The Idea of Communism 2: The New York Conference

211 Pages·2013·2.61 MB·English

by  Slavoj Zizek

THE IDEAO F COMMUNISM VOLUME 2
THE IDEAO F COMMUNISM
VOLUME 2
EDITEBDY SLAVOJZ IZEK
VERSO
Lond•o Nne wY ork
Firsptu blisbheyVd e rs2o0 13
©thec ollecVteirosn2o 0 13
©individcuoanlt ributtihoecn osn tribu2t0o1r3s
Allr ighrtess erved
Them orarli ghotfst hea uthohra veb eena sserted
13579108642
Verso
UK:6 MeardS treeLto,n doWnl F OEG
US:2 0J ayS treeStu,i t1e0 10B,r ooklyNnY, 1 1201
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Versiost hei mprionftN ew LefBto oks
ISBN-1937:8 -1-84467-(9P8B0K-)5
ISBN-139:7 8-1-84467-(9H8B1K-)2
BritiLsihb raCtayt aloguiinPn ugb licaDtaitoan
A catalorgeuceo rfdo trh ibso oki sa vailafbrloemt heB t·itLiisbhr ary
LibraotfyCo ngresCsa taloging-in-PDuabtlai cation
A catalroegc orfdo trh ibso oki sa vailafbrloemt heL ibraoryf C ongress
TypesientC ochibny H ewerT exUt K LtdE,d inburgh
Printiendt heU S byM apleV ail
Contents
Introduction
Saf1jZ1 iozek
Vll
1 ThCeo mmunIiedasa tn tdh Qeu estoifToe rnr or
AaLniB adiou 1
2 CommunaisCs omm mitmIemnatg,i naantPdio olni,t ics
EteinnBea fibar 13
3 Ont hCeh risQtuieasnt ion
BruBnoo. 1teeu 37
4 CAo mmonEitshti cs
SundBa ac-kMol'dd 57
5 CommunDiessti re
JodDi ean 77
6 FroSmc ienStoicfiiatclo i sSmo Scciiaelnicset:
NatuiradtLeikTkh eann Ndo w
AdrinaJ olm.1ton 130
7 RemembetrhIiemn pgo ssFoirbM leaet :a -Critical
AnamnoefCs oimsm unism
FarnRka da 173
8 CommunTiodsyam
EmmanTuererLa y 196
9 AnswWeirtsh Qouuets tions
Sfaj1Z 1ioiek 177
NotoensC ontributors 207
Idnex 209
Introduction
In2 01w1e w itne(sasnpedad r ticiaps aetroeifede m saic nni)p aetvoernyt s
whiscuhr preivsenerdeyi ,on clutdhieanicrgt oforrmst :hA er aSbp ritnog
thOec cyuW palSlt rmeoevte mfernottm,h e Grreeveoktl htUe K tr oi ots.
Nowa,y ealra, te evredrya byr innegewsv idoefhno cwfer ialgaeni dn con­
sisttheaniwtsa kewnaisni,gtm sa nfyca edtiss ypilntaghs ea msei gonfs
exhausttheieno tnh:u osfit ahAserm a Sbp riinmsgi riencd o mpromises
anrde lifgnuidoaumse ntOaWlShi aslsmo ;ms otm enttosu umc ahne xtent
thaitann, i ccaeos tfeh 'ec unonfrie nags tohpneo' l,i ce ocfZl uecatctnoi- up
Parakno dt hseirt esO cocfyu p ptrhoetc easntnbsuo tt aapspb elaae rs sing
ind isgcuoivseeur,pi t nhgie m manleonostfms o mentAunmdt. hs ea me
story conttihnweuo erstl hdMae:ar ooiusnNtdes p saielne t mob eo utma­
noeuvbryte hdre e actifroocneaVsryen; e zuse' lBlaoi'vaerxipaenr'i ment
appetaobr ers e egsrsiinnatgc o a udilploop-urlauinnssd moo , n .
Whaatr e wdeoi nst uoc h tTihmfeei srt?sh tit nodg e motnrsaitse
thtahtse u bterwroarnokefd a inst siasfaiccsto inotni rnaugiiaesn c gc:u ­
mutliaanngad n ewwa voefr evowliftlloslwl .oS o iistp oirmttaosn ett
three cord sltorcaaitgehe tvt,ehi netnttsho stee o taolfgi ltyo cbaapli tal­
ism, mwehainscshhw o inhgo w yt rheeltaoit tecs e ntarnatolan gism.
Thper esbeonoetkdn eavotuocr osn trtiosb uucat'h ec ognmiatpipvien g'
(FreJdarmiec)s o ofon ur eclotnlisaoItnt. bringtsh ietne otrgveetnh­er
tioonf's oC mmuniAs Nme:wB eginnaci nonefgr'e,n- chteid ri nt he
seraitfeesLr,on doinn2 00a9n Bde riln2i n01 0-dedictaott heiedd ea
ofc ommunainshdme ladtt hCeo opUeniro innN ewY orko n1 -416
Octo2b0e11r.
SLvajoZ iiek

TheC ommunIidseatan t dh Qeu estoifoTne rror
AlaBiand iou
Inth nei netceeennytt,tuh hrc eo mmuInediaws atls intkove ido lienn ce
fuord ifrfeewnaty s.
Firosfat li lwt,e nt ihnha anndwd i tthhf enu dameinstsoaufrle e volu­
tioRne.v oluwtaisco ocnne ivoef-d s intcheFe r enRcehvl outiaotn ,
lea-satst hvei olaecwntht re eboyn seo cgiraoluo pn,cea l ss, over­
throtwhsde o mniatioann ootgfhr eoruo prc laAslsrl.e vonlauyrt io
imayg wearsa,n tdo grae eaxtt esntltiils f,co usoendt hlee gitimate
violbeynm ceeao nfsw hitchhpe e opilnae r msse itzhseee atpsow eorf.
Thweo r'dc omnmius't mhuism pltihweeod r 'der voluitnti hosene 'n se
ofa ni deolaongpdio claillt eigciatli omfia ntrsiruoenc otrip oeno sp le'
wara,n tdh eefroorfce o elcltviivoel deinrceeac ttt heeedx ploaintde rs
thepiorla incmdei tlayiar pparatuses.
Secotnhdce,o mmuIndieasaltw s eon hta nidnh anwdi tthhr ee pres­
siodne pyleodb y tnheewp opuploawre arga intshtae t temaptt s
conuterl-urteliveoobdnyt hfero merru lcilnags Tsheeasst.et ewmeprtes
basedw hoarnte maionfte hde sotlaadtp ep arMaatruhxsi .m stehlufs
consitdheaart ter da nspietriwioaonnsdae lc eysd suarrwinhgit chhne e w
popaurwl,o rkingp-ocwlewaros uslr de adlelys yt ervoyetrhitnhga t
remaionfte hadep paratthucasoten ss ttihtseut taoetftde h e oppressors.
He called t(hdiisc tpaoetftro hirpeosr dho iltpeh tHeae cr oinacte'oi.fv ed
iats s hao pretr iod, boufat ni c noduurbysvi eit,oa lboelnanets,i nidcated
byt hweo r'dd aitcohtrispT'h.ut sh,we o r'dc ommu'an liissmomp ltiheed
legitiomfda etsitornvu icotlipevenerc pee tbryt ahtneee dpw o w.e r
Thitrhdce,o mmuIndiweseatn hta nidnh anidnt, h ciass e alo ovnegr
peroifot di mwei,td hife fretynpteo sfv iolleinnctkeote hdre a ditcraaln s­
fromatnioootftn h e stbautotesf o ncoiawse,w ty ha o Tlhece.o ltlievcization
ofl antdh dieon m aoiafng riccuelntturriaenl;di ruzisdeatedlev lopment; the
fromatoifaon ne mwi lyia tpaprartahtseut sr;ua gggalien sto rbeslcui­gious
rantainsdm ;ct rheea otfni eowcn u ltaunradar lt ifrsomt-sii cn tst,hh oer
whotlrea nstioat c ioeolcnlt 'inveeww o rclrde'a ptoewdue lrcf onflaitc ts
2 ALABIAND IOU
evelrye vAeg lr.ed aetoa flv iol-eintnch feeo romfc onsterxaeirnottnes d
am asssc ale,re esomfbtlreiennca gil wv airlps a,r tilyci unl catorhuen try­
si-dhea tdob ea ccep'tCoemdm.u nwiasosmft 'et nhn ea moefs omething
frot hceo nstroufwc htiitcohhvni i so lweanuscn veao idable.
Fouratnhld,a o sfat l all,l c otnhtfleasi n cudn certaabiontuthtbie ie rst h
ofa ne netlinyre swo ciweityt hporuetc eidne tnhoytiwr serfero malaisz ed
th'es trbuegtgwlteewe wona y so fle i-'fthwea yo fle io fft hper oletariat
antdh weay o fle io fft hbeo urgeoorti hsceio em,m uwnaiyos fte al nidf
thcea pitwaaylo iflse itT.f h isst rudgogulbetc luaetcs rseo vsessry e ctor
ofs oectyi,b uitat l sroa gweidt htihcneo mmnuipsatr ttiheesm selves.
Thewraets humsu cshe ttolfsi cnogr es wnietwfhro imnos f pt ohw.ee r
Thew or'dc ommutnehirsemf'io mrpel viieodl leninkcetedo a s table,
unitgerdo suh po'lodnp ow,ea rntdh utshc eh rolniiqcu ikdnaotwianos n ,
purgoefrs e,oa rli magiandevder saries.
Icta tnh eorrebefe s aidt htweho ar'tdc m omunihsamfs'uo rd ifrefent
meagnsir nelatveido ltreoen vcoel:u vtiioolnleakinryecn tdeo , ttahkei ng
opfo wedria;ct tovriioallle ninkcetedot, h dee strouftc htreie omnn aonft s
thoel rde gitmrea;n sfovrimoaltleiinvencedtke ot, h meo rel eofsros r ced
birotfnh e swo criealla tiaonnpdso hliipvtsii;oc lalenlink cetedoc, o lnifcts
wihtitnh pea ratyp paraanttduh sset ate.
Int hree hasilt ooryfr evolutthineoie nntse eiannntt dhw ne ticeetnht u­
rietsh,ef suoerf iguorfve iso laernoecfc e o urcsoeme ptylei lnterwoven,
overlaapnpadil nmgoi,sni tds tingfuorimso hnaaenb olte-h seorm ething
thahtab se etnh cea sfoerm t hFer enRcehv oluotnCi.oo nnds e,irf ro
examtphlgeer, yi e spliskondoewa nst h'eS eptMeamsbserasrec 'A m.o b,
lebdyr adisclaalusg,hh taoelftrf he Peda rpirsi psoopnu laItnas i eonns.e ,
thtiesr riefypiinswgoa dlsei a knee p isioandb el oyoc diwvairHl.o we,v er
sient chpee opwlheow ermea ssawcerrepedr isotnherere sv,o lutionary
regitmhere,e volusttiaowtnaeats,ryo b lamFeu.r therimnoo rrdteeo,r
prevtehnet's sep onttarnaeigoniuccsi 'df oremnh tasp peangianign , the
regiimtes elf woruelsndps oiatybs fisoalurnimu en preceidtneenntseidf i­
catoifro enp repsosliaivncejde u daimlce iasuArnedts h.ia tnte nsification
would abbrotyiupntig c ganelui,ny ep lolivtiioclaselun cachest , he ex ecu­
tioonfH ebearntdD antaonnd,t heriers pepcatritvTiehe usts.h, e
SepteMmabsesra wcerrneesod ouabv ti olreenatcd toimoaintn ebydt he
faero tfr eason, wbauistn vtohlebv oesttdthh a eitcinear u asnecdso nse­
quenIcctea stn.h eorrebefe stahiaidtn , c tahsdieist,c a tovriioalle nce and
bloyom dobv iolenictnee rwweorbveuet tnh t,ah tre e volaurrtyei goinme,
revoluptoiloinatatirytc esmt,poh t aevtdeh l ea wsotr d.
THCEO MMUTN IISDEAT HAQENU DE STOIFTO ENRO RR 3
Ont hoet hhearn d,r etvhoel utsitaovtnieao'ryls m eanyac tef irbset
selecdtoimvienb,ay t eidn ctoelrninfwcaitlts th hirene igpnairntagin eds
fatcioannstd,h eltnae tru rn uninctoon tmraosvlsil oeldTe hnicset .hie s
imprewsesg iefotorn m t hhei stooftry hg er eSatta lTiernritoshrtt a oto k
plabceet we13e96na nd13 99I.nt hfero mo fp ubslhiwco t ritahliss,
Terrosrt agtehsdee ttolfsi cnogr es Sbteatslwg ierneo'nau npwd e ll­
knowBno lshleevaidske urcashs Z inioevKv,a meevnB,u khaarnidn
manoyt heBruistet. v enytb ueaclaolmnege i gapnutritgche r,o utghheo ut
couyn,it nrvolhvuinrndegdo sft housoafpn edospw lheow ereex ecuted
orw hod ieidnt hcea mpTsh.iu sn precepduernwgtoeeu dul ldt aityme l
caroryfm fo sotft howshewo e rree spofnrosi i-tbiplnae r tiYcezuohlva,r
thhee aodft hree preaspspiavreIa ntt hucisas.st ehc,ee ntsrtaawlto eu ld
appetaohr a vlea unacr heepdr epsrsoicoveftes hsfeuo rttyhp e( political
violleinnctkeoec dol nifcwtist htihcnee ntarpaplas r)aw,th uidcehv el­
opeidn atw oh olesale gtehneaentrd uaeplrd e psuermsgbaelv iacngigev il
war-tyepxet ermination.
Thdei stimnucstntie ovne rtbheme alienstsba eitnweeode ntn h,oe n e
hansdp,o ntaneous mobw avasik oitlnoae cnotcfsce l,av sewsnh giec­h
ancteob, r ustyabmlo olfst hnee wb alaonfpc oew ienrc isviolc, ia entyd,
ont he hotnahdse,tr av tieo lence,a ndddei lsricabuteoserslgeyad n biyz ed
thlee adoeftr hse rneegwiw mhei,ac fehfc tbeodtt hhb eo ydp olitic and
sociaesatyw holIet. sbheon uoltdme odr,e ,ot vheharotw ebvaerrb aric
thfero memray havbee einth, a asl ywsab eetnh lea twtheircf ohrm,
RobesptioSe trarhleai ssne ,r avseav d e yre fefctairvgeu mteodn its credit
relvuotions.
Sol eutsc a'lTlertrhomarot'm einnrte voluptrioocneawsryhs etenhs e
newr egitmaekp eosl aincjdedu icmieaals utrheaastr e excienp tional
teromfs btohtevhii ro laenntdch ee sicro Apned.l eutsf caeu pt o the
flolowpirnogb lIestm h:e ar nee cesrsealrya tiionrn esahhlii psy,t, o r
betwteheceno mmnuiIsdtea naTd er ror?
Asw ew elklno twh,ii assn i mporitsasnountwe h,i acnht i-communist
propagdaenpdeaan ldmsoe sntty i.Ir nie tluss ucaoln antoittohnce,a te­
goryo f' totiaalniitdsaemrs'i gTnerartoeprsr, e cyi,a sste hlien evitable
outcoomfre e voluwthioosnes e mspatrn iinfciiscp olmem un.Ti hsem
undleiyrng arigtsuh mtaehtnce to nstroufac net giaolni tariisa ns os ociety
unntauraeln taenr sporc iosnett,ro aa rylt lhh eu maann ismi anlns'cttis,
thaadtv anicnti hndagit r eciitsmi poons wsiitbhlaoepu pta lvliionlge nce.
Ultiym,ta htpeeh loisloyp uhnderptihnpinrsio npga ggaonebdsaa ct ko
AritsltAeor.i stmoatdlaee d istinbcettwieovenin o laenndnt a tural
4 ALN"lfAADlIOU
movemenntast uLrieb.e prraoglpan adeax tetnhdidssi stitnoc tion
m
econopmoilcisat,ni hdci ssy,t.W o irtrhe gatrohd u masnoi cetyim,ta kae s
distibnecttwineotaenun r aanlvd i olmeonvte meTnhteps r.i vaaptper o­
pratiioofnr esouarncwdee sa lctohm,p etaintudil otanit,mec layp italism
are connstaiudrpeahrlee ndn o,amt ehaed patabrlees,ip lrioednuotcf t s
indivnitaduurCaeole.l c ltaitcvieot nha,ebo liotfpi rointv epa rorptyea,n d
the rcuocntsoitfaoc ne ntreacloimnzyaoe rdve i ewaespd u ryie dlegoil­o
caplr oceasbsstecrsta,i tohntacs a onn yl be impoonps eeodp le by the
mosetx trveimoel Aenndct eht.va iolietnscceealo nfny le xibsetuc saae
stahtsaeb eeensb tlaisthhteia dsi tsseolmfe hdoiws tfiornmtc hte real
natuorfse o ci-aentya bsolyus teerplaasttea wthei,cc ahon n ylb em ain­
taibnyeT der r,oi rnfa tc.
Wem usgti vace l rer aesptonos taerh mgiuesn Wte.k notwht ta here
arfeuo rm eaonrfse fuitwtii ntrghee fretnotc hece o mmuIndieasnattd h e
imporotfat nhpceoe l ilpt rioccaetshtssa eusb scriEbiet ththesoerc oipte.
anvdi oloefrn ecper etshsveiey ore nx,i stoefTne rcr,eoc rabned enioerd ,
its exciasbntea e cncceeip pnt reidn cainbpdol teih,ts s c oapnend e cessity
cabne a kcnowleOdrgT eedr.rc onabr e r egaradse dh aevxiinsogtny el d
owintgoc ircumstthtaah nvacene osw d isappaenaadrs en dol, o nger
haviannog r gacnoincn ewcittithohc neo mmuIndiesOatr. f, i lnyaw,le
cnar egatrhedex istoefTn ercreoa rsa s igonfa d eviaatp ircoatni,c al
err,oo fcr ommunpoilsitat nicdco sn,s tihdtaie tcr o uhladv bee eon,r,
moret htpeoo iJnhtod,bu efa,vo idIends h.o eritt,Th ererroi ars n i nven­
tioofnc apitparlogipasant;do ari itts h per itchema tu sbtep aifdot rh e
triumphI do;eof ari wttah jsesu tibfiyea sd o rrte ovofnl ryau pterimo­a
tur,i tybinusot l onrgeelre ovraih ntsat ;nn eoc escsoanryn ewcittiho nt he
·
polilpt rioccaoefts hsce o mmuIndi,ese ati tihnpe rri ncoirop wlietn og
circumstances.
Thedsifeef rerneutft atoiflo inbslpe rroapnadgaaar aels lu ptpeobdry
compealgrluimnegn ts.
Duritnhegen tpierreiw ohdet nh Seo cisattlaeiassn,ttd h UeS SiRn
partairwc,eu rliene xisttehnec etf,wi oor fts hte tshee ocroirneofsn ted
eacoht hIenrt .h ceo untorfti heAest lantica ntAil-lcioamnmcuen,i st
progpadanam adeg rteu asoefw h taw ask nowanb oruetp reSstsailvien ist
methoTdhsip.sr ogpaanedqatu eaSdo vpioewt·ie rnt h1e39 0wsi tthh e
MoscTorwai lwsh,i scehr veldi qttuoei dBtaohles hoelgvdui akrI dn. the
1590si,ftco usaettde ntointo hnee x istoefcn ocnetc reantcimaopnsi n
SibeTrhiceao .m mupnairsttfi rote hse,p irartc ,o mpyld eetneielevde ry­
thing. Atnhddee awsthehen nt ebnecceaosmny etl ooob vi(oawusas ts h e