo.., of political economi<:
pow.:r and lit< idea of maintaining Ihi. or Ihal sphere. or
""00, to be fairer 10 CaSlorialli . Ihe idea ofa generaJillCd rcverul of
posilion in dll .pheres; ... for [this thought] '.,as once again a wall.
Ihe same wall of the $arne impa<Se ..
(LE: 118)
SUI this don nOI fl lib;dinal economy from lhe q","slion. posed by
the earlier tyotard: Whal W( 10 make of our Te"o'olutionary desires? They
exisl.1tII do pain Mnd lerror. \Vbal. Ihm. should we do 10 Ii"" wilh or Ii"" up
10 lhe desires. or to =1'0 them? It could n ..... r be mough simply to
proctaim the end of ....... olulion. si""" all the commentary on Algeria in
Ubidlnal NmOmy points lowarn. Te"o'olutionary desi .... thai ha"" bc.:n
forbidden a ..,rtlin typt of OIllkt a..:ordinl 10 a Cettain Iype of eriliatl
lboory. Amonl ,he mo,! preuing <lues!ion' to be am_red in lhe ....
evaluation of Lyo!ard's libidinal "'ork the following: Does bi. work on
"
LYOTARD AND THE POL ITICAL
dC$ire and "'pital commit him to a simple betrayal of hi. early revolutionary
work? Can he still fi&ht on tho olde of those who .uffer terror, a, ho lIOught
to do 110 tenaciously in tho ..... ys OIl Algeria?
TilE SILENCING OF CR ITIQ UE
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 <ritical ...... din. of
u. CitM,.. de. Algbiens, tbey a'll"" against tho capa<ity of a o..-uoin
venioo of Marxism to re$ist tho hegcmooy of capital Again. """'" Marx;'t
"nalyoes and impul ... contin"" with tho philosophy of tho diff=nd; ' . .. tho
,ilent fedina: that signal diff.m>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 A .... rona: is not ... j>TeSSO<I through tho dc:scriptioo or.pecific social and
"""""",ic practiceo aoo 51Tuctures. but through tho ',ilenl feeling lhat
signals a diff"",oo.
2 Th. 'solidary enthusiHm' tlLat aa:ompanks lho siknt fttlina: is not a
legilimate basi. for the deduction of an ideal '=olutionary .ubject'.
J This ideal i. nol evidence for a ...... 1 political orpnisalion of the real
worting da .. .
So. lit. lhe .... o,k 0" All"ria in UhiJinai &moomy, lhe philosophy of the
differmd tries to e.plain tho Or transience of =olutionary masses
dlaned in . Algeria evacuated'. llIe methodology aod 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
of relating ",al entities with Ideas of reason:
The pliny is "''''''trained to mistake the prolel.arial - a ref"",nl oftbe
dialtttical gt:n'" (in tbe Katltiao ...... ). namely, !be ideal object (and
perltaps .ubject) ofthe Idea of 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 for 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 wbere critique and political activism ma,l\I raae tbe elimina-
lioD 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 illjuilies of capitalism, His WOTk On Algc';a is the <am<' timr
a step on the way to tbi. 10$$ and its indictment for disaffection,
3
LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND
NIHILISM
FOR A REVALUATION OF LIB IDINAL ECONOMY
n..... .. no in""';,y wilhonl a <IJ' and without. labyrinth.
11>< forox wbich mikes. p'o'<D .urf..,. oftbr ...... ' "'in (that io
10 "Y which invenlS il) <>.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. rno""""" of bodin. """'" _ ..
hauolin, ,he ....... ,"]'[(,,"><Ii", II>< J)oin" OIl wbich force
down. Your body i ... U, unfaithful _. if jcalo .. or ,lie
in!<noilin "' hich your infidelity briup iI, il 100 cries from [he:
energy ,.k ... from it. and if it en.. at ,he -... ,;m. .. your
k'<3". it is bcao"", they beionl to the ....,. pulsional
(LI::: 41)
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<itnlific diSlim;tions
(energy- mucIn ... , "",,i..,,-society. intense-weak) adopted uncriticaUy if
true ror .,erni.y and wrapped up in rhdOfi<, in order to givt raise political
and mor.ol !'Ower to the: author? Metaphysics., in this sen",. is the last refuge
from the o<rutiny of empirical re!IeIU'Cb, the =titu.de of established moral
""lues and the di .. ipline of logK:_ It should he our duty to ignon: Of pour
!<:Om on this book. aloog ,,;th the two collections of essays .. Iated to it.
Dbi", a {Hi'll' <k M<ux n F, euJand lHs Di.positjfi puuionNlJ. lbey....."
10 helong 10 lUI age of unru<on br lhe poliliol,l dis-
appointments of traditional potilic> 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 advo-
cacy of desire f ..... of control and 50cial .... traint. into obscure style and
ECONOMY AND
a ..... y from clarily and ""holarlincss. Ii is easy 10 undcmand their moti_
and the gain and pkasur that thdrs on tht baok of a SU<ffS M
But it .... ould be .... rong for US to perpetuale J. An.r the
late and Ihe ""fly 11I'"(1Ili", came dark yea .. of terrorism and
di .... lut.""". the dCgI'"e"",y and disaffcctio" or youth coWd be
II"8.I:Cd ba.ok to tht false depth of the JIOSI-1968 thil1ken. If ony book """;t,
to be forgotICn Or ta';ly muhed as a paradigm of the misu .. of philooophy.
it must be Libidiltlll Erottomy.
But this reaction de:oc ... e. in .rgum.m. than Lyolard', wo<k.
Libidinal fr<J<wmy is a rt"Warding book, rich in insight and experiment, but
also and """e"ly in experiena: and rigorous thought. It imroduces
ne"-- <:<>n<:epIS into polit'" and philosophy. It d<><'1 so drttpli\'ely: whe",
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 power-
crilicised by Lyolaro in Tom/wall <k i''''lI'l/tc/lM!/ and /lUlfWti(Ht.
pairnMs;
The", ou&ht no longer to ht 'inl.U...,.""t.., and if lhere an: any. it i,
beoau .. they a", to Ihi. new facl in Western hislory oj""" tht
CWlury: In.", is no univ..-sal . ubjt:ct_victim, appearin,
in reality, in whose """'" Ihoughl could df1lw up an indictmrnl that
would ht at lb. sa"", time a 'conceplion of tht world' (look for
na11lC$).
(PW: 6_7)
The artioles in TINI>bfi,II a, can he ..... as a paradoxical
.... pon .. 10 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 bow lb. 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 AliricaJ allld: "" lhe .... y lhe ____
sopMS ado", lheil philosopbics and publishina: 10 lali5l"y and
C'"ttuuoJly 10 <:Omc1" I!LIrkets: 'Bdtir.;l Ihc mea 01 CIa.-e] al><l <:0. [Ihc
_ ..... " .. plJihu.JpM4 lhe ,...,,1 ''''''thy is lhe ClLlloms ofliocr of Ihcomicol
dixounes. ... ..... ftIOn<"y' (73).
The II(>I<IWII<X pl!i/asoplre. have indd 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 (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 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 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 coDdil ioas and 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
value of Ihese evenl,. This is !>ow BiU Readings l<.:COunts for
lhe of Lyotard' s works on the polilical in bis subtle inlroduction
10 Ly01U<l'S Po/lllraJ WrlII"IS: 'The possibilily 01 politics lies in lCIions and
desires lhat Ire IImSibJc only as beard IiIc1>ctJ, lraoes of radical disoensltS
within modes and slructures of oac:iaI communico-
lion, 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<l 10 di 'SItS in app/yinJ the lal<ef metIIodoIos,y 10 earlier
worD: 'Thc obliption to I\'t!Iain alm 10 .1Id I 1" ifill of voil;es thaI
canDOt Ioear deafly QMO] be liflcd. Thai is 1M o:onditioa or poIitit::s. of the
SIt1.Ip .0 lIandIo difTcreods jusdy' (n Vl). Thoulb smJilivity 10 e>'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 t he HSa)'l On Alg.:ria is 10 1\'11 condilioru
IS IICC\lraltly as possible in order to reveal contnuliction. lhat <:an be
It i. , melhodology Ihal prnuppotH a real . trunlc between
fol"CClo. whel\' One is in t he wrong 0U>d nced. 10 be 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 di<appoint_
mcnts in tbe early work, bUI also in line wilh a new senx of junia:, A. I
hope to have $/Iown in Ih. p,.."iou, .hapter, in tbe essays on Algeria,
Lyotard i till oomcthilli of the modernist h. is <aid to OPI'JOSC" 'Lyotard',
displacement of modernity i. an insist"""" tllat lhese diffen-nces are ItOI
accidentally bUI mucturally repressed by Ih. modernisl drive 10 Iran$-
pareney in represenlalion, communication, aDd aerouminK- b)' the d ... am
of .. If-autonomy' (xxv),
This is n<>l m.,.dy a quibble o.'e,. 1M rtasons l yOUlrd for taking
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 only Ihal lhey fail to
Wldentand tbe conlemporary relation betwe<n market. and c=t;,.,
thought, but also that they mu,l perpetuate this mi.undcnWlding because
they do nOi with the ncoessity of the diffemld, Thus intellectuals forgel
or choose to forget that by askinS for resolution. Ihey art playin& into tlK
hand. of a ,ystem thai Ihri_ On prod""ing resull$ for 1M sake of oconomlc
growth: 'Su=ss in tho managmKnt of in in
temu of result .. in terms of changes in the beha,iour of addoess.: , Ihal
judged to he positive' (PW: 4), lnslud, the genuine aniot, wriler '" philo<-
sopher periInenlO beyond rocognised addrn<eeS, ao:eptod criteria of
judge" ... nt and "",U-defined disciplines.
Thi. perimenlalion il nol defined positivoly in ,omb of the intelk<;-
tual', a .... pome to the French poIilician Max Gallo', demand in the early
eighti .. that int.llectuals come 10 the aid Qf the incoming gOVC1'D_
ment. LyQtard refuses \0 co"", on side_ In his ans", .. r. ho;" WD(:1:me<I ", ith
scparatilli creati,., activities from toward, tbe good
managem ... 1 of capilalist IIOcielies (11$ he i, in the related essays 'For I
cultural nonpolicy' , 'The DilTerend', ' Intellectual f.ohien,' and ' A
appendix to the postmodtm condition 'j, The posilive definition given at thi<
'laSt' to lyotard', overpresent dcfC1>('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:t uals 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 prodU<tion. So, by T1re
Dijf,muJ. the avantgarde is ousociated with absolulC differe""" as the IinaI
fonn of !'eIistance 10 capitai: 'TIIe only i!lllunnountoble obstacle that tM
hegemony of tl>l: economic genre comes up again.t is 11>1: heterogeneity of
phrase regimm and of genre! of discou ....... TIle obstacle don not
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 for ..."Iution remains, all>I:it in a fra&ile .tal._ The outc<lme
of this fragility is ma<.le clear in aphorism 262 of 1M DiJfntlld. The
aphorism. placed righl before 11>1: 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 l he way of
cap;la]', hegemony_ This is a 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 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 aoo t . also holds l rue for LihidilltJl Economy.
bul for diITetenl I do nol WIInt to I<'
"
,-,
dependenl upon interdependence
of ... ",nll and system . Tbi, in 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 AND NIHILI S M
STYLE AND AROUM 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< )'<I.n, "'<>man. on";".,
boco"", , I>< U afmd of ",-hal die btlievn 1o be )'<I"r C'Ndilion.
puR< her eyebrow. ,,-hill: in her b.nd .11< pull. al
cipml< _ h<K io .-...1 rc&ion 10 inY<>t. ont can die (or il. one
"'" Ii'" all one'. ""pnicity. ont. 0_ body , .. (",,!hio
fin.goJ .. -hi<h is on enga ........ tyh .. and tile ",,'oole ",bitol
'1*"'. =n",1. .... ,hal il ,",OUM
( LE: 4)
LibJdiNJl Economy is in a cinentlltic and ,urrea.] Slyle. II unfolds al
,peed. 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 t hrough familiar lropes. .w:h as fleshy folds and
,preadl, and through destabilisin, images and claims. too mI>Cb or too far.
Suggestive. unoteadyin, and connections an: c ..... atfd in an appa ... nlly
disordered and bNlal manner, and money. love and jealO<Lly. philo-
$Opltical theory and religion. linguistics aOO motapbysics burst inlo one
anOIM' in I hoa"Sloppin, manner_ Jusl as an or narrative begins
10 lake shape and draw O<K in. somelhing else. oflen 5Om<Ihin, un.:om
fon.abk. breaks lhe How and dO' tal .. tb. purity of any burgeoning idea.
For example, begin 10 think Ihal lhe key 10 Lyolard, thoughl lics in
Leibnizian incompossibility; Ibis libidinal .<wunl of incompo$Sibilily in .,"
de:ilabili ... the lhesis;
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 SQ_=. sl>o: &ct. Ioost. he start. and <lops. she Qbeys and
commands. l his <ouk! happc:n, haJ'P<'1l impossibly. supplication and
onlcr. oh ,h. moo' powerful 'hing of all Oowi", 'hrough 'hem. do
,..h.al desi", desires. he ill .Ia, .... connecl. [ Ii,'e you a name:.
( LE: 8)
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 )'<Iur work thai link bil
"
L YOTARD AND T HE POLITI 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><lalion.
O' ... lhe libido' (42). Or cvm dedua: from aU the no;.., and confu';on lhal
this is an anarchic and violent worl: consiSlent with a lerroristic Of ma'linal
politics. Ihen pu.zzle over the$e """"Iudiu, lilIeS: w. need not leave the
place where we are, "''' need nOt be uhamed 10 speak in a ""ate-funded"
universily. writ... gfl So COIIUIIoI:1'ci.I, love a ",-oman, a man. and
live togetM' ",ilh tbem; lbere is no good place. tbe private univenitie:< are
like Ihe nlbe ... savaS'" publicalions like civili>: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$ argl1m<uts will mis.o a productive contribution to
thought. Above all, this &tylo is subversive of the slat'" of individual
discourses in tlleir pretensions to independence. The COpacily of dixulU'SCl
to interrupt one another _ and to do so;n a convincing manner - is one of
the main of LibidinDl Eronomy.
The ce,nral conoept of 1M book. dissimuialion. is an allemp! to P1=nl
tbal capacity and to aUow for. politic:al rnponse to il. True to the ide .. ;t
In"",pls 10 caplure. the work"" dissimulation lakes place at the CfOa.<)ver
of several discourses and regiSle .. , So altbouah il is possibk to live. simplo
abslract definition of Ihe tfflt[ _ is 1M in a
aho'aJs <lNIQ/s M-;IIt/1l ilwlf afftrll wtd irenff aliter systmu lilal aU i/o""",
.is'tnl 'iln il and ,,-jilt Wh aIM' - il is resl.ooive to lake lru.t ddinition IU a
pure origin or "" complele. Similarly, ahhough il is possible 10 give a
relal ively straigblforward cru.raclerisal;"" of L)'Olard'. libidinal polit;':' _
<U', sa ... 10 ul,,,,,, and 10 Itkk ... much In/moil),'" ptJAIlblr Ur a gi...." .ySI.""
",hell: ;ntm.ily i. dcllned in InmS of 1M affCCllhal aa:ompanies the lack or
common measure or norms bn"'-D ')'Stems - thi' cIIaracterisation. wbC1l
laken .. a Klf",ontradictory mmm. has the potential to draw ... far away
from what h .. been achieved in Libidi .... 1 E""""",,..
On a hardnosed episltmological reading of Ibex definitions Lyotard'.
phi!osopby docs indeed KC1Il to he booed on some fanta'tic and /lallo't>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 or 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 uhrarevolutionary Ths is l ain HamillOfl
"
ECONOMY AND NI HILISM
Gran!'. view in hi5 inlroduction 10 UbiJ;nal UoMmJ' slfOW)< the:
",andalous nature and .'alue of the ' Thi. is LyotKrd', """il book", do
nO! up<Ct answen to the questions il generates. nor excuses or ration-
alisalioll'l of iU scandals' luxi). This vino! is supported, nOl only by
numerous anti-Iheoreli<:al SlatcmenU made Ihroughout Libidinal Eronamy
('So Ie!'s struggle aglliru;tlhe while terror of troth, by m<an. nfand rnr Ihe
red oruelly nf singularilics', 241) 11<11 also in more preparatnry essay. such a.
' Maroh 23'_
This posilinn i. also S\lpported in a negative way by L)'nlard in a laler
inlerview " 'ilh Van Reijm and Veerman, 'le> lum;""", Ie sublime' in u s
rohier. de p/ri"'wpilk: 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:<plain. lbe despcralinn Ihrough an aC<'O<lnt of lhe:
'erisi.' thai he: wa. Ining Ihrough at the: lime due to the: failun: nr M.fJ'iom. I
hnpe In have shnwn and COIlI;nue tn sh"'" thai Ihis depiclinn nf a dnperale
Ot n:sponding 10 p$)'Chologic:al <!'isis i5 dnubly ;naccurat .
Firsl. lhe ",lalion wilh Marxism is nowho nea, a. ,imple a. couk! Il<
underslood Ihrough Ill< lim .... pan and dY1Lilmics implied by the term
'crisis'. Libidw.! Economy pursue. Marxist issues brou&hl up in earlier
wort... most OOI.IIbly Lyolard', ca",rul readings of "1.fJ' in lHTi-.. a parti.
M MlJrx rt FrruJ. It sceb In ,..."1>,,, Ihem ca",rul1y and consiStenlly,
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 discoursc..
Ih"'" intensities which haunt "1ar1', tbou"'l and which, in gmeral, are
dissimulaled in tile bnlS&-\adl solemnilY nr the di5countS or ""'nomy
and polilics- (LE: 104).
It will be sb"""" below lhat aa:ording 10 Ihe COncepl nr di .. imulation
Lynlard', altilude In Iheory "'luld 001 ,,;mply be oPP""itiOfl. It is mo", or.
luspicinn of a oertllin 'ota]isin, approach 10 Iheory and In il< libidinal
purily. In Libidi",,1 C""""",y. he is "'lnoerno<i with rnrm$ of repeli, ion and
applicalion. He is aoo concerned wilh claim. and Stalementl .bnu hingS,
as well ... arguments connecting these claims and appli<:al;nn . In shnn, he
i. dt, .. lopin! and experimenling .. ith a philosophical and method.
11<11 Ihi5 method musl """ain Huid and open to change, as opposed 10
"
L YOTARO AND POL I TICAL
beroming fixed by a per!l'IIlII<nl theery. Mt hod is tllm und=tood os a
practical ""Y ef to. ""ries ef prcble:ms and cballc:nges assoxi
ated wilh Ih <Kalien of. philoo.nphy aDd a IUponding to novel
venlJ. Beyond pure Ibeory but as method, Lyotard'. philosopby does
not """k glob,aJ '<plf;;""nUllion of a ftdd ba...d on secure philosopbical
foundati ons. Instead. a rnctia: m>C:rget and WIves in 01", simultli1>eo1L1ly
in many dilTretlt !KId . w gio"" toot. to "ilb and p"rllaps
to refi"" or discard in tackling funhr problc:ms. 'Thco are adaplM to
.. 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
th. question of II> he< .ssily of lheory?
NOI 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
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 ht<lry libidinally) takes plea,un: in immobilising
and suckin, dry i ... J"l'Y throup a "'I'I ition ofth ... me.
This a)"" explain. why Il\cory i. ",,",,'I""sive with a oertain fWl<1;on
"ithin _ Ih. function that ainu to ide'llify a Ibing in order to
rcprod"..., it; 'To Ihink so"",thing. .. 10 be: able: 10 Ibink it. 10 produce il and
",prod""" il. lbc:re i. "" lim timc:. "'I'Iiliotr is primary,,;nce it is incllided
in tM very consli t uliotr of tM concepl. a:nmodiIY. If it is 001
(qually xchangt'able. it is flOt an elemml of tM .yOlem (LE:
251). Th purity of Il\cory and in conoepu i. lben ",ined by tbe libidinal
coonomic aspects il e<>t><: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
libH:Iinal alld economic pmpecti .... of will to 1""'= in NinDche"s study
of lhe 'Egyptianism' of theoreliciaN in of 1M Idols.
This anilude 10 theory began 10 pin a more sm<..,l aMeDllal ... and wilh
linle or no reference to Lyotard1 libidinal work. For example, lwelve yeo,..
an.r lhe publicalion of DhiJlIIIlf f:cMtomJ., tbe colloction of TIJn,ry
broughl logl ha 1c:ading ,.Tilc,.. in Ihe humanilin around 1M quntion of
Iheory. including Derrida. JcanL"" 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 fl uid nalure. He caIJs lhem
LIBIDINAL ECO NOMY AND NIHILISM
jetlies . in 3 projection bUI 31"" a 'Iabili ... ti",,_ The of II>eorie:i
i, seen a. panly libidinal and f<X><Iomir;. bUI al"" !Ultional and war-like.
RclIecting on lhe plurality of Ihwrios in the Stales al Ibe lime of writing.
Derrida do:scribes the len""" belw .. n Ihe stabilising and projecting
properties of lheory. He also describes how Ihis leads 10 a fidd of loosely
inlOraoting lbeorioo and a poioSiblo relalionship 10 it
[The rdalion.hip] would d.al wilh Ihis multiplicilY s, a law of Ihe
field . clause of non-<:Insure which would 001 only .... .r allow
itsclf 10 be ordcrt<! and inscribed ... , hUI would also make possible
and inevitable syneclocbic and metonymic competilions ... lOS
means of disscrn.inal allerily Of allOration. "'hich would make
impossible lbe pure idenlity. lbe J'Ure idwti6calion of whal il
simultaneously makos possible - which would Ihus doli mil and
deslabi\;.e Ih. OIal. or the .. tablishment 10 ,,-hich ;1 gi_ rise in
orda f.,.. Ihis .tat. "'" eslablishment 10 take place_
('Some OIal ..... nlS and Iruisms aboUI nroiogisms. n.wisms.
postisms. pal1l5iti,ms. aDd nlha small seis.ms, 12)
The use o( .ynecloche and metonymy in Ihis pa ..... g. indir;:ates th. way in
whicb theories fail in their cla;m to be totali,ing: they can be taken as part o(
a largtr Iheoretical whole, or disassembled and reu>ed for diff .... nl theor-
elir;: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<l/ Et:orwtnJ i. mollC a case of ror cmcrgi"i
pallem. and tools (or organising them than analy1;ng lhe le' t roo- a
dominant. cullSislenl and well founded theory. Does lhis mean lhat
tbe "",dina ;, DO longer critical7 Vos. if crilique i. to be reslricted to Ih.
assessment of K philo""phy in tmn. of the validity of a given lbeory,
validity is in th. ""rtainty of a SOl or foundations and the currcctness or
lhe loaital at"Jo.uncnts that build on thi. or in th. logical oor""''' .... of 11,.
dialectical moves (rom a lheory 10 a practi"" and back again.
lut\ thi' dialectics uaClly wbal ,..., a ... lalking about ,.-hen "-e """""n-
trate on Lyntard's practice? No, the point of here and in L}'otard',
work i$ to dmy tbe possihility of makin, the di,t;nClion httwetn theory aDd
clear CUt, e""n a. a moment in a process th.iot ovcn:omOS particular
di$tin<tions. However. the ... is ' lill 3 "'"'" o( critique here. not only in the
ratber banal ,.",x of !ludying "'hetha a particular pallcm has been
LYOTA Il D MiD ' OL t Tt C" L
followed ot .cprodu.eed _ q ;nlCrnl tu>d dilinktal, or fol loy,t,'inl on
Of cultin, off - but in 1M _ of analytin. 1M rusons and impulses ""
have for lhal inlerQl or disintcml . 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 CONT EXT
In the UDt """ of lbe co ...... pI 0( disPmulition in UbidittaI Etv""".,)', the
fono..ina p11ltro\ 0( lopics can be 0IIade 10 fl.and 0111.
l. I'OJUlrwc,,,,,,,u... "'" oppOJI'''''' III ....... ' ... " ..,., "'"
upkJi'<lliott. Lyourrd.,.aut' that diuimulilliotl operalCS q a counter 10 the
structuralist doim .hal l.Qy 0CC\l' .a"",. linluisUc or otberwiJe. takes pIKe
in I meaninlful Joajcal 1I/l1C1 ...... In other worda, be _b .0 oppt>S<i
the view thai Iny rvent is I Jip,oo. l be meaninl Of. more piopuly. u..
siIDilicd of wbich can be analysed lIiXOrdinllO I wider Slruct ..... 0( sq,:.
nifiom and Jipifif<.b. Everythinl mllSt then take ;11 place in a pre--&iw:n
Ioaical .)'S.nn that rqula.es the .... y in .. lIich mooaninl ." .. , ...... The
nalure of this counter .. IlOl 10 deny the pcmibility 0( anatysina an evmt in
,his ... y. bu. ,n claim lhal il is allO poooible .0 Look I I it in a"",her ..... y
Ihal i. no. con.i.",nl with. pre--aivcn ')'lInn (LE: SO). Thu. , bon: it nol an
opposi.ion bet"""" .. ".., and the ...... 1 .... but. compl .. relalion of
:ltfl1U. nulter and atf1S (sec below). This opposilion'o meanin, does no.
nc"" .. nly have 10 like pia in l be context of poJltlructuralism; fo,
.lWI1ple. in lbe later muc h of Ihi' work takes place Ihroup an
admiuedly ralher ca .... 1 radin, of Willsenstein in ' Wittae",tein.
' In .he Tr"rt"I .... liIelllX prOItJ lhe lanlUalJCS of val"" ap,nsllbe claims
of knowiodl'" (I'W: 20).
2. A ",,/ilia 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 of 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
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 oppo-
sitioa furthtr. There "I.Q 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; tby """ iJIM> be
indit i-\>Iy. "", ... 11, and vain iIItcmiriei ill uodllt' (SO).
LIBI D I NAL ECONOM Y AND NIHILISM
3. An 10 Jrfine slnpl", ily Mitm...t!u,.;nl to """"" i/in 1M "",&;.
There i. conoiderablc emphasi. on Ihi. ;ndi05O<iability in LibidillDl
lyol. rd JIOd to great 10 avoid baving to define singularities and
inlensities ... lhinp whicb cannol have meaning or cannot be m:upenlled in
lbe muc, uralisl 1IeII!e. He docs nol wanllo ha", 10 depend on arguments or.
l>'PC' thai pOlil' a beyond logic. meaning, rea..,n or prodacfivily. Arliumen,.
luch as 'God is prescnl bUI i""omprel><n$ihle' a ... anachd "";Ih anal.,.
"'hemroo< lhan .trU<"lura1i5lIheory in t be book. I ha,.., arped el_hert" Ihal
lhis is nOll1le case for III<: philosophy of the difT<Tend (Williamo 1m: 99-
100). Perhaps llIis is tbe great strt"ngth of the earlier work; it refuses to fal l
back onto a metaphysical rt"lipt)" 'The first lhing to ..... id. comradn. is
p ... tending t bat we.re . ilualed .1_1>< ... (LE: SO). Howev.,.. despite stat.,.
men" 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).
4. A di3,i",,'ion ..... " kIl<JM'/ng "nJ Miltg o./!'clN by <I "' ..... lhin,.
Lyotard insists lhal lhert" are nol different kinds of Or ,ign" There
are diff.-rent ways of actin! upon them. The u<:uperalion of tile sign ...
meaning is associaled wilb cogniti ... r=pIion. whereas the libidinal
followin, on lor da""", 5tt btlow) is a$SOciatM with a ..... ti", mOveme1\t:
It speak. 10 you? It sets uS in motion' (LE: SI). So a sign hali two.ides or
two potential. and lhi. is what he caUs lhe 'duplicity' ofsignL A sign can he
laken a. sometbiog 10 he i"",ribnl iOlo a p......,xi.t;og .) .. Iem ... a prodacfivc
soun;e of meaning. Or il can bt taken as lho calalysl for a funher crealion:
'We do not ,uPI"*. 10 btgin "'ith. that lhe signL ... lranspon nxso.ogco
that are communicable in principle. We do nol $Ian off .. yiog 10 ou ..... I .. "
thore;$ somelhina or someon. Ihal &p<"<>ks 10 UL 1 mUSI understa nd Ihem'
(50).
S. Awml-I<I.Jr melion Ikfilltd '" JQllu. lyotard is an outstanding wriler
Of! avantprde arl (sec. for his book on J""I .... Monory.
L"s.JIJjjiNJl Ik J"nphi .... "" par ks /Win,un. M<1fIfKJ. wh.re tho lihidinal
p/lilO$Ophy and tho work on the sublime are """"nd! aod made ncher
Ihrough a ...... il;'" discussion of Mon-ory'. paintings). Thi. wort on an ;
.....,.,tiallO his explanalion of what il i. to he set in mol;on in a o ..... ""t.
Th. avantprd. artisl breah wilh ,,hat is \n""'l1 and already understood.
Thi. break i. set in motion by aflecls associated wilh .ingularilies. lhal is.
wilb &igns lak ... on their non..:ogniti", and nonstrU<"lunti side. Agaio, il;'
important 10 ot ..... that this artislic mntion is 001 a .... <Sion of pius or
divine ;""piral;on, ;n the sense thoU lhese .rt" gifts from 50Int I!fUI
unknown. The affecl is IOlntIhing p"",isoe associated with a malerial lhing
lsomething ' this word. lbi. colour lear apan these siructures and ....
.mted wilh this alTCCf aod tho of these 0 .... Siructures). 10
the d;ocu.Won of diuimulalion, Lyotard ddines Ih;s relalioo in terms of
LVOTAII.D AND TH E
.vant.pnk dana: .ad m\&Sic. u .. u Nictzxbe. use of da_ .nd the
diony.i .... ; ,.. dance. Ibm. DOl compoocd and 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
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,
II TO: 181 and IN: 104-7). In lhe wo,k On dinimulalion. we get ''''''
heaUlif,,1 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
' Illis "";Iinl mllS1 Iiso be Io<d, jut! u buutiful, Ibis immo-
bililY. jVSl I. chIn"", and 1DOI:ive u Ihe fn1Cl..n"l unfoldi", of lhe play of
lhe ...... rul pale haada lin a of NOb tboat ... !". In 77t.t J)/ffiotwd and
lhe .... ;.in' if uoociated ";111 an I<2k
K. nIOli the Frmo;b rn-oIulior>. 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 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.
7. 71it vI u irrrkY<uol" .. .",,, "",lIns poIl,kull)" u 1M I"""""
be, .. wn 1M I ..... JlMs tif 1M $i,... 1M definition of. li&l1 as I litt of
helwcao u mtaninl and .rrfCCl utocialed with lhe
anlpl"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.
LIBIDINAL ECONOMY ,<,NO NIHilISM
Tbrse definition, imply thai 'ySlem or structure conceal. affe<:llI: 'lbal
Ibe .truclure be somnlting Ihal merely "co",,," the affect, in 1M that
il ",,1.1 "" a 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, 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 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 to refule this damaling thesis. He
10 . how that Freud's pSyd.oanalytic li>cofy depends on an undocid-
able .. 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 strue-
lures. 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 HE 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 . lyle oullined abo"". The panem and irs components
are reproduced in differenl 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 thcory and dialectics is missing. tl>o<tgh it is
present in the mock'playful cor.cludinllinCII of the .ocction: 'J. then: any
J>Ced to tIIC1\tion the hilariou. perspeai\"es opened up by lbi. idea of
di .. imulalion in manc!'$ of Ihcomio;:al discourse especially in t his business
(blandly tak.., on l iIC!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 of 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 t ype.
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 potential 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...re 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<olule forms
nf politics and philosophy, There is an of all thc5e alluments 10
a .. ties of caSCII.
None of 1hc5e argumenu is dccisi .... in 1M ...,.., lbat they are cilhcr
complete, thorough or rested. At best thfY are intC"TeStinl conjec1ures and
proposals, Al worst they an: men: bravado and baitin" In tennS of polities
and social criliquc lhe imerenlies mainly in the conjec1ure about d;"imu-
latioll; thaI is. lMl.ll systems conceal other systeml beaiu$< lhey colICCal
sinlularit ies lbal Lyota,d's libidinal poUtics I;Onsiou in hiding aDd
n:leasing lhe intensily asaociated witb singularities. At Ihis I=l, the grounds
oflhe philosophy seem 10 matte.1css lha" iu OWI;";alion, what it does and
does nol allow \IS to do and say, Howeve oo a diff"""'l 1e",,1. it ........
imponanl In pursuc Ihe lIylc of his philosophy funhe. in lerms of how it
allowo for the cn:.otion of patterns of concepts and argumenu while a_oiding
..
LI BIDINAL ECONOMY AND NI H1LIS!oI
serious coouarliclions, This pursuil wi ll Ix !>Iken furtl><r Ibrough a con
.ideration of how LyOlard avoids a conlradiclory pooilion on one of hi.
main conoern.: the problem of nihilism.
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 of Ubidill<ll Eronl>ltly as a book of ri<h
hypolhese. on bo,., 10 live free of modorn IOlalisalion and
resentalions. Ibi. does nOl a!>solve us of a grave sci of conlnuliction. and
Obscurilies Ihrealening 10 undermine lbe 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 pbilos-
ophy 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
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 of the ar,umenl' of Lyotard', philosophy,
Once again. Ihe link wilh the Nietzs<:hcan argument on lb. association of
!legalion. and nihilism is ' -ery strong. Ho,.-.v.r. lyOlan! describes a
modern :t of 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!$ 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 tranSmu-
tation. a one-way transformalion intn of nibili .... IhrouSh i ..
retlcti . .. ""pecl 8. the will 10
Tbu. we can .... thaI II>< relation I><IWtcn and transmu_
lation il deeper than was ;n;l;al1y snggtSlcd, Nihilism th.
q ..... lily of the as Tallo coglfalemdi oflh. will 10 power; but
it cannot be brought to completion wilbout I",n.",uti", itself into
the opposite q ..... lity. into affirmalion as ,al/o of Ihis same
..
AND T II POLITI CAL
";11 ... Dw..uction becomet active ,I the: momenl ... ben, wilb tile
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 <kWoyt
1M roacti,.., forca themKlveI.
(Ddcuze 1983: 173)
We <;Orne 10 know wiD 10 PO""'" ibrou&h lbe octivily 0( ...... rin" bill il
<;(lEna 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
IMI ...;u.
This k_IodF o("';U 10 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 or diffem u (the anilt, lbe DObIe, and ""
on). 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$truction of Vllues: Destruction Ii lbe acti""
deslruclion Oflbc man ... 1>0 ..... 0 .. 10 perioh .nd 10 be """Wmt nnounces
the crealo,, ' Dn;lruclion .. the Ict i", dcsIruction of all kOlOWtl ''aI!ICS is tllo:
I",il of lhe crealor' (Ock,," 19U: 171).
Ly<uard', approach it very differenl. He enact. oilUli.m by creali", DeW
glimJ>SCI of nihilistic chanocten (the ttmiOlician, for ClIample) and l ossing
Ihem into conlempo"''Y theories and .ilUalion' . The LoIl nweo rno'" to
Nietzscbe's Ilyle of thoulPli and 10 the idea llull affirmalion lie. in lhal style.
The forme. owa mo", 10 Nitlmhe', In d",w sublle COI>CCplual
distinctions .... 1U1e still mainlaloin,a well .llnlClurtd. if <;(Inttalcd. ar,umtnl.
Does Ibis dislinclion ao funber7 Does Ubidlnal &momy satisfy D<lelltt'.
""Iuimt1C1l11 for an affirnuoti"" pllilOSOllhy, in lrealin. val ..... nd nihilist
IhougiIl .. oomc:thinllo be deslroyed in order to mike .... y for aflirmalion?
Or ia il limply a book of I"QC1Ilflll conlradictinAs. '" ", ... inl a Iozic 01
ntption in philosophy of pure desire? On the 0'" hand. UbidinaJ
be N ... :K/trwwJ PhJlo.sdplly brou,lll to life.nd d", .. n ''''''y
from 1M dallJCn of a IIIIUS .. dtfinili...., lheory. On lhe Olbcr Mnd, it could
be IQI ..... caualll in tllo: naive iplOflllClC of N;.;u.cbc', and
D<1cuz"C . ;"';&ttu.
l"he focus of LYOllrd1 COOKcrn .. ilb .. ihilUm is in !be divide """,.00 up
bft ........ the IiJllifier Ind ",hal il . ia;nifIrl. 0. bet....,.. the: IlxxHetical or
miPow .. ",u'''''.Ilion and ... hal is .. '" dettud. He call$ this divide the:
'areal zuo. This zuo or divide hold. the man .... ofllK Ii.,. .... y from its
LI BID I "''' L ECO"'OM Y ,,'" D "'Ilil LISM
""" ... 11 does so " ilh <Ul implicit direction and valut. We must n>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 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.
po<lponemenl, and thll! .. I. up recurrence as a fundamental lrail
<If Ihe system. the mlcrat;"n of Ihe of rlw ,;g"ifi.,.
guaranleeing lhal one .,.ill alway, need 10 "" ork 10 delennine Ihe
""'" 10 which. in a gi,,,n NNp>U. Ihe lerm under uaminatioa can
and mull lead. The other 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""'$!;IIty nihilism, since in denying Ihcmsel...,. III< ilffCCl
and lhe o:le>i ... for Ihe affect and in "lIing off on a voyage of diso:ovtty lhal
cannot end. t hey set themselves an imp06Sibk ta,k. Lyotard'l of 111<
t.rm 'greal zero' i. nO! only an allu"",, to lhe absolUI. and ultimat.ly
nihilistic namre oflbe dividt bul also 10 its role in n:tlt>cin& alllbilt8J to the
measure of meaning and und .... tanding.
The lurn away from Ihe aff"' t is doubly damaging .. , according to
Lyotard'. work on F.-.ud;"n neption in Duro", . figun! (1 16-:14; dis;u""""
in William, 1998: and UlJiJilUll &0'''''''", tl>e turn carries lhe desire
for tM .IT ... I with il. Th= is a mnnam of the imensity of III< affCCl that
accompanies a material .... ent - a caress. a smell - in the desire for God or
for absolute blowledge (LE: 47). However. l his remnanl ta k .. on a vitiated
form. [n."ad of a daire for til< mO,-=eot of.1I< aff." . "<>w rendered
impo$Sibie and secondary. Ihe ... ;1 a desire for a ronpl ual 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
furtll<r oonsequtnce for Ihe infonnalional OOlUlit ution (Jf Ih. sign: lhere is
somrone for " 'hom lhe 1llC>Sage replaces Ih. thing signified, IlI<re is $ut;cct
(two rubj..,u). tha i is to sayan inSlO""" 10 which all !be predicat .... all 111<
po<l po"""",nll of meaning. aU the ..... nll . xperienced and toured. are
reWled' (LE: 48).
The ........ on twO .ubjo<:t. indicates lhe split between Ihe SUbject to whom
til< oommunication is iUPpo6Od to be addt 'ed and Ih. ,ubjcc:t deciphering
"
LYOTARO AND THE POLITI CAL
T'Ilc'ft is thcmore M split iD10 a receptive and an active pan.
But for Lyotard this diviPon is the reproduction of the veat zero wilbin tbe
,ubj..,\. EveI)' material bec<lmn a sign for intCfJ'relalion in a
diakctic of 'r=plivclaclive, SIOnsibJcJinlelligcnl, donee/dono,' deslined 10
suppress Ihe intensity of affects in understanding. Thi' dial<ctic is rdigio<l"
Ibal is, nihilisl bcatU""IM ... iJITO inlerpret is desTined to failure: '1Semiotics]
i, a ",Iigious sc"""" beau"" il is haunled by tbe hypolhesis Ihal someone
speaks 10 ... in lhese gi'"em and, al lhe same lime, Ibal ils language, il'
compelwce, or in any"'" ils performoTi .. " capocily lran=n.d. us' (LE: 49),
BUI whal is lhe criTique of semiOTics, if nOI a ralllt-r old and familiar 51,,!,
Toward. nihilism in Ihe lou of beliff in lilt- val ..... of religion, ocic:ncc and the
subjc<:l?
an .... cr lics in Lyotard', claim lhal dissimulatioo is uni>cool. Dospite
his anod:. on lhe 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 charae-
terises 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
of theaTricalily. not 31 all, ...., are "",U aware Ihat you are ju", " .. iling (or us
10 do Ihi 10 be so ""npid" _ . .' (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 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 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 .<plion that clef'"IS capiUllisalion Ihtoush lbe relea.c of
inlensily:
lito.<r 0/ capital, signs are duplicito .... and lhere is no
q .... lion of declaring wrbi n ",b; that wilh their appearance IiCmi
Ql,ics and polilical economics are ruin...:!, and desire emancipated
from lhe !loch of lhe Sysl ..... of val ..... Their inl .... iTy is new, in
lhe mann...- in which tbty are ins<:ribod inlO .. tablis!>cd region"
LIBIDINAL ECONOMY 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 affinnal ion 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 <rnItivC' ""'" cannol be
diotingui,hed from a negative o!>t? Is not1his Ihe surefire 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=JM 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 ( I lUI). A. opposed 10 the final 'Ihi, is nol
Ihi, of negalinn, .fftrmation saY" Ihi, becoming thi' becoming this . . .'.
Where 1h. former defines a being through QIlp"'ition, the latter adopts
a coming<:nl differing from one differing 10 others: 'Affinnat;on is posited for
tile fi"'t lime a. multiplicily. becoming and <haD\>:. For multiplicity;, the
difference of one thing from another. becoming i. diff.,..,...,. from w:lf.nd
"hanC<' is differellC<' "bc:twn all or di5lriOOli,.., diff.rellC<" (189).
So when we say correctly thai negalion is as mIlCh a quality of will to
as affirmation. we are nOl committed to 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 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 <haIlC<'. lbo .. i. a tranSmutalion of nihili,m '"
destruction aDd oclI"tKm in bu, it i. destruct;"" by TIOI
by neussity; il is !>tgalion by differing and multiplicity, not by Opp<.lsilion,
Yet 010 ".., read Lyotard', u'"' of <riliqu<, his a"ac'" on neg;<tion in Ihi'
way? Docs bi. definition of dissimulalion draw up somethill3 akin \0. or as
eff""l;ve a .. Deleuuo redoubltd affirmation? In .hon, how docs I..yotard
distinguish a lib;dina! poIilies from a politics of withoUl
fa lling into the pathos of oimply negaling syslems in f.vou r of somelhing
tbat ;s ouppc ' t to be fme of ""gation?
"
LVOTARO AND T HE PO LI TI CAL
HEIDEGGER AN D MET APHYS[CS
This palh"" of the ",lUrn of nihilism is described with great fon:c aDd
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
Nietu<h.'. philosophy remain, ruetapbysiall in ito logic of ""gation and
tho ... fo ... nihilistic:
N'''''rlhel<$s. a, a me", countennO''mlrnt it n." u;ly remains. a,
don .,"t"ry\hi"i "ant;," held fast in Ih. 1.'SSe'!Ia: of that 0,... again,t
,,'hich il moves, Nietzscb.', countennovcmont again" ""'tophysi(:o
n, as. mere tuminl upsido dQwn of motaphysics.. an inulricable
cnlan&i<m<tlt in m .... physi<:$. ;n sucll a way, indeed, thai mela-
physics ;f cut off from it. M"",," and. as metapbysics. is "",-.r able
to think in own essence,
(Hrid<'l#r 1977: 61)
H.;d.UCr', sene",l li"" of aflU/l1Cnl JOC:I from a definition of
metaphysi<:t as dtptndcru On a posit;n, of the SUpnl .... K1ry Or transcendrnl
world as true and ml!, III opposed to the deva(ued physical "'arid thai
depend, upon it for any sen", and val"", It Ihtn folio .... a p.olh ,umilar to
Lyotard', ar,U/I1Cnt on Ih. nihilistic rorueq""""" of the continual post-
ponement Ih.t fo!lows a "",reb for va("" in ,upnlseruory. unattainable,
world, But H.;d.gger add, an interprtl.tion of Nietz3Cb.'1 will 10 powtr a.
val"".",ninllhat ,hOWl (I 10 he a melaphysical con<:q)1 dependent On the
'm.rt turning upside down' of "",h mctopbysical vah"",_
Ae<:<>rding to H.idegg .... , will to power is a De8"lion of lhe .upnl"'....,ry
Ihat remains metaphysi<:al bocau", it defines a new fouodalioo Knd v.l""
that it imposes on Bein,. Man and lhoe setting of val .... associalod with
establishing man as "'ill 10 p""-.r .... lhis foundation lhose val .... , H.
inttrpl'C1s will to po ........ as the p"""rvinx and increa$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<h.'. word
' God is dead' aUo" .. him to put all thi. in thoe context of. of
God, a. supra",nsibl. valu by man as the will", lhoe po_r to oet values.
'"'" contemporary IhoroupI"inB tochnnloa;ical world may appear 10 main
LI81DHlAL ECONOMY AN D NIHIL I S M
God, appear I" look I<> sUpnlKnsibl. valUC$, bUI as lo.u:h it il
1M world "r Nietzoche', will 10 POVO ......
So;1 is nol simply that metaphysics lurns ... <ly from Ihis world l<>Wards
on un.;\lta;ttable ,uprasrnsory world lhal makes il It is Ihat iu
slructure of foundalion and valuc:-SClling 'fo'1l<"'" or 'coven up' .".ill."ce as
somrthing which is neilMr a suprascns.ibl. idea nor .. i Uin&. bUllhal appears
in bolh. Thinking is nihilislic w!>tn il lurns I<> lhese ideas and ... hw illook.
10 ill own po"""" 10 creal. valu ... Indcod. 'exi'I",,",,' is us .... lIy defined in
Ih ... l.mIlI and Ihal which is forgolten is besl allowed 10 appear as 'being':
lui which appan indim;tly ... !>tn Ihinking is nOI salisfied with a final idea
or set 0( values. The Ihoughl of being or. more properly. Boing. and it,
forgetling il on. of the mosl demanding. bUI also one of lhe most importanl
aspeeu of Heidegger' , Ihoughl. It is 001 salisfactory 10 define tbese lemlll
negativrly excepl in the name oflimiled ,pace and time and with the proviso
tMI liIr:se d.finilions , hould be added 10 by futlher reading. For .xample.
Miguci de Ilei$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, wril ing on
being and nihilism for Ihis Itudy of Lyotard, nihiUsm i, Ihe refusal 10 pin
down being 10 .pecific human activities (i""luding definilion): 'Yet even
lhinking. underslood in lhe m051 originary sense. or for lut maller,
pOet;';n&. to say nothing of 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._pO<iling: 'The value-thinking
0( lhe metapbysics of Ih. win to po ....... i. murdeTO\I$ in a mool oxlreme
oen ... boca"",, il aboolutely does I>Ot 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 .... on 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 contemporary valllCl
and actions., man has takm t h. pia", of God or Ihe suprascnsible. Man',
values and the val"" of man a",. for insta""". rno<Icrn I""MoIOl)' and ;1<
focUll 00 lbe wurld Inmlformod for man Bnd according I" man', val .... ("Ih.
truth or "'hat is as Iu<:h).
RUI Boing is nol in Ihis historical PI""'" and ill principkt. Nihilism js
Ib.n claimed to h.av. eclipsed Being in favour of Ihe proouct ofthi, proctss.
Ihe wh.al ..... r is as .uch or. to follow Derriw.. p ..... oce,
Th ...."". of nihilism I;'" in hi.tory; in the appearing
of whal .... er is aJ such. in il' ontirely. Nothing is befalling BoinS
"
LYOTARO AND POLITICAL
iu,,1f and ito and indeed in .ucb a way thou lbe trulb of what
is .. sucb pa..a for B<ina. boc:a\lSe' the lrulh nf Being rcmains
wanlinl- In of lhal completion and con,ummalion o(
nihilism wll;"h is lqinning. Niewd!e indeed experienced IOT'rIe
<ha.-.ctm.IK:s of and al the"""'" time bc explained IhmI
nihilinicatty. tbus compltlcly e.;lipsinllheir essen.."
(109)
For H(;..tell8<'r. nihilism i. not Lyntlrd','greal zero', the divide lhal open.
up belween inl .... ily and a <>lnSlllnlly def.rnd x n$O: it is any Iboughl o( lbe
'M such'. i, usumed to be preseniiO us in ;IS entirety_
i. Ihio view i1lCOllsi.lenl w;lh lhe opiril of LY<>tlrd', libidinal
philosopby - Lcs.o in iu ""pl;on of the .uprasmsible. (or llIal is rightly to be
called nihilism in 1M Heidesgerian "' ...... bUI in the way thai il occu 10
"void and go btoyond Ihis DCsation wilbout faUinS baok into meuphyUr:l1
HeidellK"'" inlO1'pRtation of Nietzocbe d.ocs nol aUow for lhe poosibilily
lhal will 10 PO"'''' is an I<.l beyond this Ik'galion, BUI il is possible:
10 inlerpret witt PO""'- in way and tbcKby 10 avoid ilS redl>Cliof\ to
human wilt and benne 10. metaphysical (o""dation. Dele:=', definition of
aflinnaliQn gi""n above is exactly one ouch in:, Heidcgger defines
witt 10 pow.,. .. lhal out of wbi<;b mnapb)'llK:s ... Iums to lhe .ubject
('subjectness). ..,rlainly. 10 consciou,,1tSII of lrulh in il$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"",,' 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
(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<C. It is not lhe a.ction of lhe $ubje.;1., bill a passive oprnnns throualt
lhe redoubling of thai wbleb und.ocs lhe idenlily of the ,ub:itct. Docs
Lyolard aUow for any clarificalion of Ibis dirfem!OO of inlerpretations?
"
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I'ISI11H1N a NV lVN1(]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 inadequacy of our
ttstiroony.
The..., i. a faint connli<>" between these mnarh and the <:ommenll in
Uh/di",,1 Erwtomy $i""" lhere the refe...,na: to Htideuer takes plact- around
the problem of the impt><sibility of poetry as a way of thinking Being:
Ifth ..., i , a profound failu...,. an impo6Oibility. of poelry today. it i,
not we live in troubled times and lhat Bein3 has withdrawn
from us. This discouNlO of profound .eaSOn. homo tbe lieU oul of
us. NOlhing ha$ 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 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 for-
gollen in H.idegger 10 Greeoe. Heraclitus and the Uttwcen, this cannot
easily be .,Iended into tlte claim tbat lbey are originary in his work; in fact.
Heide""r i. "<ry careful to avo;.,! making surn M claim. It i , fair 10 say.
toough. thaI ,,-hen Htidegger anemp" to think the fOfie1ting of Being he
docs so in a n.",talp: and homely fa.hion (a 105\ Gnmany aDd a I ... t
Gru). It is I.mpl;nglo follow lyotard into "';ng this a. a "...... .. ry tum
away from Jani; Joplin. bul atkast he..., tlte lack of full arsument .... Irict.
uS to appre<:ialing his irony - and good talle?
In response to tlte failw-e of a .. If..,.,.,tradio:tory nihilistic ami-theory.
Lyotard .ketd>t' Ihe following of remarks thaI point lbe way
towards a (<>. n:lca,;ng inten!iC affect .. multiplicity and ehaDC:C
within theory.
I. Sk 1"'''-nltmvJJ through 8 blurrinl of Ihe borders bet",",n what is
discussed and tbe lheary that discu5SCS it. Thi. blurri", can be acItiew:.j by
allowing 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
"
ECONOM Y AND NIHILISM
wilb lhat of its dienl body take pia"" in an aleatory fashion, without
botbering 10 conlrol ii' (LE: 255).
2. prlMipk. oj 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).
J. Ampl 1M' ;. But more than that, illviU iIIw
Jifro"'H. Diso.imulalion implies thai any di$C(lul"$<' is open to system.
Jlisati(Jl1 or fragm<lltati on into affeell and ne .... sY'tems. Once this necessity
has been """"pled. the """,nola involvl in .... ntin8 for a pure ,y"em or for
a pure anti.theory is dcpoocd from il' prime rok in wnl;nll and actin"
Fuekin, ouJllI nol In bt gUllranl<Cd. in .ith ... """!Ie. neilher ".
proof of love nor a. tM sc<;unt) nr indi fferent 'tthangeabil ity: 1m'"
that i. to say inlC1l,ity. s.hould .lip in in an airatol)' faohion, and
convcl"$<' ly inlm,ilies may .... ilhdra ..... from lilt skins of bodies (you
didn't come1), and pa" onlo the skin. of words, sounds, colou ...
culinary a nimal Imdl and perfume., this i. the
dis.imulation ..... ... ill not =pe. this i, lhe anxie1Y and thi. i,
whal .... must
(LE Wi)
In addition to Ihex three pnociples of pa<Si ..... , affirmalion, tl>t'" also
principle> of nesation, These cannol properly I>t laken for pnociplcs
without tl>< lhree plrui,dy affinnaliv< nne< .j""" if they a,e taken u final
",tum 1lS 10 negation_ W. mUSI pay a1l.nlion 10 .... hat i. occurring to
P 10 tl>< of pa>.i";ty. by "",.inll of negalion.
4. Dc ""' <IS d j 'H OUlro/""S or offirm 00<'1 IIJ
Itft:f's!Itlf'y. It i. nihilistic to combine lhe free selection nr lh. ouloomc: I <leo;re
and btlief in dissimulation, li_ ncill1<r lhat 'I" nor lhat outcome ha.. a
>e<;u", identily_ Thory a", alway:. open 10 bc:inl shanCrN 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 and henc:e ')'Slems: 'sufficimlly refining ourselves, . , .
bca>minll .ufficicnlly anonymOUs condu<tinll bodies. not in order 10 $tOP
the effect .. bul 10 conduct lhem into new mctamorpboses .. .' (LE 158).
LYOTA RD AN D TH E POLl TI CA L
Whal "'" have is 0 given 10 be work"" wit h and opmo;! up, hence affirmed
through blurring, mul1iplicalion and fai lure.
S, The sa"" i, lrue for t he inftlKl>CC of the IUb';":l. In affirming whal
oceu .... K ... (InOIlymlly by Ulralpi.>. Allow for the p(>$Sibility
Ihal It-.: ego. the self. property, nol disappear. bUI berome disinvesl"" in
libidinal '''''rgy. Anonymily is a lactic for undoing t he 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),
6. Do 1101 ""lit.., lira, )'Ow ran 10 <onOu<:l. The essential
passivity of a selecting will is a. mu.h valid for lhe sensation .... ori0ted
with alT..,u to be condll<1"" as 10 l be possibilily of their conduction. So il i.
nOI a of remaining open solely for plea,u", and nOI for pain. Neilher
is il a malter of a<SOCiatiog pain solely wilb system" It is lho",for. nol a
mallet of desiring t his or thaI. bUI a mall .. of letting desj", 801'1' (""",ibly).
An alTect dissimulates pain as mud! al il dissimulates plea.ure _ Ihe
pleasure of the lranspon 10 a new ,inaular Slale> but also Ihe pain oflea';ng
a ' )'Slem, ineluding the self. For all thai he owes 10 Spinoza, l yotanl refu<os
In extend tho parallel b<:lwem hi. good co.",II><: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 t he 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
communit y,
These poinl' an'"",r Hei<kggcr', version of nibil ism or>d its sludy of
presence or>d lhe 'as .""h, lyotanl', strategy for Ihe good conduction of
inlensities docs nOl <kpelld OIl identifying anything or on Ihe aUrmpl 10
make something our property, It d,... not allow for $<:lIling for any given
Iheory or 'y<lem, beclI._ of hi, account of dissimulalion. On lhe conlrary.
it <kpends On """ Ihal may unsetlle tbc:m. It lines so by inviling thaI which
underlies Ihe .ub,;..:t 10 disassemble it. bUI with no on Ihe
Heideggerian inlerpretation of Nietnc-hean will 10 power and il' capacily 10
will values, lyolanl i. much closer 10 Heidegger and to a Ihoughl ",he", 'the
consleUation of Being unen itself to us' lhan he cares to admit. He murns
10 Heidegger' , ",riling on the event (EN'lgnLr) in his " 'orx on Ihe evenl in
1M Difl"""" (74-$), Wilh greal dillkulty. l yotan! separales hi. I"""ghl
on the ... .,nl from Heidegger>s questions on lhe ligh(ning flash of Being
LIBIDI NAL
rWiIl we "'" 1M !i;hlllin, ftash of Iki"ll iq the II he., ollh .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 Cml 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 11111
'we' may bomc of lkina: ' Will we dwell "' IIIO!OO al bomo: m
nel.meII, 50 lhal ...., will be:loo,g primarily w;lhin t he fourfold of lky, eanh.
and di";nilies?' BUI, ror Lyot.rds IUbI;"", tvml lhis q ..... l ion
o:oncWa 100 mIlCh 10 !be possibilily and l pecificily of M mylhical people and
I life Illbe txp"nx of Oliltrs. o. property. Ihe OIh ..... Thi. i. true in .
differenl ..... y for Lyotard'i lCCoum in UhidlMl A
poliliet _k. 10 condUCI inlensily Ibrou&h IU !hiop. li don 110
IlOl 001)' in I ...... of aped"" OUloomt$, bUI also in Imnt of lhe muliiplicily
of .,..1 ..... lind _ff_ Ihrouth ... hicb inltllSily is condllC\ed. In the nexl
"""pItT". Ihis lIC\i,.., pa..;,ity .. ill be Iludicd in !he """lUI of capitalism and
the criticaI or .. betller pauivily &fDOun\S 10 poIilicaI o:oltabonotion
lind Iadr. or po ......
"
4
LIBIDI NAL ECONOMY AND
CAPITAL
PROBLEMS OF A PASSiVE PO LITI CS
Bu. z...m;', oomiobc:o ...... to be po ! 'II ......... _ ......
,h ..... t br. qui .. diifumt "'pWo<. po" Hioal iIllft..
_ f.,.. inlalOity. I IIcsino rOl """"'"" . , Sips .... Ibm ""
........ Lok ... ill theif .... ad _ _ ........ Tbo)' do _
__ .... +\ No" ' ,,! Tbo)'do _ dleyalow
'al:liooo,', Tbcy r ...... joe Iilc tnnorlH--' tha, __
... ...:I ooci&I P:s ill ........ to prod_ arrects of
.... ' in1 ..... y.
(DP: 92)
Active pIosaivily. in ,be oerue of I ,'ra,q[)' dcsiJllCd to let thinp .!Teet one
ulIOOntciously, if IoP:aI oon<:lusion of ,lie drill IWlly from ,be l ubjoc:c and
from 'j1'lematio; control. In tbe libidi .... ' lyotard, pllJ$ivily is I n essential
pan of polilica and mo",)i'Y. undtrstood as . ...... y of This roncIusion
can . 110 be found in Gilks lklew%. in the Loti( in panicuLar. bul
on clooer inspc<;lion throu&h<>u\ his......-k, Ind in Michel Foucault in
Hislf 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
of his work and in the eyCi of his In the 1000 of the
power or the IUt.;cct 10 will thinp. ;t ... thaI tile world i. 1'C'duc:N
to noth;n&. But this al ... plains why the th....e think." _ k to redefine
ECONOMY AND
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 <If Ibe subject. It is the ,,-.II-being of lhal sub;ec1 and in
.'leruinn inln the wnrld lhal enoures a VO"'lh in powe<- [n Ih. oppMile
ca.e. po"",- is Ih. capacily 10 conduct Wilboul lhe rep ....... tational capaci
ties of the . ubject. Something f1oW'llhrough wilboul being rep ..... nted and
l\>tn "illed. An inorea .. in po"-" become. a difficult tlade-olf bc:1"toen an
increa .. in the inten,,;ty <If flows. an inc......., in lhei. connectedn ... and an
increase in their numbtr, Of C(lu .... , this increase cannot be willed directly.
So any oppo!!ition hetwecn Ihe sketched above d<JeS nOI lie "ith
lhe will as .uch. It lies with the privileging of Ihe will. defined in terms of
rep ..... ntalion, dO$ire and otp.nie '>tab, as the source of increallCS in power.
Lyotard. Dl:leuze and Foucault do not deny thai there are ,""h Ihinp as
decision. and that tbe!c decisi.oos can be defined iQ pari in I<rms <If
",melhing Ibal makes the de<:i,ion. Whallhcy dQ deny is thalthis de<:islon
i. "'holly plicable in lenn. of f .... " 'iIl. Ih.1 thi. ",n"'lhing is in full
possession of any pari of il,()f when il mak .. " de<:ision, or lhal lhe proper
goal of Ihe decision in lerm. of po" .... is direclly to lake possession of
something Ihat ha. been represenled. So Ihey do nOl faU inlO a ptrformalive
commic. ion of Ih. form" deny thall""re;, a .ubjtci'. 11 i. flilher thai
lhey say 'There i, somelhing more lhan the subject in all ofi" actio .... Thai
rom.thing cannot b( approached through repce .... talion and consciousne:lS.
So il cannnl be willed. Vel PO""'- Ii .. in lhal somethin8: Thu.< th.
phil(gQJ)hy of pa .. ivity is nol straighlfoTWllr-dly nihilistic . i".,., il aflinns
pow<1". Neither is il slraighlforwardly ,,,If-wnIOldiC\ory. since il does not
deny the of action. Ihal have been decidc:d upon: it ;" ju .. Ihol
lho>e :&<:tioo$ only apprQa<h power obliquely.
BUI ho'" is Ibis power known, if not by How are oblique
action. to he g .... ranlecd. and hence ! .... rantecd again" nihilism. if not by
l\>t direct rep ........ tation of g""]s Q' val"",? These q .... tions challenge
Lynlard 10 plain why his philosophy is nOlth. paradox of an anti_
lheory and why it i. nol reduced 10 a po.il ion where 1>0 i. _ihle
;n lhe faa: of an indislinct chaos. The lint questi<Ht has been answered in lhe
previous chapter Ibrough lh. id ... of dissimulation. The b(lief thaI lheory
and "'1'",""malion are governed by a law of eilhn/or jeitb(r lheory
.... pr ... matioD. COfI!Iciouoness or pure ..... salion. jliIre intensity) is a false
one; in$l""d il i, a question of bothland (Ibcoty disslmwales intensity and
inlensily dis<imulales lheory). The ><:C(Ind qu.nlion is more dif6cuJt. Whal
exactly is a passive acti'it)'? How dues il aVQid nihilism in pnctice? M=
"
t YOT"'RO "'NO TilE POLI Tl C"'L
pn:ciscly, wby docs it not rall prey to Ihe return of nihil;'lic forttl" l< il
possible to put fo ....... d politics lhal can resist capitalism " itl>oot falliq
back ;nln resistaJ>oe as pure negalion?
ART AND THE POL ITI CAL AS ACTIV E PASS I VITY
In Ihe coJlectinn ofewlYS that prepares the way for l.ihidu.ol &Momy,
Disposiri/s pulsionnels, Lymard tm 10 answer lhese questions in lite context
o[modem art. He defines modem Krt as an oct;ve passivity that b=h witb
the lradilion of rep I nlation. But more tlo.an th;', he begins 10 wrile about
art as govemod by dissimulalion, 85 defined in Ubidu.ol &:Momy: all art is
bolh represo:ntative and int<1l"'. The queslion is how to create in respon'" 10
art forms and materials so a. to exploil thai diuimuJalion to lhe full: 'so all
those calculalions, the painler', measurerncnu. Ihe formali"", of ten .. ruks
and haIMt .. lhe actor'. lraining, are not there to doow Iheir futilily, .s
Weslern nihilists beU ... ..,. They are lhere In make possihle whal ami call.
the M"OtUkiful and it. el'lll!eseltff, lhal is, the dl"ect of Ihe most
'trdnge emotion in an in.tant lhat cannol be located' (DP: n3). 1I0w can
we maximi .. int<1loity in 51ructUl'C$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 .Iea,..,.. 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 Ubidlll<ll Economy. Fin .. Uke Ibis
work, lhey are .till essay. tJboI,l a lopic; that is, lhey remlIin lheoretical in.
""'y tha. il o",,!'COme by the d;'oimulatina style of the later book.
An a"'lIret>CS& of Ihis nx .. 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 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 (dia-
lectical, entiat indilT.re""", posilion, Iheology and expression, affinna!ion)
within which I d;'tribulod all my th<lughts in the form ofilems. A finn dBW
assigned each idea 10 the face ofa die. A ...,.,nd draw (wilh the die) allowed
the diacbronic order of appea"'n<:e oflhe ideas 10 be establ i.bed' (DP: 116).
Furtb .. draw. are then uood 10 redi.tribute th<lughts wilhin lhe aeri .... lbe
essa.y then takes on a chance-driven fonn where something outside con
sciOU5 inl<1llion undermines an established order and turns a critical work
about Adorno into a much looser and more suggesti"" opponunity for
ideas. This all""'" for gnat .. inl<11lity 10 p;o .. through Ihe work by
loosenina lhe grip of theory and nructure: 'The arti.1 no longer compooes.
LIBI DI N A L ECONOM Y AN t> CAPITAL
M leIS desill' run Ihrough hi' disposilion. Thai i. affimuuion' (,Adorno
come diavolo' , 1 16), BUI Ibi! method i! disappoimiog when compa red 10 lhe
moch I1\OK Ihorough and minute attention 10 $lyle in Libidinal El'MOm,..
Lyotard rcalioed Ihal a mechanics of appliW after thought>
had been SClecled aDd expressed, nOVo'hero near intcm;ily "'hen com-
pared 10 Ihe _noh for paO$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
$Cvenlies in \hio experi"",nlalion wilh tbe passive underminins oflradilional
Itn><:lures. 1l>e from 'Adorno diavolo' 10 LibiJ;NJI Et:tHIOIf,,,
is similar to lhe Pltili ppe Solkn from hi! much-admired
early works (Nombrrr, Draml!, /.;;ill_ II) 10 lhe Slream-<>f""""sciou,ncss
work 1be early worb depend on a conscious UK of modc:rni ..
le<:bniques 10 bring cha""" and ulIC\'rlainty imo lheir construclion and
r=pIiOD (sec Roland Barlhes-, Soll..-s Ea'WI;n), BUI Ihe "'ark
.. dtie,," a higher of open,.... and unaMainty b)' adding an
uncooscious alealory faclor 10 lhe OCCIlrrel\Ce of wONo aDd ideas in
addilion to lhe lechniquc of 1M absence of punclualion marb.. Solie .. , like
Lyolard in LibldilfQ/ Erooomy, anoW!! unconscious impulses 10 a
di$organiscd. How of cornp(ling diS<XIursn, SI),1ts and 10pi(:$. leI'h-
niques aro new in Lyolard', and wOJu, bUI lhey are nol new as
such, Solie .. spends much liOle ocknowledgin, his deb! 10 JoYO\' ( ... hi'
diruO$ion wilh kan_Louio Hoodebinc, 'La Triuile de JO)'Ol" iu Q>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 <kscribes (he paive """'"" Ihal worh through
LWidiMl Erell"",,. Ihus:
we are (Ibi, efTecI, a$i<le, and 10 do Ihio, Iltere are a
few momcnlS. a dozen moments , , , an idea on fire, an image:,
"""ll of a lear gao grenade or an inlolerable d...,ial of jUllice. a f...,. ,
a book. a lemur <i", we had 10 ae! OIl, conducting i! and Jelling il
course through 8 few quid pages, rapidly arranging words inlo
scm""""" and paragraphs, SO Ihallhi, heal and its chill, lhi. fora:,
may pa Ihrougll ,
( LE: 260)
Whal dislinguishes lite ""osk from olh ..... i. hi' anOmpl (0 bring lhis " 'IIy Qf
lhinking and wriling inlo philooophy. II i, anolher fUSOn " 'hy LJbidilllll
Ectmom,. io lUI important book, II is rare IIOt only in professing passivily a.
tlte way oul of the dc:alh oflh ubje<;t, bul also in laking risk of acIing it
out as philosophy
LYQTARD AND TilE POLITICAL
SlOpOOllfusin! onvitude with dependence, We would lite. book of
complete IkpenlkDCC' Iheoc pieces of tbe tpbcmcral patchwork
would be compost<! and addod to tbe body. die finlll'rtip$. all over
lilt .ht<'U: and these fonna\ions would. for a momall, make us
depend""t upoo lhem.
(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. 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 Lyotard learnt much from Cezanne. a.ge.
Zeami. Delaunay and Monory aboul the ..... ys in which .... can allow
10 flow Ihrough work. as well as undermine.oo ",new .tructum,
But his essays on them run lhe rill: of limiting economy to
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 $OClely. a
'good' ",gion thai somebow = .... the negati,.., !lruclures of rtpresenta-
tion and tradition - if oaly for u Ion! as ;t ..... avanl_garoe and nol
""'Uperaled,
AI limes. Lyotaro t""d. towaro, this noo-romanticism: for .,.ample,
whenever he pUll hippy rno""",,,,,11 f ......... ro .Olhe ""ample of 8rat inlm.ily:
' He ... a ... today', ". uptrmen" and .. m .. le ..... ' lhe frinse. experinlel1tal
paim.,.,. POP. hipp;es and yipp;e,.. paruitO$.. 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 retour 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 pol<nliallo look had ralher t""n
fo",,ar<!. Lyotard in"estigat .. litis quite beaulifully Ihrough a $Iudy of
Balldelai ... Ind 'dIor>dyi.m in L'a""'rinal tk / 'u ";rlelru par
101"""" (56- 108. esp. 102), 1I0we"er. in tbe chapler. I . bowed how
diu imu\.,lion Oponltcd in all diocoul'$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, Ih<n. i01>Ol. os ... tbetics but so a prolegomenon 10 a mort
StneraJ libKlin .. 1 economy and politics of acl;'" So in lbe foliowin!
oection. his .... yson modem an will he I'Cad again$! R fringe poIilics and in the
lighl of lhe libidinal eco<tOI1lic revaluatioo of philosophy.
PAINTING AND DESIRE
Lyotard', wark on arl. mucturalism and Frtud begins v.1tb Itis FrtllCh
major dO<:toral dissmalion publisbed a. /iprr
LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND CAPITAL
(Lyotard p" ...... the French agrrga/;Of! in 19S8 and became _ Docteur es
Leum in 1911). advocary of fi",re and alTect again,[ muc[ure and
oenoe, and the critical Stance with mpecr to s[ructuralism and pbenom-
in that book are [hen worked into more poli[i",,] and libidinal
essay. in De. Dispo>i'!ft J"'lsioluu!k II i. worth noting tba[ [he critical
reading of phenomenolol)' dales back 10 bofom [ho, ...... ys on Algeria -
see La Phb","';nokJgiL (1954) - [bough a[ [hal ' ["ge, the critiq..e was
couched in to"", of [he problem. rai ..... for phenomenolol)' in a malerialist
mading of history.
In ord .. to co,..,,- dep[h, I
put forward in on. essaY'. 'La
making cr ...... ref.rences to other works as """"""''Y.
into a lei. of lheoretical r<mlIrks. follo ... 'ed by a cbronological
a!LIIlyses of particular works. This divide and order is contradicted by lhe
main findings of [he euay. This i i why il is bes[ tahn as a springboard for
[he work in LibiJ;lIQ/ Utmomy ",[her than as a f....,-.. anding philosophy of
painting. It would he bet[ ... to think of the ...... Y' as tending toward, art
with philosophy (and also not towards philosophy as art). Ly<>tard dOt< not
only the rela[;OII of philosophy [0 painting. Th. essay 'La dem,
I. paume' makes very similar poinu In [he work on painting, but 011 !hea[re.
The essays 'Adoroo come diavolo' and 'Plusieurs sil.nces' do [he ""me: for
mu.ic llrul 'Sur nne liaure du diooour$' lIrul 'P<litei:rononti< libidinal< d'un
disposilif nam"if, la R""ault TlICOlIt. Ie meum .. de P. Ovcrn<')" [h.
oame for di5<:Ou .....
'La peinlure ""'"""" disposi[if libidinal' begin. by di.[ancing iu use nf
desire from the view lbal Ihe secrel of painting lies in uocov<:ring [be arti,I',
desire. Painling i. oot fundamentally the expression of desire, in lb. same
way a. il is oot fundamentally Ih. exp ..... ion of Na[ur. a. defined by Ih.
romanlics (_ 'La peinl""" C(lmmc dispooi[if libidinal', OJ>: 227). Lyotard
dOt< nOI wanl [0 the interprttalion of painlins [0 the p;sydlo-
analyai. ofan artist', desires; in fact, 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: as desire for som<lhing (desire as wish) and
desire .. unconsciow imput..e (desire as primary proces.s). It is lhe la[ler lha[
is importanl in painting. Lyotard', works ofthi. period all owe a great deb[
10 Ihi, distinction and 10 a furthtr distinction drawn within desire as proctSS
b<!wem Eros and [he death driv<:.
Freud', 8q<md 1M PriMipk bad a profound effect on LyOlan:!.
It is his way of dcd<lCing lb. n""";ty of. philooophy beyond good and iI
as thing. 10 he willed di"",tly. H. relum. 10 lhe book again and again in
ottkr [0 imisl on in""",,,,,bI< oonno<tion oflhe Iwo drives and on their
role in the Kffinnatio" of life. Both drives gi'" er.ergy [0 a system through
LYOTARDANDTHE
the repetilion 0( affeetl. 1ft Ille cut of 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 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
<J<pIoiled in an orderly fashion throu&h the repclition 01 pi.... . aDd affect;
in lhe OIhtJ cut tnnu deWoys Ille l)'Stem and __ l"""'nillOITIeIhinS
""Iemal (229). Under lhe impulx oflhe death dri .... lhe IysI<m clw:I ... aDd
in IIIaI KnK diel. UndeJ the impulx of ErOlI"" 1)'Ilem ttndllowardl l Lasd
and in tNoI .... '" dies. The _Il'b for In IoO;tiw po.uivily in Lyotard (and
and FO\lClluh) is. =pnllK 10 It>e conMql>tnl re<ju;",menllo play
otT the IWO drives 'piMI oor another - stnte&ies for . life between Iwo
de.lhs.
Bul from lhe poinl of..;ew ohllo..mll .... 11)" 10 no... 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><nwver. no! , pwdy eritio;:aJ 0fII0; _
LJbidUo<J u-y, &9- 90). This oppocition 10 thor ulO"i.tioo 01 poycbo--
..... Iysis .1Id Iood pnctia:. 1\01IIII or I dou _ 0111 very dearly in
Lyol.rd Ind Dck..ze'ltronl oppOIIilion 10 lbe inn......., of" lM:an wllm Ibis
takes on In I Ulhontali ... benl. This point is throut:houl lk. Du
p<J.ldjJ ,..blMlNl nd LJbldiloDl COtfOItIy 1'2- 66). It Ilk .. ill .InIfIFII
poUlicool form In I joinl st.ttmtnt by Dckuze and Lyot.rd 'eo"",,, o;n, lhor
Viocenoes h ycbooonalysls Dcpartmmt' in J...u TtmpJ Modnnu ( I97S):
Whal r-ychooo.n.alysis po 011 as its knowIedF""""""""f'ied by a
kiDd 01 inttlieetual and emotional I." o.-ism IMI " ,uiuobie for
bra.kiol down, . to......, thai ...., Wd 10 be unhealthy. It it
alllllldy o;t;.turbin& ..-bm this ope"tion iI co.rriod OUI between pi)'-
cboanalym. 0< bet ........ ...,u.ona!yltl and patiertu. for I oeni1Iod
lherapeutic: pi.. BUI il is modi IIIo(IK dislur"boiq wben lbe ""'"
opention _ ki lO bra): down tin." ..... 0( . oomr*i<1y diffcm:ot
kind.;o. ttac:hillJ IIeCIion thai dcdarao ittclr 10 l\ave .... inlenlion
of 'Iookinl all ... or ' Inini",' plyclooanalyolJ.
(PW: 6'J)
Thi .... I<menl was in =1"''''" 10 pwp initialed in lbe Vi""""",,"
ptychOllnllysis department ' 00111< inllructiolll of Or. lM:an' .
..
LIBI D INAL ECONOMY 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<iinal economy, This i, bocausc oiesir<; work. on 'YS\ellU, either to
transform or 10 them. Painting i'therefor<; roocemed with political
acts in the IC'IISC of the mctamorpoo.is of social llruelu .... and systems
through affeell and Pm<""'"S He .peak3 of Ihi. in lerm, suiled to conllict in
politics: thoughu in drr.am. a ... 'transf"rmed, adj""ted, undoDe, brok01l.
mended. pound dO"lI. crushed into manifest COnten' ... Painting '"
meI.1tmorphllSis is the r<;leasc of afTeets when geslure sets dO"'n and sl'RlId$
colnur "n a .upport . n.e... afTtrt. work on systems. on dispositions,
Sometimes 'hey prop dispoSilion! uP. whon Ih<')' are Clpablt of using the
afTeet and colourful mailer. Somelimes they destr"y tltrnt by 'diluting
di,positions and their arrangtmtnt. of making them go by excess,
liquifyinl,hem, them up' . In fac'. in 'La ""inture comme disposilif
libidinal'. Lyolard in.ists on Ihe conclusion lhal Ihe funnions cann(lt be
separaled, 'at the samt timo: """rID' .... and di",r<kr, as Eros and death
drive. al" <lYs togelher' (DP: 231 J. When a gcswre and colour ... lease affects
Ihey Cinnol help taking on a political funClion of .upport and disturbance.
not only wilhin Ihe ,ul .. and canon, of the tradilion, bUI in allihe 'yslem,
Ihatthcse afTeel5 can be sello "'ork in. Does ,hi. very gc:ne"tI ddinition of
painting allow for the precision thai waS soughl earlier in Ihis chaplet'? Does
it allow u.s 10> 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<r I" a pmise sense "f
Ihe a, a libidinal aclive passivity in Ih. of painling: lihera
t;oo and aperimentation. First. painting i$ oot mtrlctro t" a I"'rtirolar
!Kleial .phere or region. It is nol defined by ilS within Ihe !kauxAr!s.
h cannot re5t";"'led to the inlentions or emotions of the painter. Neilher
should it thoughl of in a limited cuhurat in lhe lenn' of the
Manist definition of '" in a leu rigorous associalion wilh a
partirular class funclion. Theories of painting IlLat limil it 10 a certain social
region and function cannot ,""",unl for ito fuJI libidinal potential in term, of
afTom and .yst<'nIJ or disposilions. So>. 5eIXInd. painling is the search for a
relea ... from Ihose 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 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 ,ha, t .. tifies 10 an analosous diloSOlulion [10 thai acbieved by
alpilalisml of Ihe ob.its. s!at ... OO<tfigur;otio .... pla"... modaliti .. that
defintd the boundane. of lbe ;nstitution we call painting' (DP: 233).
LyotlIrd i. able 10 embraa the teehniqurs of modem potintinl fm: of the
qurslioDS of judgemmt 'But is thio art?'. 'But is 1.bi, beautifulT and ' 8uI is
this responsible?" Instead. an imp<:lrlllnt potrt of painling and wrilin. On
pain1ing is the pmmmllliion with "'''yo of 'making colourful inscription,'
as opposed to making judgements aboul thcir value (235). In 'La peinlurc
C(lmme di.p<>$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.
Anything 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
detmination of 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 .. ofwo. 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 <ieoires by
e.,1<1Idill8- dash;ns and loosen;ng nNnures.
These ""IS can I>< 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"" pragmal ic 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 iOOemtot - 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
'"
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 <kpmd for loor
inlensity.
But don this commit Lyotard 10 the moSt banal land nihilistic) fonn of
relalivism? Are thc:re " '0\"SC and \:Ieller ways of ' working'? Yn . the more
structures are JiVf:lt fixr:..l boundaries and lay claim 10 final laws, judgements
and val ..... the more any initial inlen,;ty relea.>cd at their <:=Iioo bc<;omes
dissipatr:..l and the mo<c oppon unitin for imensity are resisted. This is
Ihe '\agnlU>Cy 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 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 <n<rgy inlo both by inlon.ifying the affoct io 'he lransf..-? The
direction il .. lf .Uows him 10 be mOre precise about how 10 paint and how
to think, Some ways inhibil that exteruion and maintain ;l\SJCription in
tradilional dispositions. lhereby "'ading to a decrease in energy. OIhers
inc ..... ", energy by conducting Ihe inlensily of an affttt from one disposi.
tion to another. As ohown through the ""rk on Freud and Ihe libido. Ihis
conduction and positive inHu1 of energy is alS<) deo!tructive in the sense that
it disturbs the disposilio .... The probkm faced by Lyotard and modem
painting is how to e'perimenl with colour oullide tbe boundaries of well
tstablishcd ",1(:$ and tmdition$_ How do we enSure Ihal ."..rllY and inten
sity become universaUy polymorpbous in Ihe sen .. of Howing through all
dispositions?
If Freud is Lyotan!'s !!uide in disooverins tbe role of desire in painlin8.
Cc;z,mne point< the way to l"'5<i"" as a means or conducting
tbe a/Te<"I' U$OCialed with colour, The problOf\1 10 boo resolved i. how to paint
free of a dominanl disposition and thereby to escape the restricTion and
e''''''tually Ihe loss of intensily in the aflect . inoe inlensity i , a..,.,iated "ilh
mOVOf\1ent as lransformation and destruction. Lyolan! approaches Ihe
problem in a historical context Ihe of Ihe disposilion of rep--
re$enlation in and after the Italian quallrocento (Piero deUa FI"IlN"""",
Lorenzelli). lbe ImtoricaJ dimension of this work _ done in detail in DIJ
"""" , jipu, Ihen used in Dr. DiYpoJi,l/. pul.ioruteh _ it imporumt in two
"
LVOTARD AND TH E POLITICAL
wayl, Firsl, il shows IhallM dominance of is
contingent; rcl'f\'$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 an,""r to tho lirsl q .... tion 10 be colour and lbe inl..., ..
afTect. Th. answer 10 Ih. second is pa$livity. This is described quite poorly
in 'r.... pointure com"", dispositif lib;dinal' in terms of tho absence of lil>Oll
and conlou,"" in Cezanne', work. Th. absence tak .. away tho "p' ...,ted
object from Ih. picture and alloW! colours to alTect II! dirtCtly in tbe many
ways in whicb Ihey can intonIC\. l)l<ltard is then able to claim tlLal modem
painting is an inlO lhese ways (in De!aunay, for example,
"" .pin from One colour to anotber). BUI Ihi. account in tem\S of tho
absence of contours i, unconvincing becau .. of its overly limpli'lic noptive
oUllook, ",",etbing has to be taken away for colour to be affirmed. But bow
is it tak ... away" ls ' his dimination Ih. primary proc:."$S or i. it a oecondary
effect?
These q""'tio". are not tackled directly in 'r.... printure commc: di.positif
libidinal' because. tbere, l yo1llrd co"""nl",t .. on the polymorphism of
modem painting; thaI is. on 1M way in whkh all pouibk .uppon. and
in''''''''tion. of ""lou. are inves,igated. Thi. is 10 aUow ,1>< political direction
for libidinal economy to emerge as 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 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$ion, whik
setling a direction fnr libidinal economy. does not clLar.oclerlsc way in
which lhat direction can be followed. ThiJ WQri;: ;s done in 'En allendanl
Gu;ffrey' and 'Freud selon Channe' in Ihe d=ription' of CCzan ... '. search
for powerlessness and GuifTrey"llJ{J<llhie.
Apathy is used here in the """.pejorative Sioical and Spino.;'t senses of
f.-;lom from pas.s.ion. and indifferenoll to de$i"" for .p"dfic: thinp (tht
difficulties involved in this ""tMinn .. ill be Iooke<l at below). In Chan ...
work th.", ;. a 'mutatioo of d .. ire ''''''y from lhe desi", to , .. " umt an
object aDd (,\'W a" ... y from 1M desi", for anything outside an lU"I1IJlgemenl
of co\nurs, Aa:ording to lyotard in 'Freud .. Ion Cezanne'. 'this mutation i.
nOI achi.,-..l or IOUght OUI, bul given nr. rather. und"'1lone' (Dr: 75). It i. a
factor of wha, M.rI<!au.Pnnty called Cl:mn ... ' doub!. an u"""nainty tlLal
comes from the realisation Ihat there ;. no law Ihat collr:ct. colours in an
object. The object is al""' OJI"n 10 K disintegralion into colour and il only
appean conlineenlly as I moment between iu colourful construction and
"
ECONOMY "'NO C",PITAL
destruclion. This doubt and associated continll<'''''Y of tM 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<IIeS into lhe world wilb human
frtedom. For Lymard, il is lied 10 a malerial factor lhal underlie:! Ib<
buman. Th.d comes oul mosI suongly in lheir differenl uses of F ... ud in
inlerprtlin! CCzanne. Where Merleau_Ponly uses F ... ud 10 app,,,,,,,h a
tv" 'J"ry doubt or uncertainly in!he human condi,ion, Lyntard use. him '0
explain the t.a ... formalive pDWCr of affects in any dispoa;lion. So in lhe
laller III< human is. disposilion among many and il is subject 10 u111l-
human primary prooess:
cezanoc's pictorial journey unfold. in 1M element of an oriainary
uncertainly, a 'lI$j)icion with ... gard to anylhin, tbat is prtSented as
'nalu.allaw' in III< Schools of painling. In III< same way, F ... ud' s
journey depend. upon an initial ... ption of the pri""iple of
unification of p<yclIic phwo!M1l.a by consciousness and its rtplaoo-
menl by an unsuppressible principle of dispersion (sexualily,
primary process, dealb drive).
(DP: 75)
In III< former, uistence is rtVelIled in Ih. parado.tical circular freedom of
buman liv .... creating Ihemscl_ as Ib.y molly a ... ,
The bermeneulic reverie of til< psychoanalyst, multiplying com-
munication. from nur$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<ne, adapted IIwI a rilOraus induction 101M
circular movemenl of our life tbal applits its futu ... 10 its palt and
it. pall 10 its fUlu ... alld whe ........ rytbinS symbolises everylh.ing.
( Merleau.Ponly 1966: 4)
Lyotard'. CJtpLanatioll depends upon a non human principle thaI "-;11
come 10 be compU",,\ed, though not ocgaled Of undermined, in its appli-
cation 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 m<rence 10 tho infinitely postponed idc:ntity of a blll1lll.D
life, ""ycbo.analysis d .... nol ID8.ke frt<:dom impossible. It leaches p' to
lhink of it wncretely a. a on ou..wlves. Always true to
ou"",lv", after Ihe fact." But fo.- Lymard Ihis is lho way 10 nihilism: a
fundamental $1ructure of negation raised to infinity and resolved in the
religiosity of a forever postponed human identity.
So (11.3n ... work Ind doubl must not ho &Iooit<! wilh rd"erence to human
life or frtt<Jom. Instead. l.yolard moV\"S towards the d..rnption of pi'" ...
Ihat allow colour to appear by working against lqlre!Cntation. Ceza"",,',
,.arch for powerl"s- "'s is a double movanent: an away from
.....,n,.etllaUon and a passivity with uptd 10.ho WIly in ...-h;':h wlour will
combine and <ntrr into new dispositions, Lyotard speakJ of an originary
deficiency I nd in the act ofp;linling; lhat i., to paint flU of
guiding rules and techniqu.rs, al1iod. though. to a continuous displacement of
plastic: fiiUres and This alii.""" is all-importanl. not only for
CCzanne's painling. hut abo for Lyot.ard', potitics. Neitber is simply a naj,..,
search for vaatnCy. a pure pauivity. Instead. a, I bave ""own lowardsthe rnd
of the previous chapter, there is. conscious and highJy elaborate move . ""'y
from eslablisbod structures. by a seareb for pauive moments
;nserihod within lhose MI"IXWres. It is neither a p;linling Or a politics of 'k1',
empty .his.pace and .... what happens', but of ' let's work to loosen and
deform this 51ructure by .... king _ivity at its mosI inton ... poin'" (colour
and form for p;linting; tho subject and rtpreset1lation for politics).
With Cezanne. there is a ",fllSal to allow tho work to fit into a pre-
eslablisbed network of excbanl", tbat is. a given oct of formulae: governing
painting. In tbrir plaoe, Ibere i. the desire for the painung to ho an object in
;l$("lf. with no nutside refert1lC\'; 'no lonl"r counling as a mewl". tbreat.
pie defense. exorci5lll. morality. allusion. in a symbolic relalion. but count-
in, ao an ab$olule objooct, ftoed from a transfereotial ",lation. indifferent 10
.he ",lationa) order. on(y in the energd;': order. in tho silence ofbodies'
(' Freud selon C<'z.an",,: BS). Pusivi.y ;' no. simply .p"lhy a. \he ahoenoe of
desire. It i. tl>e desire In work against systems and structures aUit<! In an
experimentation that is nOl coruciOlii and d .... nOl .... k to be CO!15CiOlii of
what il will themo", cooo"",-
Wh<'Tl he talks about aun"" and Guiffrty. L)'Qlatd therefore inwlS on
Ihe =nomy of \he act of paint;", in the twn senllC! of a reserve and a
process of cireulation. In their art thore is a holdin8 baek of des;""" aff""'"
and ..... sation. from Ihe lemptation of an n>mlown '1'. their IUppnood
initialor and recipien'- In ilS place we find a ,.t of economic bloch and
I"'IISaJO< of inten<ily that remind u' of Dele""" and Guatlari', economy of
ftnw. and cui' de, .. lopod in Cap;.ulism und Schi=ophrrnia, thougb lhey
,,"ver achieve the material quality of Lyotatd's lreatment: 'caress ranain.
over Ihe neck: place: whore Ibe bkluse 'lOps. where the skin begins. Or indeed
LI BIDIN" V " N D C " PIT"
lhe fronl ier or fissure? No il is ralll<r III< region of lranom"lalion
from one skin Onlo a diffcrenl Ikin' (LE: 21). These malmal 'lOnes of
pa .... ,.' or 'changes in lurf.",,' , pen:eiV<!d Ihrougb inlensilies, are
III< Ilartin"poini for hi< libidinal <'C(Inomie Sludi",_ II io ess<nlial, once
again. 10 IlI<ir rclali," .Ialu . A po .... '" and a cui can o<:cu' any
where. not only al delermined by any partieular $Cien-oe. bUI only a. a
parallel 10 libidin.1 inl.nsilies, BU! are lbe limits of human pe""'plioft.
f""lings and de$jr", aloo iimilO to Ihi. inddenninacy' No. LYOlanl i . ..... ,;.
to Ihe " <ly in which art. It<:hoo10lY. liler.lure. polilK:s 00II01an(1)"
recombine per<:Cf>lual and scns""llimilS wilh desi .... lhal 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 a nd an economic: description
doeo not commil Lyolard 10 an art or polilico d"'oid of mechanical com-
plexily or difficuhy. It means Ihal it i< lhe .... ull of an . nempllo ere. Ie. f .....
of (1tablished to paint as a OOdy or mechanism and nOI with
consciousn ..... Ihe hi<lory of rep ..... nl.lion, So Ih. meclt.ani . m i. at lhe
same lime a ,.try difficuil lum away from somelhina lhal i. known and a
gambit Ihat somelhina d .. will be cond""IM. Thi, oxplainllhe pas<ion for
the pr"""" of painlin, in Lyolanl. Hi. worb on painting pay special
attention 10 lb. malerial ' I.". lak..., 111< exCC\Jlion of lhe work and how
lhese st.". oonlribulelo iu libidinal charge at ooth crealion alld reoepIion.
The Slllle of III< arti<1 i. dedocal from ,hese $101'$ and nOI Ihe olher way
round. as would mtdilionally be Ihe case, So lh. re is not a magic Ifdosf.r
from the arti,t 10 th. v ..... 'er. Rather. Ibc,,", i. a common connection 10 ... 1
of material fan. (colour and .., on). and wider OIruclures or
diopositions (hiltoricaL economic. spalial and so on). So the arlwork
cannol be ju.dgtd lenns of Ihis I"' nsfer. though il i. one possihle hioloncal
dioposilion. In. lead. lh. artwork is to be 'Iu.died libidinally in lerms of
p,o ... . ... facIO and disposilions.
TM acli, .. pari of painling and indeed ....... ing COIlsi, l$ in p<o.x:s .... Ihal
eonnect 10 dispositioru and relt ... intensily_ "'here l yolard picb up
on Ihe yr.I .. I ..... '''n.;"", and di' l urba""" nf di. position .. and hmoe relea ...
10 be)"ond ,he painter ... , uhF! willing a represenlalion for lhe ....... H.
concentrales on P'''''' -- 7 thai Ihi< and to ..,me exl",,1 even invenl.
lhem in lbe ca .. ofGui rrrey_ Lyolard u ... lhe neoloxiw (4faar: 10
rub oUI) to ""plnre 1M ""I of rubbing oul I"" painler and Ibe vie""" II.
consciou.nCMCll (' Whal do J 10 doT 'Whal is Ibi. for men. TM
painlu m",1 wi th ways o( painting Ihat (orgel " 'hal ha. come
before and "Uow afft<:I' to ...,ter into new combinalions:
TM deslruclion of composition lin Guiffrey] i. lhat of III< painte,.
subjr. Gu; 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 tire 'pau ala ..... . , Painting
i, not Ihe paintCT" 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 IVITY AND TH E PROBLEM OF
COLLABORATION
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$criplion
of hi. pOlilics in LibidilftJl &oIIomy-. 'Our polili", is af ftig/ll, primarily. like
Our stylc' (20). Haw can ""e n.., 'U<CeSSfully if lhe "'ay of escaping i. il..,lf a
pmbl. n ....... rily pro"" 10 recaplure? Why shnuld 0"" ....,n Iry?
11000vor, one ...... ion of Ihi' oontrad;"I;On is relatively unp.-ob\o:mali<. The
aCU$IIli011 Ihal Ihi. radical optDIICSII 10 fUlure nulcome! is pelpeluaUy .1
risk from a relurn of ilructu"", is nne Ihal he would qU;I. happily agrtt
wilh. 11 is Ih. ca.., lhal a Iov. of contingency and of untonscious prnctS$CS il
nol consislenl wilh guaranleed nulcon>eS 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 strucl ures for lhe am;'''rucluraJ oulco ..... lhey wish
10 Jay claim 10. No"" of Ihis would make sen'" if lhe concepl of dis-
simulalion 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!ln 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
inlon,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 ...
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
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> _ his attraction 10 lhe capacily
of modem an 10 in"OSI any oh;ect ,
In UlJidi/IQ/ &-c:Hoom,.. Ihis doci.ion and Ihe <landard "nack on it a",
dcscribtd in lenns of the ...... ilUde dependence;
'Stop confusing ..-rvittlde and d.pendence. We would like a book of com-
plet. dependen"'" these pia:es of th. ophm>er.1 patchwork would be
compOsod and addr:d 10 Ihe body. lhe fingenip>. all ... the .h ... and
Ihex (o",,"tion$ ,"'Culd. for a moment. make u. dependeot upon them. If
Ih .... is tlloo", is no author' (LE: 261). So in pusi"ty. in the .. "", of
,",kin. 10 a good condUClor of inlensilies. on. does nOI become Seti
10 anything Or anyo,,". Thai happens when on. foUo ...... a paniru1ar .true-
IU",; 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 in<lrad a depend"""" on Ih.
oa:Urrtnce of inl .... ilics and lhe way in which they In"", ,,"w configura
I;on, of , lruelU"" (tbc-re is no anlhor olher Ihan chal>C\').
So Lyotard folio .... tbe Spinozj't answer 10 lhe .oxusalioo that with the
1055 of free will "" 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 illCrea .. OUt
PO"''''. no'" redefintd a,,.,, inorease in connectedness. or in LyoUlrd', ca .. a
mo", polymorphous conduclion, Thi' io foTC<! as oppOsod to wilful PO"""
'So for lb. lioSl time OlOp confusing power II-voir] with foTC<! ]pwitJan<'t]. If
thert is labour invo!vtd in adding Ibese f.w inslanl5 \0 the band. ;t is an
.lu.i"" po,...,-I .... labour, whid """ns up to rOTC<!. Pow.r is an . il
belongS 10 an in'lant. fo= belongS to no-ot><' (LE: 261). We canll-OI be
serf, 10 foTC<!; only to ,'''' illusion.,f po"'''.
But Ihex an......n do lillie 10 deflect the apalhy and
contingency COnTrib<lle directly 10 speci& and particularly nefarious
capilalism. Thio contribution is double. It involves the abandonmenl
of Ihe aim to ""i.1 and O'o'mhrow <::apila!ism thaI \lit saw Lyotard drift away
from in the last essay< on capitalism and thaI h. $Iil1 wrestles .... ilh in ""me of
the essay. in Dir; ... a partir M Marx e/ F,M. This mugglc defines
lurning_poinl in his won. wh .... lhe will 10 ..,.isl capitalism in the name of
""m<thin, el,. i, finally b<lml out. 10 be rep/lIcod in De> 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 f'rtIKI;.
in insisting on the waning 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 10 qualify lhe
opadly Ihat Ihe unconscious eppoon 10 conocirnuncss bUI also the laner>
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 an abandonmenl nfany capadly 10 resiSI capitalism
or .,...., to define a polities lhat maintaillll some dill"""" from lhe dominance
of lhe rules of markets-
Lyourd 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 .. i a, his work is eharactemod hy an awareness nf t he
power of ,,"pilalism 10 .uppon and even precipilate In.. ml>$l
... Second, lhe act of paosive experimentalion and lhe gt"non.l K;m of
seek;ng 10 eondu<1 inl<'1lllily as wi<kly ... pos.<ible a", consiSI.nt with, """n
Jepetld upon, capitalism. Thus in hi. essay on painling as a libidinal dis.
position" "La comme di.posilif libidinal' , Lyotard noles Ihal lhe
polymorphy of modern a", iii laooahlc capadly 10 give inl.n.ity to any
objc<:I, i. 'COIlSl1.lenl' wilh mod<m capilalism:
Thi. lrail of polymorphy is in detp with the spao;:e of
modern capilali,m. A.pao;:e in which KH:allod economic illlCTiption
is polenlially on an)'lhin,. There is an exlmnely pi ... i..,
lim;, Ihal "'" call property or law of value. potentially,
capilali. m outlines lho possibilily of taking anything lind pullin,
into ci",ulation under 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("!.
(DP: 266)
Lyolard' s geneyal aim of conducting intmsily in allihinp is mirrorod by lhe
capacily of modem capitalism II> ,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 .'pec'" of Ihcsc 1'f<X' 's lie in thrir 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 a",
,h. alii nf lhe liboration of youlh from old values, of new sounds and
"
L 1BIDINAt ECONOMY AND CAPI 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 the fa<1 tlLal the demand. of lbe
structure 1La .... mo .... ment from tbe OUtxt. Wbat Io<>$oning
and wbat singular inten.ities are thex? Are they nol nlC ... dislraclions and
tlLal .1I0w a fundamentally unju'! I)"$t= to
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 -...
simple machinc 0( .I ...... lion ... if il._ .. posited or impoood
[,om tbe QUtoido u violation of .U .sa;r< . if .. IIltI
supported it ""' .. DOt J!<OCiot:1y .sa;,... A. if.hI:.,.., and simple
di<positioo of cpondtd """lIIIl"lalion. dtot:ribed by Man.
-.. no IibiJiNJJ eoooomic di>pooilion. or .1 leas """p of
libidinal di<posiUoru.
(L ......,...., iN /'uphintN! "'" !II""",y. 19- 22)
1$ this not tbe mOil era .... n of reacliona.,. views? Is il nOlthe case that old
and unju.1 pow .... lie behind lbe attraction of new and 'valuable:'
o,*"u and behind tbe ""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 and alienation? Lyotard to
amwer Ih..., critical '1ueslion! in chapt .... m. IV and V of LibidilflJl
"--,
Fi ... !. Lyl>tOrd a,k$ queslion< of th and of the tbeol1:1ical
r>=I to posil a possible jusl _icty. His belief that thm' i. no privile:ged
... oUIside: ,h. lib;dinal """""my is translaled inlo an on ,he
ra,her simple version of Marxism thai d.peoos on tbe cLaim thai llIbour
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 <:<Ipilalism. The Ibcon:ti<al oommil'
meo! to a surplus in labour. falsely .Aploitcd by capital. is ab,,,,doned with
the coDCOntilant ,'iew IILaI lhe alic:nalion of worken from w!La, has been
produced is . lintirutble. We saw Ibi, commitmenl begin 10 bcoomc iroubled
in lbe last .... y. on AI""ria. It is analysed wilh area! <:<Ire and finally
abandoned in lbe css.ay LIt p/aC1: de dans" l1:Iourncm<:nt
marxist.' in [);,;w il {J<1rtlr M Frt'wd:
"
vrOT,\RO ANO THE 'OLI 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 outstim 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 and 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 t hey 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 In lhe developiI .. ot or hilliudiel, lao ohowIlbe 11'" , or various
11.11'" or Clpitalism 10 be In r.-et-impoo.td 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 aspU 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
LIBIDI NAL ECONOMY AND CAPITAL
lhe need to " Iab!ish equi""l"""", lhe need 10 feed lhe mudure.
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 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
polilis 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
cconomisu. The key q .... lion is: lI ow do we ","ximi", 111=
opporlunities. defined as libidinal inlen.iti ... allhe .'pm><' of lhe <fTort 10
""bili'" them ;n a SINCture of equivalences? nus subvmiYe political aim
i! .. "'mi .. llo lhe work of LihidiJIaJ El:<Jtw".y, The does Dol stand up
as tandard of eccn-omia since it is unoriginal and in fact ralher
jejune al Iho 1"",,1 of pure t!>Mry. It, melbod i. ""jlh .... logical analy1is nor
empirical =rch. hul ralh .... a quasi.historical carried oUllhrough
a of a limited numbor of mo", Or It'5 oanonical oronomic and
lilerary luIS.
The most .imple """norny anal)-.ed by Lyolard involves desires
;n lerms of ' !ICCd', To define need a. a desin: may seem plcQnaSlic. bul
aocordin.lo his """,,,unl need is only 0"" .ub-typc of deoi", and in.-ffoct an
iUusory one Ihat depend! nn an arbilrary determinalion of the Ihat an:
10 <ounl as needful. for amp!<, for him Ih.re is nn reason 10 v.llle a
dcsjn: for ,,,If-dcslruction beneath a need for preservalion. Need is al"'"II)"
polilical and lhe result of a i1rategy responding 10 an in.lability between
.. "",Iun: aDd ;ol.nsity and Iheir dissimulaTion "'ilhin one anolh .... - Ih ..... is
nO original organic or ideal n:ferrott !>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'<ls, Money comes 10 "'1'"""nl a
oeed as oomcthing lhal can be cancelled Ihrough an uchan50: The lC1"O or
money is lbe region of anoulalion. potenlial. always possible; I am hunllf)', I
buy. I cal: wben: then: wos uleriorily of a need and a good. oolhin5
n:mains (need satisfied. good consumed) bUI lhe zero of lhe money paid.
passed ;nlo lhe haDds or lhe ",Iler' (LE: 162). Lyolard applies his COncepl of
LVOTAIID AND THE
the pUt aro (He Chapter 3 above) to this moot limp .. _y and
<:riticita it for ita nihilistic ten<Imcy.
Monq> bo_. pUt aro tblt .. po 'Rls _"" by ddinin, them as
, J. and tl>t, cby allowin& them to be C,,:b'D: J. the inlenlity of
.. ,o.nd fl inp 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:
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.
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 ... 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', ... nt e<:onoJtIic rtu.diel in LJbjJiIIaJ u-y. auo....,. in
and prior 10 capitalism can only be IICa\ .. efTon. to ,he Oi\Sl:\ of
nihilism in an economy within which it ....,.....rily ... 111 ...... Thi. il <I"", 10 lhe
requi ... menl t!o.at thlnp , hould he CJlchoonpble hence: mealllred
jIQ;Onlin,lo I comm.ott _10 of.,.,.] ..... Forcnmple. in alimple IIn>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-<ldinfd pidcIi ..... Such
IINC1u"" tend toward< I!uis aDd 10 nihilism btalilte the intCftlity of II.
desire diminisbcl onct" it .... been of as tomnhinl tbll can be
satisfied and thaI has .... equ..J statUi wiIto 0Ibcr tbinp. f or lbc
inten.ity of. dcf,ire tics ;n ita iDCODlpinbility: il is CJlloCIly b:au .. llin","'r
dri"" Clnnot be relakd to OIhen thai ill.lkeo Ui OYer.nd cncrcillClUi . .....
lOOn U il is thoupt of ' ""her lhan .. oucd il en",rJ inlO ntion.1
calculalion in a .... y Ihat d;vnt8;ts l pecial q .... ity somcthin& Wt OCCII-
pin The possibility of .. Iisf..,t;on i. alrOlidy 0"" .uch caku-
lation. The p<mibility of cxcbanll" is another.
"
lJBI DINAL ECONOMY AN D CAPI TAL
BUI Ihis tendency can be pUI 01Y and lb. 'j'Slorn can be 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 oounted and meMured to other .. glll.n .. of the:
pulsional body.barul [intensities .. malerial cksilfl)' ( LE, 169). "Thore are
"""" t hings 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...., from 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<clf
capable of playing rational gamoa ... ith it ... lf. of simulating
ment, $0 :0, 10 be able 10 measure them and "'"Ofk oot the most
profitable combination.
(LE,170)
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 for LyOlard. O<t t he 0'" hand.
tbe mo,'e away from fundamental needs illegilimately imposed by an
authority is to be wdoomed a, uacl ly Ihe kind of loosening aod openness
Ibat hi, pltilosophy advocates. and duuge b<ocome things to
be valued as enhancing the economy. while or nuorginali58lion
ha .... Ihe potential to be overturned as ..... Iue is ascribed 10 ".w .t>: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 l n bi, treal ..... nl of Eros and the death dri .... in Freud ( .... abo .... ).
The """nomy ()/ I"""",list!d t>:d. that turn, into an economy for aU
poSSible deoires .till has nihilistic dri .... 10 oompare and organis<:
through t he: """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 t his 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 value and bena: ",inscribing il inln a cycle of
uchangoabilily:
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<:<! body is oonvcnoo inlo ca.h land il
is . ,pensiv.), Wh ... IIIe daksina has paid, then h. wiU roc(w ...
hi' organic, unified body. which will be _bit: to start afresh in the
dosed cycle of uchanges .. .
( LE: 1&4)
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 in order to >how bow lbey are
inscpar. ble: se,ual desires are """nomic aod cconomic desires are
oexual desires; they are .boutthe lension between lif. and death upressed
;n tM positi.,. al>d n<p.ti."(C aspect. of an endless al>d ct.aotic .. ries of
int.nsities: r r. 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", .ns 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 of """nomic .... thango. They """ur i>ecOIuse of lb.
""'y in which sny ."",,,,my i. " 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 'uoonomic'
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. <O"""pI of need on money ;lKlf. Thu. Lyolard'i .tudy of
mercantilism and of th. slrat"IY for Loui. XIV by ColbeM shows
how they ,..intensified """nomic relation'hips by introducins Ih. desire to
..
LIBIDINAL ECONOMY AND CAPITAL
hoard 1l\(Ine)'. 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$le only role is tn be emptied inlo an
"inl.rior''' an enonnou! lransf.r of th" energies current on lb. ambiguous
body of Europe. f ... lling Ih. incande=nce of the Versai1!es f""m' (UlHdiNlI
CONJmy: 199).
Again. Lyolard wants to insisl on th. libidinal quality of this form of
..:onomy. 11 il a matler of jealousy and ofth. 1"""' ..... pkasuru lhat can be
taken in keeping somethinl only for oneself and tb.n destroying it in fronl of
Ihose oJ"" ba. deprived: 'Such is tbe: jealoulY oJf d .. polism wbicb f ... l
.,...,..,.ntilism. !hi. lauer could nol content il5elf "ilh Ulking and destroying.
but had to presenl in ;txlf wh.at it annibilaled Oft th. outside' (199). 1be us<:
of lite ooncept offuelling is imponaol he", beca .... il .bo .... bow Ih. analysis
is r .... of connotatiol\$ concerning natural need. and be:nce nalunl
wa.tage: jealmuy in aU ill willto-d .. troy i. libidinally inlenSt and henee
val .... ble. Bul lnal is nol 10 oay thai jealousy does nol di .. im"I.", O1h
oonnadictions. There is no valid meta.theoty nf r""ungs and deJim t hai
allowJ ul 10 classify them according h. imponance. inlensity, dtain. of caUSt
and effect. il5e1f faill be<:.iou"" it depu<h on positing lite money
supply at Umitcd - hence ils depudence on gold and lil""r. If money oouJd
be produced infinitely then tbm: would be no !leD'" in hoarding it. TIle
syStem is scm to depend on ;I<XUrI1llialing a limiled supply. 11 musltherefore
tc-nd to M fiuallimil and ... hawt;on, bUI whal comes after thi xhauslion i.
contingenl and unpredictable in the ""0"" that it wiU not ba"" finaUy done
wilh tbe problems of rneR:al\tilism. nor will it stand 11$ a system that is nol
itxlf open 10 new contradictioN and o<currences.
MODERN CAP[TA LISM AND ACTIVE PASSIVITY
Modem emerges to bury thil limil tcnok""y of mercantilism. As
"ver. il cannel finally 0""""'''''' 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<dtan1!" in terms of equivaknces alld im.osilieo.
nu. relation chaogeS from an opposilion 10 a mUlual bc-ndit: a common
interen in an ill< ... a .. in merll)'. Il\St""d of ,;ewing Ubidina[ inl.lUiti .. as
tbingo merely 10 be ... ploited .nd hence finaUy 10 be ... hau'lcd. they are
viewed althings to invest in. in the sen .. of encourasemenl with a view to
reaping benefits later. For capitalism. any. hing lhal can be invested in order
to provide lUI increa", in inlensity can be broughl inlo a structure of
equivaJenca. There a .... lbe: ... fo .... no limiu imposed on whal can oounl a.
"
LVOTARD AND TIl E POLIT I CAL
bavrn, value or on lhe initial value of. thina. In lCm\S of intensity aloDe. the
and internal boundaries of an: infinite. lhoup lhi, is
nOi lhe case 0""" 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 il
. how< how his COnomJ wilh Taoism and passivity. nOled abo"", in lhe
conlexl of an. is placed alonpidc an inlerest in modern ...
oppoocd to disunocd from it. A paS$ive politics i, not something thai movn
away from conlmlporary economics. bul loward, il. 'The politics i. in no
'"'"y n:g ...... ive or nOlulgic. if that means a return to an earlier ...,nom;"
model. On lhe cootrary. the greal .. t opponunities for a J'i"Sive politics an:
in modem capitali..,., This is also true for an and. indeed. for .. xlIlIlily and
education. This relation and examples of Ihe "ralep.. open for laking iu
opportunities an: studied al greallenglh in hi. work on the p;ointer Jacqae:s
Monory, Indeed. in Ihi. period lyoard nnen aJ$IM'I thai art is
polilical ;n a wider .. 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$O a new
and Iypically capiulill dOW) of libidinal fillU .... lake on veat imporUlX:e: the
desin: 10 oklay pleasure heinll uk." in something and the <lesin: to be
delayed in IKking pleasun: in somdhiog.
Wben ulen!O a ' pervencd' limit (which is exactly wbal he ... ;mll 10 do).
uplain the imponalll:e taktn by sado-m.aw<hism in LibidiMl
frolfOMy. It is not simple sbock uctio or inleresl in transgressi>'e and
honno libtratinll otX. It i, ralher that the desi," involvul an: ch."""teristic of
capiulill n:lations 10 m<>I><y and 10 inlensity. 'The task Ihat Lyourd Set!
himself in n:lation tl> thi' auocialMxt of money. lime and inlensity is how 10
exploit the capacilY 10 inlensify desi .... while n:oistin.g Ibeir nihilist;"
funnelling into the men: n:lation of time and mor.ey. Hi. study 'plilS inlo
Iwo al thil point he auempllto ;n...,.tigal. the n:lation of lime. money and
int .... il;.. funhtr to lItow. 001 ill contradiction .. but ;1$ nihili$\ic lenden-
cies. Out he al"" looks al the different wa)'S in which a properly libidinal
politics can ,",'ork within capilalism to affirm inlenlity despite Ihis trend 10
nihilism.
..
ECONOMY CA PITAL
Taoist erotics are close to capitali$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 I<l the m;uimisation of
jowisJance, the imeose emtcmmt of her YiIr energy, witb \iew 10 il
from her' (LE: 2(2). Sex i, a muggle beI' ... ...,n IwO parlnen who spend and
risk ... ergy for a grealer ",Ium lalcr. Each nne is playinl a lignt game with
time, tryin, to delay time where il benefits tbci. ,oal. and 10 accelerate
where il \>entfil< the others. This confl ict is the source of the intmsifiation
of pleasure througn the 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><:<! ",,",ording 10 R single
"",a,ure (171_7). This is also wby it would he. mistake 10 lhecri .. sex as a
simple collaho""inn fl"'" follow Ihis ""mgy logtth'" fo, mUlual
benefil). Fint. this would be 10 red""", lhe inlensity of lhe a<1 by moving
to a plane of consciou,ness and oakulalinn. Second. thaI cakulation would
have 10 u.ume Ihal Ihe frelings and desir .. at play were commensurable.
According 10 Taoisl eroli<::s. the man St:cks In """rve semtO in order to
oblain the best possible relum in lerm' of while lhe woman
atlemplS 10 make the man co"", in order 10 weak ... hi, resislance 10 her
attractive fO/"Ct!. The less ",men expended. Ihe mo", numerou. and heallhy
the ehildml. So Ihe man tri .. nOI 10 Ii'. him .. 1f 10 Ihe woman by lrealing
ber as a mean. whik.be allempl> In draw him in aDd 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 charaClerised
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). an
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
l YOT A R 0 A "'0 TH POLITICA L
tl><yao.n be takm. They gcwern tl>< way intensity 'The rule is no
100FT a line passin!! the 6c1d wbe", what mInt hawen indeed takes
pl=. ,,'bile =Iu.ding what mu.t not take place ... it $<'rvQ to do nothing
mo", than 10 eng<'nder. by tllo impossibility of oitWiting tbe act in .dation
towards il. this nonplace or tM unthinkable: pia..>: wh;';h is preci$<'ly tl><
pa .... ge of inlen.ity' ( LE: 2(6).
This explains why ao.pilalism is an opponunity and an ally for 1110
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<Kl a or! of internal lim.il lendencics. It is
rather a qu .. tion of exploiling tl>< towards anonymous and ""utral
int.,.,it;" thai i. ODeIIlial to the capitaiisl ruk of inCTtasing intetuity. The
principlO$ guiding Lyotard's passive politics outlined in II>< prev;o.u elLaptor
( .... k po,...,rlessn .... multiply principles. invite failu",) and expL;oinod furth ...
os an active experimentation with passivity apathy a ... , tl><n. not only
co",ist.,.1 with the affinnative ""I'<"I nf capitalism: they also affirm il
againSI Ih. lend.""y lowards nihilism in tllo l .. t rule of lhe
,tocking of inlensity.
The capitalist rule dissimuJatcs int.nsily and intensity i. dissimulatod in the
rule. The proptrly Dnom;'; argument for this coDomU a lranslation of the
problem of deflation and inllalion into a aa:ounl. The formc:r occurs
becau$<' of tile I .... d.ncy of capilalism 10 roduc:c ",turn on invnlme!lt by
struggling to .limiDal' 'poculaliw opportunities ,broush the law of "IuO-
valenoe. This diminisbes tl>< intensily that can flow inlO tllo system. The latttr
"",urs when sp<CUlati"" rt>(Wtrnents gain 100 mu<h power and the law of
equivale:nce cannot be upheld in mnney. This lben leads 10 hyperinflation.
Lyotard goes into..,me: deptb in term. of lUI ,""""UDt of the diff ...... 1 roles
thai can "" tak ... by money (sometbin.lhat $<'1$ equivaJ....",.. oom<1bin.
Ihat aUows for borrowirtS time. oomelhillJ (hat ;s $(IU1"01' of sp<.:Ulativ.
&r:<I and .nvy) in ordtr 10 show that nne can occr ha ... done with any 0""
of them. Th"",fo", "'" cannot d ... am of a perflIy .uble capitalism; neither
can "'" deli"" it ao unstable. It is nnbcr another case of
II>< unstable dissimuJalion of intensities in structures or d""",ilioM. Thi.
mean. Ibatth. idea of lhe best UlilM to optDiDg the , (ruc(u", up is
$til1 thlot of ""live pall;vity.
In "" way. Ihoush. does tbi. imply IILaI "'" must no longer lhink and act
in terms of t",ditioruol politics and economics. o;""n political and economic:
S)'ilem. and thMries handle libidinal and will fail 10 handle:
othen. They .'" lb. Structu",," within which a polilical ""'teg)' of acliw
p""iv;ty mIL'll tok. platt. But"" nne of ,I><m, with its .i!lt$. 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 revolu-
tionary. !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:lalieiy 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 UDGEME NT
II is common to yjew lyotard"' work in ;15 entirety as an au<'Tllpt 10 af!\K
for a special rol. for <V<'TII$ Or unpre<!i..-tahJe OCCU"""","", Their fUDetion is
two-raid. First. <vonl. prevell1 iUuIiIl'Y .pplicatiQltS or I)'pe$ or judgtmenl 10
things that nett .... rily <>: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 nnpre-
d;ctabl. """"" and any .t....,.ure o.pniiCd """"rding 10 unifyinfl'" of
rules or The Hbidin.ol politic:! tben goes on 10 experimen-
talion ... 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 ain&kd these: out
.nd.fJUOd tbat they provid., the key for a <XIMistent and 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 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
of flight ItTTOr is undermined by an indirect n:1eax of desi .... aoo f.cling>
thai affirm wbat ltTTor sect. to . W. IIec into intensities of <Ieo;n:
and reelina and that 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. priae is not
"
TH E TURN TO JUDGEM 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
irresolvable dilf=noes by arousing and liS\enin, to tl>< f ... lin, of the:
sublime.
Thm: i, experimentalion and an in bolh p<l5ilions. 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 and 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:
This i. wl><n bwnan beings w'ho thougln ,hey could u .. language as
an insIrument of communication learn through Ihe f ... linB of pain
" 'hieh =mpaniO$ ,ilen ... of pl .... u'" which accompanies II><
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 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 .... ur-
able. lhal is, have: no common mea.ure wl><reby Iheir difference ... n be
.Iiminated or . ublaled. This does nol mean Ihal mUSI crute a new
common language. Ralher. ;1 means tbat where lb. dominance of a single
""" hid ... differella!. a ""w idiom musl com<: and 'it alonpide lhe 6 ... 1 in
such a way:os 10 be impossible to absorb. A supposedly continuous range of
val=< (.ImnB- """k; nOfmal_abnonrut.l; 'tabl,,_mad) may hold ,way 0"" a
field Ihal tbe f .. ling of the .ubli .... US 10 aJ irteC<)ndlably
dilfe""'tialed. Thi. absolut" diff."",ce i. a differmd: 'The differend ;. lbe
"ate of language wherein ""metron, "'hidl must be _ble 10 be put
inlO language cannol yet be' (TD: B). A polilics orthe diffemid is one tbal
partiodpal .. in debale by "",al;ng 0 new idiom for one differenl part
in ord..- to 1II0w lbe ilo:gitimacy of lbe rontinuous valuation - nOI 110 mIlCh
abnormal or .. OPl" 5'1 10 normal and strong, but irreducibly diff..--
enl and valuable such. lyolard docs nol deli"" Ihis polilics as a unive:rsal
""l'OfIsibilily or obliplion, Or in termS of a gellCflll polilical .tato. In.toad,
it is """ething lJutI defines a panicular calling proper to certain creali",
aclS: ' Whal is a stake in a lil.ralure. in _ philosopby.;n a pol itic. perhaps. is
10 bear wil ...... 10 dilferend,' (13). If there ;"to be a politics of Ihe differend.
it will be in lhi. givins voice to an excluded pany. bUI wilhoul allowi", it
"
LYOTARD 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 pbilOiSOpby and the
philosopby of differcnd if it concerns neither means
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
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 radical 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$ 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, 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\>$olut.limits. This end also deter-
th.liekl of even",: e"",,\1 occur with. diffe"",d, that is. on !be border
of ;ncommensu",ble genres. Lyotan! detine:o genres by a ... t of laws that
so""m the way in wbicb we muot link on from I aiven event; th= laws tben
detcrm.i1lC wnat be calt. lbe .tok .. of the genre. for e ... mple. knowledge. tbe
good or t be beautiful. So each lI'<nre is known through !be set of laWl tnal
determine ,"'hat is an appropriate ruction to a given oa:urrena: in term. of
an over.oll stake. [ncomm"",urable genres thus h.o"" radically differenl
stak .. : 'In this sense. a ph""", that come:o along i. put inlo play within a
conJIict het ...... n genres of d;.,ourse. This conHict is a diffcund since tbe
".,...,." (or tbe validatioft) proper to OI\C sen'" i. Dot tbe om: proper to
others ... lbe multiplicity of stak ... 00 a par with !be mwtiplicity of pres,
turnS evny linkage into a kind of ''victory"' of one of them 0.".". the others'
[TO: [36).
This .... m. to invol"" ly<>tard in I rather simple 'performative <:Ontra-
diction' , .asily Hushed out with the q ueslion: ... notlbe lansuage ........ to
<Icocribe alltbe different stak .. a basil for ro<:OI>ciling radical difTem>oes?'
lbe .ublime is a 5OIution to the contradiction in 10 far as the final deter-
minant of timi" between Fn ... is tbe of the .ublime and not some
"
T HE TO JUDGEM ENT
tnln..,."denl di5C<lu ..... ThUS. if""" a", to into'l''''1 Ihi. position in term. or
II>< libidinal pbilO$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 CMtdiIUm. lite book'.
prominrnoe and I will ,t ... , clear of il. II hu an illegitimate
11alu ... wilhin Lyotard', work in debat ... OIl Ihe poslmodern. due 10 ito
ea .. of "'0'" wh.n OOInpan:d 10 hi, 011\0, mIX" more ,'''''U'''''" and deep
books. It is a small irooy. but nO C<KItfort, Ihat lhe postmodem .rr1 of
rapid diS5emination of bUI fa.hionable ideas and debal .. h .. led 10
Ih. ugly oombination of fame and easy di<m;ss,o.l in lhe receplion of lhe
book. The """n.r it ... ""ru 10 Ih. background position of wmc:thi ng like a
discus<ion paptr Ih. beu .... Thi. posilion is al"" backed by Lyotard in hi.
inl ..... iew wilh Van Rrijeft and V ... rman, 'l.e$ lumi ...... Ie sublime:' . us
cahkrs ik Jutn.F"'"f<>/.t L}'()lu,d. me,;re la mO<k",j,; . 63- 98,
esp. 64. Thi.;, nol 10 gi"" any greal weighllo hi. or indeed
10 Ih. ,;mplir.:..lion. lluIl lend 10 """ur wilh inl ...... "'_ but me",ly 10 po;nl
10 a f..nh<r ... ference lhal may be of some imoresl . Unlike TIr<: Prulm<xk.-"
CMflilitm. TM uses .Iliptic .Iyle as _II a. II>< 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 me"",,,,, in <:onjun,lion wilh lynlard's work on Kant and II><
sublime.
Howe .... r. baving a diSlill<1ioo belWttll LYOIKrd', libM.tinal work
and his philosophy of 11>0 ditTc ... nd. il is imponanl 10 nole how 11>0 imro-
dl>CliOll of !he f ... ling of 11\0 sublime atT1s il. The ditTe ... nce bet .. "een I .... n
... lotions In polilical end. beennl .. much "",all ... wl><n seen from the poim
of .. i<w of sublime e .. $ince t hese a ... sen,ual inlimal;on. of lh. limi'" of
al1 wa)'1 of achieving W<b Ihal invol"" bridging a diIT .... nd, Thi. i. besl .... n
in 1M paradoxical .Ialem",," from nz.. DifffTt'ltd Ihat oombi ... Ihe n<ttS$ily
10 follow on from .vents wilh lhe stake of no I following aa;ording 10 .. rule
or IIIaI u.umes lhal lbe ..... nl can be finally und.rslood or cal.go,ioed.
w. f ... l lllal an ev",,1 hal """u.......:l. Ihal .... e a ... faced .... ith diIT .... nd. and
II>< f .. linx d.fi"", our a<:lion in term. of a n<p.li"" ,lance wilh ..... poct 10
bridginx laws and ruk$. In oll><r words. _ f<d Ihal laYl'S and rules Ihal
allow us 10 acl in such a WIly Ihat """ fut Ih .... ..,.1 or reso/"" II>< 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<l,ding 10 lawl and rulco. In
Ihal senK il defir.es a paradoxical rule for Ih. polilical, philO5Ophical and
anisli<: .... ;Sl .. ""'" 'to =al. our n=>Sa1}' ",action as if it oould not be
. ubsumed under bridging la ..... and rules'.
LYOTARD AND TIlE POLITICAL
For .xample. the <>f vK;lims who are iDCapable <>f .xpressing lhe
WTOIIg do,," 10 them can he a .ublime evenl in LyoWd's 1ImIN:: ' Silence as
p!traoc. Th. expectanl wail oflhe /J as . ilenee. lIS a
phra.s.e for what ",nnot now be phrased. The immediate illCQltlmuoicability
of desire. or lhe immediat. 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"" In Ihi. case . ilenee is
a phraso """",,"ponied by a sublime reeling thaI IOmel king need, 10 he PUI
inlO a phrase of understanding. 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 "" Y of exprwing
Ihe difTerend betwe.n a giv.n definilion of kno .... ledge and a 'f"",' lut
cannot be comprehended 10 lui definilion. Ocarly. thi, dia-
en ....... inl .....," with Will,"",,';n, philosnpky. notably with his refteclion
on the impos,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.oentrate 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.al., !enith in my LJ"'IarJ: To'4'tll"dr Q
Pos'tttodm. Philosophy (]998: 62-89).
My u", of in d=ribinll the w k of. pOlitics of lbe
should nol be t.k(n a. a sil!l1 of a snaighlfo"" .. rd logical contradiction atlhe
hean of Ly<lta rd' , philosophy of langua",. It is used 10 point to I""
combinalion of the n""";ty of a "'PO"'" tOi"ther with ito ultimate f. ilu ....
if is 10 he defined a. hridgina lhe differend once and for aU. ThaI
cannOl happ"n and. inllcod, our political act tha t teStifies 10 the diffcrend
shows this impossibility by 0"" side of lhe differend. I put lhe
,,",ire, pain. inlo a 8"= lhat makes lhe clull witb the "'= <Jl
knowlM8" "pp;ilrent. This then avoKlo lhe pan;,;,ular injustiQ( of assuming
thai is a wilful or obi u", failure to communicat . It alliO avoids lhe
8"\I(l&lte"o, of ... uming lhat communication is ullimately always possible
in a giv(n genre. Impossibility may then booome something bla""""onhy
U",,", which a gi....., genre has lhe right 10 draw ito OWl! COfICI .... iOfll.
However. if .ny phrase can be a sublime event. are we not approachin!
the inclusiv.n ... and paSSive anitude to intensity from the libidinal
philosnphy oUllined and dcf(ndcd in earlier cbapters? This is not the ca ...
for 1"'0 vel")' in'portanl reasons. The first conoems a ... Iriction a. 10 what
ra n rounl as intensity. or more ptttisely, .. to what can counl 0$ pOlilically
"
THE TO
significant inlen.ily. The IICCOfId concerns the nalu ... of litis significalion: the
.ublime is a sign of a differend. As an intensily. lhe 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 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:<! incapable of any action. but rather Ihat the only
p:xsible ;>ttion i$ the _rth for ways of ""Iifyin, to the diff....,O>d. If we
a ... 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 compare<l
tbrough lhe medium of what il signifia.
Th .... is no such medium becaus<lh. suhlime i. a 'sip thaI any . Iructure
of sipiiltd. and o\"WlIching """'ning is an il1\1$Ory bridge belween absoluI<
So (h ..... is nOlhing 10 be decoded in the .ublime due 10 lhe
abxnce of a p:xsibl< code or .. t of underlying ... lalions: tb .... i. only a
diJT ..... nd. an absolute diff .... nce lhat cannot he read and unde"IOO<i. ThIU
"'" have lhe paradox of a lign lhat indical .. an impossihl. passage or.
beller. makos uS f..,llh.t impos.sibilily. AI tima. Lyotan! is a ....... "....n to
describing this a, a since be want. to insist that the hal no
meanins Quit. the contrary; i( is . f..,liog (haltbere can be nO meaning and
thaI Ibi! mlUl be 1 .. li6ed 10: Bul the occurreD"" ["....nl[ doesn' l make a
1I0ry, does i11 _ 100<1. if, not a sign (TO: 181).
So the ... is 00 real opn"' .... In all ",.nl! in Ih. pIlilosopby of the
diJTnend. Th .... i. a bierarthy wbere Ihe collOm" only diff .... nd.
a!SOcialed "ith Ih. f..,ling of lhe suhlime. This could !IOI be funher from
libidinal economics. wh .... a<1i .... passi,ily cannot in'ol", suclI in
lenn. of j"I.".ioo and in tcnn. of Ih. 'Y"CTruI within ,,hieh they may
OCCIlr. Th. fonner ha.< a po"""ful sadn .... l its hean in the f""ling of the
. ublime, where lhe pleasure of ""ting for an injlUtice is shackled 10 the pain
of feelinl Ihat , ...... can be 00 resolution. Th. lal1n. on lhe othn hand.
sem\S 10 suffer from an iDCapacity 10 .... 1"'O>d 10 the claim that certain
"
LYOTA R D AND POL ITI C A L
""'01. d<'mand Our .uenl;"n 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 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<nnphy. Firsl, lbere" a ... reb for an undi",riminating openntSl at lbe
ItveJ of which inlensilirs may How IhrotlJh uS ao Ihe mult "':Ii""
""".i';ly. This does not mean Ihal t his i. ;\$Olf undi.mminating. A. I lia""
shown in lhe previous chapl .... there is an act;ve and careful work apinS!
dominant and rep""";", Jlructu"," in order 10 allow for paosi';ty with
resped 10 inlrnsil ies. Second, Ihm: i. I lack or joosemcnl wilh .... pc<:1 10
in\enSilies once lhey ha, .. OC<"\IITcd. One does nOI seek 10 eliminale or
repress an inlensity; on lhe conuary, it i.lo be mcouraged precisely bc<:a u ..
il has a .ubvrr.i> ... ffo:-t on dominanl Slructures. lhal may
aUow us 10 ma ke ",iso and juS! .. lecl;O",.
However, t bi. 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 <lone with structu.-. or ";th the ""SOiol J>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 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 .... mnembn Ihal Ihis experien(:(' is fragile and $ubje(:t 10
revolulion .
So probloms toncominll judgemenl cannol be escaped eilher in Llbtdinlll
EconomY'" n", Bolh book> invol"" .'8u""'OI$ 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 !lm. lhal a libidinal poJilioes eannot eh.,.,.. iI, adversaries or ils allies.
11 is incapable: of calCgon.ing ,group$. bodi .. and lCIiol\$ iOlo JOO<l aod
bad. eXcep1lbmuJh the minimal 'choice' of followinl a chal'lOll-driven
96
THE TURN TO JUDGEMENT
path. Is this lack of discriminatingjudgml<'Jlt in Libidin<Ji co,oomy a sign
oCtile book'S political redundaDe)'?
2 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 fought
For on the hllsis of duo""" and 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 our attention or
3 On tile other hand. once lVC h.\"C been ch<n> by a stnJUle, the ...... tion
of whet ber it i. a just 0"" b<i. no place. b Lyot.ard', libidi ... 1 philosophy
a baois For. der"""" of any political action so long as;t i. associalCd with
intensities and with the dash and distortion of structures?
4 In the philosophy of thoe dilfertnd, is Lyolard right to reslrict thoe field of
tho most juST philosophical and political judgemmtto dilferend.?
S Given this restriction aDd Ibe absolule of Ibe dilfen:ncc between
genres caught up m is thoe resulting philosopby and polilics
viable? This problem comes out most clearly io tbe oon"ant return to
pafadoxes in Lyola"f. trealmenl of the dilferend. For example. i. il
possible to oay anythilli positive at all about. differend? Is a ,take thaI
guides us 10 create as if our action could not be $I1bsumcd u.n<i<-r I .....
and rules one tbat finally redU<Jel us.o quit1;$nt?
6 Does lhis otake allow for lhe development of a partiularly juST genre of
philosophy and polilics? Or dots something other tban a well-<lefined
or practice eme'l"? How can this ollter Ibing be anythina positi ...
and consistenl ot all given its lack of guida""" in the fnrm of I ..... and
'"'"'
THE NEED FOR JU DGEME 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
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 per-
tilK"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 POL ITICAL
Why i. lbe dtlire fo, judjit",Cnl 10 be nlued abo .... O(ht:!'st I, judgemau
an appropria. .. 10 f7f 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 libidinal inveslment It i.tbercfore ,ep .. ";"" of Oilier
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' ' Irutl ure 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. ""pc ...
"",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. lhere is a quilt
differeot oounl..-, booed around lhe projc.ot of a minimal judt;emenl that
Owel nOlhing 10 K1 law. and calegories. Thi. Owel mu<h more 10 lhe
bu'geoning philooophy of lbe differend Iban 10 lbe libidinal wo,k. J udge-
"",nl is 10 be I ..... $ili'ily 10 responllC 10 differences withoul """n 10 a
prt'5CI {""""""ork ror establisbing tloose diff..-e",u or a belief in lhe
pOosibilily of1'CS01,ing lbern: 'Aboolutely. I judge. BUI if I am alkw for lhe
crileria of my judg\'lllmt. I will obviou.ly have no ansW(" . Sinct if I had
.ucto crileria. if I could an. wer your queslion. Ihis would mean Ihal tbere
was effccti""ly a possible eon ..... u. o, 'cr criteria bet""""" mYIIClf and my
reade ... We would tben nOI be in a modem situation, bul in classicism' (All
JNS": 32).
Iii Au Jwu, Lyotanl. an.W('1'$ are rou<hw in IC1'1I\!I of dcf"""" of
'paganism" a l<rm tMI be de""lops in /"'tI1iNion.f pafmM3 (l977a) and
pajnu (l977b), bul that I>oIsins wilh libidi"'" ufNIOnIy. How_
.-er, tM returns in 1M (! 16). as docs a discussion of
Cashinahua pagan $Iory.leUio! J ... I", 63---11; 1M Dif/cmtd: 152- 5). In
l.ibitIiMl t:<OII<>mY, 1M papn _ and nol paganism - is disc\WCd mainly in
the llCClian "" 'pagan thealrics' . ,,h..-.. Lyolard dtaw. a distinction bel ...... n
... ligiollS thealrics or ..,I-Ul'". taken rrom AUiII$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<ted and unexpected. a litlle 100 a linle ,oddeM,
whi<.:h has the appoal'8.D<.>: of hoin. U'lel ... when ODC: 1000 at it with
aIobulous, sad, platonic eyes. "'hich in faCi is of no 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 '"
" ..... f to he judgnl (th. ,00. a ... 'of nO ...... ')_ Auau'ti",,'. God
allom for a ... fe..aJ of each aCI out.ilk 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$.i.
biti!} of a ch."." dir:tion . .. nee its dir:tion i. to affirm whot Otto", and 10
draw out itl int.""ily. This does mean t!\al specific directions anMI be
.. lected. but Ibat already presumes a . tnoc:tu", of choioe .nd domination
over '\'ellts ignorant and "'p"""i .. of the deepe1" Ube,.,IIing PO"'CI" of
int.mit"'. Th. politic$ of aCl i"" 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 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 that reswate
them. s..:on.t, wh.al occun can only b<: affirmed by exporim<ntation. The
."""1 must itself b<: loosened and oponed up. l}'<ltard makes tnil point
.gain in Au JllSr. in lermS of a careful analysis of the: strong relation
between tradition and paganism. Th. latler i. not a mimetic ",Iation 10 the
pa .. _ conservati,," tradition _ but it i. tranarormat;"" ...,t. tion that
insisu tbat we can only work p,operly with,. P"" Ih.al make. ... and gives
us our strength (66_9)_ Howe""', this i. only a wI of his libidinal
impulses: .... en "" he makes this point lyolard defines transformalion as an
act of judgement .
3 When an int.",ity pa .... throuiJh us, the", is no point in askin, wM\he,
it i.just or unjust. It is passing 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
"
L YOT AII.D A ND TH E ' DLITI CAL
thlt tbm:;1 deli", for pain 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 ineom-
pf.lible inlensit ies. aucllY IJ>d an: """,willy and K1iw!y"""'ed
by I libidinal poIilics Ihlt leeks 10 "It I ..... luIt tbcy
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 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 .... 1 auehy. 100 Ion. Q it is indicated
by an inlemily l hal '"hoo!oe:s ",'. bUI it is also I polilics Ibat CIOnnot-=pt
lilt responsibility 0( "';0, judgu ..... 1 10 COnslrucl new struel Urt' r"", of
cruehy. This upbi"" why tho oo:Iion on pf.pn lhall m 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 . .. .. t hai
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
1"" .. otlool 0( <Incus-';" Chaplet 1. can be ""I """'"
10 I., aboUI.tum on .M no , ss;ty of I:f\IClty implied by lilt 0(
dillimuLalion.
In 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 juli a . 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
In'' tad. in Au J""lr (he probkm il how to develop 'a aopacity to
jud ... withoUI "riteria (36).
'00
T U RN TO J U DGEM NT
The ... venal Ibal has taken place can be explain<:<l by a furthe:, ",I of
queslion, pUI by Thi:baud and ."""ple<! by Lymard 0$ _Iial questions.
Ea\:h Question;" a problem for a philosophy wilh j udgemenl 01 iu co ... ,
I Whal i$ Ihe ... lalinn belW<:en lhe: idea of a judge",.nl 'wilhoul crilma'
aoo knowledae? Knowledge is a !KId whe ... judgcrnonl procrcd, according
10 crileria such as "Doe> Ihi' <lal.",enl accord wilh lhe: facts?' Is judge-
menl WilhoUI critona lhen re$lriCled 10 a fictil;"u, field of metaphysical
speculation?
2 Even if 11>0 fi eld of j udgemenl w;lhoul criteri a i$ 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$;1 nol lrue IMI
judgemonl in el hics has eritoria defined by obliption and by lb. fonn of
laws?
3 Does nol polilics presuppose a polilical oommunily" Th...., mWlI be a
community defined either by intorest and hence by cognilive jodgtmonl. as
'n ... nat is besl for lhe """"",,unily ;n a p ...... case, or by a shared ... of
ethical laws Ihat are cill><' prescr;btd or 10 wbieb membcn nf lhe com-
munilY are in a position of obligation' The "",,",,ily of community fn'
pOlilico is t ll<rtfore. source of crilcri.a for polilical judgemenl.
Lyolard', 10 Ihese question. re$' nn inICrprtlalions of a wide rangt
of philowphers, notably Anst<>ll. , 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$(;u,.ion of
Kanl nn .pac:e in La r,<Nufa,,,,,,,,,,,, Duchamp: 78- 9). In the di$(;us.ion
wilh TMbaud, be becQmes the main source for crilical QIICStioo, again"
Lyolard', posilion, bUI also for a possible: answer 10 11>em. Thi. anS" "ef
n ..... r really com .. in Au InSlead. "'" a ... p""n a :rico of ralher
hermelic and eva";"" denials and rciw"lions. This i xplained explicitly in
tenns of Lyotard' , Ih ... relalinn 10 Kant: 'To <imp/ify, I am
1>tsilaling II<I,....,n Iwo positions, whilst >till noping Ibal1h;, i. in vain and
Ihal lhe:y a ... not fl", po<ilions. In short. III< hesilalion is bet,,"Ce1I a papn
pm;t;on, in lhe ....,5< nf sophi>try, and let' , !Jly K Kaot iKn position' (141).
LYOlard is deluding himself here. Hi! hesilatinn ;, nol meaningful ,itll% til<
book has aluady incorporated 8 Kanli." framework 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 of
knowledge, and communily.
'"'
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 in a modified form,
nmably, 'Introduction i une elude du poiiliqllC selon KanC aDd 'L 'archipc[ el
k <lane Isur Ia ptns kanl>ennc <.k I'hisl0ri00-po[iliqllCj' in lbe former. 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 diYidl 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., 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,
tbey wiU be .tudil bert in Olapter 6.
Pul simply, Lyolllnl. inlerpretation involves a dccpcni"3 of Ihe gulf thai
Kant <.kd...::es bciwew the rtalnu of Pllre reil$Oll and p<aClic:a1 reuon_ Th;'
gulf;' described 81 IcttgIh in the introdUCIinn 10 Kant's Crirlqw of J'"
1IV1I1. It ;. lulf bciwew lhe realm of lhe nalural cor"",,,1 of lhe under-
,tandin! Ihal musl be in conformity with the law of c:aU5lt1ity and the rtalm
of Ih. concept or frudom tUI must be in conformity with tM c:alCgOriaol
imptrat;vt"_ no. firsl realm;' lbe oeoloibk, Ihal ;., phenomma Qf inluitions
Ihot can be pR$<'1Iled 10 COIIfirm Qf deny. COnctpl of lhe understanding.
The 5<001>11 realm is lhe supenensibk. Ihal is. the rtalm of Ibini' in
thcmstl .. os ,hal cannot be intuited_ ThU5, ..... know that a ""ienlific con_
O<pt must be in """formily wilh the law of causalily and Ibal _ can
oon6nn 11 COnctpl by prescnling a pIomommon. conmluled by 1M Ifan-
ooen<.kntal .ubjc<:t, lhat acconl. with it. Bu, a mQfa.1 taw, whi<h _ .. 1ec1
10 luide OU' free ..:lion .. mU51 be con,;,lCnl wilb Ihe categoml impera
live and _ CIInnot give evidence for it since it has no objccti..., reaUly.
So what lhe gulf implies .. thai _ cannol lqitima,dy apply <:aU$lllity In
moralla .... nor ,ubject them 10 demands ofevidcooe. It also meanslMI_
cannollc:gilimalely assume Ibal freedom exis" in the realm of lhe """"ible.
nor s.eck 10 confirm moral la ..... as laws or nalure. thai is. of the oeosible
=<m.
Why i, ",If problr:malic7 Tbc In,,..,,, comes from Ihe SCI of impossi-
bilil;'" 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<nce and 10 Laws of nature in qlle!luolIS of morality. We cannot con6rm
moral &<1> in nalure. BUI moral acts. OIIr f ..... adoption of morallawo.. are
'"
TltE TURN TO JUD GEMENT
meant to bring about a jun and harmonious natu",. at least to
dogr that we an: part 0( it; '\1\( conctpt nffl'ffiJom ;s mr8nt to acluali.., in
5(tUib\e w<>rld md propooed by it. laws; and natun: must coo..,
qucntly also capable ",,,,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""t uated in il ..::wrding tn the Ia""$ offrtclnm' ( Kant 1980: 14). So. o.'e.
and abo"" t he fact Ihat human. mu>t be awkwardly thought of as causally
dotemlined qll<l nalunl) phrnomena and f= IjUIl """"laJ!'Ontl, their a<: l in ...
as moral a!!"ntl ba:omo closed in on them,.!-' .... in tho ,.n.., of being
incapable of confinnation. In the context Q( Lyotard', cooccm. "il h regard
to nihilism. thiJ inlpllcity is it obliges uS 10 act for tile
"'ith no possible .... idence thai our acts hlive or inder:d can achic"" it II
would .. .""8. though. to aSSume that thi, is Lyotard's original angle ""
Klont. Lyotard's work on the f""ullin is fairly onhodox and the criliq"" of
the Kulf factl!tits st .... tch<$ had 10 He!!,,!. Ind....J. Kanl is in
many way! in advance of thi' criti<]uc and CIIn:ful to . xploit tile gulf
the faculties a. "" opportunity. it prese1"o'<$ a moral realm f= from tbe
domands of CIIusalily. Lyotard', original "'-ork on Kant iJ in hi, u.., of
Ih. fccling of lhe subli"", in Ihe context of tl\( possibility of comll>Of!
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.:
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 .... 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 pta<ti<:al rc.awn can
dol"""i",, lbe ...... !m of rea."n. nOI in of what In be known, for
lhi. ,li l1 has 10 hoi in confonnity wilh causalily, bul in ImtlS of 'Ille
conscqUCl>CC"l ari.ing from lbe .uperscnsible and on Ih. ,.mibl. ,
Klonl argues Ihal il i. poosib1e to jwJv - 1\01 10 kilO'" - thai a r"", l1C1 is
confimled ;n ..... Thus the ooofil1lLiltion that Sttml 10 be miwni in
'"'
LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL
terms of f ..... ac\j as moral agents is available not in terms of
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
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. Ihe unily of nolU'" and moralily: Ihis or Ihat
purpOSe: in II>< n'alrn of fn'edom (moralla .... ) rnu,l be pos$ible in lenn, of
joogemems tl>< pull""'" or end of nalUral phenomena, 'The:
effect in IICC<)f'daIlll: wilh tbe con<'tpl of f.....:dom is Ihe finaleDd whit:h (or
the manifestation of which in lhe 501\Sib1e world) is 10 e><isl, aDd thi'
presupposes tbe condition of 11>< of lhat end in natu ... (i.e, in the
natuft of lhe Subj""l as a being of Ih. S<'tIsible world, namely, as man)'
(Kam 1980: So althoup ociena: cannot detenni"" f ..... aclS, our
kno"'ledge of nalu .... determines ",bal free acls ..... possible and confirms II><
end< implied by thO$< 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 of freedom a con""'pl truol
makes polSible the lran$ilion from lbe pu .... theoretical [legioJalion of II><
unden;landingj 10 the 1"''''' practical [legislation of reason] and from
conformity 10 law in acconilonoe wilb lbe frnmer 10 final ends according to
tho lane,' (lS),
Thi< bridge is essential 10 tho Kantian project in allowing it to develop
and Rourish as a philDSOphy thaI unifie< knnwlcdgcc, morality and our
capacily to make judgement> COfIcerning ends , It bewmes CIOpable nf
puning fo""ard critical study of tbe .... lation, thai hold belw"",n nalu ...
rtalm of wcde\'$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$ible. Wilhout the validity of lhex
judgements we could nOI speak of nalUft oxcq>l in terms of CIO Uoes. and
"",nainly not in tenn" of lhe pleaou ... 01 PUfJl'OK asooci.lod wilh nalural
beauly. '[teleological judgemenl) alloW1 u.s to see obFl s art lhe
''''
THE TURN TO JUOGEMENT
prodl>Cl of ratiocinative human ",'illing ralhe. tllan a. the .1 of
d.terminate causes _ and tbm"" fme an when these judgement. sali..ry
CIIlr judgements of tasl. (! S9),
Polilics and culture a. in.truments of human community can legitimately
enter Kantian philosophy at thi, p<lint. 'They do nol 00 110 in term, or
.p<'<'ilic poIiticol and judgemrn" lakrn to be ""lid for all
members or thi: community ('This is the: beautiful': 'This ;, progrw' ), but as
thi: faculty that all""" for discuS$ionl co"""",ing, say, Ihe beautiful and
political ('The prnpcr f"unework for di..cu$Sion concerninl an and
p<llitics is providt.,t by jud8<mcnl$ concerning ends and the .vide""" "' .. may
have fOf tl>< >1didily of those judgcmrnts'j. Thi. sense of communilY is ,h.
p<lint wl><re Lyotard', and Kant'. projects...em funhest a[llln. no.. forme.
de ... 1ops a pbilosophy of radical differences that "'parate communities
around conftict, callr:d diff .... "'l$: he Ih.., ddinn the talii: or a certain
philosophy and p<lliti<::s as bearing ",'tness to diff .... ndi_ 'The lotter al1"",'5
(or Ih. definition of. g\obol aesthe:ti< and political community: the: task of
phHosophy h.re i. to remind u. that it i. not a community of fixed values.
but 0"" of a commil"",nt to I'lIlional deliberation about judgements or
val .... This dual co"",,", form. one of the: Kant ian definition. of MfUIlJ
romntWl/j- .. a critical faculty allowing for that ratio",11 commilment.
Acooroin, to Kant, in tile Critique of Judgettmlt, ......... _wr" is then
an openness 10 differet>CeS about values I!uided by a commiunent to tile
iW. .. lopment of common judgement:
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 of e"eryone else. in
order. IlJ i, 10 weigh its j udgement with the collecti ... "",son
of mankind. MOO thereby ."oid Ihe il lusion arising from subjecti ...
and penonaJ ooOO;lion, whicb could ... be taken for objecti ... ,
an il1usion Ihat would C>lert a prejudicial iollue".,. upon it.
judgemenl.
( Kant 1980, lSI )
So with ......... _""II Kant wanU to avoid the: t .. 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 <ntical cnliglll-
..,,,,,,nt. working loward. a diff .... ntiatod and refl.,.i, .. ly cntical community:
'Oi,,,,, Ihe , ubslanti ... not;"n of universality that ........ to be al work in
Kant', .. n.us communis, our ... reh for community and univ ..... lity
"'" lead to homogenc-ity. W. recognise diIT .... n"'" betw"," o" .... l"'" as .... ll
'"
LYOTAII.O AND THE 'OLITI CAL
as lhole (talum 01 0\If $ubjottivily wlHob WI: ";Ih and which ....
NDpoHibie "';Ih otben' whjedivity' (KmIaI 1991: 163).
This rordllsioll is 01 """" COla, n to Lyotard. H. on ... mwna to lbe
..... '" qUOted abo"".1 toy ... bis works on Klnl
l'-,y,1qw ... 1iIbIimr. 262- 7. 1Tw Di ffm,i&. 241: 'Serq.Il$ 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.ard1 essay on Hannab Armodl,
Survi-'l.nl: Amtdl' in /.p,,.,u d 'tiIflDln ( l99l c ): ' 1 hm:, Ihal
view. on 1M wmobilily 01 K'ltIUI NDmun;' a", ...... al 1M
u"m"" or an Ibulli"..ly ...aoIo&isinJ ",""inl or 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 Ihilbolel' 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 diffuUAS
in tnllIm at an and IDOfIIlity. In both CI . t. A' ... NO S.....u is iclcutifiod
""f)' lIi'Oi'I"" ";Ih the Kantlan ded..rnoa 01 the ill "II tily at llwilll Ihc
<al*i'y to .... t. judi ''''010 01 WI. (' T ... is lhe r..,..lty oIatimalinl 1ft
ob;a:1 or I mode 01 ttp.u"'Ution by mea ... oil doliJhl Of avusioct (lparl
from 161, The oto;.a of such. <!dishl is called bftNlifol' (Kanl
1980: SO)). Kanl deduces litis .,.,, .. ity by IpptatinllO \Uliversa.l subjective
condi tions thaI make il "' , "I)' ror 111 Ib be Ible: 10 make judFmettts of
talle: 'This pleilSuill muS! of to<> , lity depend for tv"')' OM upon lhe same
conditions, 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 (or wee is ...... u;.it. aoo ror ordinal)' sou.nd undertl.llndi .... tM
po ' '''''' oI .... hicb we.IlI ... titled 10 praup",*, JOOl"'
",...11 at Wle iovol'l: l ho barmoniolos ... of the W>dcmaud ..... rtUOiI .......
aeotbnic jud.,..,W:III in ' ........ isiq OOJIIitive and morlll disinlOftAoi
nn
allied to plflSUill.
Lyotlrd bas no , ....... ,..,." ";Ib the sharinl oil t'" 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 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 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.
''''
rHi! rURN TO JUDGfMENr
II is II )IC<X'WIry wlldition for making judgement. collOOrrun8
beautiful that involves a sUp<fKnsible and ha""on;o... omploymont of
undeBtanding, judpent and rtason: 'The possibility of sharing is II
uanscendmtai of ta>1<_ Il ffljuittS in Ium I IJ'8J\...,nd<nlai
the Idea of lite .up" ..... (U(otu .,.,. /'''''''/),Iiqut <hi .rIIh-
litrw: 262). The in$ii101IOO on the role of the supersensible is imponanl
sillOO il seems 10 debar un:nu communir f,om any in,-oh-emenl wjth aclual
judgements COJ>CCming objcclS and to re$IOO it 10 the .ub.ie<;ti ..... It is
lherefo", not a b,idge betwccn difTe"'nt rNlms alld it <'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....,.,... {'{]mnl un". whil't nil! 'taning
from Kant'. deduction of the of sha,ing taole. takes the dtfinit;o..
of lhe snu,,-, a. 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$$<!IItial if"., want 10 he able to ... y lhat we do not only .ha",
the <:opacily ' 0 make jlOdgemenlS of 'aste. but thaI "'., necesoarily "'a", a
way to .rri .... at ",.red ""tual judgemenlS ofl .... t._ This ",ay ,,"Ould be __
commlUlls as deocribed in tM p;usag< quoted abo,., (,om Stion 4(1 of t""
C,iliqut of Ji<Jgmt<!nl. It is defended by Kemal in his of lhe
C,i,iqut of Jwlgmwnr: 'Kant', me". [10 di""u .. ion con""ming actual
jlldgemcnts] suggests lhat he dislinguishes betwccn two kinds of IIC<ftSity,
Bod finds in ...... u. communis tlK criteria fo, suco:ss in actual joopems'
( K ...... l 1997: 67)_ Thi. lIalernent il it""lf contrn ... ";al in Kantian Ilooi ...
For difT.rent reasons. wmmentatOB other l yolard mu.., 10 allow 0'
gi .... a diJTerenl eJlplanBlioo for this mo.e into the actual (see. f<H"
GU)'ef, K""I aM 1M Claims of TOJle (1 997) and MaHrttl. Irn<qUra'i<)n
aM Inte,pmmiotl in Kam: 1M He,mMeUl kol Imparl <>f ,he C' /II_ <>f
JIIIi8.mm, (1 990)).
l yota.d sides with the mo", IICtplical position COnttminl actual judge-
menlO of taslC becauso of a strong opposition to lhe requirement to into
acrounllhe 'mode of representation of anyone '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 to
hegemony (induding hegemony a.hiev-ed th,ough 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 appeal to a to T<11tct on .. position OIh .. ,han on,,',
nwn. but as an 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 POLI TICAL
TIwnI is lhonfore no DCCd and 110 lqilimary in PI";", OWl" 10 &II Klual
mcounltt will'l "1lIc 7 wbtU: "community" it no! constiluled IiI'Sl:
b)' I'" opinionz Jiven b)' individualt. II unfold,., 10 spno.k lhank< 10 a
work 0( Yariations lhal "c110"",1" and l houchl 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 <Ied_ the nppolilc 10 Ihis procedure.
thillime nOi around Iht beautiful. bul around Iht l ublime. The poinl "ill
ht 10 ahow lhol lbe: oondioon for the f ... 0( the , ubli,"" is the d .....
harmony or focul i les md the distu,ban<;:t of lilt ItYUIU 10 <Ied_ tbe
opposite of this pi",""""I'1" 'Nrilbtr mooll unMnality. DOl" _btU:
univnwJisalion. but iMIca<! the destruction of one by lhe otbtr IhroU&b
,be vloIma: 0( tbrir dilfeteD<! thai is the lublimc. The difTerend iud(
nnl101 insisl on bc:iaJ Jhared b)' any tbouchl. room wllea CC"',iA ,ed ... 1>.
joaivdy' (286). A rwo.fold poIilies is '''k led in lbcw IaslIina 0( UrtNu
SUI' till .nJJIw... .. an appeal to tho .ublimc .p .....
oommunily. ddincd cjtbtr as moral uniVft'lalily Of as lhe .... or acstbeties
to acbico: 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

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<!tt (rom polilics and elm. Pnlilics is a "",uk OWl"
realnu [11.1,1 """ ho"" no llnal determi ..... t ruIo as to ... him dainu..., trw Of
1OOd. wiler ... elhics is tM realm I""n .... b)' an absolut:t obIiption 10 the
OIhtr. So. in the fonner. knowIedtt claims a ... but one Iype 0( political
1Il0'0''. In tbe bile. il is illeJitimatc: 10 claim 10 know tIM: otbo:r. TIM: ",Lation
bc:1W11 monl alld poIilic:al judgtuknl and kno ... lcdp: is one of lnrom
IMnSl" .. bilily. Co",itl"" ltal"""""ta (p/lruQ, in the tmninol"l)" of lile
dilfm:lld) ha"" no lqilimacy in the 6e1dt of moralily Or poIitia ond vine
......... beCiUIk tile "' ..... lhat apply legit,matc:ly to lile tkld of kno .... led.,. are
iocomtutnsurable .... ilb the la ..... of the other field . With Kanl. Ihil is
matte, of ""usallty _Dd frcodom. In DI/frr"MJ. Lyotard lranol&l .. Ihil III
''''
TH E TU!!.N TO J UDGEMENT
an incommensurability of tM .takes Ihal JIOY<'m an appropriale conealena-
tinn of phnl$t:S wilmn a genre. for <:lample, "The slakes implied in 1M lrag:ic
genre. ilJ inlended . 'JCO"!S (shall we say the feelings of fear ,nd pity on Ibe
pan of its add.. 'I and l he stakes implied in the tecbnical genre, its own
.t......., ($ha1l we say lhe availability of 1M referenl for Ihe addressor', wanu)
are for pan incommensurable . . .' (TD: 128). Scientific and e1 hical
claim. cannot legit imately resolve political conflicts bc<:a""". for 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$Ory .take: 'Polit ics alway' gi ... rise 10 mi. under-
.tandings because it tak .. place as a II"nre' (1411_ So the polilical, wilh
.... pect to L)'otard'. philosophy of lhe ditTo"",d, i. to fun!>t. thl:: ."aren ...
thaI tlltre are no 6nally legilirn. ... ,tak .. in politics: 'At the same t ime,
tbough, politics is not al all a genre, il !xlIrs wil""" to lhe nOlhin",ess which
open. up "ith each occurring phrase and on the """,,";on of which the
ditTerend bel .... """ gen .... of discouT'>C i. born' (141), It is in .. thalth.
polilical i. judgement without criteria. It i. an in polilks, in Ihe
name of dirr=nd . Ihat must remind us of the impossib;lily of 6nal JUSt
judgements. but without d<pendinll on them: 'One', .... ponsibility hefo.-e
thoughl consi", .. . in det""ling ditT.rcnd, and in finding Ihe (impossible)
idiom for p/u3sing Ihml.'
2 In te!"IIIJ of Thebaoo', questions conoemill3 lhe exisl"""" of laws in
hX::s. Lyotard tMI Ihere are such la" .. - although lhe number and
extenl of Illtm are minimal. Ho"''''''', thl:: full fom. ofTh'baud's quesliortJ
lies in lhe possibility of eXlending lhese elhi<:a! law. into the politio;:al realm,
lhat iJ, 10 givelhc ethical a delernlinanl role in politics. BUl lhi.cannot uoke
plao;:e, for thl:: ""'$(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 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 com-
munity, de/inod by "''''<><:e, moralily <Jt .thics. can lay claim 10 he tbal
communily. Thi. is because hi. idea of politic:! as st ruut<: presupposes
ditTerend. ralher Ihan any form of homogeneity_ If lbere i." presupposed
polilical communily. il can he defined on Ihe ground, of neilb ...
nor hies, There i. no natural or etbical community because a polilical
community etnC1"!"' .DOIly when we have 10 bring Ihe elhica\, Ihe nalural
'"
lYOTARD AND T HE POLIT ICAL
and rite aeslhetic rogelher. Any rule thaI guides rite formarion of Ihis com-
munily mu", bridge !:M:rween incommerulUrabk fieldf. Thi5 bridging
cannot lake place kgitimaLely bUI only 'as if' ir i, Iegilimate:
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 communiry 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:tl by LyolJird on tM ground5 Ibat it il
anthrOpOlogical and thu. an illtgitimal. extension of tlte realm of knowl-
III": 'The tc-nnl dcmocncy, monarchy, and anarchy
(,,-hieh .te:.igrun. mode<! of gO\'ernmmt) and Ih ..... of rqmblic a!>d despoti...,
(which .te:.ignate modes of dominatiwl or aUlhol'ization) belong 10 narrowly
or pojitiro-Iogkal doo:riplion,- (142).
In many WIlYS, though. tb= ... only 5uccoN in SO far"" tMY I'll;"
,,"W Guestions concerning the way> in which 'we' come 10 flrh. differeoo
and become aware of tile gulf between faculties or the
By TM DifJ",mJ, Lyotard is mach more clear ." to wby a form of
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!. 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 i'the of diocouroe, or the 'lak ... whereby diffem!d.
are fonnulared al and find lheir "regulation"" ' (142)). The
section. rhat follow pUI fOl"Wlird a critical interpretation of Lyotard.
communicalion of lhe differend lhrough the 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$SiI)'S
publi.J\td art(f TM DifJYeruJ.
JUSTIFYING THE DIFFEREND
Whar doc:! tbis 'a5 if' mean for LYOlard? Hi, int"1'relalioo of Kant departs
from the norm in nol raking transcendemal dedllC1ions as lhe crux of
Kantian a'lluntU1. lnltead, ,,-hile recogni,ing rhe imponanoc of the dcdu<-
tions. Lyotard doc:! not lak. them as the final arbircn of K.nrian philO$-
ophy. where the SHttU> Or failure oflhe lal1 is inextriclbly linkl 10 tlte
..... Iidity of thc fonner. In .. ead. he reads Kant'l te><t as iuclf driven more by
mann(r or an of rdleJ:ive thinking than by a method of tramndrntal
n"
THE T U RN TO JUDGEM 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
(Lrrotu JIIr / '(lIIIJ/},rique <hi JllbJb= 19).
According 10 lYOlard. Kant'. crilical philooophy;" dcvtloped thaob 10 a
'fool for lhe unily in a presentalion' lhal musl he pi .... nl prior 10 any
Ull !UQCndentai deduction: Now. by d.finilion. Ihe mode of critill thought
could oot J;,., pun:ly n:fle.<ive ( il docs 1101 already bav. Ihe concepts wh"""
usage il .... k. 10 "lablish). What is mon:o o.e<lhetio judgemenl manifCSls
n:ft cction in iu mosl "autonomous" Slate. lhe most naked. if you will' (20).
Thi. intpielOtion i. oon.iSlcnl ",ilh Kant'. laler !ell". notably 'Whal i.
"rimtalion in thinkin.g?, where Kanl argutS for the unily of Ihc facuhies in
reuon .. a ' need' : It i, al lhis poinl. h,,\V<:Ver. lhat lhe righl oflh. need "f
rea""" ,upc:" " "" Ii a .ubjecti"e ground ror p.-esuppooina and accepting
somelhing whidl reason cann,,1 presume t" know on objective ground .. and
""""" for orienling ou ..... lveo in l!>oughl . . .' (240--41). The need for unily i,
the , ian tlull givt:$ a .... ll-d.t.rmined direc1ion 10 thoughl. It allows uS I"
follow 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 Kanl 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 juslificat ion of a bridge Ihe ",n';bl. and Ihe
.upc:nensib!e. or il is an anlhropological 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:
It remaino lnal if lhe critical wat<hman t hinb he C<ln supplemenl
for the absenc:e ofa legal provi,ion and go ahead and pas! .. nlena:
o"<'r the dilTerend <onccmin, freedom it is boca" .. he I)cli""",
himself t" be aUlhorizcd by Ihe Idea Ihal natu", pursues iU end by
melIOS of Ihis supplememarily ... $iDCe il's an Idea (that "f nalure
and Ih .... of .nds). be cannol p ..... nt an osl.nsible Ibi. 10 validate
tbe aUlhonuolion. H. can p ..... nt an ..... if.lhis: an analogon. a
sign. Thai sign is his fling. tbe f..,ling llun one: ougln 1<> and is
able 10 judge even in Ihe absctice ofla", ... Thi, foeling. 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 pun .... its end. by
mean. Qf Ihi. r..,ling. No i. madc: from lhi. circle.
(TO: 135)
Ih. po;OI or I..yornrd', interl'fWllion is 00' ,imply 10 remain;n
tl>< posilion of hopei", arod dangerous oceplirum fcart<! by Kanl in ' Whal
i. oritntal;"n in Ihinking?' ('II>< way i ..... ide op<n for CY<'Ty kind Qf zealolry,
, uponl;l;"n and alheism' (246)). [n,' ead, ho is inleresled in Ih ..... ay
p......,rilical Ihinking and I""H:rilical bridging nta:S<arily invol,.., an
ao:x>mmooalion wilh a. 'igm: 'if Ihe third Oiliq"" can fulfil
ils mission of unifying lhe philosophical 601d, il i. abo(: all nOIix<:auK its
lheme .'pose!! Ih. regulali(: Ide. of an {lbjccli,'. finalil y 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 (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<is us to tbink and 10 tbink in
<ecrtain "'lOy, Docs Ihi. allo .... US to bridge bet"""", faculi;es, albeil in
manner independenl of a n ""ry laW'!
The an.we. lie:<;n rtl\c:,ive judgement by analogy, Thi. rcIIai"" mannc:r
is 10 Ihink by applying models tbal arelegilimal. in. given realm a. if' IlIey
art also legitimate in olhers, .... I><r. Ihls Ihoughl is itS(lf a response 10 a
fcehng that unit .. Iwo rtalms. Tht r ... linl i, a .iillihal .... may .uppose lhat
lb. I ...... from on ...... Im are valid in anolber, Tht . iill work. il i, 0\
th. same lime a t .. timony 10 II>< I><lerogen.ity of Ille ..... lm. and to our
.ubjcclive oompu!siOl1 10 unil' Ihtm. Tht ooly w-.y to Ih;,
len<ion ;, to judge lhal lhe realms can be uniled. but 10 gi"" no objcclive
validily 10 Ihat judgement: 10 judge s. if' the unily is possible. Lyotard's
m",1 clear I .... tment of Ihi. can be found in where II><
possibility of a Kamian polilK3 and is oonsidc:rt<! 00 lhe or a
..... ding of Kanl's lat. polilical essays, 10 II>< 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 t hat 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 .... wo 1"",1 nalure .. if it
cunform. 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
<pulal ive bridging (31-44).
Ho .... ""r, al an limes. these pa"'"l!C" are subjecl to lhe circl. des.-:ribcd
above; "'" may reel obliged to think in Ihis way or lhat, but "". cannot
1\2
T HE TUKI< TO JU DGEMENT
jUJ(ify doing so. "T"M univen.al dai"", of Kant", polilics founder
at this point as they become contingent"" a sharM ftding. In LEn,/ww3;
""""" aDd In a lesser in "'" DijJert'nd, Lyman! is prqIIImlto
tbat many of Kan!' s political flings .... 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 blwcen 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
Ii....:n 10 Ihis highly d ....:loped '">ense of community"' ,",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 t hese 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$1 eslablish that we ""nnOl bridge between realm. or genres of
discou ...... ifit is to live up to its claims 10 a higher j .... tia:: ' By . bo"ing Ihat
the linking of 0"" ph", .. onlo anolber i. problematic and Ihallhis problem
is 11>0 problem of politics, to 9<1 up a philosophical polit ies apan from lbe
polities of inlellect .... l. and of (TD: xiii). But bas nol already
been shown in Lyolard', ""'Plical of That is, if ... e take lbe
transcend..,tal deduction. a'ih. final word on Iegitima<:y O'"eT si--= realms,
the impossibility of bridging has been set up and need. no funher
work. that only ..... for critique, a tnmscendcntal ruling over .... hat
can and wbat cannot be said legitimately. Tbe polilics of lhe difT""'nd
",,!uim !lelual specificily. Lyot;ord r>eed. to be able to say in .pecific cases
'Ihi, i sign of . gulf or a difT .... nd. Thi. is nol the: sant<' i$ 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 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
$<>CIion: 'For ...., d""li", wilb f .... ly Bc:1i"8 beings to ... hom 0"" can
'"
LYOTARD AN D TNE POLI TI CA L
dietate in ad''lInce whal lbey tnighl 10 do, bUI of ...-hom one cannol pudirl
wbal they ""Iually Ki11 do .. .' (180). So il lhal...., canllOl predic:t
improvement because any evidence aJ to objecti\", human behaviour can
atway. be OOIItl'lIdiClcd by human freedom, <ina: lhe former does nol ba"" a
causal relillion wilb lhe lIIue" In lhe nr:c:e .... ry of obja:I;"" evidence
for imP'O'",meOI, Kanl lurn< 10 lhe poSSibilily of a subject;"" 'q ... lily 0'
PO"'''' of lItina tilt cau .. ' of imp,o'","",nl confirmed by objecti"" evidtne<:
'in human affain, Ihen: mUll he somt experience 0' otllt, which, aJ an
evem ... hich hal actually """"red, mi"'l 5Ugge$llhat rnan hal the qualily 0'
PO"'''' of heini the taUs.e 800 (sine< his action, are .upposed 10 he lOO5e of.
lIting rndo .... d .... ilh freedom) llIe oUlbo, of his o ... n imprOvtlMnt' (18 1).
AI finl, lhe", .ppean 10 he DO ",,,,,,n 10 Ii'''' any cre<kne< wh.I"""....".
10 this mO'o'e . [I appears merely to .. I.bli,b an o""'ure bUI nonc:thelc$<
illegili,,,,ue cau!al chain from nal u", 10 freedom IlIId from f","",om 10
nature (ev .... 1 ao evidence for ,upe ... ,,.ible capacily; .upcrs.ensibl. eapacily
.,idmce for objtcli'''' impr""""""'I), BUI lhi. is exac:tly whal in=ts
lYOianl , Kanl..ul 10 break the causal ohain by rnaking lhe: fim evjdrnce
merely 'indicate' tile P""''''' Mnd the po_r "",rely 10 be a 'hiotoncaJ si&n' of
improvemenl, nus i, thinlrin, 'aJ if'!he "",1m. can met1. A, .""h, it would
appear 10 fall foul of Ihe analysi5 givm abo"". BU1, accordi", to lyotan!,
Ih;' r.ecd not he lile cast.
Unlike a judaement by analogy, the Ihou"'t process inWlnlialtd by lhe
f .. lin8 of tile 5Ilbli= i, a ,....plh.'!' one, .pecif>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 .ublime '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: excm-
.... 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 act" _ fail.
The Kanlian dw.nilinn of an l<ka of rtasnn is tha t i( i, an io;Iea, deriwd
from a conoep! of Ihe undemanding. for which it is impouible 10 present an
inluilion, Th ... , from the rooa:p1 'hUJruln', _ deri"" lhe Id<. or humanily
'"
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
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 rihl 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 di5-
pleas"",, arisiog from lb. inadequacy of imagination in !he l!etbetic
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 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 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<nt:e. but al Ihe same time it
di""", .... its destination ..... hich is bring ilSl!'lf inlO harm"ny .... ilh tbe Ideas
"f reallOn. IlIr"ugb an appropriate prosmlauon' (n,.. (65). The
conjunction "f pie .. ",.. and pain in lhe .ublime "VO'l'OOmes the p"",do" of
search for something impossible. atleut in the ...... whe ... we an: left wilh
a ClOnlinui"ll drive to funh ... the demand that nature be brougbt inlO acco.d
wilh renon. So if tM r..,tiog oflhe is widesj>...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 .... 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
panicularity of the ..,blime sign is to 1caVi' spectator in a confused stale.
",,"ught action and inaction or .' ........ "nd fail un:: 'Ihe "_11'1'''
does nOI quit< tah pi""" il is a "passatl(''' in 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' 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 Spe<taIOT1l of Ih. French (17Jt Diffm'nJ: 167). So the
.ublime is nnl a l ign thallhe bllman fa ... is improvin, in the $lmnl Kantian
""li"u.n"""'l .. nse nf ""ting positively nn a feoling that drives US 10 chan!!"
Ihe W<lrld acoording 10 n:.-: 'llIey wiU thereby .nt., intn a constilulion
based on !!"nuine principles nf right, which i. by iu. very nalun: capable nf
""mtanl progress and impro"" ..... nl wilhn"l forfci.ing iu. .I","ph' (Kant
1990: 189)_
ACCQrdin, In Lyotard. righl .. ""nsl;t"lionl and prog ..... 10"<lrds a
rational unity cannot be driven by tbe iublimc. I(the r .. ling aUo .... for an
orientation in il is a nep.ti"" one: of Iimil5 aDd barricB. This 1w il5
p"'iliVi' oidc," a drive 10 t .. tify to diff.rences asaiNt illegitimale altempu
10 bridge Ihem. But ... -eon this has. oeriotu and ultimately dantninl! flaw,
llIe second diflkulty in Lyotanf. "rsument is Ihat it falls foul of iii, own
criliq ..... of Kanl, The .ublime: may w\'ll indicate an inability to p;w
judll'l'ment across a divide. bUlthat is in no WoIy an argument (01' the cbim
lhal it i. always to pa ... uch a judguLw:nt. Ly",ard's lale' wort.
is. in fact , more deptndenl 00 anthmpoloiY than K.tnt' . H( aonnot show
that what the flin, 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.
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 flinp SlOp me: from
al1(mplil'lS 10 bridll'l' Ibis diff.,..ncc with the aid of thi. Idea of "",son', 8uI
in no "<lY does this amounl In provin, Ihat, oay, [he Idea of hwnanily is
'"
THE T UIl N TO JUOGEMBHT
IICVCI" 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 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 lSliiks 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<lanccs. For exampl .
modern enlishle""" media haw tahn on Ih. lash of unco,,"rio. injustice
and or ...,king 10 mobilise Ibeir ",aden. ,i.",,,,, and listeners. ThaI
mobilisalion i. ''''Y ",,,,ly MsM on Ihe limiliog and vainly agilated feeling
of th. ,ublime, indeed. Ibi, ,,"'ould be an .fT""t Ihat ran oounl.r 10 Ihe
ainu of so"'" """ion. of a modern media.
S<> Lyotard cannol simply ad,veale polil'" or uncoveri ng an<l
eJlpression, The woy in ,,"' hieh lhese lak. pl.ce mlUl present an Idea of
reallOll and, al the same ti"",. show Ihal ;1 cannol be ""Iidaled whil.
paradoxically volidating il "' somelhing lhal allrac" u, and forces us inlo
action. A subli"", evml mU$! be prestnled 10 Ihal validalioo. Thi'
ol>ject could be simply one ,i!k of a diITe,..nd. On Ih. conlrary. ;1 has
to be an obje<llhat up and da.hes the allempllO brinl both.odes
1OClher. 8uI Ibi, also implies lhal ..... canllOt do justitt 10 lilt tcrrori<ed ,ide
=pl by .ubsuming its claims under lhe mo", gene",' notion of doing
ju.tice to thc po$$ihility of incommcn.urabilily and Ih. di fTe",nd again5l
Idea. of reaSOn. There i. a detached hardn ... to this polil"" 'Your plighl
calb lhe Spe<1alor 10 Ihe diff.",nd." The,.. is also a nihilislic falalism: 'And
thi. gem ... 1 difTe,..nd can on'.r be resolved: In Ihe ntxl chapter. I will 5lLldy
some of tho m<>s1 imponanl essa)'$ ","rill"" by LyolO.rd an., T/rio 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' , philoophy 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:
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 fling 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 RD AND T HE POLIT I CAL
of judsemenl based nn !he that does nol allow ror ismSmtnl
indrpendcnl of iu nwn crilerion (Ihal a feeling of !he sublime is ft!t).
5 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
'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<IIOO of the: feeling of lhe sublinw.
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 GMATICS
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, give<! the reslri<:tiOfl imposed on
th. testimony by the that hokl< II", fttlina: "r 1he lublime
and Ilka. of (llICh as ' Humanity is p1"ogl'U$ing'). The only way to
lestify;' 10 conjure up an Idea and to da,h the "fpresenting it in
an "".oal case, So Lyotard', work bc.:omes practical in two ways. Firsl.
tbe .. i. tbe ..,1:lion of an Idea and a panicula. <:aX apllo ,how;1$ fKilu""
Scc:ond. there is. ",leel;"n orthe right to instil a r ... ling of the sublime.
Ihat is, both an aUraeti"n In Ihe pouibility of an actual prcK"ntation of d ..
Idea aJld an .""moo 10 Ihe actual prnmlation in a gi-.,,, case.
practical consid.rations are companions 10 the a'iumenl I 1'1'1 fOfWllrd in
Ihe conclusion 10 the previous chapter; thai is, lhat Lyotard can lIC'Ier teslify
directly to a given diffe .. nd, to a given absolute diffemlCO. Hi. teslimony
must alwaY' pasalhrough an Idea; Ihe f,dingS instilled in the add"il . , a ..
1>01 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 engage-
menl 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 Ihrough Ih' medium of a universal in a way that
negalos the desire 10 lreal each panicol.r case for "The universal is
laken on with a view to bind iliO lhe feeling of Ihe 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., $ince il is the result of Lyotard's concerning
Kanl', d,d",,\ion of the gulf bet",..:n facultios. These a .. .-ssential for
Lyotaro'l dedO>ction of the poSSibility of the difTem>d and of th' incom
men,unlbiUty of gen .... Ho""e'o .... mudo il ofTends fTlings for direct posit;, ..
acl;on. Ihe poUlioal. os thoughltbrough tb, diffe ... od. <:an onJy be resislance
".
LYOTARD AND THE PO LITI CAL
101M MIICIOO<IY of Ideas of reason in particular oa.5e$. In 1M WI S1ion
nf this chapter, [ will consid..- lite qunlion of whelher Illis definilion of
resioumce .. ill allows for a positi .... creati .... allitlide In maller.s defined by
lyoutd in lIis I;oler essays L' '1110"",aln (l988c) and Mora/It;' prulmotknws
(l993b),
From lhe poinl nf view nf lyolard" libidinal politics, the dependmoo: on
n.",t;on. i, nihilisti<, The objcclion does nOl lie in the of the .ubli"",
as such, but in Ihe pnlClical aim 10 .... k oul that desire be<;:ausc of its effect
OIl our ",Iation to Idea. of "'MOtt_ The pril>cipal desi", in lhe polilies of the
diff''''nd is a 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 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, nfthe polilieal cannot be vicv.'Od in
a good light, Lyotatd', to Ideas of ",,"son is givm a positi .... and
quite traditiOflal contnt in the later chapte" of 1M Resi<lalltt to
Idea. is gi;-en a wider role in supportinl democracy Or 1M delibmni .... gem"
against the domina""" of . iop view. ballr<l on the hegen>o<lY of an Idea
(however just it may appear al a gi .... n Ii"",). It i, aloo si,'.n lite mit of
defending minor namlli .... that i" namlth ... that liv, identity 10 a people
again't Idn.., or meta.nornlli ... Ihal _k 10 Itlilimale a univenal people: ()f
humanily_ W. can POW see wily Lyotatd'. philosophy of the diffemld is
di=ted 10 the 'inhuman', It II ... nothing to do with the libidinol materialiS!
..... rcl! f()f drives Ihal canl>Ol he thOUght of in lenn. of O!'l!anit $Cnses of 1M
human heing and the $ubj<ct. Ratb .... I .... inbuman is tlte irredu<iblt plurality
of peoples and ,enm that must be: defended against lbe: totalilY undentood
in the Idea of humanity,
At:COrdinlllO this contntual .iew of Lyotard. polilics of the diff ... nd,
an accusation onen made against IQ--C.OlIed postmodemism falls. at \c:a$t in
$0 far as il awlies 10 him, [I is not lhe oa .. that he cannot and does not
wanllo defend importllllt modem institutions. above all <iemoc:racy, It is
Ihat he .... th.,.. institulion ... endangered more by efTo,t, 10
them with Ideas such a' humanity 0.- m.ta-namli ..... of legitimation, So. in
TM DijJ ... "J, "'hile defininll demrx:=y in tertrl$ of a deliberati .... IOn'"
tllal allo" .. all othen 10 come inlo play through 'Arislo"lian and
Kantian' model of dialectics. he: also defin .. il in tenn. of a . inglc: end,
lilat is, to Ila,'e done with lhe diff .,"' .... at play in the de .... te: 'In 11>0
delib..,"i .... polilH.3 of modem democracies, the differ=d is 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<l. in making il
bearable' (TD: (47).
Two possible 1)1Itpatnelic attitudes \0 dt"ltlocracy mler ;nlo conniet hen:.
The fiB! sees del1\OCl';lol;y .. from wilhout by totalitarian politics
and undermined from "'ithin by nihilist;" posiliolt$lhat no longer subscribe
{o democnllic values. hence "'tak.ning any capa<:ily for The occond
(Lyolard',) sees democracy a. menaced from wilhin by a CQa,lition of Idea.
of and meta-narrativ .. that constilules large pa'l' or modem
poIiticol ideology (for example. in Ihe conj unClion of lhe .... of human
righl .. lhe argumenl' for Iheir defence and furlhcrallC wilhin a given legal.
economic and polilical and historical aa;:ount. of why Ihn defellC
i. nocuary and desirable). Aa;:ordingto Lyotard. Ihn coal ilion i. c:>.ploiled
by capitalism and its capacily 10 IhTi,.., in 'y.I""', where differenoes an:
maintained 001 ,ub5umed uooe. K Or sct o( nonn .. The firsl
""k. 10 bolsle. tht ideQIogical and narrali,.., sirength of demoaacy ('These
an: the n:oson. (0' OUr uni''' ..... ! ideas'; 'This i. the aocounl of why our
values an: legilimaldy un;'.., ..... I). How""' Lyolard lries 10 rni<llbi. very
lendency in favour of lhe fragi lity of a democracy free of any beyond
ito capacily to lei diffen:nces come inlo play: 'The deliberativ. n mon:
"fragile" than lbe narnoti,'e. il leto lhe abysses be perceived tbat oeparate
genres of di_u,," from each olher . . . Ihe abysseo lhat Ihreaten the 50cial
bond' (TO: ISO).
T'/N, Diff."ttd is only a prolegomenon to the ""Iilia of lbe
diffen:nd in lhal ;1 d"", nol ""'k to (OSier lbe feeling of lhe ",bUme in a
ITC.iIu"...,t oflde and narraliv .. , Instead. lhe: book tak .. on a mo. e
Sly\(:. mixin!! n:adinp and inltrpl"Clation. with lenlalive apbori""', The
form d.mand a deta.hed appr"".h. The lane, call for can:ful
.. lketion and !"<COnslruction. It could be claimed thai Ihis combination of
aphorisms i. il.elf a sign oflhe diffen:nd. lluil is. of an inability 10 con.I .... 1 a
' Olalily. Thi. would he true if the aphon"". could nol be combined in a
coi>el"Cnt manner and if Ihey instilled a SCnSC of futili ly in the Mional reade,
(..,..,,,,bing Uke lhe worb of E, M. Cioran. for .. ampl.). BUllhi. is not lhe
ca .. ; if i$ a lwing from ralional n:constNCIion 10 fai lun:. ;1 in"olv ..
ralional judgemrnlS against Lyotard, ouch B' 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 $Iyle of 1M is dialogical both betw..,n aphorism. and
intemally, wit h a .trong emphasi. On ql><$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}'<Itar<l .... "'hing for a slyle Ihat pUI' the work
inlo aClion. The main coll..,lion. of essays. L '/M_a;" aoo Mora/iles po.,.
mt><krnes (1M /Ifio""",n and PMlrnoJ.>'<I Fabks). an: Ihis lak .. place,
LYOT .. RO .. NO THE POLJTIC .. L
LYOTARO'S POSTMOOERN I RONY
The Lymard 6nds for punin, his tboory of Ihe diffttend and the
into action collClems a shift in form altd otyles. ThiJ shift can he
justified altd e:<plained on lhe basis of 1M connection of Idea. of rt"ason and
norratives of legitimation. When Ideas ha,'e 10 be applied 10 an ac1\U11 group
or populalion as C)(IOSt'd 10 a oa:. only n"nsoeodc1!lal reason. tM
tntnsf.r tokes place Ihrougb narralive. A givm population teUs tbe story of
how it< """"" and values como: to rqwesenl the Idea in C""""fO. In 1M
DijJe' cuJ. tbis process is described in the conlext of tbe 1789 Dt:ciaralion of
Rights. Lyourd argues thai the declaralion can r.:vtr be legilimate ror
'humanity' .inoe it okpcnd. on a <k<:lantlion (Ihe$e art my/our nlhl. ) Ihal
CIIn only be givtn by by rtJ'fUel\lalivn: 'lbc .plining of lhe
addressor of lhe Ocdaralion inlo 11"0 enlitles. French nalion and human
being. cor ..... pond. to the equivocation of lhe dc<:Ltralive ph"",,; il prtSenli
a philosoph;""'1 unive....., and oo-prnenls a historical- political universe'
(TO: 147).
The ""Iual commtlllily or nalion owes its identity 10 a shared narrative
Ihat i""ludes an ltCCOunt of ...-hy it can ltand in for humanity .. a wbole. But
Ibi! """unl can !If:'m" be legitimate. according to L)'Otard. baUSl< any
narralive of identity inv<>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 "The
.... 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 _ com-
munily. 0"'" the essenlial of its consistency and authority to the tntdiliO!tll
of n"","" and narratives. These tradil;on, an: They imply
borden .nd border confticts. The Itsitimacy of a nation owes nothing 10 the
idea of hUlO.lnity and to the pcrpct ..... tion of narratives of origin
by means of rtpcated narration,' (147).
If Lyotard i! 10 inslil a di ... hling f<:elin, around 1<Ieu of reaoon a. a means
In a polil'" of mista""", in actual ","", then mailer that hc has 10 work
on art Ihc narralives thai give lhe loka ""Iuality and allow il. if only
unconsciously. In pidc a set of social act .. This is because lbe Idea in
ilSl:lf is not dubious $(I 100, as;1 mnains Intrua:ndcntal. It oo1y bca>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
THE SU BLI ME AND POLITI CS
perhaps 10 a *"""IUl. n..y hallucinated humanity within tbe nalion' (1 47).
So the ...",Iid Ia.k for bi, polil ics. afler Ih. isolation orlhe Idells ope"'lIi", in
a givm commllflily, is 10 idcnlify aDd retell thai on.n hidden and forgon.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 10ler essaY' lak .. on many diIT=1 . 1)1t5-
nearly all orwhidl haH hccn used by him 0., ... 1008 periods. They include:
I Rcportl dialogu .. anonymous lhird-person male alid femal.
voices ( H.'; Sh.'): 'Can Ihoughl go on wilhout a body", ' lnleresting,;
2 Fictional wort stori .. wilh an overtly philosophical Ie$son (moralily
tales): goes 10 Japan'.A poslmOO<'Tll fable';
3 Ma nncrcd. hyper ..... lh.lic .xercises on COmmon oomcmpofllr)' prob-
lem" 'Sc.peland'. 'Domu ... nd lhe mrgalopoli. ', 'The zooe';
4 !'flIgrOent. and rd\tdion. pro"oked by problem. in aestheties or work!
of art: ' Newmiln: Ih. in.laot', Ibe .ublimc aoo the ."lnt-prde',
' Somclhing like commllflicaTion ... i lhoul communicaTion" 'Representa-
tion, p ..... ntalion, unprcscntablc', ' Speech snapshot', 'After The sub-
lime, the sial. of aesthelics', 'Conservalion and colour', 'Obediencc',
' Paradox on lbe graphic artisT" ' A mOnumenl of poosibles" ' Music
mulic' , 'Anima minima';
S Di ..... lalion. on familiar philosophicallhelhef, su<h as mod<'Tllity, time
and technololD'. bUI alwa)'1 wilh a view T<> conlemp<>l"'dry ="",,",11:
' Rewriting mod.miTy', ' M.It ... aDd timc', 'Ll>gru and ItCW, or
gflIphy', 'Time loday', 'God and Ihe pUppel';
6 Remarks <>n oontemjXIrary political, and philosophical issues:
'TIle wall, lhe gulf, Ih. SYSlem'. '''The .anh had "" roads to begin
"'Ih"', 'TIle genera) lin.', 'A bizarre panner', 'Directions to ser>"anl''.
'Unbeknown.t' , 'The iOlinw:y of lerror' .
Quile often an .... y j U'laposes lhese SI}'1es in order 10 reinforce l he ironi<:
eIT1 or 10 corred a failure in irony. The categorisalion abo .... i. therefore
approximal. and open 10 review, depending on whal i$ laken to be: t he
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 .. 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 LITICAL
L}'<Itard, l1Ie Idea i, usually $OITIethin8 quite complex and soph;'ti<;:ated,
,..,h .. 'We .'" br(>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 l be 311raetion 10
Ihe syntbelic and purposeful power of 1h< Idea is al.., _ fall inlO
induCC<l incapacity, The simultaneity of allracl;"" and repulsion is whal
eh.meterises Ih. sublime for l yolard, This l.nsion has 10 be directed to
lbe Idea and 10 the: aetnal (OJ ... that creal. lhe: doubt. For in<lance, in
his beautiful and lroubling fierion.1 dialogue on photograph. laken of
Charco!"s hySlerical paticnu, 'Spttth .napohot', Lyotard .ttlieD lb.
Iypically Habermassian presuppo<ition of an Idea of eommuniCll1ion, lhat
is. that all .po:ech .itnalion. ideaJly presuppose a lran,f.r ofmw.ning. lyolard
shows lluiltbe supposition that all .. osationJoaded human creations can, in
principle, be given a meanin5 cannot Ii"" up 10 an .oeounter Wilh the:
phnl"ilI"pho:
They ..... pho!Ognlp!ted 10 ""'ke an album of hysl.ria, $(I ' .. 10
okciphor what lbey might possibly be oaying by lhose poslum. Which
implies th;': lhat lllnt bodily .tates -... semanlic .lemenlS and tluil
tbey eould be linked 10ll"ther by a .yntax. On. would Ib", obtain
seIltoo""" .. ,ulated $OOt<=. and. along with them., meaning. SUI
lhe: photograph which waS 10 makelbem speak prod""," an oppooil<
impression on uo: 11 IU .. the: "al .. in lbeir su.pended in.tabilily.
isol.t .. 1hem one from llIIother, does not mlore lhe: syntax linking
1h<m. 11 mak .. '" _ tCIl$O';31 .tall ....
(IN: 132_3)
Thi, passage cash .. out the: ironic dialngue .. it. l1Ie
power of I..yotard's .... ork comes Out ..... U bere. It fOr<:el us 10 allow the
lcnsioo in our Wilb "'!lard 10 lbe ocoessily of communication and
the Fact of lack of meaoing 10 inhibit folie forward movemet\1S lui"'"
around 11>0 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 kno .... lodse il demand. of il' readers. I $hall
not qx-nd m""h lime addressina lhe diff=l f>OS$ible non-ironic: inler-
preuuion, of Lyolud', !aler ll>ougbl. 0tI the ooe hand, lhe", i. a &imp\<
first-or-der readina who", tho ironic function of the e5$ay i. simply missed
and "-l><!re the interpreter thereFore otaY' ",'ilh a si'-e1l Idea as if it "'-en:
con-ea, 0tI thi. aa:ounl, the later Lyotan:! appears to he an apologill For
postmodem le<:hn<H<;imce or the dri>" 10 10 beyond "'hat in the pall may
h."" countod a, the fuodameotal humao ,'alues and 10 embrace a ,upcr-
human, highly t..:hni""l and immalerial set of vall>e!l. Thi, readinl miMes
hi. allemp! to undermine slICh dreanu by demonslratinl their
OIl [<Ita. thaI lhem",l"." fail 10 .pply convincin,ly to "ewal , itualions,
Despite his work on Iho of the postmodom and OIl lalO modern and
poslmodem an, phiiolOphy has ne' .. r defended lhe nal, .. posl.
modernism thaI aligns ilstlf with lale ""I'itaii<m and modem teChnological

On tho othor hand, there i. a reading 1"',1Ial" overly atluned 10
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, philo-
sophy, economics and p<:>lilK:a, is llrictly crilic:ol. Strict in tM stOSC lhal il
can divest it$<lF nf any posilive anachment 10 Ihttn and instead argue for an
altemati"" JX>$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 ItfllCt U ..... Thi. i. a mO ... plausible position, if only
becau$< il can cite many ;mp<:>rumt pas.s.ges where Lyolan:! doses ..... ys Ol\
lhe- idt.a oftestifyinllo thai which cannot be rep ..... mod but "'hidI hal an
ineslimabl. val"" for Ihal '-ery re.liOII. For uample in 'The ,"""ral line',
dedic:olod to Gilles Deleuu, be makes Ihe followina claim, '[[bumanit y .1001
nol p ..... "'. the inhuman rq:ion in which w. can meel this or Ihal wbicll
completely escapes the um:ist oFrigblS, .... do not meril the rigbli thaI "''t
ba"" been recognised' (PF, 12l l.
The pas.sase quotod abo .. " cannot be read as simple ap<:>logy fnr an
'inhuman region' wilMut cancelling Lyolan:!', moll consislenl &l'!urnenlJ
"'lnoemina how 10 that whicb escapes rights or Idea .. Rcsisla"""
can only take place: thrOUgh a posit;"" attraction to modem [<leu and 10
the-ir actualisation. It is 0"' ""Y 10 .mbrace them in nrd..- to
berorne simultaneously awaJ"e of their failure. If Ihere is an inhuman region,
'"
YOTAIID AN D T H E L
i! is 11 ... ys dcpendell! Of! the of!he lublime, pcThaJll e>.u:ndcd to
other f,,"'inll of """ulta....,... attraction and from 1<Ieu. Then:
annot br an nhie:l or pItilosopby of the even! .nd 'the WlptCKn!ablc'; only
a pnr. ...... !ia of 1M of the IlObIime.
It is.15o iml'IIIWI1 !o distingWsh L),ogr . _ of irony and the sublime
apiml Idc.u of _ from the posUnO<Iem irony IdopItd by Richanl
Rony in CotIIittrm<'y. l_y. SoIautIY. Fill Lyotanl. irony is a tool fill
the lublime 'PillSt Ideas. 11 is 1>01 a position in illdf _ o.>e is
...... nt to . 1I0w modem ins.i.u.ioaJ to be proIonpd f .... of modem doi"", to
universality in Itmll of norm. aDd val ..... Poli!ically. 1M IWO thinkon
a resillanee to universalit)'. But l yotard'l potition is m..ch lighler in lCrml of
whal il.ppli., 10 _ Idea. - how il uodtrmillCl tMm _ tbe lublime. The:
price of this i. a nihili,m thllt maktslM claim tlLat
110 is supportin, or retiain, liben.l democracy impossibk to IU$lain. This may
also be tbe ease for Rony. but the mtSOll' will be diffntTlt.
THEINti UMAN
If 1M ironic form of Lyotard'. essays ill>OI primary in ttrms of billa! ...
poIitn the .. Ition of the 1oCI ... 1 cues 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, eon,;"""",
divUion and .. Io!ction ofheadinp. tM cues cannot be IeffI 10 a:M: riO<
to a new.., of CQnoep .. <>pp<>O<d tn liven Idc.u of mtlOa withou, under-
mininl tM ""1>oIe projt 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 .. fthinkina by kadi", Ideas Of C<InCq)!I that be
ICCks 10 mist. So, .ltbou&h tM !itb and headinp dt osen to cbaracltri ..
his later .bough, ha", . nd will continue '0 provide , welcome way of
orpni,illl dispo.nole ... of tsSa)'J. thil mull not lead to conoo:pIuaJ
'ystematisootion of tIw: QjQ he: \kpkJys .pinst 1<Ieu. Imlfad, is only a
pbiloaophy Ihat exploi .. the CQnlin#n! PO"' certain even .. have in
lrigerial fli"" in a livest ';1 ... 1ioD.. III Ihis section, [ wiU dixuss the
...alto aroupallooacly under the ban ...... 'The: inbuIIIIII' , "The fol\olooinJ
llion ",,-m _kle ' Ma' '''''.
Lyotard inb......" ...,.", .. ill'lI bis textl Ip.insc tM coIkaion of
Ideal !hll eoIloc!r."<1y <OtItribulC III the <OtItcmporary Idea of the blltlWl. It
iI impllfU.n, til II""" the: time-bo<.u>d Ispect of the con,ribution and the-
Ipproach to i"humanity in a alllt en!iali" and non-truscc:ndo<uw
manner. f or him, ,he human is nol nnly in ilJ raUtall to Ib$olu!c
definition. but olso in ill con, tan' ru ............. t throu", the different .... )'.
in which il pro,idts umbreUa for Ide . So be doeI not defty t!w, essen-
lial and transoo:ndc:nlal ddioiulI1I' of tbe buman comp"""nlS of
'"

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 l he 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:rifil
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 CO<Ilemporary intellectual dominanoe
explained through an appeal 10 an Idea of reason, Tbey gi"" it its power
within the mor<: gmeral idea of the human, while il n, 10 orpnise
them and make sen", nf whal lbey mean for IU, [n fact, acwrdin. 10
Lyotard, tbi ........ is COMlrueled oul of a ,bart:<! relation al III< level of I""
Idea: the !'Qe;lrch inlO Ih. inorpn;'; il a response 10 III< depletion of
resources, 11>e Idea is Ihen only given ito ful l 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:<! lhe final
uodu> 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 <ian! ;1 replaced by K
pRCtical dc:mand: 'In so far ... an Idea may hold sway, has ii, po_r been
deflected?' It is al least reasonable 10 observe lhat cultural producu lhal
merge id.as human, artificial intelligence, 'pace exodUI and
lhe end of the world na"" so"'" popularily and .r<: given prominenco: by
(lOOl: A Spoa Odyuey, for inilanco:), These producu are a lign thai
Lyotard has some jllSlification in >uppooing lhal [d.ea5 O:ODOCmina a non-
organic 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
LYOTAIlO 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 bn
lhe lraMirnry ".bicic for an oxln:mdy improbablo of com
plexifil<llion. The UOOU$ is already on tbe agmda. The only chalK\'
of it.,.".., Ii .. in the species adaptill3 it..,lf 10 the complex.ily of
whal dalleDgos il. And if the CJlodus .'w. Js, whal il "'ill have
preool'Vfll i. 001 lhe ,pee'" iIXlf but lb. 'most complete monad'
with which it n. p .... gnanL
(IN: 6S)
Lyotard gi,"(!' this 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
<kbunk> his 0"'" version of lbe 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 for
n. is dehumanised. It is K poslmodem fahle in that it is shorn of humon
meaning ""hi)" still mainlainin!! the form of modem namll ivu:
'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<hoIia'
(100), A 61'$1 "Me of lhe inhuman in bis laler ossa) .. is lherefare a ratb..-
banal and familiar remark on lhe rationalisation of the human and its
environment Ihrough t""hoology (I N: 69_73), It only!! .... beyond thi.
familiarity in ironically pointing our jusl how far Ihi. pt'" T has moved
inlo Ihousht, c'"., concerning the Ideas most nmil '0 modem humanisl
polilics and philosopby.
But this d .... nol imply Ibat Lyolard', deployment of irony against Idoa.
fall s into a simple CQntradicl;"" "'Prding ill democratic motivation to
furthe. <khale by oppoosi", the dominant roic of uni""' ..... 1 Ideas. It can
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. 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 or 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
<kmoc:notic dro.,lc sine. all human aim. muSI ul1ima1cly load 10 melancholia
and disaff(!C'(ion. BUI LyOllOrd'S use of irooy cannOI be gi'"<'n this single
atTecl ive goal , He wants 10 dash Iho Idea. and 10 Ihal exl..,1 ho .. .ms
melancholia. On lhe Olhor hand. Ihe way in which ho lho 811raction
of Ide .. of ",aSOn points 10 an affirmali"" aspecl of his 131er philosophy.
The inhuman is nOl only Ihal which, in the form of lechnology and
Mion.lisalion, d",tro)"1lh. Jdea of tho ,u,",'iv,,1 of humanily from wilhin. II
i. also Ihat .. 'hich ..,.isl> lhe dominance of Ihal negalive inhumanity. The",
.'" Ibemo", lwo ... nses of lhe inhuman al work in LyOlard's laler ...... y.,
The one he 5e<!ks 10 affirm is nol inhuman in Ihe sen ... of o, .. ,ly de\ermined
an<! mechani. lic 'Y'lcms Ihat lack human f""linp and atT(!C'(>. a ..... n a.
hwnan ..... SOD in Iho sense oflhal "'hieh provi<!tJ; a t.I""logy an<! ord ... for
lOOse aff(!C'(s and fecling5. It is inhuman in Ihe ....... of a .. from or a
beyond of ",ason andlcchnology. This sen .. links ""')"1 from TM InhUlltdf!
and Pos,nt<>tlnn Fabk. 10 hi' mOSI """,ful dofinili<>n< of . he po$1modern in
Ans .. ..,.;n' lhe ql>eSlion: Whal i, Ihe poslmodern" included in lh. English
tnmslalion of lA COltditkm (l9"Nb; English lransliltioo 1984<:),
Properly, the postmodern in .rl, philosophy and lil.talun: i, tbal .. 'nieh
dislur'" an emerging order in Ihom, It docs so by I<nding an ur 10, and
c:cprcss.ing. thaI whieh ""nnOI ho incorponolN inln Ih. order and yet Ihat
which anOVo'S for it. emergence.
In an essay from TM IMurnan, Rev.Titing modernily'. Lyo.ard aplains
this disturbance and lho matl.r it worh wilh through the pnoctiC<' of
'1"("Writing' . Thi, i, ",laled 10 Ih. f",udian psyehoanat)1ical technique of
(Durd''''M/rung) in the way in which il 5CCk.lo reactival' 8n
originary, but nol original, unconsciov.. OVC1lt. I'oslmodern an and literalu ...
involve. suggested rccoll<ction (an anamn",is) oflhal which Jives modem an
its potential aoo intel1$ity, but also thai whicb il denies a. it becomes
senled and well ordered: ' Rowrilill3, a. I mean it be ... , obviously concerns lhe
anamnesis of the Thing. NOI only Ihal Thing thaI starts off a ,uwos.dly
"individual" singularily, hut of l he Ihill3 lhal haunts lhe "language", tbe
lraditiO<! and Ih. material "'lh, againS! and in "'hkh one .. Ti ... ' (33). By
definition, lru iew oflhe postmodern is a .... islanC<'.o r;-aICjorisation and 10
its 0"'0 cat<:,orisalion, B point thaI Lyouml h'" 10 labour because of his
association wilh lhe calolOl)' of the po.lmodern ('Whal r, .. hen: called
rewrilin, dearly ha. nOlhina 10 do wilh what i. called poslmodernity or
poslmodc-rnism on Ih. market of oomempor.lry ideolop..') (34),
LYOTARO AND THE POLITICAL
Thi, ",.an, rhal rtwril;ng works wilh rhe sa",. 'malerials' and in
same direction'" rhe an, pOlitics and philosophy of lhe inhuman oUlline<! in
its positive sonsc above, lbe direction is again.t reason, defined as lbe: elimi-
nation of Ihe dislu,bing and unpredictable pDW<:' of fcdinl' and aITccl5, and
againstlechnology, defined as inmumental moves lowa"'s increased po'-
fonnance and complexily. Thil alliance of reallOn and lechnology il that
"ihieh the poslmodem Iko to " 'o,k Ihrough in Ihe ' Posuncdemily
is I)()( a fleW a",. bUI lbe: rewriling of 1IOme: of tbe: foalures claimed by
modernily, and firsl of all modernily', claim 10 ground ito legilimacy on 1110
project of liberating humanity.s a whole Ihrough .a.nce and technology'
(34), To Ih ... tem Ihal modem wo,ks also ... k 10 do Ihis in lbeir I",dilion
IlIoyean be counled as poslmodem (or 1110 =<: ... ): ' Bul KS I have said, Ihal
re>!' 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 communi-
cation. 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 oflbinking. A. I bave said. lhis
attitude is 10 be found in repuledly ralional langwt8t u moxh a, in lbe:
poelic. ill an, onlioary if, Ihal is.. it is ,""",,nl ial 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
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 case oflhe sublime. Ibislance is in lhe name of an impossi.
bility. thaI is. in the e' "eftl a .... blimc lie! the limit of tile claim. of
reason: 'The q..eslion mark of the Is il hawening? &tops. With the O<XUT-
ref><X. l he will is defeatl. The a,,,m-gardiSlliUk mnains Ihal of undoing
Ibe mind wilh lime. The sublime fco:ling is the
name orthi. privalion' ('The $ublime and lhe a,,,nl.pn!e: !(7). Whereas.
in the case of anamne1is. rcsiSlall<X is in lhe of an im.rf .... ncc. lhal is.
a passage of inlense affecls from mau ..... the rich form of language. 10 Ih.
order of a language overly dclermined by llCieooe aod tecbnology: 'AI a
below languaga;. work . instiMiol\$. al'o1iays lying lalmt beneath the audible
bUI never rov.red by il. Ihi. brealh does not spak. it moans. il mUllc",'
(PF: 2M),
Whal is implied by Ihis divide in definitions of the inhuman as disturbing
maU.r 01' disabling limil'llbe lau .... is mli ... ly COfI,istenl "ilh the aim of
reoitin8 the Idea throu8b an oppeal to th The inbwnan i. lhe
sublime ilse)f in lhe way it indicales Ihat Ideas of ... ason cannol be p!(3(OIl:
is not a pl .... 'u .... il is a pica ...... of pain: ... fail to
pl.:.ut the absolute. and IILaI is a di.pkasu .... kl>OW
10 preKnl it. thai the fllCUhy of fco:linll or imagining is eall.d
on to b"", about the sensible (the image). To present wlo.al ..... son
can conceive. and even ifit ""nl>Ol manage to do this. and _ .uff.r
from this. a pure pleasu ... ;s fell from this_
(, Represen1<uion. prncnlalion. unpm .. 126)
The inhuman i. lhe of the human. tbought IICC<)roing 10 the
11 is IhOOo ... not a Ihing or a mau.r. hUllhal which ,...jotS all auem)'lS 10
close on any Idea or d.finition of Ih. human. A. loch. the
lbought of in termS of lhe inhuman fall. prey 10 lhe crilical conclusion.
doawn at the rod of 1M p ... vious II i, a political altitude Ihal closes
itself off from mhel1. in sen", ofa ............ """ from olb.r form. of poIilic!l
Bnd diJcourx. polilia limiu the human. bUI il cacnot intcnct with it , It
has no con.istency or ... and die< with the ,ublim<, a fodina
that cacnot be in fonm of dio<"u ..... lhal "",k, 10 "'PK"I il.
finally. 1M polilical def"""" of the inhuman has no cause otber lhan ilself. II
does not stand f01' anything. not .... m difT .... nd.,
A p<lS.'ibl. objection to tbe$c conclusion. coneem. the: ...,...ible ovlt played
by a politics of the inhuman in a wid democratic coot.xl. The inhuman
would be a particular voia: wilhin a wider democratic debate and a. such
would nol be cuI off from a ",id .... polilical contexl lbal would giw: it
consisteocy and a mo ... general cause. But bow would a poIilics dependent on
rcclinlP participate in the debate? By definition. inhuman cannot be
identified with Jiven cause or ... prcscnted within a debate. So .... .n ifllle
poinl of a politics based on Ih i. to usc lhal f""li", 10 limit [<leu of
'"
LYOTAIl D AND T HE POLITI CAL
Il>eir rok wilhin democ:nllic debale: by lriggc:rin. il in pa,.,icipanu
10 lhal debat., this is M Ir.nsf<TmCC of the limits ofm.t polilics 10 them, They
cannot do with Ihe: inbuman otbtr Iban dtploy il apin in .. similar
fashioo, This nlises Ih. danger of a seiZUK of the in tM f= oflh.
sublime, Polilical debal. iUId ac:lion wo.uld b<come reduced 10 a t .. limony 10
Ihe I""k of va lidily of Idea, of reason. This woWd <!diver polilics 10 an rver,
capacilY 10 justify posilive act, and 10 lhe: ""pli," grip of 1M
feelin, of tbe sublim.,
The role of Lyolard's later essay, wilhin a wider poIilics '''88e:ned al lb.
, tart of Ihis essay is an impossible one:, bocau,., Ib= i, no possible inl<:r
""lion mi.lll""" and a wider polilics oliler Ihan ""pli( mo_ of
limilaliofo and disabling, Th. problem ofnihili"", cannol be ""."'''''''" in a
philosophy Ihat cannol posit anything beyond ""plion and limitolion:
'Mau.r doeJ nol queslion Ih. mind, it has nO noed nf ;t, it ex;.lo. Or nlther
wist., il <iSI$ " befOK" queslioni", and answer, 'out$ide' tltem.. II i,
p.....,nce a. unpreS<nlable 10 lhe mind, alwa)" wilbdrawn from its gIaSp. It
d .... nOi offer ilsclf 10 dialOJuc and dialectic' (IN: 142).
MATTE R
Furthe:. obj<ction, 10 thn.e unfavounlble ronc:lusion, rome out of Lyola.d'.
later essays on lhe: .. !Iolion an iUId matter. Tbe limitinlt: function of
Ih. feeling of the .ublime is balanced by a posiliV<l aUrac:lion 10 matter,
defined.s thai whicb artists and Ihinken can exploil in a c: .. al;V<I manner in
order 10 t .. lify 10 the limits of Idea, tbrough lhe sublime. Tbe polito of
L)"otard', late. C5SII)'$ woltld lhen be about a oeru;ilivily 10 maUe. IS well ...
aboUI an ironic Itndemtining of Ideas of!"tOlS()<l. The nihilism implied in lhe
latter would be .... " ..-red by the affinnalion of mailer in a similar way 10 his
muc:h rarlitr usc: of an active passivily to inlC1l<i!y in the libidinal
pbilooophy. It oftm s=n< thaI lhe later C5$.IIys bark bad: 10 Lyotard'. early
W<lrk on an and politics, bypasoing tbe dc:ad..-nd of his .. arcb of judgetuent
.tId justice in lhe: , ublime: 'Perhap< words themselves, in the most ..., .. 1
place of Ihought. a .. in maller, its its nUMC\', i. . what it cannol
manage 10 think. Word< "Solly", $Ouoo, touch, always .. befo .... lhough\.
And Ihey alway. "Solly" sonlrlhing Olher than ", hat thougltt signifies, and
what it wants 10 signify by pUlling them ;nlo fono' (IN: 142).
This virw seems to find ,uppon in the in""nli ... eneu and insight into space
and archil",,",, in the mosl a.liotjc of Lyolard', Ialer ..... ys ('ScapelaJ>d'
and 'Dom", and Ihe megapole'). In these ...... ys, Ito: writes on space a,
landscape and dwelling place '" a, to .. ... w and dioturbing ways of
thinking abom our .. lation 10 what we ..., and whe ..... liV<l - ways thai all'
polilkatly liberating in It.. .. n'l<: of diop\acing familiar values and nono,
about nalU .. , the city IItId lbe home. Fo. example, in Scapeland'. LYOla rd
132
THE SUBL I ME AND POLITICS
moves from, study orpnisin& printiplco al work in our ",\ation to.
\an<bcape 10 a re/'lcction on the ",Ialion 10 Ihe face '" land .... pe. A similar
orpnisalion comes inlo play .... hen we Ille as a whole '"
.... hm we lake in a ,ile as IandSlPC. We can through bolh aocordin& 10
familiar la ... aDd values: ' It is only "after" it has bern .IaDdscapc. but also
.... hile it is OIill a landllClPC. tluittL>e is coveml over by counlC1laDOO and
uneo,,," the countcnaDOO. The INNOCENCE of .... alking in il is fOfionen.
Prescriptio", ","gin to come and go bn"'ft'n you and me' (190)_ A art
of the f""" .... ould Ibm be 10 f ..... parts of the face. ils flcsb. ils colour from
organisalion in order 10 rcleaS1:' new poMibilil i, n,,, .. conncction .. new ""')'I
of thinkine- Thi' move barb back to similar moments CODCCmill3 fIesb and
body paru in LlbiJi1l<J! ENHJOmJ' ('Gaze of an eye . 10 .... , IhO<lghlLess. fixed.
then in a flash lhe head pivOIJ so lluillh.", is 1>0 mOrt: Ihan a profile. EIIYJX'
(29).
This ",Iurn 10 philosopby can also be found in the main
rd.= of TN InhllltJQ!t and LyO)UlNl ",/ket. again
through Chance, Ouchamp and John Ca@!' . Bul each lime. wile", Ille early
won: 51! ' conductinll of int .... itio!:$ thrnugh malt.r Bnd a tnt ...
formation of WU<lurQ, the \al<r won: 51.-- a m1uoed, negative set of
intonsitio!:$ and a fail"'" of 51ructurn 10 grasp Ihe ."""t of lhat intcn";ty_ For
e.umple. in the mosl nuanced of LY0lard'. laler essa)'l on art and affect ..
. Anima minima'. he I tudies the minimallta'c of an aJTcct thai m1uoes the
soul 10 a ",gi.terina of a mal.rial change and nothing mo",: 'The UIIIma
... only u aff<Cted. Sen$B.tion, wbe,ber likeable or detnt.oblc. also
.... nounr:."O '0 tile anima lhal it would not ""en ht. Ihal il would remain
inanimate, had nOlhing affe<:1ed it' (243). In lhe philosophy, as in
Ihis lal' .... y. lhis pam"" stale is aU-imporlan!. BUI in 'Anima minima' it il
nOI punned through and for tile lran.formalion of 51ructures buI in
and for illll:l(. When int.nsity <uu ... il i. a. a negalion oflhe minimalllOu):
'The soul oomes ioto ill e.tistc-n<:o: dtpcnd.,,1 on lhe ....,sible, Ihu. violall.
humiliall __ . Even while Ihe e' .... 1 brings lhe soul into life, tun il inlO tile
hearl of pain andlor pLea.u",. no malICr bow carried away il mighl be.
the SOIII remain. caught bn\VCefl lhe lerror of ill impendina death and lhe
horror ofi"....-vile "';01.".,.,' (244).
After TIw DijfrrertJ. mailer lias become that ,,hich am:s15 our facult ies
and which Slops lhem The artist must bear wit""'"
10 these limils by p""""'ting mancr SO lilat il may mItICC lhe .ubject to
hUII3 .. ate between activily and destruction: 'Art ..... riting. give grace to the
IIOul condc-mned 10 the penalty of dealb. bUI in sucb a way not 10 forget if
(245). If Lyotard is right in dQcribill3 lhe alTcct ofmaller as an arrest that
musl he lestifioed 10 in art , then Ihis is. diffwm' tum away from h .. early
.... ork than the r>eed for judgemml discllS5Cd in the previous chap1<r. The
claim would be thaI lbe ""tiv. of lbe libidinal philosophy was slill
dependenl on the impooilion of an illciil imate slruclure that hid a more
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
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 con-
tingent 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 are rmdoered $ilenl by a Barnett Newman painting. There
caJl he pauern. of behaviour and arCistM: creation that break the bond of
pleasure and pain in tbe Lyotafd admil.l u mucb when be makes
distinclionl bet"au ""blime and nOll-llublime art. For Kant. however, the
Savoyard peasant who 'unhesitatinalY called all lovers of lOo ..... lI1Own.in.
fool.' (II S) can at Iea,t in prirlciple become ... bjec. to the sublime power of
the mountain$. 11Ii. ;, because the 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
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 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 and is always opea '0 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"<oct on. minimal. but_tial aeothetic 'sow': 'lbe aistiteiOil is
an event; tbe IOu! uisu only if that event stimulateS it; .... ben it is lackina. the
ooul i. dissipated into the Dotbingn of the inanim.te (24S). This claim is
false from lite poinl of view of libidinal eoonomy because any event takes
place in many atructUtel. The event of intensity disturt. each of these and
reatTaDgeJ ill internal configuration.
7
CONCLUSION.
A WITHDRAWAL FROM
THE POLITICAL?
NOSTALGIA AND ANAMNESIS
I .. ",",urin. lind .. ,he ""I< miahl be with tbe
tb<me of the sub!i ..... 1110 nihilist problemalica from whldl it
]>footeds is diffllSl in10 overy trun .... nt. U ..... ry and .nistie.
of tho ocnsiblc. Nihilism docs "",.;.an end the efficitncy of the
...... ' no, .. ,i.,... of ...... ncipation. it does not just load to ,he
.... 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 of Ih. f ... 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 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""
woh u th. connection of aUnelion and repulsion in a nq:alion
of on. anoll><r and in a negation of aclivity according to Ideas of rea50II
in Ibe sublime, then il will still fall prey to nihilism, The melancholic: tone
and anitude to aesthetic """nlJ in lyotard', lat., essays is testament to
'"
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JO '"",!,I' 1" 11"1 IlO!l'""'UI JO lI,,!!,,>j JO lIO!la<l!'l- III! lu!W""
"! it' ,.11 1"'1\ ""'!!'1M I -'II podso.dl _ lIIo\ woq"" 1_ "'II JO
1IO!l1ll' "", JO JKM'tIW 011 "! "Ue:Nq "! "!'l1 pu1 J1IOIKMI
0) tnd JO IIO!InIUIIfI n mq IIJ!qJo\I "! '*"II JIIJ JO pullOJ.
p22Uijd I:>pJ!od ... ;1OW!tqnl I JO I WOlj "P!IlI
os -''1. "! 0.1 IIJ!1OO"O'( Jo. ooaalSU! OUO WOJJ
P"II!WIVUl :Iq """ IIIp U* ....... JO :pi! "'II """ MI .......
JO IIIp MlJ .(.1" 1 )1<:1 JO 1110
100II\!A' .... ]1 q1no.lIlI "'''"" IWi!U!W. OJ!"bxC>! ' !A!).)I
"""II \II) ...oH ' _11'" I1J!l""'I ""I JO SIO!I!A!).)I "'!I II] ""!I
",,!I!!od .... !I!""ld * 11111 IQp1JoKl
:.::Id)
all I'InQI(I I] 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\ """" "'II lOJ ... ,u
""'"J lJ"'III JOJ p;l1F'!!OI 1OU;m;oomlll 'mo:p< ' 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! I'" lillp "1, """ pu1 do!PO) ,(oql
:sam).:olUl1! qtllO.l1ll _.11"1 JO JOJ :n!l" I "'"'"
JJ"I JO qJOlll. ' 1IlOUq :Iq 01 -"!-'! .... o! pu11J!1'1 JO :a:wl!lfI
""'ldoa MlJ ""'OIr- 1111' p;IoOlOfJOJ >q """ 1'=1[11"""" ON .. Id CfI[I
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 C<lnnot mncmb<r the event and all it
leaves us with is a nostalgia for its passing.
So. though the minimal soul in the grip of the is 'to be
thoughl IS being without memory'. tbis is \0 be seen as a diSCOl\tinuity in
lenns of whal il can carry fo ..... -ard with il knowlodgc rWhat comes back
in this IUM 10 come: is not Located in !he lime: of clock. and consciences. and
;t is not wnnh mncmberitlj'). But the", is a continuity in tbiot 'what is to
COTI>e. 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 P<l$t Ihinl without knowlod .. ofi!: 'That is why [t hl: ani$li<: "",tun: of
annilUlation] always induces a nO'llIlgia and motivates an anamnesis'
(tnmslation slightly modified. the original lranslation by Georges Van Den
Abeele p ...... 'amnesia' for """",,,be). The consistm<:y of a polil;';' of the
sublime would then come from the requiJe",enl to look ba<:k on lhe past as
sometlUng that cannot simply hi: ",membered. bUI as something tbiot must
.tiU hi: reworked in the SC1I .. of a F",udion suggested rccolJcction.
A of n""talpa and anamnesi. that moy take off from thl: Laler
CS8ays and from the book on Heidegger. 'IM , ... s. is not ,he
modem n""talgia discussed hI:", in Chapl .... 3 in the di5cussioo between
Derrida and l yotard - a nOSta)gia for apndir;ti<ity and to\.Olity_ It is ratMr
tM task of reworking the past so as to make us f ... l an unavoidable Ios:s. The
pall must be felt to return but ooly .. something ,hat cannot be IUUpenl1ed
and handled fuUy in IhI: p,....,,1. It is the",fo", t .. timony to tM WIly in
which Ihe pt'"H<1It annibilltt .. the past. The an-work. the "ron"",t political
...... would then hi: a "'minder of tM of tbe pt -ot 10 capture a pall
that condition. it. This not hI:. con .. rvative nostalgia. in !he SC1I .. of
...... roh for a pa.t that could and oughl to b< broughl baok inlO the p""""l-
tt is rather a way of remindinl ou .... ) ... of the limits - Ihe law - that bind
any ..... ion in the present. We must work in the !badow of that "'"
cannot finally bave dOM witb or lept CSC1"l1.
The evmt that condition. Lyotard', nostalgia and anamnt5.is most
'Iron&iy is Auschwitz. The minimali" and ab<tDOt art_works by L;"'beU.ind
and Wbiten:ad, for e.ample. would be pari of a struule apinsl the
btgclllony of '"PI "ntation in our media-dominated reflection "" history,
[Ab$traction. m;nimalism] continllC to lestify "after Au",hwiU;" to !he
impossibility for art and writing 10 testify for the Other (Hridqger n Ie.
83-4). Once lsain. impossibility i, fundamental to wbat lyotan!
un<krstands .. nostalgia and anamO>CSis. How can they be repea ted in
dilTen:llt Silu.olion . Ibat thl:y then connect. wit bout elevating the impossi_
bility to "" position of sin&k mO$t important of a poJitK:(> How
could that potit i<:s survi"" .. an activity that "",nl beyond singular illllanCC:l
L VOTA ItO AND THI! POLITI 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). o..c. this t _i., "'"'Y-
lhin& 111m 111m: CLII be DO ... y 0( CII$Uli!l& MUtt e..en for tlwse loCI$.
1'Iwte DO ....w"" or drive to oeaork tbe put in \be libidinal philo-
1Opb)'. Act,,,,, 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 w-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 .... bju, from ..,,;j
from 11>0 Kloction of affects (do DOl wiD IS free wb;<oct. .nortymily by
a\>lndoni"1 tnalysis, do 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 '''''''hiq 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 prin-
.. of 11:1 ..... po . ';Iy oIlow for critical wort apiall a aiYftO ou.te a.ood for
bene, one? 00 they . lIow for a 0/1. partio:uJar"", for
riahll and apinsl diJf;riminatioo and iIIjllltioe. for !WImple? Could they
form lhe bIsia for. political idoroIoty thai exoulcl <kfiot: and ai"" poidance
10 plUI,",1 ,",Up. 10 ..... Iiort or to hllJD.lllit:(/ TIle lI:Iivily in lICIi""
pusivil y is for pIIIivil),. not in the IlCIIIC of. spcciliot; paul"" 'tale sud! as
rtliaious doctrine .Dd lltiludc. bul itt the _ of ...,ical opc!lDell 10
ch&no;e .Dd to multiplicity. ThIIt activity is .110 apinlt ow mot! fll!liliar
bQes for political ICIivity: oubj ELIl. idcntil .... q"' iAo P" , ' I)N. So. evaI if
we WCtt to II .... thalacti.., puIivity is 110( a.d: 0( KtiIIn, it .1tiU iItrict
muicl;"'n 0( activily to puoivity.
TIW rc:strit-tiOII tbe key to lltidmllndina .... y this poIilD ClClpos
nibil"", II does IIOIloCti.C., punuc. wort IhmIIp or wort
defi",", iall.iIUlions, ph, idcrttities. Bul P"l ..... does ;. Iura .... y from
Aw:h ICIivitiet IlId ilLlo lilenne 0( DO illClioa IlId 0( DO ... for ICtioe.
TIwsoc """"n ;" tbe .nUlUono thai we an: ilLvoIwd ill and ill lhe _y ill
whiclt we _ k 10 allow mince 10 ha"" hud ill their InolllformatiOll.
AClive plSlivily is not I deuiIl of the importlnCe IlId inlClllity of the
poIilical Slno::\u .... lhal dell .... aiYftO sillll.tioa. On the _1fI1)'. u.- an:
the mlterial il hal to work 01\ itt terms of iDtro<Iucinl chaooc eIICOWllm
.nd diminalinilltoc belief in puler DDntrol of poli tical Slno::\ures throu&h
the ,ubject, ICIf-idocntity . Dd ocleCIioro. The poinl wiU _ be tn
OJ.
CONCLUSION
The main concept of libidinal economy. dissimulation,
implic$ that .tructura an: always necessary. But. equally. tbey an: always
open to the unpredictable occurrentt orinto""itito. libidinal economy is a
Slnitegy thai _kJ 10 1_ struclUres and 10 opon lbern up 10 ........
possibililies de6ned as now com'ol'<Clion. wilh olMr structures Ihrough tbe
unpredictable: oa:urrencc of int.nsitito defined a. and desires.
TIle ""'logy docs nol it .. ]f ha"" a g<>allhal can be .hooen. in tn. ..",.. of
gu<lnlnleed or defined in torms of lhe oIaCt connections and Inlnsfonnation
it involves. So, oven Ibough there is nn wilhdrawal from the political in the
...... of always having 10 work wilh political bodies. issues and tMwies.
then: is a wiIMnI",.1 in the srn .. ofonking 10 act within theooc bodies wilh
00 idea of the exact consequences of our action$. But 0...,0 this i. not 10 puU
back from "",lI-<klonnined actions, since the search for cha!ltt is given in
lhe positive principles of the blurring of bQrde .... of multiplicilY and failun:.
and the ""l!ati"" principles again$! f<toe choice ... If.analysis and lbe .. Iec-
lion of affcu . libidinal r:oonomiSIO work with wbal is given. in terml of
the structures lhal organise tbe int...,<ilies tlLat grasp them. TIley work in a
posit;"" way witb resp:1 10 Ih .... otructUf'OS, in lhe .. n .. of _king to
allow lbem 10 chaogo. However. they cannol plOI or promi .. the outcome
of lhal chango. They an: nol nihilim lxcau .. Ihoy affirm their int.nsitic$
and lbe 51ructures that organise them by inviting funner intensilieo and
lraooformationl of 51ructun:. Thai invilalion is not a nogalioo nftMI whidt
is opened up to ........ lxcausc il canJ>Ol 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 ....... of lbe
political gon""ted by a philooophical rcar of
Wbal w<>uld be inIC .... ling would be to l lay put, but quic:tly ociu
.""ry chance 10 fullClion as good intcn<ity"<XIndu<=ling bodies. No
need for declaralions, maoif .. I .... orp.nizatioo .. provocation!,
no need for exemplary actions. Sel diSlimulation 10 work on behalf
of inl"".ities. Invulo""ble oonspiniCY. beadlc:ss. Iwmeloss. with
neilh..- program",. nor proPI. deploying a Ibousalld caI>CCrou'
tensors in the bodi .. of &igm;. We invenl nOlhing. thafl it, yes. yes..

(262)
;, no withdrawal. in lhe .. n .. of a night 10 a place ",mol. from
political .it uation$. 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. familiar
polila l Itnxlu .... (declarations. manif .. t .... organisation prograJlU'JleO
and project, ) an: &il" within which must follow tbe principl .. ofacti""
'"
LYOTA RD AND THE POLITI CAL
puoivity in order to allow DeW, dcotabilising intensities 10 0CCIIl. So ' Ibe
political' is M""sary but 00{ primary. II is a COOlingmt coolel<l and 110{ a
ground.
Lyotard', invulnerability is tbcn defined with raped to nihilism in aU
its tIliditionaJ Sui..,., Niltilism is introduced with the ... ptloruJ
implicit in the differenl identitiel defined by declaration., manif .. t"" and
orpnisaUon.. II is implied by tbe endlessly deferrtd aoall of programmes
and pro;ects, with their depen<\en<:e upon utopian sips: f<=lom, truth,
peace and j uOlice. It is also present in the iUUlio"" of 1taninS from or
arrivinS bad: to a home, or being guided by and fightin& ror a leader.
F1ti!ure, defined u the momenl when one fl:ds or becolnes corw;;ious of lbe
of the political structures that ba .... bcea adopted aJ the core of our
identity, isllOt a threat for Lyotard's ac:tive pasaivity. It invites thai f1tilure
as an aUy in tbe IrigerinS of iDten';!), and mo, u .. cut within Itructura _
this is whal maies it invulnerable.
A POLITI CS FOR WHOM?
However, even if it is the cue thai Lyotard does 001 simply tum !til back on
ImitionalICD
5F5
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 <''''''' 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 oconomy is not easily "" ible.
bul neither is it a form of osotericism. So ... hal bapporuo if we all bccomt-
COtUpiralors? 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 essen-
tial buman lubjca 0' soul. Neither are inlensily and SUUd.ure to
a tram.;endcntal atUll)'3is, for eumple, where the development of .tructure
""
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 memlOl: 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 tnmllOOn<ieol
human _ are analysed and shown to be u .... tisfadory only within
aooounu 0( how intensilies affect a specific give"!! tbiq. Lyotard attempts to
""nw the: following. but always in Thi!lg$ do 1>01. 'happen to' W.
Inslead. IIIe structures V. Y. yo lhat organise and exploil intensities - 0010
how tbe ohorthand (or (eelings and desires .. misleading allhis point - aro
rearranged iOlo difTmnl W. W'. W" by tbe unfOl ' able
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 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 defined as the oo:urretIoOO of an
inten, ity. DeW (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
'"
L )"OTAIIO AND TIU POLITICAL
or<krt<l 5eries. TIley do DOt beloDJI to a slructure of earryin. over: nOlhiDJI
one is rt<liscoven:d in !be OIber, at leut aolong aocacl:t i. formed ao a
son of cyclone around a heart which is lbe whose tff""l1
prolongs and which flees' (J61. Ibis passage is. commentary on and a
conclusion dnlW1l from t,," 'acts' ofa frirod of L)'OlMd'. as be pa,U' a bad
and good nigln pursuing, but .......... quite oonfronling a woman be W3S 0"""
in love with. "The: friend is gradually dnl"'" ;nlo S1ructures: one free
of the woman. then one rdlccting on her in an abstract way. then D ... that
seeks to rt:m.ind him of her. and One Ihal drives him to 5trange IOrt of
(Ihal may also be an invitation).
Each change in structure or labyrinth is dri""n by an unpredictable
moounler. such .slulpponing on. picture thaI bears a to t,," loved
on". oVer which lhe friend has no control in tenm oftbe p"lIcm of behaviour
Ihal proud .. il: ' It must DOt be said Ihai lhe moounter tak .. place in tbe
labyrinth; Ih"labyrinth issues from !he encounter' (36). Lik.!be polilics of
libidioal ..",nomy, it is WfOnllo uk lbe question 'A labyrinth for whom?'
Ihis point. ThtK is nO 'whom' independenl of !be cncountm and the
multiplicity of chaotically unfoldinllabyrinlhs.lltt is DO person. people or
laws of peoples independenl oftbe enoounlm. "The: CQo tinuity of!be friend as
lhe person who experiences aDd acts. of Lyotard ... observer, is illusory in
lerm. of the mommt of moounter of structures and inltD,itics ("c:"done
around a hean'). W. - any people, or person _ may dnj"" a K1lIC from
Lyol ard's """""",nl. but that ..", ... is fal ... pupa"'tion for our own
oncountm and ll>en: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
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<luoe prev;ou. CDOOUOle ...
to repetition. in lhescose that !be stfUClurcs or lahyrinlhs thatlhe)' gil"" ri .. IO
arelllk.n to he in some way impervious to new e"""unte ... of the .... dicaJ form
thaI LYOllird describes. This detcriptiOD;S Dot .Uied 10 an argument for the
value of .... dical enoounters or events, as it is in Lyotard's later philMOphy
Ihrough the f""liDg of lbe wblime.Jt;s .1Iied to an observation of the nihilism
that foUows from Ih" breaking of lhe illusion. A political identity ;n the form
of a people or perlOn ".gates discontinuity and impermanence. but thereby
loses any defma: against its return in !be form ofintttl,ity: 'Always lost,
when we believe we make OOIIIC ..", .. of it, wben. for example, we attribule
such an emotion 10 an un<lrrlying support. 10 ourselves. to a person' (JSI. NOI
so much. libidinal politics for intensity and against Slruct=. !ben. but a
politics with intensity in ruucturcs. inch;ding tbooc of perlOD.hOl)d and
peopl .. if !bey haPpc1IlO lui ... a lrip "" ....
'"
CONCLUS ION
LYOTARD, TRUTH AND PRI NCIPLES
Whal is the nltus of the concepts 'iUusion' aDd 'falK' in Lyotard'$IW1! aw:ay
from fu.ed identities and values? His 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 are 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 of the sublime wilb
no basi, on 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$, or (,,'M,
lhat the laltT wort lacks, So, somewhat oddly, given tile wild .tyle of the
earlier works and the mon: obviously philosophical roots of tile later WIlrks,
the libidinal philosophy 1Iand, up IIMt from tbe point of view of I _",h for
lhe n>OSl ooomleOI and def"""ib!e philosophical and political position,
Indeed, lbe main daim ofthi. book, in lerm, of ","dings of Lyotard', work,
is that hi. and other commenlators' bias loward, the later work is miSlaken,
In compamon to n.e Diff"ntd. UbidiItaJ EaHtomy is a mon: effective and
can:ful response 10 the ihn:al of \he nibm"" thai can be tTa<'ed back 10
LyoWd', early -..ork 00 Algeria.
However, this sceptical and sometimes violent ruction to LibidiNJ/
is cao.ily understood, since;t is invited by the book" auit"'" 10
araument and to the mana",m"n! of the feelinp of ill ruden, It is
provo",,;ve and can appear i""'PQnsibie. above all with n:spcoct 10 tnidi,
tional ... of UDdentanding Innb and political action. I have COMidemI
the probk:"s implied by this approadl in terms of its &fJ\UIImts and , latUl
.. theory in Chapter 3, The IICCIlU.tion that it is merely a fanciful mela,
physics was answtred in OIapter 4. 1be oame chapter also "",ponded 10 the
problem of tile Ippa=lt Jack of poailive direction for the phil<*>phy and
politics; this was tackled mainly in 1C1tII. oftbe '1 .... lion of whether libidinal
CICODOIIIM:s involves a oolJaboratioo with ("pitaliom as oppo)lo)(l lD a
coD$piracy within ;1, In Chapter S, lbe problem oftbe lad of jud&COienl and
'"
LVOTA!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
bec<tmc clear th.t these aMwn. were um.atisfaclO<}' from the point of"';"'"
nf a philosophy aOO a thai .liU dung In lhe possibility nCo resJlOC'
ti,..,ly, .... 1I.grounded and linear argument, thaI aUowtd absolutely nortain
roncltlSioos to be dntwn; a final distinction made bet........., metaph)'!ica and
a pu .. positive philosophy tbat owed nothinj to speculation and inve,uioo;
an ideal polilical Jituation tbal P'" direction 10 political .IruaaJn withoul
owing anything 10 Ih Iat .. Ihal it sought 10 resist Or escapo; just judge-
ment. defined as a conscious aOO impartial capacity 10 decide upon tM jUSl
and lhe true.
So lhe tTellt,""nt of lruth d:5:ribed at lhe OUI.I of Ihis section is
paradigmatic of Lyotard' , philosophy as a whole in that it is resistant 10 tM
demand for independenl foundations for pItiIosophic:a1 argument and
polilical action. This is not the place 10 d;,cuQ lhal resistlInce in general; il
is II trait and p(rltaps weakness of many of the important .trands of
1"""tietlKcntwy thnughL H""..,.,.... bis philosophy is of panicu-
lar inte"""' in ''''0 important "'.Y'. Fin'. d ... '0 ,he direct w.y in which he
hi. anli-foundalional position. that is. through an enpl'llIellt with
political issun aOO common e,pe-rimces without a .... rch for a high poetic.
or historical. or detached academic lIIyle of thoughl. Lyotard makes lhal
position uncomfortable;n a very brutal manner. 'There is no veil _ a no",l
Knd difficult ,tyle of thought - hiding lhe implicali-oM of his lit.;dinal
philooophy, For each of Ih. possibilities di:ocarded abo", there is a raw and
,,"ually explicit result. Int"Jwetarion and argu"""'t be<;ome malign, requir-
in, an antagonistic approach _ ODe tUI does not so much _k 10 follow
and simply underslltnd. as cynically make a place for ntw intensities and
.tructu .... Reality is made to coincide with mc:t.apllysical model. in a way
lhal elevates an abo .... scienoe. e"", in tlte realm ofJCionce (in
for example). abandons conscious hopes and ideals, lhough not tho
.tructu",," in which thooe hopei and ideal. a .. aniculated. With thai
abandonment, the", is also an opennes.s 10 (ruelty, defined pmcist:ly as an
op(nnesa to intensities and thoir u painful change in a void of
judgement.
Apin, il is nOI 1M point he", to seek 10 diomiss these results or judge
them from a point of"';"'" that cannot a.t:e:epI how they .'" arrived al.
In.I d. I want to i!lllist on the po>ili", 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 b e I ~ n B that we
can live without them.
'"
BIBLIOGRAPHY
liard .... Roland 1980: So&r> tn_. Pa"" Seuil.
llaudrillud. J ..... IJ72: F .. OUiqw <J/,/tr MIbJ 0 i_, "',/W Sip. , ..... C.
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1971, no. "'in<J< "';0" ,.:n, ....... M . .......... 51 ] " .. , . Toioo.

19119: Ai Jr , ....... C. TIImcr. NO'6' "ott: Vono .
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UaMniIy !'reM.
dE .......... Mipd 1993: H. W.U" .,.., ... '<Jiflbl. t""""'" Ro." .....
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<;'aff'Oll, Oo..;,j 11111: _ . ... tIn: 1" '/'. L,.,._ .(II .. ' ! Looduoo: ROIIIIodfo.
CUloriadit, Comdilll 1911a: L'&pn",,"'" m .. , ... , ......... hris: U..,.,
otamlc ,,'U;.iono.
--== 1971b: u. -"" J IWcr'T.'ipr. hrio: UniQn GOtmIc ,,' &!ilion<.
0. ....... Oilks I98J: Nkr--KM _ nono. H. III ... YDrI<:
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19M: F-..J' ........ Scb Halld. M;"""'pOl;" Uni""";.y 0( MiN "5 >(1
1990:: 1M II! s.-. 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 ; t ,. , _ SdIL..,..
, ' " h . ...... R, H .. toy, M. s..m.. H. I.&nc. New Yon:
1917: A n o ........ B. Mw' Mo.-polio: U ....... il7 01
M;,. ., .... _
Dolo 'Y. c;;n.,. """ ....... F .. "'!;fto 19'U: ' A .. _ d. ...
........... .T_'" ' 0"",,, )041. 162_' .
Do,, " hoq .... IIII'J: 'Some ... _,.""" Ir1IiItB. a\>c>Id
pool ....... potuitismo. and t>l1KT.....u orismo' in O. Carroll (od.1
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.
1917: lAtin a/ m.;,,'tra,lItft. 1..oncIoa: Vmo.
'"
BI BLIOGRAPHY
Fariu, Viaor 1989: Heid<aFr ODd Nazism. Philadtlpbil' Temple Uni"""";\)' Prat.
Ferry, Loo<: ODd R .... ull, Alain 1985: Ul P"'* M. Pa ... , Gallim.ard.
Freud. Sia;mwsd 1911: &y<MJ 'N n"'AIU f'M:ipk. traa . J. su.<:IIq. Loodon:
"--
Foucault, Mi<:bd 1m: n.. Nu,,,,, of Sn:w"lI,y: "" 1.,r<Jdu<II<wl. 1:aI. R. H..n.y.
H. """""'.....,.u,: Pmfuin.
1987: n.. lIu of PItaAlt: ,'" Nil",,"y of Vot- 1. Inn . R.
HurIo)'. "",,,wn.
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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:
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Mocmillan.
_ :-_ 1980: 011.,... of Irati . l. C. Meredilh. Oxford, Oarendoo.
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19110: PoI;,inl/ I+'n,..,., ed. 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: L<l jktlolt do j>OIj,.,.... Patio, CbrioIW, 1kMl1JOis.
Looolle-Lobonbc, Philippe . nd NI"'Y. J ...... Loo<: ( .... ) 1981: in F".. Ii< rloDmto,.: <I-
do ''''Nil .. JGafII" lXrTW. Paris: Gatilho.
Philippe 1996: ' In'nvitw 'O'ilb J._f . LyotIrd. Libha,l<wl. 2l No_ber.
,-
LyoUrd. J...,fronwio 1<Jol8: ' N .. .., 1925. T""I" Modi ... ... ll. May. 2OS2_1.

19loo1: Ul l'U"' Iw'" .qw. Porio: p, .u .. Uni,.....;tai ..... de f railU.

1971: Dix<NT"jipn. l'orio: Klincl:oiek.
1973: "",'ir Ii< Mar" " FTNd. Paris; Unloo! Gt..trale dEd;'io ....
2nd <dn with _ pm..,. Patio: IW.. (T ...... at 1_.)
197.: &-w IIbItio . " Paris: Minwl. (Trans. al 19\130..)
Ima: / ... """_ .... fro IL' . I'aris; Galil<e.
197Th PI 11 .... " pafM.r. Paris; 1001S.
lme: Lt. 7h>Iiif_, ..... _ GalilOo.
-4" ""t<. pan.: CIuio,Ian 1kN,..,... (T"' .... . , 1_.)
19800.: 0.. ou,....;li[. "",,_h. :zr.t odn wilh _ pm""". ""rio:
Christian Bowp>is. (Font edn. Paris; Uniorl Gtntnle d'&Iilions 197).)
:
=== 1_ u. p,.,,;. Ii< priol l<U. Om . M."...
198), LL tJifftTttOJ. _ Mm';I. (T"""'. at 1988a. )
1_: Lp .... '""'" Ii< 1' ..,........,. P'"'' pHol",. M_,. Talonc:e: L.e
CuI", A.!tnII.
---19341>: D<1fr-Iu. New Yotk;
'"
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lyo1ord. krnF",.",.w. 1984c: n.. 1'",_ c-JitiM: Q &t-' 1M KN>o.'w,..
'ram. G. IknnlnJIDD . 1>II 8, Musumi. Manc:bosI.., Mancha, .. UI1i"";1)' p""",
:
==: 1984<1: tk I'lttltlltc,wI., Paris; G.lilbe,
19U.: J ... , tra ... V. Godiid>, MiDI_polio: of
Mi._. Press.
=
::::=19l!5b: LJ. I_'"*-,,. Pario: Centre Goo ..... I'ompidOll.
1986; L III ni'"", Lm,irnN tI. l'!Wroi ... Pa";': Galil<c.
1m: Sm ... communil'. itt u CaIIitr .. CoI/itt tk
I'III"-P/W. l. Paris: Osiris:
_-::-, I9Ua: n.. DiJJ<rrnd' PiullXJ hr 0;",.". In .... , O. VOD DaJ Abcck.
Ma""l><>t<r. M.""l><>tcr Univeml)' Pt-..s.
=
:::: 19881>; ,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.
Pa,;,,: lleli .
- ::-- 19880: 1'"""11.,,, ...... 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 "" L)'<>Iatd. nu. .......,"" is . .... il.lbIt in <:Ot>5Wt1lJ' Updaled
ro,m on II>< at
ioo.:l.btml. This comprel>l:nsi", sil<: and its ... "", tIllli ..... te tbe otandatd rot
lyoutd bibbop'ap/ti<>.)
--0-:-:: 1989:0: u. """" .... &ti, .. ed. M. RarodaJD, ... ris:
Galilbe. (Tra ... al 199k.)

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- _ Pari&; GaliIOe.
1991<: t/'.,y-.. Paris: Galil6o.
199Jb: N",."jil" prolmot/ ..... . Paris: Galil6o. (TraM. a, 1997,)
199k PoIill<IJI Wrllio,s, Ino>, and ed. !lill Readinp and Knill hul
Griman. London: UCL.
=
== 1996: Sipi MIlirr1Ia. Pari<: GruooI.
1997: !'wln'- f .n FIJbk 'nI .... O. Va n daJ Abba:1<. M ...... polis;
U.i ...... i'y of Min.....,... 1'fnI,
:---C 1998: CIoombt, _do: r.t/kJu,hillqw tI. MoIroou, Pario: GaliI6o.
l)'Otstd. Jein F.......,;, "m. 1988: U. wItim tI. S. J ..... FrtJJtrt>U
I.yotl"t/: Rim;.., Itt _ "",,;, . lilIt: Los oaltitrs <Ie philooop/Ue.
M.kkrcol. RudoIpIt 1\l9O: 1"",po.,,/010 and Inl.,,,,,ldl/oio I>t Kilnl : ,Itt H .... k' .... , .... 1
imp<><' Df"" Crltiqw of loti."' .... ' . CIbc:a&o: of C1>ieoan Preu.
McrIea ... Ponl)', Maurice 19116: Snu" ___ . Paris: N .
NoD<)', Jnn-lllO 19l!S: Dits I ... . In J""" .... Oerrido u. FortJI' '* """,
Paris: MiDlIit.
___ 1991: ' Lap"", judicii'. ' .. ns. D. Webb &1>11 l, Williams. Pit n.. w"",,"*
J_' Df D. 16-40.
Nitwche. Friodrith 1961: no., Spo*. 2Mt1rl ... "",. t ..... R. J. HoIliD.ak,
Penauin.
, ..
BI BLIOOII. ... PflY
-:--:- I96Ba: no Wi/I '6 f'twHT, 'ran., W. ""ur .... "" ood R. J. Hollillplt.
London: Niooloon.
--- I968b: T>rll(fl.r '" r 1d04 tJNJ rM ,fnriC/JriJ" 'ra"', R, J. Itollingdalt.
Ito,."..,..;lswonh: """",in,
Ramdani. MoIwnm<d 1989: 'L'AlFri<, un dilf<muj" in Lyotard 1989a. 9_31.
Readinp.. 8iI11991: Lyottm1, ,fll tmd f'iJlirk . l.oodon: RoulkdRC.
---" 1992: 'Pap"', ,." ,eo ,, primitivn? EJo,.,rimrntal iustice ill ,be empi'" of
apillO,l". in BctojAmin 1991.
::--0 199); ' Fmrw<>n1; tbe md of tbe poIilio:al', in l yowd 19930:.
Ro"y, Richa,d 1989: IroJiY. S<Jiid:uj,y. Cambridr<' Cambridr<
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1<n2; LJU. Pan.; Scuil.
u.
1980: H. Paris: Sewl.
1981: f'aNJdis I. 1'uU; Galiimard,
1'1'10: [)O-"""' . Paris: Galiiman!.
WilliAms. 10"'" 1998: Lyotunl: T"" ..... ob d f',mlMdmi f'Ioi/oscpily. Combtld&<:
Polily Praa.
'"
I NDEX
0CIi>< po";";.y S7-1i1. aRd an
and ""ptalism 7f>.-$9: .nd
<OIlabor;o,ioD Th=I; and o<>rupifa<)'
l4!l; I nd Froud and poio'i.,
1.J..=j; and politial " CiteS)' LTh and
political llrut1Un:s I JI-4!; principle$
of S - 6! . J..g; .Dd nihilism lJ2; . oo
_lJia 1l!; Ind d .. sublime 9'-':
and ,ruth tho .. ithd",wal
from tbe politial 118 40
Theodor M
aIlIrmation ,U. TI. &l
AI#rio M. . ....
capitalism 13_21: and \lit difT.",nd
9_ 13; and bbidin.al OOOftomy 23_32:
.00 truth !ldJ
a1im1tiotl 26,,1
.... mn<Sis 1l6d
D'Am, ADdre-Mum L22
i-f""ndUo .. lism I.4.bS
Bonbes, Roland 6!i
BaLJdebi .. 66
Baudrillanl, JnD 1]
do lkiltqui, Miauri 11
IIcIUlWJ'OI>, 0e0ifIq' lbJ.2
bioarl phy 1
ikHlrdieu, p;..,.. ],I
'"
boUI.....,; ... 19.-21: and rcvolutiooo 2h.Z
Buz""'ih' , William '"
C"&,,. John ,y, ill
capitoli>m lJ_27: 7'9-89: .nd AIFV-
I) 24; I nd <r>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
o.in<o< <ro6co
Ooran. !i.M. UI
Co/bon M
coloniali>m lJ
commonplaoo iI6
oommuna tion 1. l.O1
rntiq ... 28_33. 43 .... , S2
orud.y !l1. 100-1. 1-"
W_ U
o."unay, Sonia 66
Dol . .... , Gilln ll. 68.

'16; . 00 Ibt diffrnnd UO_l;
OM urn,;", 1.21
depolilici!.alion 26,,1
D<..n.u. J""I_ ll. U1
des;", t. b 6()..70. and.,..". &b!
0.-.. ,. ... lkli
dialectial
diff...,nd 4. :t 01 poIi,a of
116_8: and j"",*,n .. ", 108_ 10; . nod
<OOII01I\y 'lld; and nihil;""
Ltt and revolution l2-2
diMimulolion Sl. a 16:
D"""'mp Marui Ul. l36.
IND!lI
............... IJ - l'; and AI"';' 1}-17
.......
.. pllno.ioD J
F...!i .... 2. ); _ <Iooirc: ",blir<oo
Fut)'. L"" Jot
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 !!.@. lj
<Mi'rrqo. Geoos lIbS
CNyet. hili IlI1
o,..a.. Brioe 61

It,S" (l.W.F. ;!!!, LlIl
H.idtL Mortilo
........ i.,.9
H
. ' _n' _ .... U
..... . P" _ ._""
b ....... ri&hU l.2l:.l
ldeuof. -'" 14, 11 ..... 16, 119; and
b"""';,y 119- 29; and irony 122-4;
and ............
Ill!: aod a"i6ciaJ
Ill; and bUltWt;1y Wi and Idol of
,ho 126-7; """ niltilisnl !l!- l;
aDd Itit_ lk1ion III
IAIb..I
;I0Il1 JJ..l.=fi
Mllbod. R.""'Ipb 1111
Mal ..... AAdti 1_'
Man &ad .. rlta...-
...... &lid 'I" ....... 1i=lI
-a 1.1-4. ll:l
..... 1tO' 1ll-4; """ oiItiliut> Uk4
......... llhl
;;;;;;;';'iliom M_S
Mcr\e;t ... 1'O<I'1. Mo,,",," 1b1
.......... '. 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.
'"
. ;hilitr ' -,t. 19.
UI. aDd <lIP' &1- and
lho
d
.... .... _
ilK ud PO"'" 6l
"-voir 116-9: and 'n,m 117-J;
...
'w ,. 0'-.. h
" ... '1 ,
- ,
_ !!; uti POP";"" 99-100
poiaE' s ll:L 11
punch;''' !!. ,.
p ' .iIy 1
I 'a,,,, 22:!1
Ii .' ' ., e: _ 101 ....... 1'0<117
pIwuo "lit, .- t
'"
INOEX
PlaIO L!U
artion I
polilia.1 """""",j'y 1llJ
pta ..... l.,. 119 21; and
n<pli';,y 119 26
2d.. i. IlS--<lS; and an :I. i; and
Ibt politbl 7_8_ IN po..;,j,y;
dilformd
Po!Iock. Jacuan 7(1
pop an 1B
no. CoNJilioft 'il
JIO'lmodtmi.", [Q. !.1 n; a nd 1M
jnhuman 128-9
JIO'UlfllCt.noIism L J.Q. ll.
p<olari>l .l:Q. 2bS
P'roost. M,roe!
quictiYn II
_ 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
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