Table Of ContentFIRSATST RAGEDY,
THENA SF ARCE
SLAVOZJr ZEK
VERSO
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A catalorgeuceo frodtr h ibso oiks a vailfarboltmeh Ber itLisihb rary
LibraorfCy o ngreCsast alogiPnugbilnicaDtaitoan
A catalroegc ofrodtr h ibso oki sa vailfarboltmeh eL ibraorfCy o ngress
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Printientd h eU Sb yM aplVea il
Contents
IntrodThueLc etsisoofont n:hFs ei rDsetc ade 1
1 ItI'dseo oglyS,t iudp! 9
CapitSaolicsita lism?A-sSC hroiThcsekir sa py-ThSet ructure
ofE nemPyr opnadgaaH-umanA,l Tlo oH uma.n .-Th.e
"NewSp iriotfC" a paliistm-Btweeen thTew oF etishisms
CommunismAg,a in!
2 TheC ommnuisHtyp othesis 86
TheN ewE nculroeso ft heC ommonsS-ocliisamo r
Communism?"-PThbuel Uiscoe f R easo.n".i-nH. a iti
TheC apitEaxlecipstt--":'i CoanpitawliitAshsm ni V aalues
. . .i nE ureo-pFrmo ProtfioRt e nt"-WeA rteh e OWnee s
HavBeee nW aitiFnogr "
Introduction:
of
TheL essontsh eF irDsetc ade
The titolfet his biosio nkt endaesad n e lementIaQrt ye sftor the
readierft: h fier sats soactiiointg eneraitste hsvue l gaarn ti-communist
clichYeo-u"a rer ihgt-otdya,a ftetrh et rageodfty w entieth-century
totarliiaitnsama,l tlh et alakb ouatr etutronc ommuniscma no nlbye
farcical!I"s -itnhceenra edvliyys oeu t os tohpe reI.n deetdh,eb ook
sholudb ef orcibcloyn fiscaftreodym ou, siitdn ecaewl ist ahn e ntirely
dieffrenttr ageadnydf arcnea,m eyl,t hetw o evenwthsi cmha rkt he
beginnainndgt he eonftd h efi rsdte cadoeft het wenty-ficresntt ury:
thea ttaocfk sS epte1m12b,e0 r0a 1nd t hefina ncimaell tdoowfn2 008.
We shoulndo tteh es imilaorfiP tyr esidBeunsth' lsa nguaignhe i s
addrestsoet sh eA mericpa�no plaeft e9r /1an1d a ftetrh efi nancial
collatphseesy:o undveedr myu chl iktew ov ersiooftn shs ea msep eech.
Botthi meBsu she voketdh et hretaott heA mericwaany o fl ifaen d
then eetdo t akfea satn dd ecviesa ictitoonc opwei tthh e danger. Both
timehsec aldl feotrh ep artsiuaslp ensoifAo mne ricvaanl u(egsu aran
teesi nodfi vifdrueaeld om, market icnoa rpdiettraos l aivstemh )se e
versya mvea lueFsro.m w hencceo metsh issi milarity?
Marxb egahni Es ightBereunmtwaihit rhc eoa r recotfHi oeng eild'esa
thahti stnoreyc ersislraye peiattsse "lHfe:gr eelm arskosm ewhethraetal
greeavte natnsd charoafcw toerrlhsdi stoorcyc usrot, o speak,H et wice.
forgotto addfi:r sttthi ema es t ragetdhyes, e cotnidm aes f arcThei.s'"
1 KMaarrl"x Th,e E ighteBernutmhao ifLr oeu Biosn apairnStu er:vF'er yosExm i le,
editeidn tarnodd buyDc aevdPi de rnbHaacrhm,o ndswPeonrgt1uh9i:73n p, .1 46.
2 FIRASSTT RAGEDY,T HENAS FARCE
supplemetnotH egel'nso tioofnh istorreipceiattli woans a rhetorical
figuerw hichhad alrdeyah aunteMda ryxe sae ralri:ew refi ndi ti nh i"sA
Contribiuotnt ot hCer itioqfuH ee gelP'hs ilosopohfRiy g htw;h'e rhee
diganostehsde e caoyft hGee rmaann cireeng iimnet h1e 83a0nSd1 840S
as faar cicraeelpit tioofn tthareg ifca oll ft hFe renacnhc ireeng ime:
Iitsi nsttriuvfceo[ rht em odernna ti1ot noss e e atnhcei reeng imweh,ih c
int hecioru nthriaeses x perieinttcsre adg epdlya,iy t cso mirco laesa
Geramnp haonmt.I thsi stwoarstyr agaislc o nagsi wta st hper e-existing
poweirnt hweo rladn dfe redoamp ersownhailm -ianw orda,sl ong
asi tb eelveida,n dha dt ob elieivnie to,sw np rievgielAss.l ongt haes
ancni reegimaesa, n e tsabliwsohreldod r dewra,ss truggalgianigan st
world wtahsoa ntylj usetm ergitnhgew,ra esa w orld-hisetrorroirc aoln
itssi dbeu tno tp ear slo noaInteds.o wnfwaalls thoerree ftragic.
The preseGnetr marne mgei,o nt hoet hhearn d-aann achronism,
afl agracnotna tdrictoifuo nni verascaclelpyat xieodm sth,fe u tiolfi ty
thaen cireeng idmies plafyoeardl tlh weo rltdos ee-oinmlayg intehsa t
it sbteliivleelsi ni tselafs katsnh dwe o rltdos haireni tfsa ntaIsfiy t.
believienid t osw nn aturweo,u lidt ttorh yi dteh antat uruen detrh e
appearanocfe aanl ineant uarneds eeikt ssa lvaitnih oynp ocrainsdy
sophisThme? m oderann cirene giimser athmeerre ltyh eclo wno fa
worlodr dwehro sree ahle roaersde e aHdi. stoirsty h oorugahn dp asses
throumgahn y stwahgielbsee ariannag n ciefornmtt oi tgsr avThee.
lapsht asoefa w orlhdi-stolfr orimc aiitscs o medThye. G reegko dwsh,o
alrdeyad ieodn coef t hewioru ndisnA ecshylutsr'asg ePdryom etheus
Boundw,e rfeor cetdod iaes ecodnedta h-htitsi maec omiocn e-in
Luci'aDsni alosgW.u heyd oehsi storyth ticasok uer Sseot? h amtan kind
may parhta plpyi witiht psa sWte. l acyl aitmot hihsa pphyi storical
deisntfyo trh peo iltipcoawle orfsG ermay.n'
2 KarMla r'x'A.C ontribtuott hiCeor ni tioqfHu eeg ePlh'isl osoofRp ihgyhi tn: '
EarWlryi tiinntdgrusoc,be ydL ucCiool lHeatrtomin.d swoPrentghu:1i 9n7 p5p.2. 4 7 8.
INTRODUCTION 3
Notteh per ecise charoaftc htGeee rrimzaaannt icorineei gnma es
thoen weh ic"ho nly imagisti tnbieelsll i tiehnvai etts s- eolnfec" a n
evesnp ecualbaottueht me e anionftg h fea ctth adtu,r itnhgse a me
periKoide,r kedgeapalrodhy ieisdd etah awteh umancsa nneovte r
bes urteh awteb eliuelvtei:m awteoe nlly"y,b eltiheawvteeb elieve:'
Thef ormuloafa r egiwmhei c"hon ilmya gintehsia btte liieniv tesse lf"
niccealpy tutrhceeas ne cllaotfti hopene rformpaotwie(vr"e s ymbolic
efficienocfty h"re)u liindge oliontgo ly o:n geeffre ctfiuvnecltyai so ns
thfeu ndamesnttrauclot ft uhrseeo cial bownemd a.ya sAaknr,dwe ,e
nott odianyt hsea msei tuaDtoit oond?ap yre'asc haenrpdsr aicttioners
oflibedreamlo crnaoactly "s oon ilmya gtihnateth ebye liientv hee m
selvients h:ep'ir ro ncuinatiIonfn asci?wtt o, u lbdem oraep proprtioa te
desccroinbtee mpcoyrnaircayis rs emp resaenne txiaincngtv erosfi on
Marxf'osr mutload:a wye,o nliym agitnhaet w e ndoo" tr eally believe"
ino uri deologspyit-eoi ftn hi sim aginayrd isntcaew,e c ontintuoe
pracittiW.es eb elievlee bsnustom tuc hm oret hawne i magiwnee
beliBeevjnema.in w atsh uisn deperdes ciienhn itrs e marthkat " every
thindge penondh sow onbee liienov neesb' esl ief:'3
Twelyveea prrsi too9r / 1o1nN ,o vembe9r,1 98t9h,eB erlWianl l
feThlils.e vesnete mteoad n noutnhcebe eg innionftg h "eh ap'p9 y0S:'
FranFcukiuysam a'su topoifta h" ee nodfh i srty,"ot hbee ltihealfti beral
democrhaacdiy,np rincwiopnol uett,h, ta htae d veonfagt l olbiable ral
communwiathsyo verijnugas rto utnhdce o rnaenrdt, h atth eo bsta
clteots h Hiosll wyood-setynldeiw negrm ee eryle mpiriacnacdlo ntingent
(lopcoaclk oeftr se sistancleea dwehhraosdn s oeyt e gtr apsedt hat
thetiirmw eas u p)Sep.t meber1 1in,c ontrsyamsbto,l itzheeed n odf th e
Clintpoerniiotade,n hde raldaened r ianw hicnhe ww alwlesrs ee en
emergeivnegr ywbheetwreeeI:ns raanedtl h Wee st Baanrko,u tnhde
EuropUenainoa nl,ot nhgUe S -Mexbiocrdoeb ru,at l swoith inn ation
stattheesm selves.
3 WaltBeenrj amGiens,a mBmreilVetofelIe .F,, r ankfuSruth:r kVaemrpl 1a9g9p 5.,
182.
4 FIRASSTT RAGEDTYH,E NA SF ARCE
Ina na rtifocr lNeew sweeEkm,i ly VFelnyncanan tdG inanne
Brownellh orwte opydo,a rt
them embesro-nlpyh enomeniose nx poldign intao w holwea yo f
lifeenc,o mpassienvge rythfironmgp rivabtaen kincgo nidtiotnos
ivnitaito-nonlhye alctlhi n,i ct,sh o.sw ei tmho neayr ei ncrealys ing
lockintgh eeinrt ilriev beesh incdl osdeodo rsR.a tehrt haant tned
medihae-avye ventthse,y arprrainvgcaeotc nee rftassh,i osnh owasn d
aretxh ibitiinot nhesi orw n homes. Thaeftye hrso-huoraps n,hd a ve
thenieirg hobr(sa npdo tenftirieanldv se)t tfeodcr l aasnsdc ash.
A negwl obailts hc ulesam sersg "iwnigsty ah,a, nI ndpiaans stpa,co arstle
inS cotlapa ined,d -iaMn-a tnehraartnteada p nr ivCaatrei bibselaann d"
thpea raxid tsoh atthm ee mbeorfts h gilso cblala "sdsip nirev atsehloyp,
priv,av tieealwrpy tr ivyae,t veelryitpshr iinvgpa rtievp,ar tiev,Tha etyae r:'e
thucsr eaatl iinfge -owfto hreloidwr nt os oltvheea inrgu ishhienrgm e
neuptriocb laesTm od;dM ilayp utist" :w ealftailmhiyce ans' jtsu 'ti nvite
peopolveea rn edx petchtet mou nderswthaainttd ' st ohl aiv$ke3e 0 0
millni":oS ow haatrt eh eir cwointththw aeoc rtlsld a raThgtee y?c omien
twforo msb:us inaenshdsu manita(rpiraontiteshcmeet n ivnnigmr eont,
fighitnagg ainst sdpuipsoerattsihaeners gt,e s t),cTh. .e sgel ocbiatli zens
litvhee liirvm eossl tyi np risntaitnuer e-wthreetkkihinengPr a tagonia
ors wimminignt hter anslucenotft hweapitrrei rvisas tlea Onndes .
cannhoetlb pun to ett haotnf eae tubraes tiotc h aet tiotftu hdeegs aet ed
superirfsaie crfha:e ro fe xtesrconialaleil i f tsTheelh fi ghpersito roift ies
th"eu ltr-aenhtio-grwhtihn diviadrtueha ulhsso "wt om inimiszeec urity
riss-kdisseeeasxp,o sutrote h reoafvt iso lcernitanm des ,of rt oh.4
Inc ontoermrapyC hintahn,ee wr ihcahv beu isletc lucdoemdm u
nitmioedse leudp oind eal"itypziecdaW le"s tetrwonn s; there is,
foerx ampnleeaS,rha nghaa" ier alr"e ploifac s am all Etnogw,ln ish
4 EmilFyl ynVne ncaantGd i nanBnreo wn"eAhl,tl h,se e cluldeie;fNd'e wsweek,
Decmebre1 02,0 07.
INTRODUCTION
incluadm ianigsn t rweiettph u basn,A nglicchaunr acS ha,i nrsyb u
supermaert-kcte.htwe,h oalree iais s olfartoeimdts su rroundings by
ani nvisbiubntlo le e,rs esa clu,p oThlear.ie ns ol ongahe ire raorfc hy
social wgirtohtuihpsnesa mnea tion-reisnti hditeson wtlnsi i vnea
univefrowsrhe i ch, iwtiisdt ehoilno gical imaginary, the "lower class"
surrouwnodrislnidgm pdloyen oset x iAsrneto .tt h e"sgel ocbiatli" z ens
liviinns ge cluadreetdah ste r ue counttote hro-speo lilensi lvuimnsg
ando th"ewrh ite osftp hopetu sb"ls ipch eThreey?a rei,n detweod ,
sidoefts h sea mceo itnh,te w eox treomfte hsne e wc ladsisv isThieo n.
citthyab tes etm bodtihedasit v iisSsia oPona uilnLo u lBa'rsa zwihli,c h
boas2t5sh0 e lipionir ttcsse ntdroawln toawrneT ao.i nsutlhaetme
selfvreostm h dea ngoefrm si nglwiintoghr dinaryt hpreei ocophfl e,
SaPoa uplroe tfoeur sh ee licospott healrtos,o, k airnogu tnhdse ky line
oft hcei toyn,re e adloleyfs e aesil o fn ieis n af uturmiesgtailcoo pfo lis
thkei npdi ctuirnfie ldms su cahsB laRduenn eorrTh eF ifthE lenmte,
witohr dinpaeroyps lwea rmtihnrgo utghdhea ngersotursed eotwsn
belowwh,i tlhsreti cflho aatr ouonnad h ighleervu epli ,nt haei r.
Itt husse emtsh aFtu kuyaumta'ospo ifta h 1e9 9h0aSdt od itwei ce,
sintchece o lloafpt shleei beral-dpeomloicutrtiaoctpaoiilnc9a / 1d1i d
noatff etchtee c onoumtiocpo ifga l obmaalr kceatp italiitfsh 2me0; 0 8
financmieallt dhoawasnh istomreiacnaitlnh gei nit,s a sa s igonft eh
enodf t heec onofmaioccefF ukuyama's drberaimnu.gs bsW a hctikoc h
Marxp'asr aphorfHa esgeeo ln:se h ould reicnha ills tihnattr,o duction
toan ewe ditoifEog inh teeBnurtmha iintr he1e 9 6H0esr, bMearrtc use
addeydea tn otthuerron ft hsec reswo:m etitmherese ,p etiintt ihoen
guiosfaef arceb emc oarnte e rritfyihnatgnh o er igtirnaalg edy.
Thisb ootka ktehsoe n goinga sca r sitsairst ingg rapdouianltl,y
movitnog" relmaattetde bryws a:yo' f u nraveiltcison ngd itainodn s
implicaThtei fiornscsth. a potffeerar d si agnoofos uiprsr edicament,
outlitnhiuent go pcioaronef t hcea pitiadleioslwtoh giycd he termined
botthh cer iistissae nldof u rp ercepotfai nodnr se acttioio tnTh.se
secocnhda petnedre atvolo orcsaa stpee ocfot ussr i tuation which open
upt hsep afcoenr e wf oromfsc ommunpirsatx is.
