Blessings in Disguise: or, the Morality of Evil

238 Pages·1993·4.43 MB·English

by  Jean Starobinski

BLESSINIGNS
DISGUISOER;,
THE
MORALITY
OF EVIL
JeaSnt arobinski
TranslabtyeA dr thGuorl dhammer
HARVAURNDI VERSPIRTEYS S
CAMBRIDGMEA,S SACTHTUSS E
1993
Copyri1g9h9bt3yt hPere sidaenFndet ll oowfHs a rvCaorllde ge
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rigrehstesr ved
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Pr.i nitnt� hdUe n itSetdao tfAme esr ica
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Origipnuabllliayss h Reedm eddaenl sme a lC:r iteitlq eugei tidmea tion
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l'artli'fi�dcgeeLes u mieCroepsy.r iEgdhitt Giaollnism 1a9r8d9,.
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Thibso oikps r inotnae cdi d-freaen idpt basip nedm�ina.gt erials
havbee ecnh osfoersn t reanngddtu hr ability.
Tarnslaotfti hvoionsl uhmaebs e eani dbeyad g rafrnotmt hFere ncMhi niosfCt urlyt ure.
LibroafCr oyn gCraetssa loging-Diant-aP ublication
StarobJienasnki.,
[Remdeadnlesme a !E.n glish]
Blesisnid nigssgo uriT,sh meeo; r aolfei vtiyJl e aSnt arobinski;
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transblyAa rttehGduo rl dhammer.
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ISB0N- 674-0(7alk6p.4a 7p-e8r )
1.�r enlictlte ratucree-n1t8utry-hH iasntcrdoi rtyi cism.
2F.r enlictlte rature-Gre3eM.kyt hionlfliounlige tyne creast.u re.
'4 E.t hiinlc ist er5aE.tv iuilnr li et.e raIt.u rTei:t le.
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CONTENTS
Tirn WORD C1v1L1ZATION
1 l
ON FLATTERY
2 36
EXILSEA,T IRTEY,R ANNMYO:N TESQUIEU'S
3
PERSILAENT TERS 60
VOLTAIRDEO'USB LE-BARRMEULSEKDE T
4 84
THEA NTIDOTIENT HEP OISOTNH:E T HOUGHT
5
OFJ EAN-JACQRUOEUSS SEAU
118
: F6A BLAEN DM YTHOLOGIYNT HES EVENTEENTH
ANDE IGHTEENCTEHN TURIES
169
EPILOGU"EA:sI D ETESHTA DESG'A TES"
194
NOTES
215
INDEX
231
Blesgssii nnD isguoir;sT·eh ;eM orayl oiftE vil
1
THE WORD
CIVILIZATION
I
The mmaijloers itnto hnheei ss tooftr hywe o rcdi vialritezo daatiyo n
moroerl essast isfaucntdoerrislTtyho eFo rde.nw1co hr dcsi (vtihli r­
teenth acnecdn tiuvr(iyfoul)ri tteecene tnht urreya)dr ielvyte haeli r
Latainnt eceTdheevn etrcsb.i viisnl oiatst eterus nttesidol mw ehat
later. iOtnu es eidfin n dstsih xet eceennttwhui rttyWho different
meanings:
Tob ritnocg i tvyit,lom i akmea nnceirvasin mldi lFdo.er x ample,
1.
Monta"iCgenduxeu :R oyaudmeMe e xiecsot oaiuecnutn epmleunst
civieltpi lsuezs aqrutielsseat sue tsnr aetsi doeln as(" T hpee opolfe
thKei ngdoofMm exi cow eres oimwnea ymso rcei violrmi ozerde
artitshtatinhoc et her onfta htpaiatoro ntfst hweo rld).
Inj urisprcuidveimnlecisaeetn,rotc hanagc er iminianlta o c ase
2.
civoiln e.2
Thes ecomneda ning srwuvoiuuvlnedt a itll e atshtee n odf t he
eightceeenntt(uhLr iyti tnhr ieds,i cti,io nndairctyahtaetws o trhde
wauss etdhw iasy" int hpea s)tT.h" isse nwsaets h e fobrat shnieso un
civilwhiistcahhDte �i cotinio,ru nenne iarv(sTer!uex vd)oe"fi naesfod l ­
lowisni 74"3eT:r mo fju rispruAnd aecntcj euo.sf to irjc ued gment
thraetn daec rrsi mtirnicaaillv Ci ilv.i liasic scaotmipbloyinc so hne­d
·
vertiinnfogr mat(ifioonrnmsa)ti nitioonn qsue(setnseq sou)r€b yt
othmeera .nT"sh nee olofogrimcaatolif to hnse i gniiasfin ie mrp ortant
momenTth.es omewlhaattae prp earoaftn hcseea mweo ridnt he
modseernwnsa ens o sto m ucahl exinceaoll oagsti hseemm ergence
ofar ival "osfit ghsneai mfiseei dg"na ir fiievtrah,lwa otu slodo n win
.
outT.h jeu rimdeiacnaoilfnc gi vtiiilonsino ls oanmgeenrt iipnn etdh e
Diticonndaeli' arAdece omf1i 7e9 8.3
Thefi rsdti ctitoomn eanrtyti howeno rcdi viilnti hs"eam todi­on
erns"e nissteh Dei cntnriaeuoii nve(rrTseveo/ou f1x 7) 7He1r.ie st he
entry:
Termo fj urispr[uTdheen dceefi.n iwtaitsoh ner ne peed]a. t
1. 1743
Thaem id ehso mmuestseh4dwi o srf ords ociaSbetielh wiaottre d..
2.
Reliioignus n denthiea rbfislatyn mdo suts ebfurla koenh umanity;
iitths e fi rssto uorfcci evz ialtiiIptor ne.a tcouh sea snc do ntinually
recuasllt osc onfrayt,te osr onftioetunhr e arts.
In1 789t hDei ctidoelnA 'ncaaid(refiemfte ihd ei tgiaovanem ) o re
precise "dAecfitnoiifcot iniv oilnio:zrs i tnaogtft e h awthi icshc i vi­
leizdB.u"at se arals1y 7 L9.S5 n etlNaougve'eDsai uc tifroannnfaaiirse
cnoetnnatde n uovecUreensas dt upi eoufrpalnef( Gaoitst i1n7g9e5n),
gavteh diesfi nition:
Thiwso rwdh,i wcahus s eodn liyna t echsneinctsaosel a tyh aa t
crimcianwsaaelms a dcei viiusls ,et doe xpretshse aocfct iivoinl iz­
inogr t htee ndeonfc pyae optlope o loirsr ha thecro rrietcst
to
moraenscd u stboybm rsi nignictniogsv ioelct iay l uminaocutsi,v e,
lovmionrga alibtyo unidngi onogwdo rk(Esv.Ce irtyi ozfEe unr ope
itso day eumpboatnrh klieascds o tm boafct i vaitliiCoiznv.ai tliiozn
ofm ores.)
AsM orahsa s pooiunttth,wee od r cdi avtiiofllonius ritsosh uecdh
ane xtednutr itnhRgee ovluttihoainttw asea styoa ttritbotu htee
revolutsipoianrn aiertoy l otghiaistnmfa cbte lontgoae nde arlier
periYoetda .sF5 r eoyb sercvievsi,cl aiuzgoahndtt ui roitnnhRg ee volu­
tioanlt lh meo reea sbielcya tuhspeee riwoadso nie nw hicahn y
numboefnr o u�en ndinign- atiwoernfoe r mefrdo mv erebnsd iinng
-icseetnrr:a ldiescmarotaitiqfsndea,et riaolni,s atfriaotne,r.nfr­ancisation,
isamtuiinocni,p anlaitsiiasotaniptaoailhnnoe,tno ,n iustaitliiosna,t ion.
6
Civilwaisszo wa etalilc coentp htbaeyt1d 8S0e1b astiedni ndMo etr cier
counatsa n ieto logTihsutmsh. we7o rqdu icckelayst eobd es eeans
new.
THEW ORDC IVILIZTAION
2
II
Tot hdiasty h eirsne o r eastoodn o uwbhta wta sfi rsptr opobsye d
Moraasn d lbayBt eenrv enMiisrtaebi:en ha iu1s,7 t5e6xL At'm dies
homsm( pep1.31 667,,2 3 )7w,a tsh fier spte rsionFn r antcoue s teh'e
worcdi viioilnnti h sea twsiodoeanlc yc enpotnejdu rsiedn8iLs cieat.lt re
hada scribed topTu artgeowrthn,oai ltlye guesdeldy w otrhidena
fragmeonfht i Dsi scsoulur'r hsi usintvoeiirnrs1 e7e5 bl1ulht,ee w as
mislbeyDd u podnetN emoutrhsee,d iatnodr annoofTt uragtootr' s
Oeu(v1r8ew1sh1o ) ,o ften towoiktht hloeir biegritniaels. 9
ThTere voauxu thdoirndso c th ootsheee ixra maptrl aen md.Io ni t
thefoyun da w elcoamreg umientn hteb iarta tglaeit nhpseht i losophy
oft hEenl ighteannmde Entnthc ey lopMeidriasbfatersfra .ou m,a ssert­
intgh a"ts ocviiarlta une"dsn "a tmuorraalli htaysd"u pplanted reli­
gioanr,g utehdar te liwgais"o tnhp er incsiopuarolcf ce i"v il,i zation
whiwcahts a kaessn y nonywmiotsuhso ciitTaehbu.tis hl weo rcdi vili­
zatfiiroasnpt p eairnaee udl oogfry e liwghiiowcnah,ps r ainsoetd only
asa r eprefosrsci(eva" e b rabkueat"l )as sou nifyainnmdgo derating
influe(cn"ocnefr at"e)r.n ity
Arou1n7dD7 i5d ecroontt ritbotu htaeeb dbR ea ynaHl'isst odierse
deIuxn danee sss oanRy u ssiinwa h ich thcei vwiolarpdip zeaatris on
sevetriaml"e Esm:a nciopraw thiaiotstn h,se a mteh ibnyga nother
namcei,v iliziaaslt oinoagnn d,di fficwuolrt"1k 0 .
Thuasl retahdewyre era eb undsaingttnh sca itv ilmiziagtwhietol nl
becoams ee culsaurbisztefoidrrt eultieag nia opno,t hoefro esaisso n.
III
Thew orcdvii lizt�uastg aiionrnea dpa icdc epbtceaanucisetde r ew
togetthhdeei rv eerxpsree ssoifapo rnese xciosntciTenhpgact to. n cept
inclsuudcenhdo tiaosin .ritsp roveimnce onmtfosar dtv,a nicnee dsu ­
catipoonl,im taenrn ecrusl,t iovfta htaeir oatnns sd c iegnrcoewsot,fh
commearncinded us,at rnaydc quiosfimt aitoegnro ioaadlns ld ux u­
·
ri.eT shew orrde ferfirrestdto t hper octehsamsta dien dividuals,
natiaonnaldsl m, a nkicnidv i(apl riezeexdties rtaminn)gld a tteor the
cumulraetsiouvfthle a tpt r ocIests esr.v eaud n iafysci onngc ept.
Nostu rprliyas,si nttgehrgema inceudr rtehnacntyko is ts syn thetic
poweirtts,o,b o e,c aams eu bjoeftc hte orreetflieccatli tohnee.n dF rom
THEW ORD CIVILITZIAON 3
oft heei ghtceeennttuhrc yo uonntw,lr eistwseo rusal tdt emipdte nt­o
titfyh per ereqoufic isivizitaletasis wo elnla si tmsa tearnimdao lr al
componAemnotntsgh.m e o sitm porwtaaGsnu ti z(o1t8. "2!I8 n)cluded
undtehroi nspe a ramofaucntht,es " a i"da,tr weoo thfaecrt [sC.i vili­
zatisounb]so ints wtcoso ndiatniidors ne sv ebaylt ewdso y mptoms:
thdee veloopfsm oecnaitca tli vitoyfi nadnidva icdtuiatvlhip etr yo,g ­
reosfss ociaenttdyh p er ogorfhe usmsai tnWyh.e remvaenre' xst ernal
condiitgsia oinn ing,i mtphrroivivningg;,m wahnie'nrsne nevaret ru re
irse veailtismneoglrs fep lenadniiddm lpyog sliyn-tbhye tsweo signs,
anodft edne sptihtpeer ofouinmdp erfeocftt ihsoeon c sitaaltt hee,
humarna caep plaaunpddrs o clcaiivmiosln "iz.lalt i
Thweo rcdi vilwhiziadctiehon noat,p e rso ceenstse,tr hehedi story
ofi deaatts h sea mtei maest hmeo desrenn osfte h weo rpdr ogress.
Thtew woo rwdesr dee sttiomn aeidn tama oisnt inrteilmaattieo nship.
Althou·bg ohtcho ubleud s eidn v aag suwee,e pingt hmewayen rnee r,
sooenl icrietflienncsgot faig <?eneotridacei rm aetdd i scesruncicnegs ­
sipveer iiobtde sc:ae mses etnodt eitaelr tmhipenr ee cpihsaeso efts h e
civilpirzoictnehgsse st ,a ogfes so cpiraolg rHeissst,b.o o rtsyhp ecula­
tiavneed m pirsiecotau tlto, s keat" cha Tblheiasut doeprsri oqgurees
del p'rehismuta i(no"hri stosryniocpasolift s h aed vanocfte hse
humasnp itrobi otr,r aop wh rafrsoemC ondorcoetth)we-orir nd s,
ar epreseonftt hameta iroconhfc iivzial�tihornos utgahog feg sr ad­
ualilnyc reaseicntgi opne.r f
Inh isst uodfty h seu bjetchgter elaitn gEumiisBltee n ve·sn aiiysstt e
wel"lF:r opmr iimtibvaer batroti hsem prceosnedniottfmi aoninn
soectipy,e opdlies coav uenrievde grrsaadla ats iloonpw,r ocoefs s
educaatnirdoe nfi nemesnhtoa,rc toin n sptraongtir nae nsa sr etah at
thset atteirccmi vnioll oi'tyn agdeerq ucaotnevleayyn etddh ato,r dienr
toc aptiutsrsee n asnecd o ntiithnyau,td o b ec alcleidv iliTzahitsi on.
wanso sti mpahl iys tovireiwoc fsa olc iiewtta yas;l asnoo ptimistic,
resolutely naonnsdto hmeeotluionmwgeiistc itaniltn,eg r proeft ation
itesv olu.t"i1o2n
Ferguisno�flnnuc,eb dyl ectguirvbeeysAn d aSmm iitn1h7 5s2e,e ms
toh avbee etnh fier;ts otu steh weo rcdi viilnEi nzgaltHieisa ohl�ns o
gavtehd ee arsetsa�t eomfte hnteth eoarcyc ortdowin hgi ch there are
fours taogfeh su masno coiragla nizaasdt eifionnbe yed c onoamci­c
tivaintmdyo doef s ubsisstaevna(cgheeu: n ter-sgoaiectthnyeo,r -er)
4 THEWO RDC IVILITZIAON
madpiacs tlso,er daenatgarriyc ualntidun rdauls,t rialM-ilc­ommercial.
laforll owehdil se a1W3di .t houustit nhgwe o rcdi vilRoiuzsasteiauo n
andG oguperto poass eidm ielvaorl utmioodneawlrh,yi ch enabled
thetmoe stablish bceoteerwnrt ehmleoa dtoeifs o unbss isatntedh nec e
powesrt rucDtiudreear.sow tes, a w eaernlviiesrthi,eoh niesdt oofr y
civiliazsta htei ohnio sflt iobreoyrn tt hyme a rcLha.t Ceorn,d orcet
distingnuiinpseeih roedfrdso mt heea rltireistbtoet shF er enRceh­
publwiicta,th e netrhra e seforrvt eh"defu tuprreo gorfet es�h su man
spti.rS"it ill Cloamttpeerr o,p ohsi"esld a owft hrsetea. t1"e4s
Butth etshee oorrpi heisl osoofhp ihsiteaosrnr eoy tt h iem portant
thiTnhgec. r ucpioaiilnst t h atthu es oeft hsea mtee rcmi, vilization,
tod escbroitbthehfu en damepnrtoacloe fhs iss taonrtdyh e en rde sult
oft haptr oceesstsa blainas nhteidt bheetswiecsei nv ilizaantdai on
hypotheptriicmaolsr tdai(tawelh ethbeecr a linltae tdu sraev;a, go err y
barbsam.r)M iindwse rteh ussp urtroei dm agtihnaeev enutehse,
caustehsme,e chanoifst mhjseuo rney ttharkoetunhg eh aTghees .
actisounffix - atifoorcnue sst ot hionfka na genItft. h aatg einst
confounwdiettdhh aec tiitos,nie btle fcoamuetso nomoiumtsa .y Or
refers otmdoee termfaincitn(ogwr h iMcihr abceaalrule sl iRgoiuosn­;
seapue,er cftiyb;a ilniodtt heErnsl,i gmhettn.e)O nri mta yb ep lural­
izeodrd istriabmuotnmegud l tifapclteoe rasca,hc taitna gd ieffrent
poiinntt im eF.o Fre rguasnoRdno ussfoerae ux,a mptlhceei, v ilizing
prociensso sbt a soenda c onsicsotnesnctdi,eo suibsgut con n structed
byw ayo fu nforesceoenns equoefvn acreicsoo unsfl ipcrtosj,ae ncdt s,
innovaatsmi oodnisfib ey"d c ircumstapnacraletlsuyi"n doenrl ym an's
contWhraotl .h apipnhe inss,t F oerrygutseollunss i ,s" three soulft
humaanc tbiuontno tth exee cutoifao nny hu'demsain"g 1n5.
IV
Isc ivilainzau tniionnt ercroullpetcpetrdio vcieenw s hsi alclhm ankind
habse eenn gafrgoemdi tisn cepHtaiisovt na ?r oineldiy np roceeding
morsel owilnsy o mtei maensdp lacmeosrr,epa idlin yo theTrhse?
·
marqdueiM si rabaebauu'nsdw arnitt faiintlgoa s s crais binegc llaere
meanitnotg h tee rImrt.L A 'mdie hso msm( 1e756p-.11 77)65,h7e ,
impltiheabste cacuisvei lizisan toaitu o nni veorrls ianlpe raorc iets s,
constointluaytb ersia epfo giente h cey colfse o cial eixnti hset ence,
THE WORD CIVILITZIAON 5
"antauclri rfrocmlb aer btaord ye cadbeynw caeyo fc ivilni zaantdi o
;
wea.l'Htihstoryt hwucosou nlsdoi fcs ytec sl, parneds umcaebrltya in
natihoanvisn,bg ee nt hroaulgplhh asoefts h cey chlae/d,s imulta­
neously aap cinhniaecvlpeeede r coftfi Aodnd.r estshien gak tit nhge
beginonfhi inTsgh edoelr 'iie(m 1p07p,66.9 t 9 M)i rabmeaakue s the
sampeon itw hehnei nvokes thoefa lt"lhee exm apmiptrlheehas at ve
preceydoeuadrn std r avetrhcseei dro fcc ilveii olni.z'a't
ElsewMhierrea,bu esaetush weo rcdi viltoir zefanetortti o ao n
procbeusttsoa s taotfce u lture aanbdu nmdaat"neTcrhmeieo:a vl a ble
wealotfahn ation .d enp.oe otn.n d losyni tcsi vilbiuzatalt osinoo n
thaotfi tnse ighb(poErhsee"rm idduce ist 1o7y6V,e7 pn,.1, 1. 2 )
Thuesv einnt hwer itoifnt ghfiser msat nt o usweo rtcdh,ie v iliza­
tiwoanasp ttot akeo np lumreaaln iWhnegnsi .rt e efrrteoadp roc,e ss
iwta asp roctehsahsta o dc cursreevdet riamilenh s i stoonrltyyog ive
waye,a cthi mteoi, n eludcetacbaldWheee nnc er.iee tfr rteoad m ore
orl esstsa sbtlaet e, wtahosan tte h samttia gttheat k deie ffrefonrtm s
ind ifferneanttiC oinvsil.i zwaatnsio ootnn be u mta yn.
Heroefc, o urasnec,ih einsttw oarasty a csiotu rocfme o edlRso.m e
watsh ger eeaxta moplfae ne mpitrheah ta tdr avetrh"sece idr ocfl e
civiliioznFa.rt"o Hme rodofrtoumPs o,bl iyuPsl,u taTraccihta,un sd,
AmmianMuasr celmloidneuwrsrn,i thearldse artnoce odm patrhee
Greeaknsd Ptehres itahGners e,ea knsd Rtohmea ntshR,eo maannsd
thbea rbarians.
Frotmh oeu tstehtei,nwt ,a sd eatrh atthw eo rcdo utladk ea on
pluraeltihsnto,l roegliactamilev,ai nsityniergcte tacienr tiamipnl i-
1 catiooftn hsme o st gseonrietmr,ap ll ictahtamitao dn"esc ivilization"
au nitiamrpye raantddie vtee rmtihunene idq duier ect"imoanr cohf"
ofa ll humankind.
v
Befortehw eo rcdi viwlaizsca otiinoeordd ni s semiannea xtteedn,s ive
critoifql uuex ur�re yfinmeadn nehrysp,o crpiotliictaaelnn dte hses,
,
corrudputtieoo t,nhc' eu ltivattehai roatnns sd oc fi ences was already
inp laFcreo.:rvt;m o ntatiogR noeu ssbeywa auoy fL aH ontaannmd a ny
othterra vetlote hrNesew Worlmdo,r eotvhecero ,m paroifts hoen
civilmiaznwe idt thhs ea va(ngadee vetnh e cadninndio bfatav lot)rh e
6 THEW ORDC IVILITZIAON