Badiou, Alain-The Communist Hypothesis

143 Pages·2010·2.48 MB·English

TheC ommunist
Hypothesis
ALAINB ADIOU
Translbayt ed
DaviMda ceayn dS teCvoer coran
VERSO
Lond•o Nne wY ork
Firsptu blisihnEe ndgl isbhyV er2s0o1 0
©Verso2010 Contents
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'AB riCehfr onoolftg hyCe u ltuRreavlo lution'
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Firsptu blisahsl:e hdy potcMosmem uniste PreambWlhaetI: s C allFeadi lure? 1
Appendfiirsxtp ublisas hPerde sentdea MtaioonD, e la pratiqeuetd e la
contradiction,a vecune letdt'Arlaei Bna dieotlu a r epoden sSel avZoiZje k
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Alrli ghrtess erved
l.M a'y68 R evis40 iYtearse Odn, 43
Them orarli ghotfts h aeu thor and translataosrs ehratveed been
2.O utloiafBn eeg inning 68
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Verso WheIrtseh Ree al? 91
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USA2:0 J ayS treet,1 0SluOBi,rt oeo klNyYn1 ,1 201
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ISBN-I937:8 -1-84467-600-2 AP oliDtecilcaairloa ntP oolni tic1s68
BritLiisbhrC aartya loignPuu bilnigc ation Data
A catalorgeuceof rodtr h ibso oiksa vailfraobmlt eh Beri tisLhi brary IV ThIed oefCa o mmunism 229
LibroafCr oyn grCeastsaI oging-in-DPuabtlai cation
AppenLdeitxftor.em Ar l aBiand itoou
A catarleocgo frodtr h ibso oiksa vailfarboltmeh Lei braroyf C ongress
SlajZv iZoekO:nth eW orko f MZeadoon 2g6 1
TypesbeyHt e weTre xUtK LtdE,d inburgh
Printientd h UeS Ab yM aplVea il
PreamWhbaltIe s:C alFlaeidl ure?
I
hem id7-01ss9a wt hbee ginnoiftn hgeesb b
Tth'er ed dueschaedirene'bd y t hfeuo rfold
circumsotfan natcieolsni able rsattriuogn(g ilne s
VietannaPdma lesitnpi anret ictuhwleoa rlrd)w,i de
studaennydto umtohv em(eGnetr mJaanpya,tn h,e
USA, M.ex).fi,.cac t oo rreyv oltsa n(IdFt raalnyc)e
andt hCeul tuRreavlo luitnCi hoinnI atfi. n dist s
subjefcotriimnva re e sisgunrreedrn i,d nae r eturn
toc ust-oimnsc luedltieoncrgca uls t-odmesf erence
towsa trhdcea pi-tpaalroliamoern' tWeasertrni'a n
ordert,hc eao nndv itchttaiwotoa nns to metbheitntge r
ist ow ansto metwhoirnsIgetf . i nidtissn tellectual
formi nw haitnF, r anacceq,u itrhveeed r syt range
namoef ' thnee wp hilosDoepshpyti'ht.cee h n age
ofn amwee,h avhee rael,m ousntc hanagltelhd e,
argumoefnt thAsem eriacnatni -comomftu hnei sm
2 THEC OMMUNISTH YPOTHESIS PREAMBLEW:H ATI SC ALLEDF AIULRE? 3
1950sso:c iraelgiisamtre leso athdseosmpeo tisms isn owo bsomlaeitnebl,ey c atuhseeir sne ol onag er
anbdl ooddiyc thaitpoAsrtt.s h lee vetlh seot fa te, sinpgolwreef sutlac tlea itmoi cnbogem muonrei vsetn,
thsioscl ii'astto tiaalniimtsuamsbr'tec ontrwaistthe d sociMaalnirysh te.ct aodlre iviceosfe ohuabrveseee n
represednetmaotcwirhvaiecwc yhh i,il iteos fc ourse recyictnlh e'edw a agra itnesrrto r'i Fnwr haienhc,cah s,
impeecritfbs,y f atrh lee absaftdo romfg overnment.t akoenthn e g uiosfane a n-tIislcarmuissAatnd ydee .t
Att hmeo rlaelv wehli,ic sht hmeo sitm poritna nt noo ne scearni boeulsitlehyava p eta rticruellairgiisotu s
philiocstaoelpr hwmesm ,u sptr eatchvhea loutfeh se ideotlhoiagbstya ckwardi-ntl eoroomkfisi ts nsog c ial
'frweoer clnedt'r oenad n d probtyt ehcUetn eidt ed visiaonfnda, cs isitnbi octi htc so nceopfat citoino n
StatBeesc.ai uhtsa ees n diendfi a luarloelv etrh e anidt osu tcocmarene, p laap creoi msoefu niversal
wortlhde, comhmyupnoitishastec sriism inal utopeimaa ncispuaptpioobrnytt herdce een tuofric ersi tical,
thmauts tw gatiyaov c eut luor'feh umraing whhtisc'h, internaatnido nsale culatrh eapxthp illooistoepdh yt he
combitnhceeus ol ftf reedo(mi ncloufdc ionugr,s e, resouorfsc ceisea nncde mobaittl hiveze erhdye, art
feredoomfe ntesretp,hr feier edotmoo wnp roperty oft hien duaslmt eritrsoeptsoh,leei n thuosfib aostmh
antd og rorwi cthh aitst hmea tegruiaarla onft ee workaenrdis n lteecltLuuamlpsi.n g Sttoagleithne r
alolt hfeerre doamnsad)r epreseinnwt haitciho n anHditl ewra asl reaas diygo nfe xtmreie ntellectual
Gooidsa v ictGiomoi.dsn e vaenry tmhoirntegh an povetrhtneyo :rb myw hiacnhcy o lleucntdievret aking
thset ruggleE vaiwglha,ii cinhsts atn tamtoou nt hatsbo e j ugdeidsi w,ta arsg eudt,hn eu mboefdr e aths
saytihnwaget m ust cafroterh oowsnhelpo yr esent icta usIf tehswa.et rr ee atlhlcey'>a. et,hh eu gceo lonial
themseolrwv heoas r,ee x hibaistt hevedi ,c toifm s genocaindmdea ss satchrmeei sl,lo ifdo enasit nth hse
EviAlsf. o r iEitvse i vle,r ytthhtaihtnfe ger eW est civiwlo rlawdna drt sh rowuhgihc hW esofturo rg eidt s
desniagtaess swuhcahRt,e agcaanl 'lteEhdev il might,b ees nhooutugdolhi d s creveedinitn ht ee,y oefs
EmpiWrhei'cb.rh i unsgbs a ctkoo usrt artpionign t: 'philowshoeopx htteohrlems oi'rr a tlhipeta yr,l iamentary
thceo mmuIndieasant,sd oo n. regiomEfeu sr oapnAedm eriWchaa.wt o ubleld e ffotr
Forv ariourse astonhsip,sr opagmaancdhai ne thowsheso c riabbboRluietg hHtoswc? o utlhdeg oy on
4 THEC OMMUNISTH YPOTHESIS PREAMBLWEH:A TI SC ALLEFDA ILURE? 5
singtihpnerg sa eiosfb ourgdeeomiosc arsa cotynh ley Ita lclo medso wtno a simple stnaetgeamteinvte
formo rfe laGtiovoaedn mda kipnogm pporuesd ictionst haitsa sb aladsi it sfla atn ads n akaesdt hdea y
abotuott aalniitwsahmre tinh eayrs et anodnit noogpf iwt abso rns:o ciawlhiiswcmehsr ,te h ceo mmunist
heaopfvs i ctLiummsp?it nogg eHtihtelSret raa,ln idn Idea'sc onocnfrlroeymt sfe,a l iecdo mpleitne ltyh e
BiLna denonw l oolkisak b el afcrakc Iet.i n dicates twentcieentthEu vreytn.h ey hhaatdvo re e vteor t
thoatud re mocWreastti ncio snt eof osu sayb otuhte capitaanlndio sngm-a elitdaorigamTnah .af tal iuorfe
natoutfrh ehe i stfoeuriliuc ts tekose eiptp sor paganda thIed elae auvse sw nioct hho igcievt,eh nce o mplex
machriunnen Iiitntrs gu .te h ,at thedsaey sh,ao sti hte r oft hcea pitoarlgiasntio zfpa rtoidounac nttdih oen
fisthof r Aytf.e trw soh odretc aodfce ysn icunaelqluya l staptaer liamseynsttaermy. o rnL oiwtke,eh aivte
prospieitris int th gyer, oi afpt ruhliys tocrriisacinasdl toc onsteoin ftto lra cokfc hoiAcnedt. h aitsw hy
hatsof ablalc okni t'sd emocprraeetntiscia'os ni st, we nhoawvt eos ave threa tbthahenacrkn os n fitsec a
appetahora sv e befeonsr o dmoei ntgi me, with tthheeh mah,ne odlu bpti lltioo nrtsih caehn g di vneo thing
ofw alalnsbd a rbedf-newcietrsoke e eopuf toe rigners, tot hpeo ,os renta tioangaaliwsno srtk oeffrr ose ign
ac orruapntsd e rvmieldeio av,e rcrporwidsaeondnd s oriwghienn epvoesrs iabnldie,na ,w ord, keep tight
iniqulietgoiussl aptrioobnil.tse h mTia ihttls e e ss and contornao llflsro mosfp oveirnot ryd teoer n sutrhee
lecsasp aobfcl oer triunpgl oictasl calnbidue ynitnegl e survoiftv hapelo werfucLh oNiIotc eeyl,ol u ! As our
offt hfee crioofuosir gner egiomfte hsMe u baraankds ideolaodgmuiietits, sn oats t hourgehl yointn hge
Musahrrawfhsoa rree sponfsokireb elpewi antgoc nh greoefadf ecwro okasnu dn bripdrlievpdar toep erty
the flotchpkeos o ro.f to trhusent aatnetd h eec onowmayts h e absolute
Whatr emaionfts h el abouorfts h e' new GooBdu.it t i st hoen lpyo ssiblfoer dww.aIa rny
philoswohphoha evrbese 'ee nn lighutse onrii,nn g hiasn arhcivsits iSotni,rd neesrc rmiabneo,drt he
othweorr ddesa,d eonuirn gm ifrno3 d0ys e anrosw ? personaolfH iatsgoeranys't, t Ehgeao n hdi s own'.
What rreeamlaolifyn grste haieted olomgaicchailn ery Nowadaiyits's ,P ropaesr teyg o'.
off reedohmu,m arni ghtthWsee, s ta nidt vsla ues? Whimceha tnhswa et htaov eta hbiotnuhktne o tion
6 THEC OMMUNISHT YPOTHESIS
PREAMBLEW:H ATI SC ALLEDFA ILURE? 7
offia luWrheae.tx acdtowl emy e abny' a filwuhreen'
iat fyeewar s Maagnooyft. h oastet ebmepmcteast he
wer efteoar h istosriecqalu etnhceaext p erimented
startpionign mta htfeomra tdiecvaelln otopsfgm reeat
witho rao nnoethf eorrmo tfh ceo mmuhnyiphsoetts is?
ipmoretv,et nh outghhed yi d snuoctci ense odl ving
Whaetx acdtowl eym eawnh ewne s atyh at all the
thper oblemIw tia ttshs eerlvefif.tno aroteltao bandon
sociaexlpiesrti tmheatntto so k placthee under
thhey postifhsoe trh teh rheuen dyreeards during
sigonft hahty peosteihnsd ed'a fiilnuW rasei 'ta?
whiicwtha ispm osstiopb rloeiv tTe.h l ee ssoofan lsl
complfiealtueBr ye ?w hichd oIei srtm e eqauni:r e
thfeia luanrdet sh,pe r ocoefes xsa mitnhieanmng d
ust oa bantdhoheny potihtefssa,ei nlstd or enounce
their imwpelrtiehcl eaei tbfilooonfoms da, t hteimcas.
thweh oplreo bolfe me mancOirwp aaistmt ie orne?l y
Int hsaetn fsiael,ui rnseo thmionrtgeh atnhh ei osrty
ar elaftiailvuWera esi?a t f ailbuerceao ufts hefero m
oft hper ooofft hhey tphoespirso,v itdheatdth e
itto ookrt hpea tihet x ploWraesid at?f ailtuhraet
hypotihnseo satib sa ndAosn eMda.o i ttp,hlu eot gsi c
simpplryot vheiaswtt a nso tth rei gwhatty o resolve
ofi mperiaanaldli rlse tasc titohnweao rroilvedeis rs
thien iptrioabll em?
'matkreo ufbiallme,a, kt er ouabglaebi unt' ,lt ohgei c
A comparissohnel diw goihnlmt ly c onviction.
oft hpee opils'efi gfhiatlf,,a a igla in, fi.g.h.t again
Takea s cniteipfirco blemm,a yww ehlitlca hkte h e
tillv itchteoiryr' .
1
formo fah ypotuhnetssiuilcst h i maesi i trs e solved.
Itw iblelar guehde re, viad ias cduestsaiiolne d
Itc ouldf oebrx ea,m ptlhea',tF ermtahte'osri esm '
oft hreexea mp(lMea'sy6 t8,hC eu ltRuervaoll ution
ah yphoetsiiwfse f romuliaatts 'e:F >onrI, a ssume
andt he PCaormimsu nteh)at,th aep paraenndt ,
thtahtee q uatiyofin hanso w hole solutions
Xfi + = zn sometimefsal iubrloeofeso v decynl,to ssb eoluuynp d
(soluitnwi hoinxcs,yh a nda rweh onluem bse)r.'
z witthhce o mmuhnyiphsoetts wiesra ena dr set aigne s
Countaltetseswm petrmsea dteop rotvhei fosrm,
Fermwahtfo,o ramtuetldhh ey pot(haencsdli asi med
thoa vper oivteb,dut th naeten doc to ncueshrn e rteo) , 1 'CasAtw ayi llusiPornesp,a froer S trglueg'S, elected
Workso fM aoTs eu-nTgV,ol I.V F,o reiLgann guagPerse ss,
WiltehsEe,n glmiasthh ecmiaawtnhi,o really did prove
1969p,.2 48.
PREAMBLE:W HATI SC ALLED FAILURE? 9
8 THEC OMMUNSITH YPOTHESIS
ithsi stoArty .l efaosartl t lh osweh oa rneo btl inded by
thper opaganudsieos ftt h en otiooffn ai lurMee.a ning
all thosweh oa re sitnislpli bryet dh ec ommunist
hypotheisnes osf ara st heayr ep olitsiucbaejlc ts,
Betwetehne m iddle tahneed n do f t'hreey de arIs '
andi rrespeocftw ihveet hoerrn otth eya ctuaulsley
wass peakaibnogu eta rlIih eard,s eveorpaplo rtunities
thew ord' communiIsnmp 'o.l iticisst, h oiutg hts,
to reaa vcehr diocnft ai luroent, h ep ositmievaen ing
organizaatnidod nese ds ctohuantPt r.o penro uns,
ofd eftesaA. revolurtyid oenfaeiasti nf acatl ways
sucahs R obespieMrarreax,n dL enianr,es ometimes
dividiendta o n egatpiavre(t d east,ih mprisonments,
useda s reefrentCso.m monn ouns( revolution,
betrayalso,fs tlroesnsgf atrghm,e ntatiwohni)c,ih s
proletariat,. .s)o a.cr ieia nlt ihsemm selmvuecsh
otfenv eroyb vioust heta itm ea,n da positpiavret ,
lescsa pablnea moifna gr easle quenicnte h peo litics
whicuhs ualtlayk eas l ontgi mteo e merg(eat actical
ofe mancipaatnidot nh,e uisre i sr apidelxyp osed to
ands ttreagirce ckonian cgh,a ngoefa ction-models,
ani nflattihoanht a sn oc onteAndtj.e ct(irveessi stant,
thei nventoifno enw f ormso fo rganizaBteitowne)e.n
revisioinmipsetr,i a.l.)iar .set u sualulsye odn lfyo r
197a2nd 1 97I8w ,ro tweh atIc allae rdo manopera
propagaTnhdaat. b eicsa uusneie vrsalwihtiyci,hs t he
[novoeple rtah]a Itc allLe' dE acrhpreo u[gTeh Ree d
reaalt tbruitoefa nyc orpoufts ru ths,h awvinelo lt hing
Scraf].I tw asp ublisbhyeM da sperion1 799a,n d
tod o wiptrhe dtiesc.aA reaplo litkincoswn so thionfg
perlormiendL yonA,vi gnoann dt heant t heP alais
identietvieetnsh ,ei detnit-ys ot enuosuosv ,a riable
deC haililno1 t9 8i4nt hefo rm oaf r eaolp era, with
of' communiIstkt nso'w,os n lfyar gmenotfts h ree al,
musibcy G eorgAepse rghainsdd irecbtye dA ntoine
anda nI deoaft hree ailst estimtootn hyfe ac tt hatth e
ViteTzh.i wso rkf olloweldi,nb ey l inteh,es chema
worokf i ttsr uithso ngoing.
ofC lauld'eSs ouldieSe art (iwnh icVhi tedzi rected
inA vignoan f ewy earlsa teBra)s.i lclayI, t ooukp
thec hallentgher owdno wnt op opultahre atbrye
10 THEC OMMUNSITH YPOTHESIS PREAMBLE: WHATC AILLESD FAILURE? n
Claudsec lr'eatoifao f no romf t heatthraewt a sa to nce morningTh.e d eefatewdo rkearrser eturntiown ogr k,
modema ndC hristAinadni .ti sn otf onro thitnhga t headbso wedb,e tween twoo fsl oilndeisme arnsa,g ers
thet itolfAe c t II, SicseC nheo edVuIel r ad ivisible andp olicTehe.w orkercshr'ou sw asa,c cordtion g
dejai[tCheo roufts h ed ivisdiebeflaet I]w .i ll always thes tagdei rectbioornno sft, h icso mpapcrto cession.
remembtehrme u sicpalo weorft hceh or(uasdl rlse sed Thee nticrheo rhuas st od ow ithho wd efeactasnb e
inw orkeorvse'r awlhlislP)ei erVriea la ne xceptional dividaendds ubsumiendta oh ighmeord eo ft hought.
act-ors troudpea ndd o.vtlhles tagcea rryianngo ld Herieti s:
umbrellah eaisntda nmtulrymu rinhga,l- fconvinced,
hal-fnostal'gCiocm:m uniCsomm!m unism!' And soon,em ornintgh ceo looufdr e aeda rth,
Thes cenhea st ob es ituaTtheedr .e gioPnaarlt y we haveo ncem orel oweroeudr b annevresr y
leadersihni p twhoer king-cNloarstsEh asto f low avnedr syo lemnWley h.a ves pumeodu r
thei magincaoruyn tirnyw hicthh ep laiys s eth as inusrrection.
launchae sdo rotfc iviinls urrectainodhn a,s m,o re Ands oh,e rwee a re omnocreet ,h weo rkeorfs
specilfilcyca,a llae gde neral striofkefen.s iTvhea t SNOMAi,n a t owtnh ahta s beent rbyhl,ee dads
givetsh ew holet hoepf l ays'esc onacdit t tsi t(Tlhee boweadn dd eefated.
AutumOnf efnsivIete) n.d isn c ompleftaiel uarned , Once agoauiren f,of rtwse ren ote nougtho
afters tormdyi scussiinoa nlslt her evolutionary forcteh oeu tcoomfet hed ispute.
organizatiito InS sd,i scusscerdi,t iciaznedd Thet hreshoofal r de verosfa lp ositions.
rjeectedf aoviunro fm ilitaarcyt ioonnt hep arotf Is peahke roef t hei nterrogaptrievmea turity
thei nsurgetnhtitssi, m uen detrh el eaderosfht ihpe ofo urw atchufpurli sing.
Soutohft hceo untry. Is peaokf the isotlhapetr ioolne tioanfrt ihaet
Thes cenIew antt oc itceo meism medtiealayf ter undecitdoewdna ,n do fa f ar-aowfafeyn sive.
thef ailoufrt eh ipsr emat'uaruet uomfnef nsivIeti' s. Is peahke roefi tfsai luraen,dt hbei trnteess.
seotu tsithdeg ea tet hoSef N OMAf actoerayrl,iy nt he But!
12 THEC OMMUNISHTY POTHESIS PREAMBEL:W HAT ISC ALLEDFA ILURE? 13
Noo ne htahses trentgotm ha ket hem ilolf
Taipinrge beolfst heg realto esCsha,r tiasntds
hiosrtryu nb ackwafrodarsn yl engtthi moef.
Ludditpelso,t tfeorrms thel abyrinotfht he
Thiiss t het imfeo br otah r eckonainndag n banlieegualeist,Baa rbioaunv issatnss,- culottes,
understantdhien gt,oi fmt eh e tentshiroonu gh
CommunardSsp,a rtaciAsltlps e!o plfeor m
whicfho,tr h dee efated,
thep opulsaerc tasn ds ovieoftt sh es praiwnlg
Theb adt hinogf f ailutruern si nttoh e quarst,si eecrtieosfn rnmo atihred ayso ft he
combatievxec elloefnk cneo wle[dgusen a voir].
Terromr,e nw itfhor ksa ndp iketsh,e moefn
[. .] .
theb arcraideasn dt heb urnincgh taeauAxn!d
Joiun s,y out,h e edaetfetdh,e l egendary
theh osotf the omtahneywr hso a rev iolently
defteeadw,i tthh ef abulosuesq uteoly our non­
stirvitnogd iscotvheerpi lre nitude,
acceptances!
Andw hoa,s t hey invent theairrea t p lenitude,
YouT!h eo ppresosfet di megso nbey S. laves
worik nt hec ontinesnhtaalt teorfhi intsgo ry!
of tshuen -csraificwehsow ermeu titleadfo tr he
The sailowrhso threwt heiorffi certso
splendoofut ro mbsT!h ep loughmwehnow ere
carnivofriosuthsh, e u topianss oloarcf i ties
soltdo,g etwhietrth h ee arth wtahsa tt shaem e
whoo penefdi rien t heitre rritoourtipaols ts,
coloausrt hemT!h ec hildwrheonh aveb een
Quechmuian efrorsm t hAen dewsi tahn a ppetite
expatriianttteohd eb loosdeyr viocfte h ec otton
for dynamiAtned!t hes uccesstiivdewaal v es
andt hec oanlo,w t hatth em eadowhsa vbee en
ofA frcianr ebelssh elterbienhgi nflda ming
fenceidn .
leopard-sshkiienli dnst hec olonsitaeln ch!
Havey oua ccepttehdi s?o nNeeo v earc cepts
Notf orgettitnhgel onmea nw hot oodko wn his
anything!
huntirinfgl aen dl,i kae s uspicwiiolubdso ar,
SpartacJuasc,q uoIue C roquanTth.o mas
begatno r esitshtea ggerssoirnt hef orestosf
Munzer!
Europe.
And you:th et ramposf t hep laintsh,e
Andt hed eploymoefng tr eaptr ocessoifo ns