Race, Nation, Class: Ambiguous Identities

239 Pages·1991·3.61 MB·English

by  Etienne Balibar

RaceN,a tioCnl,a ss
AmbiguoIudse ntities
•
ETIENNEB ALIBAR
AND
IMMANUEL W ALLERSTEIN
TransolfEa ttiieoBnnan /ei bar
byC hrTiusrn er
VERSO
Lond·o Nne wY ork
Firpsutb lishReda canesa, t icolna,sJ seiesd: e natmibtiegsu es
byE ditiLao nDse couvePratrei,1s 9 88
Thitsr anslaftiirpsoutnb lisbhyeV de rs1o9 91
© EditiLao nDse couve1r9t8e8
Englilsahn-guaegdei t©i oVnerso 1991
Allr ighrtess erved
Verso
UK:6 MearSdt reLeotn,d oWnI V 3HR
USA:2 9W est3 5tSht reNeetw,Y orkN,Y 10001-2291
Versiost hei mrpinotfN ewL efBto oks
BritLiisbhrC aartya loignPu uibnlgi cDaattiao n
BailbaErt,i enne
Racen,a ticolna,s asm:b iguoiudse ntities.
I.T itlIeIW .a lleerisnIt,m manue1l9,3 0-
305.8
ISBN0 -86091-327-9
ISBN 0-86091p-b5k4 2-5
US LibroafCr oyn grCeastsa loging-iDna-tPau blication
BailbaErt,i en1n9e4,2 -
[Racnea, tiocnl,a sEsneg.l ish]
Racen,a tiocnl,a ss: ambiidgeunotuiIst E iteise nBnael ibaanrd
ImmanuWeall lersttreainns:l batyCi horniT su rner.
p. cm.
Translaotfi:Ro anc en,a tioclna,s se.
ISBN0 -8609312-7--9.I SBN0 -86091-5(4p2b-k5. )
I.R acism2..N ational3i.Ss omc.i calla ss4e.sS .o cial
conflicI.tW .a lelrstelimnm,a nuMealu rice, 19.3 I0I-. Title.
HT 1521-B331139 91
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Contents
Preface 1
EtieBnanlei bar
ParIt UniverRsaacli sm 15
1 ITsh er'eN eao -iRsamc'? 17
EtieBnanlei bar
'(i )The IdeToelnosgioiofcCn aaslp it:a lism
UnisvaelrviesrmRs aucsi asnmSd e xism 29
ImmnaueWla llerstein
3 \RacainsNdma tionalism 37
IE tieBnanlei bar
1
ParItI T heH istorNiactailo n 69
J(..T4 heC onstroufPc etoipolne hood:
RaciNsamt,i onEatlhinsimc,i ty 71
ImmaenlWu allerstein
5 TheN atiFoorm:n HistaonrIdyd eology 86
EtieBnanlei bar
/.6. H ouseShtorludc atnuLdra ebso ur-FFoorrmcaet ion
int hCea pitWaolrilsdt- Economy 107
ImmanWua elll erstein
ParItl lC lassPeosl:a rizaatnidOo vne dretermination 113
y._7 ClaCsosn filnti hcet CaWpoirtladl-iEscto nomy 115
? ImmaenlWu allerstein
v
vi RACE,N ATIONC,L ASS
'f-. 8 Maraxn Hdi stForruyi:at nfUdun lrf uiEtmfuphla ses 152
ImmanWuaelll erstein
f 9 The Bou(ir)ega seC ooinscaenpRdte ality 153
ImmanWuaelll erstein
10F roCml aSstsr utgoCg llaes Sstlreusgsg le? 135
EtieBnanlei bar
ParItV Displeamcentosf S ociCaoln flict'? 185
SocCioanlf ilnPi ocstIt n-depenBdleaAncfckre i ca:
f- �)l
TheC onceopfRt asca en Sdt atus-RGercoounspi der1e8d7
ImmaenlWu allerstein
12' ClRaascsi sm' 204
EtieBnanlei bar
13R aciasnmCd r isis 217
EtieBnanlei bar
Postscript 228
'f
ImmanWuaelll erstein
Acknowledgements
Wew oullidtk oet hatnhkce o llewahgohu aevbsee en eknionutdgo h
contrpiabpuettrotes h s ee mionuaotrfw hitchhbi oso akr oCslea:u de
MeillaGsersaorNudox i,r iel, AJmesaenPl-ilLeeDor,our mpem ergues,
EmmanTueerlr Vaeyr,o ndieqR uued dMeirce,hl Glue ilIlsaanb,e lle
Taboarda-SLaemoAinmre itnt,i ,R oberEtr iHFcoo bsssbaaewrmt,,
ErneGsetl lJneearn,- MVairniceeK nots,tV aesr gopoFurlaons�,o ise
DuroMuaxr,cD erla ch, FMriecyhsWesele naetlths.aoa n ltklh p ea rtici­
panitnts h dei scuswshioomin tis s, p oismstiobn laem beu,wt h ose
commewnetrnseo f to rmuilnva atiend.
Somceh apotfet rhse boobke ephnra evvei pouubslliyas nhader de
reprihnetrweeid tp he rmiCshsaipo2tnf e.ir ar pspte airnJe odaS nm ith
eta le.d,sR ,ac iSsemx,i asnmtd,h Weo rld-SGyrseteenm,wP oroeds s
1898a;s ectoifco hna p3tw earsp ubliisnMh ,en do1 .8 D,e cember
1897-Jarny1u 9a8c8h;a p4t wearsp ubliisnSh oecdi olFoogriucma,l
voIlI.n, o2 .,1 897c;h ap5ti enRr e viveowXl,I. In Io3. ,1 990c;h apter
6i nJ oaSnm iettah l, e. dsH,ou sehiontl hdWeso rElcdo noSmayg,e
1894c;h ap7t iernI mmnaueWla llerTshteCe aipint,a Wloirsltd ­
EconomCya,m briUdngiev ePrrsei1st9sy 7 c9h;a p8t ienrT hesis
Elevneon.,1 8984,c; h ap9t ienNr e wL efRte vinewo1,.6 71,9 88;
chap1t0we arfs i dreslti vaettr h'eeaHd n nAarhe nMdetm orSiyamlp o­
siuimnP oliPthiiclaols NoepwSh cyh'of,oo Slro cRieasle aNrecwh ,
Yor1k-5,1 A6p r1i89l7 c;h ap1t1fei rar pspte airnEe .Cd a mbpeeldl., ,
RaciTaeln siaonndNs a tioIndaeln tViatnyd,e rUbniivletrP srietsys
1792c;h ap1t2iea srr evivseerdso ifop naa p deerl ivienMr aey1d 9 87
to stehmei 'nGaElrsi t r-aSneemii ndaisr tiusodu ri a zzeia snmtoi raz­
zisnmeoga lnin' i8 o0r'g,a nbiyCz leadGr aal laitt nhlien stUintiuvteor ­
sarOiroi enNtaapllece,hs a;p 1t3ei rsa revisedo fav p earpseiro n
preseanttt hMeead i sdoeSnsc iedne!c e'sH omimn1e 9 85.
vii
Too ufrr iends
MokhtMaork htaenfEdil aiKnlee in
Prefea c
EtieBnanlieb ar
Thee ssawyebs r ing tiontg hevitoshl euarmn edw hitcohg eerwt eh
presteotn hEten glriesahrd eeprr essteaingnote u sor w np erswoonrakl
fowrh iwceh eaascshur mees pboinlsCiiitryc.u mstances have, however,
made tthheeel me menadt isa lowofhg iuhceah gs r ocwlno isnre erc ent
yeaarnswd h iwcehw ounlodw l itkoe swhiattrhher e e adIeitrso . u r
contritbotu hteeil ounc iodfaab tuironnqi unegs tWihoaintts: h seep ci­
ficoifct oyen mtporraarcyi Hsomw?c anb eir te lattoce ldad sisv ision
within caanptdio tt hacelo instmr adoiftc htneia otnitsoa ntA-ens?d ,
conveirnsw ehlaryte, s pdeocettshsp e h enomoefrn aocnil semau ds to
rethtihnaerk t icuolfna attiioonna anltdih cselm a sstsu gTghlreo?u gh
thqiuse sttihboeon o,ik s oaulcrso on tritboau m tuicowhni ddeirs ­
cusswihoinhc,ah bs e egno ionngf omro rteh aand ecandoeww ithin
'WestMearrnx 'iW.se m mihgohptteh aatsa, r esouftl htde i scussion,
'WesMtaerrxni wsibmle'sl u fefnitrcleiyn etwoge edat b reoafis tttsi mes
oncaeg aIiitnbs .y mneoa ancsc idoefcn otuarlts,he ta,htd i icssu ssion
presietnsatesasl n if n ternatniootrnh aiacltto mobniepn;he isslo ophical
reflewcittihhoi ns tosryinctahalen sdai nsa ,t teamtpc to nceptual
recaswtiittnhhg ae n aloyfsp iosl iptriocballte hmaastr m eo rteh an
urgtte ond(apya rtiicnFu rlaanrSclueyc)a h.tl eaiststh c eo nviwcet ion
hopoeur re adweirslshl a re.
PerhIam pasyb e altloso uwpespdol mype e rsboancaklg rhoeurned.
WheInm eItm manWuaelll efrorst thefeii ntr sitmi en1 891I,a l ready
knetwh fier vsto luomfhe i wso rTkh Meo deWrno rld-S(ywshtiecmh
appeairn1e 79d4 )b,uI th ando yte rte atdhs ee coInd din.do ktn ow,
tehreftohrhaeeth, a d crediintt hebadot owmkie tp hr oviad' eislnfg-
2 RACE,N ATION,C LASS
consctihoeuosr'pe rteisceanlot fat ht'eit orna diMtairoxtnihaselts' i s
concetrhnpeie nrgi odoifmz oadtoeifspo rno ductthiteoh new shiisc h
identtihafeegi o efms a naucftuwrieta hp eriooftd r ansainttdih oen ,
beginonfti hnpegr opcearpliymt oadlweii sttthh i en dustrial revolution;
asa gaitnhsotws rei twehrois,n otrod erm tahrek begoifn nings
moderpnriotpyso,is teu tahtbeier nagik nh istotriimeceia talhr eoru nd
1500( wiEturho peeaxnp antshiceor ne,a otfti hoen wmoarrlkoder t )
arou1n56d0( witthhfie r s'tb ourrgeevooilsau'tn ido Sntcshi ee ntific
RevoluBtyti hosena )mt.eo kIew na,as l nsooat w areI w tahmsay ts elf
goitnofg i hnidas n aloyfDs uitshc ehg emiontn hyse e ventceeennttuhr y
ofa ssainscitens itutahtiein ntge rvoefSn ptiiano( onwz ith his revolu­
tioncahrayr actienrr eilsatntioicotosn n,lt yot h'mee diepvaasbltu' t
alstooc ontemptoernadreynw ciitethshis)ent ranagteylpsyie cta lo f
strugbgeltewtseh epeno liatnirdce alli pgairotuoisfte hste i m(ew ith
theciorm binoafnt aitoino naanldci ossmm opoldimetoacnriastmi,s m
an'df eoaftr hm ea sses').
ConverwshealWtya ,l lerdsitndeo itkn n owwa st haftr,o tmh e
beginonfti hn1e7g9 0 fso,l lotwhdiein sgc utsows hiiocnhs't srouucrt ur­
alirseta'do ifCn agp igtaavrle i saenp,dr eciins elotyroe d secrat phee
clasaspiocroaiflta hs'e p eriodoiftz hcaelt aisosn 'Is h tarrdue gcgolge­,
niztehdne e etdos ittuahatene a loyfcs liass s satnrtduh gegilre sr ecip­
roceaflf eocntt hsde e veloopfmc eanpti twailtithshimcen o ntoefx t
socfioarlm aatnindoo nstsi mopflt yhm eo doefp roduction considered
as iadnem aelao nr aanis n vasryiasnt(tew mh iicaswh h olmleyc ha­
nisctoincc eopfts itornu) cI.ttt uh reeorreef folloownte hdoe,n e hand,
thaad te termrionilinetn hgce o nfigoufrr aetliaootnfip ornosd uction
hatdo b ea ttritboau lttleh dhe i stoarsipceoacftlt h sce l asstsr uggle
(incltuhdowishneig Mc ahr sxu bsuumneddte hree q vuoiccaoln coefp t
supers)t.Arnudco,tnt u hroeet hhearn d,i mtphlei wcaatsth itaohtne
;
questoifto lnrf eep rodsupcatocifeot nhc ea pital(-olwraa bgoeu r
laboruerl)ah taitdoo bn ep osreidg ahttt h vee rhye aorftt h teh eory,
givfiunwlgel i gthoMt a rxc'osn sitnasnits ttheacntac pei tiamlpilsime s
theex tenosfai cocnu mualnaodtf ti ohpner oletarioafln aibzoautri­on
powteort hweh owloer tlhdo,u ignh d,so oi onnghe,a tdo g ob eyond
thaeb stroaftc htuein odfnie fren'twioamrtalerddk et'.
Alongtshiitdhsee, emeorftg hesenp ceecs itfriucog fgil mmeisg rant
workienFrr sa nicnte hs ee veannttdih edesi ffiocfuel xtpyr etshseisneg
polittiocgaelwtlihytAe,hlr t hussetrh'easvt e strohyce foisraimlsa tiiso n
baseodnt hceo mbinatsieovnem roaodlfeo sfp roduchtaido n,
convimnetc hetadht de i viosfti howeno rkcilnaigsns so a ts econord ary
resipdhueanlo mebnuaot n ,s tru(ctthuortuahgldih os e nso mte an
invarcihaanrta)c otfpe rreissetnictca -pdiastyoa cliiewsthtii decesht, e r­
minaeltslh p ee rspefocrrt eivvoelsu ttriaonnsaforryam naedtv iefonon r
PREFACE 3
thdea iolryg aniozfat thmieoo vne mefonrst o ccihaaln 1g e.
Lasftr,ot mh Mea oicsrti toif'q rueesa olc iaalnids mht'ih seto oftr hye
'cultural (raIesp v eorlcueititivI)ohe ,nad 'rd e taniontoe,dfc ourtshee,
demonizoaftr ieovni siaonndti hsnemo stafolrgS itaa libnuits m,t he
insitghhattth 'es ocimaoldioesf pt r oducitnri eoanl'ci otnys tiatnu tes
unstacbolmeb inaotfsi toanct aep itaalnidps rmo lettaernidaenn cies
towacrodmsm uniPsrme.c ibsyte hleydi irs panraattuetr hee,vs aer ious
rectifiacltalet nidtoeonsd su bstaip truotbel eomf'a htiisct coarpiictaall ­
ismf'o trh feo rmaanlt itbheetswiesset nr ucatnudhr ies taonrdyt ;o
idenatsia fc ye ntqruaels toifto hnap tr obletmhaveta irci aitnti hoen
relatoifpo rnosd ucatsti hoenws eer aer ticulateidnt htleoo gnegt her
transfirotmin oonn -commsoodciiteytt osi oecsi eotf'i geesn eralized
economy'.
Unliokteh eIrw san,so etx aggersaetnesditltotyi h evece onomfiosrm
whiWcahl lersatneailhnya'svesfes r equbeenetcnlr yi tiIcitis iz,nfe adc.t ,
importtoac nlta rwihfawyte m eabny t hitse rImn.t hter adiotfi on
Marxoirstth odoxy, feicgouanrsaoed msei tsemr moifnt ihdseem v elop­
menotft hper oducfotricveiesni : t wsa yt,h Wea llersmtoedieonlfi an
thweo rld-ecionfn aoscmutyb stiftoturht daeetdt ermaid niiaslme ctic of
capitaaclciusmtu laantdii tocsno ntradiIcnat sikoinunsng.d ewrh at
histocroincdailtt ihoceny sco lrep hasoefes x pansainodrn e cession
coubledc oemset ablWiaslhleedrw,s atsne oiftna rre movfreodmw hat
seemtsom et ob eM arxa'ust hetnhteisacin sda, n e xpresosfhi iosn
critoifeq cuoen omtihspemr :i moafct yhs eo criealla toifpo rnosd uction
ovetrh per oducftoirvcseeot s h,at thc eo ntradoifcc taipointsaa rlei sm
notc ontradibcettiwoerneesnl atoifop nrso ducatnidpo rn oductive
force(sb etwfeoree nx,a mptlhe'e,p rivcahtaer'ao cfto enrea ndt he
'soccihaalr'ao cftt heoert haesrt ,hf oer mulaetnidoonrb syEe ndg ehlass
itb)u,t a monogt htehri n-g'sc ontraodifpc rtoigornMesos rse'o.v er,
whaitcs a ltlhecedr itoifeq cuoen omiiss mmo ofsttuen nd ertiantk heen
namoef a c latihmat thp eo listpihceaarlne dt hset aatreae u tonomous,
eitihner re lattoit ohsnep heorfte h mea rket eocroi nnro emlya tion to
thcel asstsr uigtgslweehl ifcc,ho medso wn pratcotr iecianltlryo ducing
thlei bedruaall (isstmac tievs/io lc ipeotlyi,et ciocnso/m ics) which Marx
critiscoti ezleldi ngWlayl.l,eNrosewtx epilnay'nm sao tdoeralsI,u nder­
staintdm, a dietp os'sbiobtltheoc oncetihvoeev ersatlrlur ceot ftu he
systaesom n oef g eneraelciozneoadmn ytd o c oncetihpvere o ceosfs es
stafotrem atiaonndt hpeo liocfih\ee sg emoannydc laaslsl iaansc es
formitnhgte e xtouftr heae tc onomy)tFhrapotom i onntt, h qeu estion
ofw hyc apitsaolciisfaortlm iastti ontsh foetr omoo fnk a ti-oonrms,o re
precitsheqelu ye,s toifwo hnad ti fferentiattheaastr i enn adtiivoindsu al­
izeadr ouan' ds trsotnagat'pe p araanttduh sde e pendneanttiw ohnoss e
uniitisym pedbeodtfr ho mw ithainnwd i thaonuhdto ,w t hadti fference
4 RACE,N ATIONC,L ASS
itsr ansformtehdhe i wsitotohfcr ayp it-acleiassmte obed a b lisnpdo t
anbde caamd ee ciissisvuee .
Tot etlhlte r uitwtha ,as t t hpiosi tnhtaq tu eraineodsb jecatrioosnes
inm ym inIds .h amleln ttihorne teh eobsfre i elfelayvi,itt no tg h ree ader
tod eciwdhee tohren ro tth eayrt eh per odoufca 't t radictoinocneapl­'
tioonfh istomraitcearli alism.
FirIsr te,m aicnoendv intcheatdth eh egemoonfty h deo minant
claswsaesbs a seidnt, h lea asnta lyosnti hse,ci arp actioot ryg antihzee
labopurro caensdbs,e yotnhdat thr,ee produocflt aiboonu r-iptosweelrf
ina b rosaedn wshei icnhc lbuodtethsh weo rkesrusb's isatnetdnh ceei r
cultfuorrmaalt iToopn u.it at n otwhaeyrw, h aitas t i sshueeri ets h ree al
subsputmiwohni cMahr xi,nC apimtaadlte,h ien doefxt hees tablish­
menotft hcea pitmaoldioesf pt r oducptrioopnes rol-yc a-ltlheaidts ,
thpeo ionfnt o r etuforrt nh e proofuc nelsisma ictceudm ulaanttdih oen
valoriozfav tailouInefo . n et hinakbso uittc are,ft uhlield yeoaft his
'resaulb's ump(twihoiMnca hr oxp posteoms e re'lofrym aslu'b sump­
tiogno)e asl onwga yb eyotnhdie n tegroaftt hiweoo nr kienrtsto h e
worolfdt hceo ntroafmc otn,ei yn comoefls a,aw n odf fipcoilailit ti cs:
implitersao nrasm faotnoi fh umainn dividwuhailecixhtt yef,nr dostm h e
educatoifto hnel abofourrc et ot hec onstiotfuat 'idoonm inant
ideolcoagpya'ob flb ee iandgo ptbeytd h deo minattheedm seNlov es.
douWbatl lerwsotuelnidondt i sawgirtesheu cahni desai,nh cese t resses
thwea yi nw hicahls lo ccilaals asleslst ,a tus-wghriocfuhop rwsmi thin
thfrea mewoorftk h cea pitwaolrilsdt- ecaornseou mbyjt eotc htee f fects
of' commodifainctda ht'eis oynso'tfs e tma tOensem' a.y h,o wevaesrk,
whethteodr e,s crtihcbeoe n flaincddt esv elopwmheincrthes s furlotm
theiseit,s s ufficaiseh nedt o,e tso,d rauwp t htea bolfte h hei storical
actotrhsei,in rt eraensdtt hses itrr atoefagi lelsi oarnc coen frontation.
Thvee riyd enotfti htaeyc tdoerpse ndst hpuerp oocnoe ffs osr maatnido n
mainteonfah negceem Tohnuyts.h meo debrno urgefoorimseiidet self
intaoc lawshsi cmha nagtehdpe r oletaafrthieaarvt i,bn ege anc lass
whicmha nagtehdpe e asanitthr aydt: oa cqupiorlei tsikciaalnllda s
'self-conwshciiaconhut sinceistpshwa'eat yte hdar te sisttoia wtno cuel d
be expreasnsdew dh icthr ansfoirtmsweeidlt fth h nea tuorfte h at
resistance.
Theu niverosfat lhdieos mmi niadneto liostg hye rerfooortaeet ad
mucdhe epleervt ehlat nhw eo relxdp anosfci aopni atnaedlv etnh atnh e
neetdop roccuormem ornu loefas c tifooanrl tlh owsheom anatghea t
expansIitoi nsr. o otiendt hen eetdo c onstriunsc pti,ot fet he
2
antagobneitswmet ehne amn,i deolo'gwiocrsalhlda 'rb eyed x ploiters
ande xploailtieTkdhe ee. g alita(rwihaentidhseemmr o croarot tihce r­
wisoefm) o depronl iitasig cosoi dl lustorfta htpiirsoo ncT ehsisms.e ans
botthh aatlc ll adsosm inahtaitsoo bn e f ormuliantt heleda nguoafg e