Alain Badiou Theory of the Subject

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7eory the Subject, rst published inFrance in 1982, is wihou doubt oneof lain Badiou's mos imporant works,aying many of he foundaions for hismagnum opus, Being and Event and isfolow-up, Logics Worlds.

Here Badiou seeks o provide a heoryof the subjec for Marxsm througha study of Lacanian psychoanaysis,oering a major conribuion oMarxsm, as we as to he larger debaeregarding he relaionship beweenpsychoanlysis and phiosophy Te bookaso provdes a theory of srucuralhough, a contemporary redeniionof maerism, a unique evauaionof he achievemens of French Maoismduring he 1970s and the signicanceof he events of May 968, andbreahakng analyses of lieraure, fromGreek ragedy o Maarms poetry.

As a heoreica synhesis, he book isexraordinary in terms of is originaiy, breadh and cariy

Bu teaches a the coeNormae Suprieure and a theCollge Inernational de Phiosophie

in Paris, France. In addiion o severanoves, plays and poiicl essays, hehas published a number of majorphilosophical works

B B is Associae Professor of

Romance Sudies a Cornell Universiy,USA, and auhor of Badiou 0 el recomienzo

del materialismo diactico (Saniago deChie, 2007) and Badiou and Politics

(forhcoming, Duke Universiy Press)

Jck mg by d rshdmccm



Alo available ro Coiuu:

Being and Event, Aai adiouConditions Alai adiouInnite Thought Alai adiouLogics of Worlds Alai adiouTheo of the Subject Alai adiouSeeing the Invisible, Miel erreAfter Finitude Que MeillaouxDissensus aue RaireThe Politis of Aesthetis, aque RaireThe Five Senses, Mel erreArt and ear al VirilioNegative Horizon, al VirilioDesert Screen, aul Viilio

THEORY OF THE UBJECTan Badou

rste wth trct by rstees

"



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Contents

Translator'S Introduction

Preface

References and Abbrevations

Par I. The Place o the ubjective

Eveyig a belogs o a wole osiues a obsae ois wole isoar as i is iluded i i

Aio, maor o e subeTe real is e impasse o ormaliaio omaiaio is e

plae o e ored pass o e real

viixxxviii

xiii

31 3

22ege 'Te aiviy o ore is esseialy aiviy reaig agais

ise 293ubeive ad objeive

Part II The ubject under the igners o the ExceptionO ore as disappearae, wose ee is e Wole om wii as disappeared

Deduio o e spliig'A a ue aabae uAy subje is a ored exepio wi omes i seod paeewellery or e sared o ay subraio o exisee

Part I La ck and Destructon

e ew one orbids e new oe ad pesupposes iO e side o e ue

1

36748498

III1 1 31 1 6



vi

CONENS

hr a no uch thn a ca rationEvry ubjc cro a lack of bn and a ductionh ubjct antcdnc to tlf

1 2 1 321 40

oion 1 48hoy of h ubjct accordin o Sophocl hoy of h

ubjct accodin to Achylu 1 8Of th trand of th kno to know only h colour 69

Pat IV A Mateiaist Revesa of Mateiaism h black hp of matiam 9h indiolubl alt of tuth 90Anwrno th Sphnxdmand fom h ubjct not to

hav o anwfo th SphinxAlba and topoloyihbourhoodContncy cond nam of h al aft h cauSo litl onoloy

Pat V ubetivization and ubjetive Poess

h opolocal oppoit of th knot i not th cudiprionbut th dtuconcompoion

Subjctivizin anticipaton troaction of th ubjctiv pocHuy Hurry Word of th vin!h inxitnoic of th xc

Pat VI Topis of Ethis

Wh?

h ubjciv twit ' and Daonal of h imanaySchmaEthc a h dipation of th paadox of patianhipClaica dtourov wha you will nv bliv twc

Tansato'S Endnotes and Refeenes

Themati Repetoie

Index of Pope Names

2 0 20 82 22 423 4

24

24 324 82 42 926

2 2

28 29 3043093 324

3 3 33 936

ansator's ntrodtion

horie du ujet which hrby at lat bcom avaiabl in Enlih ranlation i Alain adiou mo paiona and xprmnta book n trmof h pronal namnt it i prhap compaabl only to hi alynovl Amagete ( 1964) and Portuan ( 19 6) or to hi wiin fo hhat uch a h opra novl Lhare rouge, whch dat fom ham prod ( 99 o Ahmed e ubti a hlaiou farc compod in 1 984durn a brf piod of iolation and cam hotly aftr th prnt bookwa rt publihd n Frnch my y Thore du ujet alo adioumot dain hrmtc an d bwdin work of philoophy and h mthat ha pad inc it oinal apparanc ony m to hav addd toh ffct of bwildmnt Som intoductoy mak may thrfor bn odr o a to tuat h book in t wdr contxt

Pnd in th form of a mna btwn anuay 1 9 and un 99 which i to ay duin th cou of th ocalld rd yar ( 1 9666 and in a im tha woud win th dplorabl ri to fam of thnw phloophr ( 96 a wll a h fal hop uroundin th cation of h common proamm (ind n 192) unitin CommuntSociali and radica Lft in ranc wttn in th mid of wha canony b cald an acv campain of otacm aain it auhor bcauof hi undyn Maom with om on o fa a o call him a Maoitpitbull and pubhd n 1982 in h aftrmah of th wdly clbatdlctoral victoy in 1981 of Fan<oi Mittrrand to th Pridncy thbook mak no concion to th dominan widom and potpoltical

vi



vii

TRANSATORS INRODCTION

uphoria o it tim o th contrary oitud ony m to hav had anmbodnin fct n th n w coud appy adiou own wordtakn from Saint Pau The oundation of Univeraim to th author oth prnt book Evrythin indcat that h rfud any compromiwhn it cam to dity to prncip Or aan Hi dicour i on ofpur dty to th poibiity opnd by th vnt h pvota vntin th ca bin not o much th outburt of May 68, who rmark-

ab ntnity and hortivd xprncth two uuay on hand inhand withn th tradition of utraftimth book othrwi ao kto dano o much a th patnt acton ndd to work out th con-qunc o thi uprin durin th rt haf of th 90 in th ui ornch Maoim

h uphot o thi prncipd not to ay tubborn approach i a workwho ndary difcuty unt rcnty turnd away many mor radrthan it attractd atn admirr vn from amon adiou mot ardntoowr A Ptr Haward admt: Thorie du ujet i by any crtriath mot difcut to approach o adou work Rumour ha t thatfor a on tim n tudnt circ around th Unvrity o ParV atVincnn whr adiou tauht or thirty yar bfor occupyn thpot o hi ormr tachr Loui Athur a had o th PhoophyDpartmnt at th co orma Suprur n ru dUm to point anr at omon and whipr that h or h wa n th proc of radnThorie du ujet wa tantamount to dcarn th pron thr nan orfanatica i not both at onc Th rumour o a on way toward xpan-n th batd arrva o th book tranaton in any anua and vnmor o th rativ carcty of utaind critica namnt with itcntra th

oday howvr thr can b no doubt that Theo of the Subject tand

a an ndipnab buidn bock in th ovrarchin ytm of adiouphioophy on a par wth hi two othr bi book Being and Event andt rcnt oowup Logi of Word. o utrat thi cntraity prhap may b aowd to invok my prona xprinc a omon whoatr radin adiou Manifeto for Phioophy out o a hard intrt ina noton o th 'nric that woud b compatb with Patonim forpoitca raon turnd to th Maot pampht from th mid 90Theo of Contradition and Of Ideoogy, and thn dcidd to tack Theo ofthe Subject I ditincty rmmbr havin at down amot nontopthiwa bfor th birth of my two onfor an ncrdiby on wkndrantcay makin my way throuh th ntir book a thouh t wr

RANS AO RS INTRODCION

a nov o ntriu frqunty burtin out in auhtrt ao anxtrmy funny bookand n nra nn a thou h th who dof contmporary thory and phooph y opn up rhy bor my yaon th harpt n o dmarcaton to hav bn tracd n th andinc Athur or Marx A o thi happnd on bfor I mutrd thcoura and dard to tak on Being and Event, ntimidatd a I wanvrmnd that for adiou th a cutura prjudic that i a vacuou a t

tubbornby th formaiaton o t xtniv mathmatica apparatuRadn Theo o fthe Subject bor Being and Event thouh i not mrya mattr of prona prfrnc or ancdota happntanc Atr yar oactivy oown th wordwid rcption o adou thouht in fact hav com to th concuion that thi ordr o radn which omwhatconvntonay corrpond to th chronooica ordr o th book pub-icaton and thu to thir author trajctory a a phoophr and mitantvn thouh it run countr to th mor common practic amon Enh-pakin radr who tnd to tart with on or othr of th book pub-ihd and tranatd atr Being and Event, mak a th difrnc in thword n trm of th ima o thouht that can b attrbutd to adouphioophy a a who Abov a thr whr a privid ocu on Beingand Event frqunty ad to th concuon that thi thnkr tractoryinvov a can a nd irrvrib brak away from th traditon of th dia-ctc Theo of the Subject aow th radr both to nuanc f not xactyrut thi concuon a far a th da of th brak tf i concrndand to uncovr ubt dactica thrad vn in th ovra mtaontooca arumntation whch roundd in a oid command o t thory iuppod to com aftr thi brak

2

For ur n hindht t i not dicut to numrat th pob mita-tion and hortcomin of Theo ofthe Subjet n Being and Event, rt ofa adiou hm ndcat that th arr book rmain imtd noara t pruppo rom th tart that thr i uch a thn a ubctivtywthout ivin thi pruppoton much ontooca upport n math-matic Prhap thi criticim i unncariy harh inc Theo ofthe Subject, vn thouh t i otn forottn arady introduc thwho qution o Cantorian t thory a th way to th pont of ocat-in th mrnc or pa of th ubct in th immaurab xc of



x

TRANSATORS INTRODCTON

incluion over belonin or of prt over el ementn exce wc willcontitute te centrl impe in te conceptul rrnement of Beingand Event. Even o it true tt only te lter work will ytemticlyelborte te underpinnin of ti tei from metontooicl tt ito y metmtemticl point of view A dou write in te Prefcee (pioopcl) ttement tt mtemtic i ontooyte cienceof bein qua beini te troke o lit tt illuminte te pecultve

cene wc d retricted in my Theo of the Subject by preuppoinpurely nd imply tt tere w ome ubjectiviztion e new tkn Being an d Event ten conit in rticultin by wy of te impe ofbein coerent ontoloy toeter wit n interventonit teory of teubject tk wic dilectcl mterilm in te old dy would veccomplied by men of n omoloy between te dilectc o nturend te dlectic of pirt nd wic tody require creful reormultion of bot pole o nture nd pirit or of ubtnce nd ubjecttitime in Being and Event bove ll in n obique polemic wt Hedeernd not ony or not primrily wit Lcn i te ce in Theo of theSubject.

Piloopy itelf econdly till pper to be utured onto te olecondition of politic e oter tree trut procedure of rt (poetry ndtredy) cence (mtemtc) nd love (pyconlyi) well te etern dow condition o reliion (Critinity)certinly re lllredy preent but not only re tey mplicit nd mxed tey o do noteem to operte qute yet condition of poopy in te trict eneince te ubject of trut i dened excluvely n term of politic Everyubect i politic Wic wy tere re ew ubject nd rrely nypolitic Lter n Condition collection of ey wic build on tenew foundtion of Being and Event diou woud correct ti ttementfrom Theo of the Subject ody I would no oner y "every ubect ipoliticl wic i till mxim of uturin I woud rter y "Everyubect i nduced by eneric procedure nd tu depend on n eventWic i wy te ubject rre Smilrly n Manifeto for Phioophydiou tte te principle tt te four domin of trut once tey reunutured nd eprted out re l eqully cpble of brnin into exit-ence ubect Every ubject i rttc centic polticl or morouede ti i ometin veryone know rom experience for out otee reiter tere i only exitence or individulty but no ubjectWt will remin uncned in ny ce i te conviction tt ubjectnd trut necerily cimplicte one noter o tt teory of te

TRANSATORS INRODCTON

ubect t te frtet remove rom ny purely experientil or morlccount i lwy te teory of te orml condition for te emerenceof univerizble trut

Trdly witin te condition of politic te book till conider teprty te only efectve orniztionl tructure lbet wit n eye towrd prty of new type tt i form o potennim woe tk iere openly crbed to Mom Gon one tep furter tn merey

cknowledin te uncertntie o ti tk iven te undenible criiof Mrxim dou nce ten bndoned t trict identction ofte politcl ubect wit te prty wic in l t incrntion over tept centuryweter nle prty or prt of te prmentryeectorl multprty ytem remined overly bound to te orm ote Stte e blnce eet of te nineteent century i te witerinwy o te cteory o cl te oe berer o politc nd te blnceeet o te twentiet century te witern wy of te prtyformwic know ony te orm o te prtyStte Ploopiclly moreover ti erc for new ure of mitntim wtout prty preciely wt will brin diou bck to n od cquntnce in Saint Pau

tou lmot tirty yer d to p before e could nlly come toterm wt i peronl rod to Dmcu t t w My 6 8 or rter itMoit ftermt or me Pu l poettinker o te event well one wo prcte nd tte t e nvrint trt of wt c n be ced temilitnt ure Even te elfcrticm impied n t move from prtypolitic to orm of miltntim wtout prty owever ould not let foret tt noter crucil point tt remined intct i te ide t tny emncptory politc mut tke n ornized orm Mut we ruett ornztion lone cn mke n event nto n orin? Ye nofr poltcl ubject require te itoric underpnnin of n pprtu ndinor tere i no orin except or determinte politic Eventulyti empi on te need for ny trut weter politic or oterwe toecome incorported n ome ornized orm or pprtu will led to ew teory o te body new pyic to buttre te metpyic o f teubectin Logic of Word.

Anoter pont o efcritcm nlly concern te voent nueof detructon wit wic diou in Theo ofthe Subject eek to counterwt e cll te tructur dilectic of lck n Mllrm or Lcn owrdte end o Being and Event te utor dmt I went bit try muty n Theo of the Subject concernin te teme of detruction I tllmintined bck ten te ide of n eent il nk between detruction

xi



xii

TRANSATOR'S INTRODCTION

ad ovelty he idea was that every ew rh wold ecessariyivolve a destrcio of the old order. From a strict otoogical viewhowever he par of loss i ovelty mst be rephrased i erms o ofdestrcio bt of sbtracio ad disqaicatio. A ew rth caotsppress ay existece bt by extedig a give sitatio from the poitof its spplemeaio that is a evet a egaged eqiry ito thetrthfless or veridicality of his evet ca disqalify or sbtrac cerai

terms or miplesamely those iegaliaria oes ha are icompatible with he geeric ad iversal atre of a rth. Desrctio hewod be oly a reactive ame for the fate of that part of kowledgethat o loger wil have qaied as trhf or veridical i the exededsitatio i which a evet has take pace

However this last sefcriicism oo may have to be tempered i theexte hat the distictio betwee the two pahs of destrcio ad sbtractio remais a key opic of the athors ogoig eqiries Mch ofBadios Ethic for istace deas with he specic resrais hat msapply o ay trh procedre i order o avoid the 'disaster of forcig aetire sitaio i the ame of rth to the poi of competely desroy

ig he od order of higs while the opposite operatio of sbractiowhich proceeds by way of a pricipe of 'miimal differece is he topicof severa of Badios lectres i The Centu. Wha is more whereasBeing and Event seems to poi to he otio of destrcio as the pricipal misgivig i Badios ow earier thoght which is sil very mchsred oto politics der he ilece of Maoism i Logic of World aew baace is srck bewee desrctio ad sbracio A trh theivolves both a disqaicatio or sbtractio (of beig) and a destrctioor loss (of appearig) 'he opeig of a space of creatio reqires destrctio. 4 fac his is s oe of may regards i which he se cod volme

ofBeing an d Event

is oce more closer toTheo of the Subject.

he poit isceraily o o move i a sefrigheos ad liear fashio from the ravagig blidess of destrcio associaed wih the diaectica work o hecoo isighs of sbractio afforded by the tr to mahemaics

deed hogh this remais somewhat of a boe of cotetio amogcritics ad commetators Badios sbseqe traectory sggess thahere are ceraily as may itrigig ies of cotiity ad resrrectio bewee the earlier ad he later wriigs as there have bee poisof acte selfcriticism ad discotiity. his becomes owhere moreevide ha i the reface o Logic of World where Badio glady adoptshe ame 'materialis diaectic o describe his lifelog edeavor i sharp

TRANSATOR'S INTRODCTION

cotrast o Being and Event where he orthodox tradiio of 'diaecticamateriaism as metioed above is cosidered beyod salvage as thestibor aemp o reder homologos he dialecic of are ad thaof spirit Afer eary wo decades of expressy aidialecical fervorariclary i texs sch as Metapolitic ad The Centu Badios work irecet years hs seems if ot exacy to have come fll circle he aeas to be spiraig back o some of is origia premises sice aready

oe of his eariest phiosophica exs a review of Ahssers caoicaFor Marx ad eading Capital received he programmaic tile 'he (Re)commeceme of Dialecica Maeriaism B the o provide Marxismwih a materialist ad dialectical phiosophy compaibe wih its stricypolitica deiio is precisely he ambitios overa programme behidTheo of the Subject a programme which Badio ow argesagaistte caoica teachigs of Althsser ad wih the expected help ofacacaot be accomplished witho he very cocept of he sbjecat materialism previosy had the prpose of debkig as sheerdeaist hmbg

3

Lei oce famosly described Marxs teachig as 'the legitimate sccessor to he best tha hmaity prodced i the ieteeth cery asepreseed by Germa philosophy Eglis h politica ecoomy ad Frechocialism a similar vei we cold sm p the three sorces or'compoet pars of Theo of the Subject by sayig tha Badios eachig i this work draws is sregth from a iqe articlatio of Frechpoery ad psychoaaysis (Mallarm ad aca) Germa philosophy

(Hegel ad o a lesser degree Hderli) ad Greek tragedy (Aeschylsad Sophocles). f the limae goal of his riagatio is a redeitioof Marxism dersood as a periodized mode of doig poiics rather thaas a established body of docries to be saved from crisis ad kept preagaist al odds t he we shold add tha t the medim of this operaioorhe geeral ideoogica atmosphere i which it is able to redraw the lies ofdemarcaio betwee dialectical materiaism ad rivallig philosophiesis a origia ivestigatio ito the coemporary roe of Maoism webeyod is specic sie i Chia hat which we ame 'Maoism is less aal res ha a ask a hisorica gidelie. I is a qesio of thikgad practisig posteiism.

x



xv

TRANSLATOR'S INTROUCION

I at O Badiou st of all ds th Hglia dialctic i tmsof a logic of scissio istad of th typical txtbook otios of aliatiogatio th gatio of gatio ad so o o b mo pcis h distiguishs two matrcs of th dialctic i Hgl a idalist o ddby th xtalizatio ad tu to slf ad a poply matialist oi which y tm is split without uity ith at th oigi o i thd. Badiou xamis this distictio i a makabl adig of Hgls

Siene of Logi spcially thos pats o dtmiatio ad limit which asis oft th cas with aly momts i Hgls pstatio a ot ytcotamiatd by th idalist pssus of th Absolut Badious liaco Hgls Logi moo poids a fshig ad muchdd cotast to th hay iluc of th Phenomenoogy of Spirit i th taditioof Fch Hgliaism fom Alxad Koj to Gogs Bataill asidfom obiously uig cout to th gal atiHgliaism of thAlthussia school. A bold adig of Chistiaity i light of this dialctic of scissio futhmo allows Badiou ot oly to cicumscib thtwi 'hsis o 'diaios of lftwig Gosticism (fo which if wmay simplify matts of docti to a xtm Chis t is puly dii oiit) ad 'ightwig Aiaism (fo which Chist is puly huma oit) but also to spcify th poit wh Hgls dialctic mais aftall idalist i tms of th histoical piodizatio that it allows o athdisallows isofa as it mos i cicls ad ultimatly lads back to thsplit tm that was always alady pst fom th oigi ( God as Fath/So o iity/itud). 'Hg o this poit must b diidd oc agaiso as to bak out of th 'cicl of ccls of th Absolut Badiou cocluds 'o b bif w will oppos (matialist) periodization to (idalist)iruari8 h adig of Hgl thus lays th goudwok fo a thoyof what w might call 'histoicity without Histoy which thoughout

th maid of th book will cotiu to ifom th piodizatio ofMaxism.at wo aft a discussio of acit atomism as a limitd o faild

attmpt by way of pu chac o th ciam to ijct som masu ofdialcticity ito th stak cotadictio of oid ad atoms offs Badiouslogst ad mos t dtaild gagmt with th witigs of Mallam cosidd to b o of th two gat mod Fch dialcticias togthwith Laca ik th atomism of Dmocis o uctius Mallamsdialctic is upackd ito a limitd umb of fomal opatios thto b xact aishig aulmt ad foclosu Of ths opatiosth fcacy of a aishig caus is without a doubt th most impotat

TRANSLATOR'S INTROUCTION

isofa as it also implis a uspok citiqu of th whol Althussiacocpt of stuctual causality that is of a caus that aishs ito thtotality of its ffcts. Badiou highlights th xtaodiay pow of thiscocpt whil at th sam tim alig its wakss amly th placwh th otio of a causality f lack o spcially wh it is aisdto th ll of a fomal cocpt thaks to th axityiducig opatioof aulmt whby lack itslf coms to lack tus ito a fobiddig

obstacl o stoppig poit pohibitig th actual tasfomatio of thtotality put i plac by th ffcts of th aishig caus itslf. Mallamswitig though mitly dialctical i this ss would mai idalistpstig what Badiou calls a stuctualthough ot stuctualistdialctic 'All this foms a pcious lgacy Badiou cocluds thoughth is a d to dialcticiz th stuctual dialctic byod itslf: 'NoI d o fault with all this xcpt that I am ot swayd by a od ofthigs i which all though t is dotd to th ispctio of that which subodiats it to th placmt of a absc ad which bigs salatio foth subct oly i th aladythss of a sta

I at h th xploatio of th pomiss ad dadlocks of thisstuctual dialctic is xtdd ad tak ito th ld of acaia psychoaalysis. Of all Badious woks i fact Theo of the Subjet cotaishis most thooughgoig discussio of acas rits ad th fw smiaspublishd at th tim spcialy Smia XI The Four Fundamenta Coneptsof Psyhoanaysis ad Smia XX Enore togth with scattd txtspublishd i th Lacaia ouals Orniar? ad Siiet og bfo S aojik would populaiz such adigs i a similaly political ky Badi outhus distiguishs btw th ali aca fo whom th domiattm is th symbolic that dissols th imagiay ad th lat acawhos mathmatical obsssios ol aoud th al that absolutly

sists symbolizatio. O ath th would b two difft cocptiosof th al itslf: th st which Badiou calls 'algbaic follows closly iMallams footstps by dig th al as a aishig caus whasth oth calld 'topological lis o otios such as th Boomakot i od to gi th al a miimum of cosistcy. 'h aboadly spakig two succssi Lacas th o of th lack of big adth o of th otology of th hol of th odal topos ad cosqutlyof th big of lack Badiou wits: 'Bgiig i th stis whicho ca mak by th pimacy of th k ot o th chai o of cosistcyo causality it is th histoical aspct that gais th upp had o thstuctual o Ultimatly th goal of this dlimitatio of th stuctual

xv



xv

TRANSLATORS INTROUCTION

daecic s o d he foma measfo he mos pa abse o dissimlaed Hege ad Mallam ye oblely hied a by acaby whicho exceed he bodaies of he casaliy of lack so as o chage he coodiaes of he eie ode p i place by is efcacy Ohewise , hee sillwold be o ovely, o eve, ad o hsoiciy, b oly he epeioof he oaiy of assged places de he effecs of he vaishig case

Desco is he ame fo his pocess by which he sca diaecc

of lack is exceeded ad opeed p o he hisoicy of chage Badois hs abe o sm p he sakes of his polemc wih psychoaalyssO eie spe wh aca lies i he diviso, which he escs, ofhe pocess of lack fom ha of desco he eal, he, o logees always o he same pace O, p ohewise, ha which will haveake pace s o s he place self sead, i becomes possble fo aceai coefcie of foce o ep ad wok back po he pace hadeemes , s as hisoy o oge aomacaly moves cices bopes p he mimal gap ecessay fo coceivig of a spiallig adasymmeica pocess of peiodizao. Descio divides he effec ofack io is pa of oblivoof aomaismad is pa of possble

epoof excess ove he place, of he oveheaig of he aoma-isms Badio cocdes By his hi gap, aohe masey ca be saido come io beig, ogehe wih a asymmecal baacig of oss adga

Badio he akes a eomos sep back i ime so as o ilsaead expad o he dscio bewee ack ad desco hogh heexample of Geek agedy pacla, he wodes o s why psychoaaysis, as Geoge See ad dih Ble also ask, has bee so exclsively focsed o he ge of Oedps isead of akig io cosideaoAgoe b also, moe geeally, why i is Sophoces, a d o Aeschys,

who has povded Fed ad aca wih hei mos llsios agcmyhs he whole ppose of o ciica delimiao wh egad o hepsychoaalyic cobio o he heoy of he sbec ca be evalaedby askg he foowig esio why is is heoy of he sbec esse-ially based o S ophocles, ha is, pedcaed o he Oedps complex?Pickig p o a bief sggesio fom acas vey s semia, Badiopoposes ha if he Sophoclea mode of agedy ad, by exesio,of psychoaalyss ca be coceaed he w sbecive ges ofaxiey (Aigoe) ad he speego (Ceo), he he Aeschylea modelspplemes hese wh he gea dialecical ges of coage (Oeses)ad sice (Ahea) hs we see ha hee exis ideed wo Geek agic


odes he Aeschylea oe, he diecio of whch is he coadcoyadve of sice by he coage of he ew ad he Sophoclea oe, he

agished sese of which is he es, hogh a evesal, fo he speegoic oigi Axey, speego, coage, ad sice heeby come oame he fo fdamea coceps i ay heoy of he sbec. Whas moe, hs e o ace agedy gives Badio he occasio boh oaddess Hldeis emaks o Sophocles ad o elaboae hs ow e

heoy of sice, of he foce of law, ad of s feocios desde of volece ad olaw, wih which he may be said o have aicipaed moeece debaes fom he likes of aces Deida o ek

he ogal semas fo a Fo coicide wih he media poacased by he vaios aacks comig fom he hads of sefpocaimedew phosophesmay of hem, lke Ad Glcksma, exMaoseegadesagas he mase discose of Maxism ha wih Saliisecessiy wod have led fom diama o he Glag I espose o hsmedia eve, Badio accally shifs he eai so as o aswe he chagesof he aiMaxis wa machie wih efeece o o he mchmagedoaliaiaism of he diaecic b o a coempoay deiio of he

black sheep of maealism Hee, oo, a picipe of peodizao appies,based o he fac ha ay maealism is deed by is immae scissofom a ivallig ideasm hee ae hee maeasms, fo he exceeeaso ha hee ae hee idealisms elgos idealism, hmas idealism, ad hehe f of his hsoica cdesac which mpeiasmcass s las ays of agishig modeiyligisic ideasm Isofaas hee is o poi deyig he cose oe of symbolic scessch as lagage, he idealism ha esls fom he ligisic alsocao be ovecome meey by eafmg mae as some had peligisic fac Isead, maeiaism iself ms be spi ems of a doble

deemiaio o he hess of dey, accodg o which a beig ismae, we hs ms add he hesis of pimacy, accodig o which heeI

ae wo egios of beg, mae ad hogh, wih he s lig ove hesecod We ca say, i sho, ha he hesis of ideiy ames he pace(of beig), ad he hesis of pimacy he pocess (of kowledge) de hee of he place

Wih gad o he heoy of kowedge, hs doble deemiaoof maeialism ca be smmaized i he mo ha fcos as hemeapho fo kowledge i he ooos eeco heoy, ad heasympoe, whch meaphoizes kowedge fom he po of viewof he emaide lef behid by all exac eeco e s say ha fo

x



RANSLAORS INROUION

materialism reection is the metaphor of the thesis of identity Badioconcdes: he second metaphor mathematizes the th esis of primacy intoan asymptote. Both of these theses mst be maintained at the sametime, es t the dialecticity of the diaectic that traverses materialis m throghand throgh is aowed to apse back into a rightist or 'leftist exaggera-tion which wold redce knowledge respectivey, to being a simple mirroring redplication of the existing strctre of things or to following an

inni te line of light cased by some indivisible leftover. Given the crrenttheoretical panorama, which bathes in the obscre light projected bynotions sch as difference the remainder or the asymptotic approach ofthe real in the night of nonknowledge, there is ths something refreshingly conterintitive in this retrn to materialism in the bright mirror ofreection theory.

Parts Five and Six, naly, move the argment with increasing speedand concision in the direction of an overview of the entire theory of thesbject in order to elcidate a possible ethics of Marxism. his is accom-pished by mapping ot the for fndamenta concepts, on one hand, intotwo analytica temporalities respectivey of sbjectivization (based on

the hasty time of interrption itself split into anxiety and corage) andof the sbjective process (based on the drabe time of recomposition,itself in trn split into the sperego and jstice) and on the other, intotwo synthetic modes or trajectories one which Badio dbs the mode (from anxiety to the sperego) and the other the mode a (from corageto jstice). he theory of the sbject ths becomes a complex topological space or network ordered arond the for basic concepts and theirarticlations. In fact, in addition to the vertical and horizonta pairings,there are also diagona correations that mark the trajectories of ideology in the theory of the sbject that is, the great imaginary fnctions of

dogmatism (along the coragesperego axis) and scepticism (aong thejsticeanxiety axis) Badio frthermore incldes a brief phenomeno-logical accont of the different gres and trajectories in this overview, inwhich he once again retrns to Hege and Hlderlin.

thics comes into the pictre in this context as the name for differentsbjective formations that constitte socalled discorses, rather thaneither concepts or trajectories Badio distingishes two extreme cases:the discorse of praise based on belief in an essential wisdom of theworld and the openly Promethean discorse of rebellios condenceBetween these two extremes of belief and condence there ie the discorses of what Badio cals the ethics of the impasse, whether nihilist or

xv

RANSLAORS INROION

dissident, insofar as they reject al linkages between the spposed wisdomof the existing world and the sbjects evalation of what is to be donehe books na propositions, which arge in favor of an ethics thatwold refse to give p on the sbjects condence, in this sense can beconsidered an early anticipation of Badios thics as we as a welcomeconterpart to the latter all too polemical overtones

4

Implicit in the notion of an ethics ofMarxism, as opposed to a Marxistethics is a strictly poitical nderstanding of Marxism. his matterof principle gides the seection of texts from the tradition: We cannever repeat enogh that the texts of Marxism are rst and foremostthose of militant poitics he reader ths will search in vain forBadios personal interpretation of Marxs Capital (the eephant Capital,Badio says) or even of the Grundrisse (which pay sch a central roearond the same time in the late 90s in Antonio Negris recasting

of Marxism). Instead, it is with reference to interventionist texts schas The Communist Manifesto or enins he Crisis Has Matred that thepresent work caims to be standing in he lineage of poitical Marxismikewise Badio repeatedy rejects any notion of a science of histoythat wold be embodied in Marxs own stdy and critiqe of the politica economy of advanced capitaism in favor of a miitant denitionof the reference to texts by Marx enin, and Mao in concrete poiticalexperiments: Science of history? Marxism is the disourse with which theproletariat sustains itself as subject We mst never let go of this idea fethics has any role a t all to pay in th is context, it is only in orde r to serve

as a practica principle, or maxim, for sstaining the rationa and partisancalcations of politicsScattered throghot Theo of the Subjet the reader wil ths be abe

to nd Badios relections on the role of masses, classes, and the Stateon the party of a new type as the body of politics and on commnism,revoltion and the dictatorship of the proletariat. Anyone interested inprobing the exact natre of Badios Marxism in this sense, shold payclose attention to the present book. erhaps above all the reader willcome to appreciate a side of Badios work that sally is not as visible asit is in Theo of the Subjector, once again in Logics of Worlds that is his lairfor historica periodization. Not ony does he pre sent what I earlier called a

xix



RANSAOR'S INTROUCION

materiaist heory of historiciy withot History b he aso seps ito thereches i order to iervee i the acta historicizatio o Marxism, ashe discorse of reerece i a least hree crcial seqeces o eves: thepoplar riots rom he ime of he Communit Manifto a the way to theexperime o the aris Comme the victory o the October Revoioad the cosittio of socialis States throghot he Soviet boc adthe Clral Revotio i Maoist Chia. he reasos for this oherwise

fairly orthodox efort at periodizatio are cosiste wih the priciple oa miitatas opposed to a scieic, o o metio prely academicderstadig o the discorse foded by Marx: 'For Marxism, seizedfrom ay poit that is ot its efective operatio which is eirely of theorder of poiics withi he masses, does o deserve oe hor of ortrobles

his does ot mea eglectig the crisis of Marxism 'Ye s, e s admitit withot detors: Marxism is i crisis Marxism is aomized However,ike what happes i the atiMarxis war machie of he discorseagaist otaliariaism, this crisis mst be dersood immaetly, fromwithi he weakess or he exhastio o the reeretial vale o the

Marxist discorse i acal poliical ad miita processes: 'ast theimplse ad creative scissio of the 90s, a fter he aioa liberatiosrggles ad the cltra revotio, wha we iherit i imes of crisisad he immiet threa of war is a arrow ad fragmetary assemblageof thoght ad actio, cagh i a abyrith o ris ad srvvals Marxism, i additio o is deiabe historica crisis, mst also dergoa active coceptal destrctio, the i is aways with a eye o is possible recomposiio as a politica discorse. his is why, several years afterTho of th Subjct, it ca come to fcio as oe o the two fdametal'ierveig doctries o the sbect, the oher oe beig psychoaalysis,

tha from he otside coditio the philosophy o he evet, as Badiowill sate explicily i the reface to Bing and Evnt: 'A postCaresiadoctrie of he sect is foldig: is origi ca be traced o ophilosophical pracices (wheher those practices be political or reatig to'metal iess ad is regime o iterpretatio, marked by the ames oMarx ad ei, Fred ad aca, is itricaey liked o ciical or militat operaios which go beyod rasmissible discorse Besides, thedoble historica stampig of these docries o the sbject, with Marx/eiaside rom recalig ess/a a t the origi of Christiaitybeigsricty homologos o Fred/aca, eads Badio i Tho of th Subjctto raise a irigig qestio 'Where s, yet o come ad makig hree,

TRANSAOR'S INTROCTION

he Mao of psychoaaysis? his qestio is ot rhetorica ad to alarge exe remais ope to his daywith aca himsel still havigimporat essos to each, as Badio shows, regardig a theory o hesbjec hat wold be compatibe wih the desrctio ad recompositioo Marxism

oher words, whie it is certaiy tre hat i Tho of th SubjctBadio ackowledges o be speakig from defeat, as whe he says: 'o

defed Marxism today meas o defed a weakess, we shod oteglect he fact tha this ackowledgemet is immediatey folowed by astatemet i which he weakess o he ideesible at oce prescribes thetask o a ew dy: 'We ms practi Marxism

At leas wo major interrogations admiedly sill remain open wihregard to the Marxist iscripio of Theory ofthe Subject The rs cocersthe pace o ( the criique o) poliical economy As Ziek requently insists,his dimension appears o be compleey absen rom Badious work aerBeing and Event. hrogh he cocept o the abset case itse, hogh, there is certaily a good case to be made for he argmet hat Theoryof the Subject both includes and problemaizes he role of he economy

in a strictly poitica undersanding of Marxism. Between Althusser andBadiou, in fact, we migh say tha a decisive reversa o perspective takesplace whereby the absen cause, insead o providing us with the master

key to unlock he structural causaity of overdetermination, becomes syn-onymous wih the ransormative poentia of an even The economicainstance, which or Ahusser serves as the principal exampe of a causehat vanishes into he toaity of is efects, hus coninues o be presen asi were virtualy in Badious doctrine of he event, except that he emphasis now shis away from the structura dimension towards he rarity of a

subjective inervenion here can be no doubt, however that much morework needs to be done in order to follow the desiny of this concept of he

economy qua absen cause in the wake o Althusserian Marxism. Jacques-Aain Milers eary wriings from he ime of his particpation in Cahier s

pour I'analyse, especiay 'Marix and 'Action o the Sructure even more

so than his widely known 'Suure (Elements of the Logic o the Signier )"should prove particuarly reevan in this conex, and they aready receive

mch atetio i Badios Tho of th Subjct9 the ed, thogh, eve a retr to he cocept of the abset case alog

the path that leads rom strctral to poststrctral forms o thoght islikely to covice he diehard Marxist who is i search o a accoto poiical ecoomy i this thikers work For i the eyes of Badio, the



xxii

TRANSLATOR'S INRODUCTON

act o the matter remains that Marxs Capital, while essentially true in its

diagnostic, and perhaps even truer today than a century and a hal ago,

nonetheless puts us on the wrong track i our aim is to dene a political

rather than an analytical Marxism. This is because the critique o political

economy has been unabl e to perorm its own critique, as Badiou will write

in Can Politics Be Thought? In this sense, the economical instance marks the

xation, or the becomingction, o Marxism:

What was supposed to be a strategy o the event, a hypothesis regard

ing the hysterias o the socia an organ o interpretationinterruption, a

courage o ortune, has nally been presented, by way o the economy,

as giving a convenient measure to social relations hus, Marxism has

been destroyed by its own history, which is that o the xion, with an x,

the history o its xation by the philosopheme o the political0

Marxism can be reed rom this xation only i the crises and hysterias,

to which the critique o political economy was supposed to provide access,

are seen neither as social acts nor as empirical illustrations o antagonism

as the metaphysical essence o 'the political, le politique, but as the retroac-

tive outcome o politics, la politique or rather, o une politique that is, oa (specic mode o doing) politics. Theo of the Subject aims to come to

grips precisely with the logic o such retroactive interventions, as described

almost on the spot in the everishly militant writings o Marx, Lenin, and

Mao

A second interrogation concerns the historical nature o the theory

o the subject as such For Badiou, this question never even poses itsel

insoar as his theory is purely ormal or axiomatic What is more, as he

recently reiterates, over time not much has changed at all either in the

conguration o being, truth, and subject which constitutes the matrix

or philosophy, or in the types and gures o truth to which a subject

can be aithul 'he act is that todayand in this regard things havent

budged much since Platowe know only our types o truth science

(mathematics and physics), love, politics, and the arts41 From a Marxist

perspective, though, we might want to ask whether there are not also

important historical breaks that need to be taken into account within

the ormal conditions o existence that are constitutive o such processes

o subjectivization, particularly in politicS Does not capitalism introduce

a major cut into these processes? Or does the ormal apparatus remain

undamentally unchanged, even i any given truth procedure, like any

political intervention, must appear in a specic historical world?

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION

Clearly, Badious insistence on the eterna transhistorica or

transtemporal nature o all truths is meant in the rst place to avoid

he relativistic consequences o a thoroughly historicized account o the

subject. This is precisely the gist o his outspoken attack in Logics of Worlds

against the historicism that he associates with socalled 'democratic mate-

rialism, as opposed to the 'materialist dialectic he real issue, however,

concerns the compatibility, or not, between a ormal and a historical

theory o the subject. n Marxist terms, this would bring us back to theamiliar stumbling block o dening the relations between dialectical

materialism and historical materialism Along these lines, aside rom a

return to Etienne Balibars discussion o periodization and other basic

concepts o historical materialism in his contribution to Reading Capital

uture investigations based on a thorough grasp o Theo of the Subject

might want to revisit not only the role o capitalism but also, in a pos-

sible dialogue with Michel Foucaults contemporary work in The Histo

of Sexuali or in his seminar on The Hermeneutics of the Subject, the role o

religion and psychoanalysis in the changing aces o ancient, medieva

and modern subjectivity.2

5

At this point, we might actually turn around our initial question and

ask whether, even rom such a cursory overview o Theo of the Subject

as the one have just outlined, Badious other major books, Being and

Event and Logi of Worlds, do not also appear in a dierent and perhaps

even critical light In any case, while do not wish to suggest something

that Badiou jokingly has come to attribute to my reading o Theo of the

Subject namely, that ater this book it all goes steeply downhill, with only

a brie flaring up o hope with ogics of Worlds, we are ar removed rom

the common prejudice according to which the work o philosophers, in an

ongoing series o selcriticisms and emendations, is supposed to ollow a

steady path o linear progression.

he very relation between Being and Event and Logics of Worlds (subtitled

Being and Event 2), to begin with, can best be unerstood in terms o the

articulation o algebra and topology. But then it soon appears that this

comparison with one o the pivotal conceptual divisions rom Theo of the

Subject at once implies an anticipatory critique o the work to come From

within the strictly metaontological parameters proper to Being and Event,

xxiii



TRANSLATOR'S INTRODCTION

dd h ca oy mg as a ashg cau s whos bgls dsaag Now fom h od wok w kow ha such aalgbac wo fo whch h sa l fau of h a faufobdd axomac s hoywoud b s slffaly o sslfblogg mus b sulmd wh a 'oologca oaowhch o h bass of cagoy hoy o h hoy of topoi sgash ms of s cosqucs ad h cosscy of s mlca

sucu as has h squ o Bing and vnt. hs ssw mgh coclud a asu ad of Tho of th Subjct could hadcd a og m ago ha Bing and vnt was o ma osddggg h hackyd objcos agas Badou as a dogmas f oa dowgh mysc of h ucual ul s xso ha wouldak almos wy yas o com o fuo Logics of Words

Tho of th Subjct o oy ods us wh a ky o udsad hdacc bw Bing and vnt ad Logics of Wordsscally f bydacc a dc lag fom Hg w a o udsad h daha h ssc of all dffc ls h hd m ha maks h gabw h wo ohs. Bu h al book also s caabl of o

g ou adg of ach of h a wo olums ak o s ow.As I suggsd abo hs cosus o of Badous majo us as ahlosoh ga\ amly hs caacy o daw u a shar cuof h saks od h mos bug omcs of ou m so as ocofo h ad wh h oblgao of a dcso faou of o l of hough o h oh Wha ds o b addd h s ha hs caacyfo gg hough a dcs oao obously ca b xdd oclud Badous ow wok as w.

xxv

hus wh ad lgh of Tho of th Subjct, h ojc of Bing andvnt o log aas o fall so asly h as of a gd udalccalo adalcca dualsm No dos h aa oly as a ucua sac of slfbogg wholy dlkd o cu off fom h xsg suao Isad o ah addo h mhass also falls o hfac ha h s aways a for a scc suao by u ofh al s ha ol y a coc aalyss of h coc suao caccumscb. Fuhmo ah ha a las o h basof bg/ kowdg/uh ad so o commoy assocad whBadous hough wha a caful udsadg of Tho of th Subjctbgs ou Bing and vnt s o oly h x o whch ach foudgcoc s ally sl ( oh wods h ba saag wo ms ofa bay mus b asosd oo ach m so ha bg sf s s o

TRANSLATORS INTRODCTION

coss ad coss bg coss bg o sao adsao h o sf ad s s h subjc o h moaddua ad h mmoal aca of a uh ocss ad so o) bualso h o of a whol ss of mday o calad cocs adoaos (such as h coc of h al s whch symomacallylks h o a g suao ad fo whch sgcaly o mahmacal fomula s aalabl sc wh hs coc w h alm of

hck hsocal aayss o h oao of focg whch a backwadoso maks a uh oa so as o oduc w foms of kowdgwh h suao of dau) Fally hough h x o lasmdao of Bing and vnt s ld hoy of h Subc hs wso acually aas o b ah odmsoa comaso oh a book of h sam l h ss ha h subjc s ddxcusly ms of dy o o o h . lk wha haswh h daccal rlay amog h fou fudamal cocs ofaxy couag usc ad h sugo h hus sms o b lo o sac fo al s wh h subjc as such hs oo wll bcocd h s 'book' of Logics of Words, ld Fomal hoy of h

Subjc (Mahyscs) . ha alady od ou som of h oh ocs such as h ol of

dsuco by mas of whch Badou hs c book sms o bhakg back o Tho of th Subjct Bu h a may mo os ofcuc. Fo sac coay o h aow do o f h subcha w d Bing and vnt ms of dly o h ack hofLogics of Words oc aga os u a comlx subjc sac sucudaoud wo oh gus h ac o (whch ds ha ay acually has ak lac) ad h obscu o (whch fuh obfuscash y d fo a o ha a al sofa as h would xs a'full body h gus of a ac ao o God). Wha s mo h bookxcly sums h fomalzao of h sa c of subjcy by ug o wha a ow calld h fou affcs of axy couag juscad o ou affcs ga h cooao of a huma amal oh subc ocss of a uh Badou ws al h whl ssg oh qual moac of all fou hy a o b hachcally odd.Wa ca ha as much alu as ac goao as much as suggloc as much as glss. Fally g hs fo may hasuxcd of couy bw Tho of th Subjct ad Logicsof Words, ally should o com as a sus aymo ha Badoualso us o som of hs old faous fo fcs: Hg mo

xxv

'



xxv

TRANSLATOR'S INTROCTION

spcicaly his Siene of Logi ths appars oc agai as a ky itrloctori Logis of Words, ad th book ops ad closs with xampls drawfrom th history of Maosm

All ths obviosy is ot to say that thr ar o ptrs or discotitis i Bados work. say so morovr wod b hghly paradoxcalgiv th ctrality for this work of th catgory of th vt as a radical ctor brak albt a immat o Ev sch discotitis thogh mst

b placd agast th backdrop of a la rgr articlato whos complx addivdd atr ca b graspd with spca carity from th vatag poitof Bados rst ad most xprimtal attmpt at formlatig a matrial-ist dialctc i Theo of the Subjet From this poit of vw ot oly Beingand Event bt Logi of Words too appars to b travrsd by a divdd or-tato comparabl to th split btw th algbra of a va shig casad th topology of a wly cosistt world O o had that whch th w book is calld a 'st whch is ot to b cofsd wth th oldroto of a 'vtal sit is markd prcisly by th pctality of whatdisappars o soor tha it appars as if a lightig lash O th othrhad howvr thr is a trth of this disapparig oly thaks to th

aboratio of a sris of cosqcs that s a w mod or rgim ofapparg 'lfblogig als itsf as soo a s it is forcd as soo as ithapps A st is a vaishig trm t appars oly ordr to disapparh problm s to rgistr ts cosqcs apparig. Both of thsaspcts th sit as vashig trm ad th rgm of its cosqcsca b sparatd oly at th v of cocptal xposito whras iactal fact o caot xist withot th othr Badio highlights thisdilmma for stac hs priodizatio of th aris Comm a talkrworkd ad cldd Logis of Words 'For what cots is ot oy thxcptoal itsty of its srgig pth fact that w ar daig witha volt ad crativ pisod i th ralm of apparigbt what thispsrg dspit its vaishig sts ot i ts drato trms of gloriosad crtai cosqcs. o gor o of ths aspcts to th dtr-mt of th othr wl ad to a radically diffrt imag of th philosophyof th vt ithr as a absolt bt mpty dscotiity or as a lastgbt prdctab cotity. As Badio sists ovr ad ovr aga i Theoof the Subjet howvr th whol trick cosists i combig ths twoortatios i a op dd diactic of bgiigs ad rbgigs Ifact a sbjct is prcisly sch a articlatio as s cormd i Logis ofWords: 'A sbjct s a sqc vovig cotiits and dscotitisopigs and poits h ad icarats itsf as sbjct.

TRANSLATOR'S NTROCTION

tylistcally Theo ofthe Subjet adopts th format of a smar isprd byacas xampl B ados dlity to ths modl is actally qt xtsivragig from th s of idiosycratic wordplay sytactic ambgitsfy asids ad bold provocatos of th adc al th way to thdispositio of th writt txt with mbrd sctios ad a ist of sb

titls at th start of ach chaptr as i acqsAai Milrs ditio ofLacas orgal smiarsI fact th styl of Bados thr 'major books cold ot b mor df

frt hs whil th dic ad ds qaity of Theo ofthe Subjet coldb attrbtd to a almost complt idffrc to a actal radrshpth smarformat othss allows Bado to rly o a gros 'wthat is try coctiv ad ackowldgs th partcipato of hs adic thrfor frqty rdr th Frch nous as 'w stad of sig itmrly as a polit form of th as is cstomary Eglish trasatiosBsids Theo of the Subjet st shows codc th possibilty ofspakig i th am of 'w Marxsts whras this collctv 'w is

prcisly part of th traditio that colapss togthr with ovitstylCommsm ad th Brli Wal 'Commism amd th ffctivhistory of w ow dad 'hr s o logr a w thr hast bfor a log tm Being and Event o th othr had is wrtt with aalmost classca or som wold say oclassc imprsoaity whos calmsrity dos ot xcd a momtal ambto. Logis of Words alyis writt from a sfcodt positio of itratioa fam wth a' who dos ot hsitat to rfr to 'Badio i th thrd prso sid bysd with lato ad Kat Each of ths thr works frthrmor adoptsa iq gric format folowig thr diffrt modls th historyof phosophy Theo of the Subjet is a Lacaiaispird smiar Being

nd Eent s mad p of 3 Cartsa or postCartsia mditatios adLogi of Words adopts a strctr vagly rmiisct of pozas Ethisordrd ito sv 'books icldg svral 'scholia ad a list of 'propositios at th d

Asid from crta tchical trms whch I w list ad xpla i thxt sco two stylistc idiosycrasis dsrv a brf commt hr asthy aso cssary rqir a dcsio o th part of th trasator hirst cocrs Badios rlac o th lcy ad ambigity of crtaicostrctios i Frch which whil by o mas bg obscr or otof th ordary rsist asy trasato ito Egs h. hs ar istacs of

xxv

TR S TOR'S TRO UCTIO TRANSLATOR'S INTROUCTION



TRANSATOR'S NTROUCTION

almost coloqua speech that trasatio may tu out to be awkwado simpy uidiomatic Some of these staces, especially those borowedfrom aca, receive a extesve commetary fom Badiou himself Forothers, I have tried to give a literal traslato, a the while explaig theambguity the traslators otes icuded at the ed of this voume

he secod idosycrasy which Badiou aso seems to have adoptedfrom aca eve though a similar tred is typica of a cetai Frech

style of wrtg i geeal cossts usg sglesetece paragraphswhose bod ad compact sytax gives them the feel of gomc or oracu-la statemets While Egsh t would have made sese to poduce asmoothe rhythm by icopoatig such seteces ito the flow of logeparagraphs, I have opted istead for a fathful redeig, respectful of thegraphic effect with which these oeliers puctuate a wellgh cli-ca sese the gadua process of aayss udertake by Badiou i Theoofthe Subject

* *

woud ike to thak all the fieds whose hep ad support alowedme to see this proect through to the ed. May moe could be amedbut wat to sigle out ete Haward Adia ohsto Abetooscao, ad Slavo iek. heir advice durig the al stages i pa-ticular tured out to be ivaluabe I aso beeted from beg able tocosut tasatios of shorter portios of this book by Ed uth Albertooscao ad Maia de Careri. Audey Wasser ad Ricado Arbasheped me with bibiogaphcal refereces whe was far away fom thebrares of Coel ad o sabbatical i Mexco. Aessadro Russo adFabo azas expertise about the Cutural Revolutio was idispesablefo locatig obscue quotatios fom Mao. Simoe et, as always, was

my compass without her presece i my life oe of ths would havebee possble

A sepaate word of thaks ad appreciato goes out to Aai Badouhmself who ever stopped listeig to my queres ever sice our fied-shp bega, precisely i respose to that rst readig of Theo of the Subjectthat blew me away ow more tha a decade ago. At Cotiuum ally wat to thak om Crick fo his patece ad hs cotiued beef thatoe day he would actually eceve a complete mauscipt wth diagramsad all icluded ad Adew Mikolaski ad racey Smth for ther hardwok with the editig.

xx


Notes o the trasatio

A umber of ecurret techical terms used i Theo of the Subjet merita bref explaatio Especiay whe combied with the authos owhematic Repertore icuded at the ed of this volume ths st maysmultaeously seve as a basic gossary. he four fudametal coceptsof the theory of the subectcourage, axiety, ustce, ad the superego

do ot receve a separate etry i ths glossary sce Badiou himsef the couse of the book amply dees them Cetai grammatcal ambi-guities ad occasioa techicalities o the other had, wi be aotatedtogether with additioal bbliographca refereces i the al secto of'raslators Edotes a d Refeeces.

Annulation ('annulment or annulation): his is n f th thr basic pratins assciatd with Maarms ptry in trms f th structura diactictthr with th chain ffct causd by a vanishin trm and th nu fct ffrcsur By annuin a vanishin trm this pratin s t spak carrisut a ack f ack which raiss ack t th v f a cncpt a th whi pr

ducin anxiy Atrnativ transatins wud b 'rscissin nuicatincancatin r rvcatin

Basculement ('tippng over or 'toppling, occasionally 'changeover or

'turnabout) A trm usd in th prsnt cntt t rfr t th suddn transfrmatin whrby a structura abraic rintatin tips vr and pnsut nt a histrica r vnta rintatin rm th vry binnin f heoof the Subjet thr ar car hints th HianMarxian diactic as inth passinvr r bergehen f quantity int quaity spciay whn thwh prcss cntradictry transrmatin taks n a mr abrupt apik aspct f a suddn vrthrw r invrsin as in th Grman Umshlagasn Barkr in th Enish transatin f Badius Metapolitis, rndrs thistrm as 'vrbaancin fr xamp f what xists int wha an st r

frm th knwn twards th unknwn as h rsut f a pitica intrvntin

Battement ('oscillation or 'vacillation occasionally 'batting): A trm usdt dscrib th mvmnt arund an mpty pac as part f what Badiudns as th sructura diactic Aan Shridan in his transatin f Lacansminar XI. he Four Fundamental Conepts of Psyhoanalysis pts fr 'pusain which s prhaps at physica fr th pury structura functin thatBadiu has in mind vn thuh acans wn panatin is why t thpint fr th trms us in heo ofthe Subjet I hav cnstanty strssd inmy prcdin statmnts Lacan says 'th pulsative functin as it wr f thuncnscius h nd t disappar that sms t b in sm sns inhrnt

xxx

TRANSATOR'S INTRODUCTION TRANSATORS INTRODUCTION



xxx

TRANSATOR'S INTRODUCTION

in itvrythin that fr a nt appar in it lit t b dtindby a rt f prptin t cl up aain upn itlf a rud hilf udth taphr t vanih t diappar S I 43 Still in th a narLacan al u th tr t rfr t th luttrin win f Chuan Tzu whnh iain h i a buttrfly whil Badiu in The f he Sube rfr ta 'battn f ylah t na th apparindiapparin f Mallarvanihin cau Th tr al vk th rl f th inifyin battry labaee sgnane in Lacanian pychanalyi and infar a Badiu k t

bynd th idali f thi tructural dl thr i nthn wrn withharin ch f 'batin in baemen includin in th prativ n f'batin arund th buh

Brin ('strand) hi tr rfr t th ctin trand r bt that ar knttdr braidd tthr in a ubjct pcially th trand cbinin curaand utic) and th trand cbnin anty and th upr) Badiuthu rli n th cncptia f a crd r a pic f ttil wavintthr ultipl trand r lant.

Coupure ('cut occasionally 'break or 'rupture) n The fhe Sube thitr t ftn rtain th anin f 'cut that Lacan invk fr aplin hi tplical dcuin rardin th tyin untyin and cuttin f aknt h thr cnntatin which via Althur wuld rfr u back t thcncpt f an pitlical 'brak r 'ruptur upue psmlgque inth wrk f Gatn Bachlard Gr Canuilh and Michl ucault l aninful n th cntt f The f he Sube

Dvian and dviation ('deviation): A tr ud in The f he Sube ttranlat namen i th liht 'dviatin 'wrv r 'inclinatin f atfallin in th vid whrby a wrld i frd accrdin t th ancnt atif Lucrtiu Whil dvane ha th a ual and/r criinal cnntatinin Frnch a 'dvianc r 'dviancy in Enlh hav ptd fr th rnutral 'dviatin intad Th tr thn pnly bin t rnat with thrliiu and plitical dbat rardin dvans r 'dviatin fr rthdy r fr th crrct lin dbat that Badiu cntantly ha n ind

thruhut The fhe Sube Anthr pibl tranlatin fr namen udn crtain Enlih vrin f Mar dctral dirtatin n D critan andEpicuran ati i 'dcinatin

Epuration ('purication sometimes 'purging) A tr ud t dcribth prc by which frcand th ubjct r nrallywrk backupn th yt f plac that thrwi dtrin it dntty a thi r thatfrc thi r that ubjct Th tr culd bvuly b tranatd a 'purr 'purin but th Stalinit vrtn f thi prin whil nvr whllyabnt huld nt b allwd t dinat th tr ntrprtatin in Thef he Sube. n The Cenu Badiu wll dicu th path f dtructin andpuricatn incudn in it Staint c in ppitin t th path f

TRANSATORS INTRODUCTION

ubtractin and inia dffrnc Evn hr in any ca h init that

puricatin and pur includin th cunicatn f traitr and thctarian dfnc aaint dviatin and hri f all kind ar cnpractic thruhut th twntith cntury in any artitic avantardrup fr urrali undr Andr Brtn t th ituatinit undr GuyDbrd a wll a in pychanalytical rup fr Frud t acan

pa ('splace): hi i a nli r prtantau wrd bad n a cntractin f espae de plaemen 'pac f placnt t can b undrtd a a

naynny fr 'tructur r vn 'yblic rdr vn thuh thr i ntrict parallli with ithr Althur r acan That which Bad iu call 'tat

f a ituatin in Beng and Ev en and 'wrld in gs f Wlds al ruhlycrrpnd t 'plac in The f he Sube Th dialctical cuntrpart tth 'plac i th 'utpl ac jut a 'plac in nral functin in a dialcticalppitin with 'frc tartin a arly a n Badiu The f nadn

Etatique and tatme ('statist and 'statism) Whil in he f he SubeBadiu ha nt yt fully dvlpd th ntin f 'tat f th ituatin whichwil b pivta in Beng and Even h d rly n a r f tr t dcribth tatic tatit r tatlik natur f crtan hitricplitical phnna.n Enlh th tr cannt aly b paratd fr th n that tranlatth rnch saque which Badiu u bth a an adctiv 'tatic) and anun une saque a 'tatic r 'tatic prhap vn a 'tatitic n th tylical n f th tr a a cinc f th tat Sask in Gran) appd t une dnamque a 'dynaic r 'dynac) A rlatd prin ifae a 't draw up a n vrviw 't invntry r fr th prnt cnttt dn a tat f affar fr apl rardin th bn f th wrkincla.

vanouiement and terme vanouiant ('vanishing and 'vanishing term)

Th bac pratin f th tructural dalctic whrby a ttality r whl icntitutd a th ffct f an abnt r vanhin cau Svanu al an't faint 't fad away r ut) 't pa ut r 't di away. n th nth tr nt withut rcalln th rl f aphanass r 'fadin n Lacanian

pychanalyi Th ain iplid rfrnc hwvr i t th Althurancncptualizatin f 'tructural cauality in F ax and Readng apalunl acquAlain Millr riht aaint Althur in clain patrnity frthi cncpt undr th na f 'tnyical cauality A third nalicalln inally wuld tak u fr Spnza 'abnt r 'iannt cau tluz 'quaicau a dicud n The Lg fSense all th way t Zikrcnt rturn t th a tructurin prncipl. What huld bc clarfr thi ntwrk f rfrnc urrundin th cncpt f th vanihintr th tnt t whch Badiu in The fhe Sube i ivin fr t auniqu typ f 'pttructural thinkin that tak t tak th ntir traditinf th 'tructural dactic withut inrin t fundantal iniht

xxx



TRANSLATORS INTROUCTION TRANSLATORS INTROUCTION




'th bin of ack I consistnty stick to ack of bin instad o wanttob

Passe ('pass or 'passing) Badou frqunty has rcours to ths trm boh nits common sns and in its tchnica manin in th acanian schoo of psy choanaysis or acan who instatd th procdu r in 1 967 as part o his oleFeudienne de Pai th pae provds an institutiona structur for th passafrom anaysand to anayst that is h nd of anaysis tstid by th paan

to a committ of paeu or 'passrs who in urn ray th account to a jurywho dcids whthr or not to award h 'pass In heo of he Subje Badiourfrs to th hatd dbats provokd by his procdur up to tn yars aft r itsntroduction by acan who upon istnin in sinc to th forma compaintsraisd at a mtin in 97, wnt so far as to ca it a 'compt faiu ) Insoaras th procdur invovs th possibiity of transmittin knowd avoi)about th anaytica practic Badiou taks an intrst n la pae simiar to hro of th univrsa ransmission of mathmatics in th scintiic communy.Amon th many common manins th noun la pae and th vrb paecan rfr to passa 'pas s 'patch passin for ovr by ) crossin 'ointhrouh skippin ndin and so on Rvant xprssions incud paeun exaen to pass an xam faie une pae to mak a pass pae en foe'push throuh and ode pae password In addition Badiou systmaticaypays on th diactc btwn pae and ipae somims spt i-paewith a dash so as to hihiht th pun) in a ky arumnt that wi rapparin Being and Even.

Place ('place) Throuhout heo of he Subje Badiou xpoits th tnsionbtwn that which can b mappd topooicay in trms o spacs pacsand spac on on hand and on th oth that which is atopoica thatis forc or th vnt. I did not nd a sinican difrnc btwn plae andlieu that woud warrant a soid distincton btwn pac and ocus or sitBadiou frqunty insists on th dadnin ffct of that which mains uplae 'in its pac or 'on h sam spot most oftn as th rsut of an ovry

strucura mphasis in which pac and spac tak prcdnc ovr forc andth outpac Faie du uplae is aso a cooquia xprssion that rfrs to thquas immobi stur by which a cycst at a stopiht or at th start of a actris to rmain sti with both ft strappd on th pdas Intrstiny in heogi of Sene Duz dscribs an thics of wiin th vnt in tms of 'a sortof apin n pac au u plae

Point d'arrt ('hating point or 'stopping pont): A trm usd in heo ofhe Subje to rf to thos siniirs hat put an nd o th sidin of mtaphors and monymis in Maarms potry Badiou rfrs spciay to thamphora th mastr and th ptyx in th famous 'Sonnt aorica of itsand proposs to rad ths thr snirs in trms of dath th pot a nd th

pur sinii of th sinir as such Invokin a quotation from harman

xxxv


Mao W wi com to know vrythin w did not know bfor) a quotaon that wi b rusd in ogi of Wold aains th doma of nitud Bad ioudnis h xistnc of insuprab hatin points and afrms th opnnddnatur of th priodzd diactca procss Poin da in heo of he Subjethus has a compty diffrnt manin from th on it has in Being and Evenwhr th void or mpty st is said to b th ony hatin point of mutipicity that is mutipicity os a th way down qua mutip of mutips unti

th void In Ehi nay asid from its onooica manin poin da asorfrs to th 'unnamab that must not b forcd in th nam of truth ston fas into th vi of a disastr This concpt of th unnamab with itsconnotation of an insuprab imitpoint cain out for an thics of rspct ispury and simpy abandond in ogi of Wold whr Badiou onc aainconsistnt with his rturn to h quotation from Maoafrms that thrar aways consquncs and no unknowabs. In this ast sns it is worthkpin in mind for heo ofhe Subje as w that poin da can b undrstood not ony as hatin point or stoppin point but aso as 'no hatin orno stoppin at a. Drida in his radin of Mauric Banchots A de o(eah Senene), has xhaustivy dconstructd th inuistic possibiitisaffordd by th sini a

Processus subjectif ('subjective process) A trm dircty and xpicty borrowd rom acans Ei to dsnat on of th two aspcts o r tmporaitisof th subjct namy th durab onoin and most oftn aborious timof rcomposition that ivs a subjct consistncy ithr in th uis of a nwform of justic or in th uis of th supros trrorizin ca to ordr Thothr momnt or tim of th subct is cad subjctivization

Rel ('real) Badiou tnds to us ths trm in a way that is rminiscnt of Lacansus without vr fuy coincidin with its tchnica manin or manins inth triad of th ra th symboic and th imainary I hav chosn not to usa ar capita whn transatin th trm as 'h) ra in an ffot both toav intact th uidity of Badious us of th trm and to avod associations

with Nw A trminooy as in Enish discussions of Badious work thatrndr a his ky concpts with ar capitas: Bn Evnt Truth and so on.Badiou aso pays on th nch xprssions poin du el point of th ra butaso 'not ra or not of th ra at a) and poin el 'ra point with poin asa noun but aso not at a ra wth poin as an advrb)

Retouement ('reversa occasiona 'return) Ths trm usd in th titof Part IV in ordr to propos a matraist rvrsa of matriaism is rmniscn o but aso somwhat diffrnt from th usua invrsion ( Uehungn Grman or enveeen in th typica rnch transations) by which Marx

or xamp caims to put th Hian diactic 'back on its ft. Th diffrnc stms from th fact that eouneen asid from a turnin ovr

upsid down insid out) aso voks a 'rturn (eou) and a 'urnin back

xxxv

TRANSLATOR'S INTROUCTION TRANSLATOR'S INTROUCTION



TRANSLATOR S INTROUCTION

r 'sndin back (retouer) inaly th rnch trm als srvs t translat Hldrins ntin f a 'rturn r 'rvrsal ( Umkehr in Grman) in hsRmarks n "Antn n a amply cmmntd upn in art fBadius Theo of the Subjet

Subjecivaion 'ubjectivization) A trm drcty and xplciy brrwdfrm Lacan t dsinat n f th tw aspcts r tmpralts f th subjctnamly th hasty slhly hystical and mst ftn shrtlivd im f nrruptin and dstructin whch accrdn t Theo of the Subjet aks h frmf ithr anxiy r cura Bruc ink n hs translatn f Lacans rits,and Ovr ltham n his translain f Being and ent pt fr th spllin'subjctivizatin which I hav adptd as wll whil Slavj Zk and Albrtscan usually prfr th mr liral 's ubjctvan

Topique 'toology occaionally 'toic) A trm usd n Theo of theSubjet, rst t dsinat Marx and rds rspctiv 'tpls r tpraphs f th subjct f class and f th uncnscus and thn t maput th varius discurss f 'thcs n th bks nal part itld Topiquesde thique, whch hav transatd as 'Tpics f Ethics s as t maintainsmthn f th wrldplay that wuld b lst if had chsn pls fEthics r 'Ethical plis Badu als has in mnd and pnly discusss

Lacans tplc a nvstiatins frm his nal sm nars Thr may vn ba fant ch f Caud LvStrauss rat wrk f structural anthrplyTristes Tropiques

Torsion and orsade 'torion and 'twit) Ths is n f h pivtal and mstbscur cncpts f Theo of the Subjet In part cnditnd by mathmatics whs albraic 'trsin rups Badu dscusss a sm nth n thbk th cncpt f 'trsin at th sam tim functins n a much bradrsns t rfr t th way n whch a subjct wrks back upn th structurthat dtrmins it n th irst plac n ths sns torsion s rlatd t forage,anthr cncpt brrwd frm mathmatics and discussd in Theo of theSubjet that will bcm vn mr cntral in Being and ent Torsade, lik

tresse 'intlacin) dsnats th twstd unty f h subjct itsf that sth dividd articuatin f cura anxity justic and th supr in twbasc trajctris th scalld md frm cura t justc) and mdfrm anxity th sup) and accdin t tw tmpralits th timf intrruptin r dstructn anxty and cura) and th tm f cmpsitin ustic and th supr) ntrstinly acqus Rancir als dnsptcs n trms f a cnsttutiv 'trsn that trats a spcc tort r wrnin Disagreement Politis and Philosophy

(Le) Tou 'Whole 'Totality or 'the All) Aain a trm usd wth a cmbinatin f Hian and Lacanian cnntatins t dsnat bth th ffc f avanshn caus namy th rsultin Whl and hat which lik any splacby frc mus ncludxclud smhn namly th uplac in rdr t

xxxv

TRANSLATOR S INTROUCTION

cm int bin qua ttality s that th Whl is als aways ntWhl rntAll

Tresse 'interlacing) A trm usd n th sam tplical vn as brin, nud,and torsade, t dsna th subjcts dvdd artculain Ohr translatinsculd hav bn braid 'plait 'wav r 'intr)wavin

Uni de conraires 'unity o f ooite or 'unity of contrarie) Ths basiccncpt f th dalctc whch is a s ld a s philsphy s usually translatd as'unity f ppsts in Enlish Whnvr Badiu nssts n h rl f 'cntraris r 'cnrarnss in rlatin t th principl f unit de ontraires, I rtainth mr litral translatin as un ty f cntraris

Versan 'aect 'trand 'ide 'tendency or 'loe): A trm mst ftnusd t dsinat th tw 'sids r 'aspcts f th dalctc accrdin t Theo ofthe Subjet structural sid and ts hstrcal sid th sd f pac and thsd f frc its albraic sd and ts tpica sd h idalist aspct andth matrialis aspct

Voie 'ath or 'road) A cmmn nun that Bad u furthr asscats wth thMarxist and mr spccally Mas dscussins abut th strul btwntw 'paths r tw 'rads th burs and th prltaran th rvsnistand h scaist Mr nrally spakn h trm is part f th tplical

rntatin bhnd Theo ofthe Subjet

xxxv

PREACE



Preae

o itrodce mysef it o your story my reader hs is reay the aim ofprefaces so aptly amed hat they mst frish a proe of what theyprecede.

I have othig to prole if ot the certaity that I have ad to whichthe whoe abor of this book testiies amey that the moder phiosopher isas Agste Comte said already so log agoa systemaic proetaria.

hiosophy oday s deserted.Never expectig aythig from he State I hardly expect that the recet

libatios i hoor of he rose (Im wrtg this i y 198) w make

or largey disaffeced atioa provice lorish.he ievitabe rest of the ack of ambitios hoghs is a mediocre

poiti ad a devaled ethicsI aca fac t is probaby the other way arod. From the practical

reciatio of egaaria iversasm he evtable iferece is hatthe few forms of specialized kowedge to whch thoght s reegated ateast beyod he was of joraistc idiocy assre oly he rers of hefctoara

Is it presmpos to claim to ward off the icoveieces of the voido oes ow? I object that ay eterprise of this type has its embems

ad that moreover I am the east aloe of persos.xxxi

Of a those for whom I am testfyig ad who kow hat I kow itmitats frieds stdes difclt iterloctors provisioa or rerigeemiesI wsh to iscribe here he ame of oy oe a Sadevice

Hdreds of meetgs with him o which depeded a thosadhoghts pt ito praice agaist or srrodgs make it impossiblefor me to mark the lims of my idebedess o him

Eve thogh as a coseece of his prey poiical coceptio of

the trth Sadevice always makes the ora take precedece over thewrite the direcive over aayss i what foows the reader wil dthe few pblic traces of what the ra word so rarely oiced has fodi him of paraeed sigcace wthot eve kowig it

2

he form. It is tha of a semiar a gere to which aca has gve a deve digty.

Who wi say whether he lessos ht make p this work were reallyrooced o the date that pctates them?his ideal semiara mxtre of a effective sccessio some reroac

ios spposed ierpolaos ad writte compostioscertay ddake pace. he preset book is i ts secod occrrece.

he easest method s o dobt to go from the opeig aary 1 95 othe a sspeso e 99 . Whie it s hardy ever admited I kowthat this s ot the commo practce philosophy. hs t is legitimate tosppose ad to sppor a acte waderg o behalf of the reader.

At the ed ca be fod

A thematic idex with seve headigs ar ad literatre hisoricalircmstaces God ogic ad mathematics raditioal philosophypsychoaaysis stricto ses ad potcal theory. Of corse oe ofhese headigs cocers he cetra theme of he book whch I hopecaot be paced der ay headig sice it is omipreset.

A idex of proper ames which is so sef for kowig by bocig off he Oher where ca be ocated a actic of the drawer ofwhich I do o at all dsapprove. poit otad i so doig aready begi o pt my cards o theblehat his idex does o icde those ames whose sage is

so permaet tha listig hem wold be wieldy. Namelyxxxx

PREACE PREACE



xl

a) he two great classical German dialecticians, Hegel and Hlderl inhe enire beginning of the book is devoted to the rs hesecond is treated at the end o art and in art V. Bu bothcan be found elsewhere, too

b) he wo great modern French dialecticians Mallarm andacan here is an exhausive treatment o the rst in art and of the second principally in ars and V.

he two grea classical French dialecicians, ascal and Rousse au,for their part do end up in the list

c) Four o the ve great Marxists Marx, Engels, enin, and MaoZedonghe fh, Stalin, is on he index.

3

t is no doub more instructive to wrie with respect o wha one doesnot want to be at any price than under the suspicious image of wha onewishes to become

am strongly attached to my counry, France, even more so todaysince here people are becoming multinationalan advanage o internalinternationalism indirecly provoked by he imperialis pillaging o goodsand peoples

n a little less than a cenury this country has had only three claims togreatness, three moments o real existence, three gures of a possible universalism he aris ommune in 87 he Resisance between 9 and 945 and the uprising of youths and workers in Mayune 98

know they are of uneual imporance. t is no cear that my hierarchy

is he one in which they should be given he presen book is also writeno shed some light on this mater

n he same period there has been no shortage of abject moments heysometimes ollowed their explosive contrariesthe triumph of Versaillesaer the ommune, the colonial wars aer the iberation, and, minuscule, the 'new philosophers ater the establishment o revoluionaryinellectuals in the factory.

he two World Wars were disasrous he people fought when theyshould not have ( 9 8) a nd hey did no ght when they should have( 93 90) . he sinister signier 'tain covers both debasements.

could say right away tha do not wan to be a part of any of these

abjections hilosophy is no worth a single effor if i does not shed lighon the commitmen ha, even i it is restriced, seeks to prohibit the returno the ve caasrophes, or o whaever resembles hem, by carrying hememory and lesson o he three momens o existence

More profoundly, know that the essence of what has happened to us,in orceulness as in humiliaion, bears he mark of a deciency in the longterm t is for this reason that the irrupion, while cerainly thunderous, is

also fragile, withou making he mora l disorientation, which is predictablefrom aar, any less inevitablehis deciency is essentially subjective t touches on the manner in

which the potenial orces, at he hear of the people , are kept at a disancefrom heir proper concep

hose French inellectuals who have not stopped spitting on themselves, on 'ideologies, on Marxism, on he Masters, on heir most incontestable experience, and who have given credibility to the formless andhe multiple, to spontaneiy and scatered memory, o rights and enjoyments, to works and days, have a painul responsibility in all of thisthatof irresponsibility

write and act, bu it is hard to disinguish beween he two, in ordernot o be, if possible, explicitly mixed up in these phenomena of ailureand bitterness he fact that it has taken fty years does no maer tome, because all he res will be a futile shipwreck in a world henceorthheaded for war, i there is not at leas he xed will, collectively submittedo he high level o its stakes, to go agains he current and imprin i onlya gesture of irection to that which might ge us ou o the slump.

4

n ulien Gracs ettrine here is a terrible passage, a fascinating portraitof he French intellecuallost and useless when he is asked, when theworker ask him, simply to be someone enlighened, a realist leader. concerns once again this inexhaustible analyser, he ommune

Bohemians o the pen, j ournalists paid by the line, greying tuors, overaged studens, hallicensed graduaes in search o private lessons itis indeed in par the small world from Scene of Bohemian Life turnedsour, which has made such a pretty burial or Victor Noir and whichwih such incapacity has governed the ommune among he casks the

xl

PREACE



xli

glasses, the Gr the smoke and the gab sessions of the board roomof a small newspaper Mar was forgiving of the ofcers in commandof the Commune, whose insufciency he otherwise was well aware of.he revoluion also has its rochus and its Gamelins. he frankness ofValls is consternating and would horrify this selfproclaimed government, these wannabe revolutionaries who were spit upon by the insurgents on the barricades when they passed through Belleville during he

Communes nal bloody week here is no ecuse for leading even agood ght when it s led so halfheartedlyA type of atrocious nausea arises while following the ubuesue and

pathetic chaos of the last pages, wherein the unfortunate delegate ofthe Commune, his sashwhich he does not dare o showhidden ina newspaper under his arm, a sort of neighbourhood irrepresentative,a restaring Charlot hopping among the eploding shells, wandersaround like a lost dog from one barricade o the other, unable to do anything at all, bullied by the teethbaring rebels, disributing in disorderlyfashion vouchers for herrings, bullets, and re, and imploring the spiteful crowdwhich was hard on his heels because of the into which he

had plunged them: eave me alone, please. need to hink alonen his eile as a courageous incompetent, he must have awoken

sometimes at night, still hearing heafter all uite seriousvoices ofall those peopl e who were o be massacred a few minues later, a nd whocried so furiously at him from the barricade: 'Where ae the orders?Where is the plan?.

Of all he possible nightmares, th at of being eposed one day to sucha gure is for me the most unbearable t is clear to me hat to ward offthis risk supposes a thorough reshufing that certainly touches upo theintellectuals but also upon he workers, for what is at stake is the advent

between them of an unheard of type of vicinity, of a previously unthinkable political opology.

write here so that neither nor my interlocutorsintellectuals ornotever become the one who, all told, can only meet the great dates ofhistory by distributing herring vouchers

Reerenes and Abbreviations

As far as the major authors ar e concerned, the following abbreviations andeditions have been used:arl Mar and Frdrch Enl Selected Work i Three Volume Mcw Prr

Pblhr 6 ) Hraftr SW fllwd by vlm and pa nmbr

Vadmr I nn Selected Work i Three Volume Mcw Prr Pbhr 70) H�raftr SW flwd by vlm and pa nmbr.

Ma dn Selected Wor Bjn: Frn ana Pr 6-77)

Hraftr SW fllwd by vlm and pa nmb r W. F. Hl The Pheomeology of Spirit tran A V Mllr Ofrd: Ofrd

Unvrty Pr 77 ) Hraftr Ph flwd by th pa nmbr Sciece of Logic tran. A. V. Mllr Amhrt Y: Hmanty Bk 6 )

Hraftr flwd by th pa nmbrSphan Mallarm Collected Poem d Other Vere tran. E. H and A M

Backmr Ofrd: Ofrd Unvrty Pr 006) Hraftr P fwdby th pa nmbr I wl ndca n an ndnt whnvr I prfrrd t

Collected Pem tran Hnry Wnld Brkly: Unvrty f alfrnaPr 6) Divgtio tran Barbara hnn ambrd Harvard Unvrty Pr

007) Hraftr fllwd by th pa nmbr

rdrch Hldrn y d Letter o Theo d. and ran. Thma faAlbany: Stat Unvrty f w Yrk Pr 88 ) Hraftr T fllwdby th pa nmbr.

Poem d Frgmet tran Mcha Hambrr ndn Anvl PrPtry 4 Hraftr PF fllwd by h pa nmbr

acq acan Ecrit The Firt Complete ditio i glih tran Brc Fnk nclabratn wth H Fnk and Rl Gr w Yrk W. W rtn006 ) Hraftr E fllwd by th pa nmbr rfrrn t th Enlh and

xli

REFERENCES AN ABBREVIATIONS



xi

the Fenh edition epaated by an obliue. The emin of Jcque cn Boo I: eud Ppe on Technique 5-5

ed. JaueAlain Mile an. John Foete (New Yok WW Noton1988) eeafte S I, folowed by page numbe to the Englih and he Fenhedition epaated by an obiue

The ou undment oncept of Pychonyi ed JaueAlain Miletan. Alan Sheidan (New Yok: WW Noton 1 98 1 ) . eeafte S XI, folowed by he page numbe of he Engih and Fenh edition epaaed by

an obliue. he emin of Jcque cn Boo XX Encoe - tan Bue

Fink (New Yok W.W. Noton 19 88 ) eeafte S XX, followed by the pagenumbe Confene et entetien dan de univeit nodamiaine ciicet

6-7 (197) 7-. eeafte Confene followed by the page numbeHndboo of Mthemtic ogic (Amtedam and New Yok Notholland

Pubihing Company 1 977 ) eeafte M followed by the page numbe.Text of the Cultual Revoution mpotnt Document on the et Poetin

Cutu Revoution in hin (Beiing Foeign anguage Pe 1970) eeafte

GPCR folowed by the page numbe.

Al othe efeene wil be uoted in the text wih bibliogaphial infomationpovided in he Tanlato Endnote and ReeeneA fo Paul Sandevine wiing the eade may wan to onul the following

al publihed by Potemkine edition Qu etce qu une poitique mite? ( 1978)

Un bin de Mi 8 ( 1978) Note de tvi u e potninime ( 1980)

AR Ihe P lae o the Sbjetve



Everything that beongs to a whole onstittesan obstale to this whole nsoar as it is i nldedin it

January 7, 1975

Old egel split in twoScission determination limitSplace andouplaceDeviations on the right and left

here are two dialectical matrices in egel his is what turns the famousstory of the shell and the kernel into such a dubious enigma. I is thekernel itself that is cracked, as in hose peaches that are furthermore soirritating to ea whose hard internal obect uickly cracks between onesteeth into two pivoing halves.

In the peach here is still a kernel of the kernel the bitter almondshaped nut of its reproducion as a ree But out of Hegel s division we willdraw no secondary unity not even one stamped with bitterness.

We must understand what Lenin repeated a bit all over the place theretrospective good news that Hegel is a materialist t is worthless merelyto oppose an (acceptable) dialectical kernel to an (abominable) idealis-ic shell he dialectic inasmuch as it is the law of being is necessarilymaterialist. f egel touched upon i, he must have been a materialist.is other side will be hat of an idealisdialectic in a single word, whichhas nohing real about it not even in the register of an inverted symbolicndication (standing on its head as Marx said) .

So at the heart of the egelian dialectic we must disentangle two proc-esses two concepts of movement and not just one proper view of becomingthat would have been corrupted by a subjective system of knowing hus:

3

THEORY OF THE SUBJECT THE PLACE OF THE SUBJECTVE



4

a) A dialectical matrix covered by the term of alieatio the idea of asimple term which ufolds itself i its becomigother, i order tocome back to itself as a achieved cocept.

b) A diaectical matrix whose operator is scissio, ad whose themeis that there is o uity that is ot split. here is ot the least bitof retur ito itself, or ay coectio betwee the al ad theiaugural. Not eve 'itegral commuism as the retur, after the

exteriorizatio ito the State, to the cocept of which 'primitive commuism would be the simple immediacy.

Ye thigs are far from beig so simple

2

et us begi with a empty otio, at oce limited ad prodigiouslygeera: the otio of the somethig, which is the rst form of beigthere i Hegels Logic

Hegels objective, with his somethig, is othig less tha to give riseto the dialectic of the Oe ad the may, of the iite ad the ite,that is, the priciple of what we orthodox Marxists call quatitativeaccumulatio, which, as everyoe kows, is reputed to produce a quaitative leap

he mystery, moreover, is that all of this i Hegels Logic ca be foududer the headig of 'quality, which i the order of expositio precedesquatity.

However, it is Hegel who is right as always, because othig ca be saidof the Oe without egagig the qualitative ad force. his is why oe of

the objectives of what we are sayig here is to establish that the famous'leap from the quatitat ive to the qualitative, far from beig the measurethat makes al the thermometers expode, icludes the effect of a subject.

Hegel i ay case is at pais to egeder the multiple, t he deumerable,isofar as his idealist propesity pushes him always to obtai everythigo the basis of a simple term. How ca the multiple proceed from theOe, ad from the Oe aloe his is a questio as old as philosophy, butit has always held more puch for someoe who caims to historicize theWhole, istead of merely givig us the law of its xed order. Aready withthe Church Fathers, those great fouders of coceptua history, it wasecessary to accout for the fact that God, the absolute form of the Oe,

was abe to pulverize a uiverse o f such astig multiplicity o prove Godby the marves of aturefrom the frog to the uicor (except that theuicor rather proes the existece of the Devil)is oe thig to provehe marvels of ature by God is much more complicated, sice God isecessariy the marvel of marvels.

Hegel is the moder courer of this ecclesiastical questio. stead ofsayig that there is creatio of the Whole by the Oe, Hege will show that

the Whole is the history of the Oe, so that the space of the multiple isthe effect of the time required for the cocept. For the coup d forc of themiracuous Creator, he substitutes the work, the sufferig, ad the circular duratio of a kid of sefexpo sure, through which the absolut e arrivesat the completely ufoded cotemplatio of itself. Ad it is this joureythrough the gaeries of the Oe that is the whole of the world.

Of course, the iitial coup d forc that is thus glossed over shows up agai every subsequet paragraph ust as it makes the heavy machiery ofhe global system advace, it is the very accumulatio of these arbitraryocal decrees that everywhere gives form to the acute ad partial framework of Heges materialism

3

rom the start Hege does ot posit the 'somethig al o its ow, but thedifferece betwee somethig ad somethig other (a und Andr What is thus recogized is that o dialectic is coceivable if it does otpresuppose divisio. It is the wo that gives its cocept to the Oe, adot the other way aroud

Naturay, there are all sorts of cotortios o Hegels part that serve tomask this recogitio. Everythig happesespecially i the rst editiorom 1 8 2 , which is the most idealist because the old Hegel cotrary towhat is sometimes said, always holds o to a reality pricipleas if the'somethig else were the postpositio of the 'somethig, its categoriabecomig But this is a smokescree. I fact, Hegel is goig to study thescissio of the somethig i a movemet that is prestructured by a rstscissio, which is i a way hidde bcau i i nially rpii: it is whatepeats the somethig i the positio of itself as other as somethigother his is exactly the operatio of the very begiig of the Logic,where beig ad othig are the same thig posited twice. Here, too, oeca 'track dow the becomigsplit of a category oy because oe gives

5

THEORY O THE SUBJE THE PE O THE SUBJETIVE



6

oeself, whethe secrety or pblicly, this mimal primary differetial:two times Oe.

say that it is 't he same thig posite d twice becase alteity has here oalitative spport We ar, if yo will, at the daw of the altative, atits strctral skeleto. Thi oly differs from that by the statemet of thedifferece, by the literal placemet. Oe cold ame this mos stasisof the cotradictio the idexical stasis. here is A ad there is A (read:

A as sch ad 'A i aother place, amely, the pace p distrbted by thespace of placemet, or ).t is the same A twice amed, twice placed.his wil more tha sfce for them to corrpt oe aother.For yo ca cosider A ether i its pre, c losed idetity, or i its id exi

cal differece from its secod occrr ece. A is itself, bt it is also its powerof repetitio, the legibility of itself at a distace from tself, the fact that ata place, p, the other place, it s still A itself that s read, albeit 'other thathere where t stads, eve f it is owhere, sice t is see there too.

Hegel ames these two determatios the somethgiitself ad thesomethigfortheother. he 'somethig, as a pre category, is the ty

of these two determiatios, the movemet of their dality.his s proof that i order to thik aythig at all, somethig o matter

what, it mst be splt i twoWhat is the meaig of the somethigitself ad the somethigfor-

theother? re idetity ad placed idetity the letter ad the space iwhich t is marked theory ad practice.

he giveess of mimal differece (somethg and somethg else)ecessarily cotracts to the xed term of the differece, the 'thig,whether it be some or else. A we said (ad A is the thig), is at thesame time A ad A whereby A is the geeric term for ay placemetof

Adeed, this ca be

Al A2 A ·. . with a ll the

· . . .

belogig, for example, to . hs s what we will see later o: there area ity of places. s A i the geeralsiglar of placemet. Now,t s always i ths way that A presets itself (it is always placed) adrefses itself (becase, as placed, t is ever oly itself, A bt also its place,A . Frthermore, this is tre of aythig whatsoeverof somethig igeeral, of schadsch a thig.

We mst ths posit a costttive scissio: A (he dex, p, refers back to the space of placemet , the site of ay

possible redplicatio of A Note that this does ot have to be spatial orgeometrical a redpicatio ca be temporal, or eve ctive.

What Hegel does ot state clearly s that, fdametally, the tre iitialcotrary of the somethig, A is ot somethg else, ot eve the sameA 'placed, A No, the tre bt camofaged cotrary of A s the space ofplacemet t is that whch deegate the index. he gveess of A as beigitself split to

its pre beig, A its beigplaced, A

(Hedegger wold say: ito its otologcal beig ad its otic beig) isthe effect o A of the cotradctio betwee ts pre idetity ad thestrctred space to whch t belogs, betwee its beg ad the Whole.he dialectic dvides A based po the cotradcto betwee A ad ,betwee the exstet ad ts place. t is this cotradicto, whose latettheme is Mallarma (Nothig will have take place except the place),which, itrojected ito A, fods ts effective beg as scssio.

All of this is too mch of a atcipato, becase the cotradictobetwee A ad opposes a force to a system of places, ad we have otreached that pot yet

Let me throw jst a little fash of light, oe that moreover is perfectlyexcessive.

he tre cotrary of the proletariat is ot the borgeosie. t s theborgeois world, imperialist society, of which the proletariat, let this beoted, s a otoros elemet, as the pricipal prodctive force ad asthe atagoistc poltcal pole. he famos cotradictio of borgeoisie/proletariat s a limted, strctral scheme that loses track of the torsioof the Whole of whch the proletariat ua sbect traces the force. o sayproletariat ad borgeose s to remai with the bods of the Hegelaartice: somethig ad somethig else. Why? Becase the project of theproletarat, its iteral beig, is ot to cotradi ct the borgeosie, or to ctts feet from der t. hs proect is commism, ad othg else. hatis, the abolitio of ay place i which somethg lke a proletariat ca beistalled . he poltical proect of the proletarat is the dsappearace of thespace of the placemet of classes. t is the loss, for the hstorical somethg,of every dex of class.

Yo will say: ad what abot socialism? ocialism where, i fact, borgeoisie ad proletarat are more tha ever at loggerheads, icldig i thegse of precedeted revoltos, the cltral revoltios? ocalismdoes ot exist. t is a ame for a obscre arseal of ew coditiosi which the capitalism/commism cotradictio becomes somewhat

7

THEOR O THE SUBJECT THE PLACE O THE SUBJECTIVE



8

claried. Socialism designaes a shifing maion of he space of he place-men of classes. Socialism is in he place of f here is a major poin inMarxism which his cenry conrms almos o he leve of disgs i isha we shold cerainly no inflae he esion of 'socialism of he 'consrcion of socialism. he serios affair he preie affair is commnism.his is why all along poliics sands in a posiion of dominaion over heSae and canno be redced o i And yo wi never redce all of his o

e binary povery of he conradicion erm agains erm of proeariaborgeoisie Marxism begins beyond his conradicion.

Wih Hegel we hs posi he scission A (AA) he effec of he complely veied conflical relaion beween A and he disribor of placeso which i is conneced Everyhing ha exiss is hs a he same imeiself and isef according ois place

Now Hege says ha wha deermine he spi erm wha gives i he

singlariy of is exisence is no of corse A he generic erm closed in onisef indifferen o any dialecic is raher A A according o he effecof he whole ino which i is inscribed.

Consider for example ha if he working class is inernally spiinclding dring hose heady imes marked by mass movemens beweenhe onse of is re poiica ideniy on one hand and on he oher islaen corrpion by borgeois or imperialis ideas and pracices heni is srey owing o he effec of ha which i disposes i in a Wholewheher naiona or globa governed by capia and empires his is whaholds ogeher wo oherwise so conrary pahs in he pracical niy ofan prising and which makes of he pre emergence of iself a process ofpricaion in he divisible conac wih is opposie.

his is re even nder socialism. n 96, in China armed facionsresis in all he large facories. Mao declares 'Nohing essenial divideshe working cass Does his amon o he facal observaion of a xedplace? No . his is a direcive for comba meaning ha he prolearia msake he ead of he revoion and ha sch is he hisorica gidinghread i ms hod ono for is niy ha is fr i eience (as poiicaclass) .

Al ha is relaes o iself a a disance from iself owing o he placewhere i is.

f A (AA) his is deermined by he indexical effec of on A. Wewill hs wrie A(AA) as he rs noaion of he deerminaion of hescission he rs algorihm of h niy of opposies.

n oher words wha Hegel cas Beimmung.Beimmung is in rn divided by wha i nies. is a major srengh

of he dialecic o grasp how he One of he niy of conraries spporsconrariness in is very being

Le s begin wih or example: he pracica (hisorical) working classis always he conradicory niy of isef as prolearia and of is specicborgeois inversion (oday modern revisionism he CF he radenions everyhing ha organizes he rallying of he working cass oimperialis sociey or even o he idea of leading his cass for he direcbene of he working arisocracy parially ahorized by breacraicsae capiaism). his niy of opposies is deermined (in he sense ofhe Hegeian Beimmung by he general borgeois space which bearshe possibe niy of he poliically acive (Marxis) prolearia and of heworking class as lace of he new sae breacraic borgeoisie (revision-ism). hs A = he working cass conemporary imperiais sociey.

his gives s A = modern revisionism and he agorihm: A A(AA) in which is indicaed ha wha deermines he dialecical acaiy of heprolearia oday is is inernal pricaion from modern revisionism

B wha does 'deerminaion mean? wo hings

On he one hand ha he combaive Marxis core of he workingcass is deermined by he new revisionis borgeoisie. his is dial eci-cal deerminaion in he srong sense which can be wrien A(A) .

On he oher hand ha revisionism in he nal analysis and moreand more so is never anyhing b he specic and homogeneosform adaped o he working class of he genera borgeois andimperialis space or . n he srgge o prify iself of his he pro-learia unma (his is he ahorized erm) he par of iself ha isengaged in revisionism and posis i as an inegral par of he exer-nal anagonisic erm which as we saw is no he borgeoisie bimperialis sociey of which he CF he nions and so on are hemodern effecive and acive sandardbearers. As sch deermina-ion only reconvokesrepeashe space of pacemen he generalaleriy of which p is he index for A. We wi wrie A(A) .his is a sor of dead branch of he dialecica process he reminderha he deerminaion of he scission A( AA) originaes from he fac

9

THEORY OF THE SUBJECT THE PLACE O THE SUBJETIVE



0

tat A oly exsists i te site P. is is e iert, divisible part of tetotal determiatiowit te oer part, marked A(A), truly beigte itimate core of te deermiatio for A.

geeral, we ca say tat te determiatio of ay split exsistet isdistributive

dmiaio pop

lap i o h gal pacNohig will hav ak pla but th pla

Does Hegel really speak of tese dead braces of te process?Absolutely He calls tem 'relapses cke . ey are te sadow castby e pace i its pure, evocative dimesio. D etermiatio, o te oerad, is te ew.

We tus obtai at tis stage, te followig great dialectical coceptsedowed wit a absolutely geeral otological import

a) Dierence of itself from itself, A ad A commaded by te contradiction betwee force A ad te space of pacemet P, of wic A is teidexica l istace for A. A importat poit to ote is tat i t is te co-tradictio tat commads differece, ad ot te oter way aroud.

b) Sciion as te oly form of existece of te sometig i geeral A (AA)

c ) Determination as uity of te scissio, tikable oly from te idexedterm (ad ot from te pure term) : A(AA)

d) e scissio of te determiatio accordig o wat it determies

determiatio of te ew, A (A ) relapse A (A) P.

e essece of te relapse is t e space of placemet, t e placeA remark o termiology if oe opposes force to place, as I sall cotiu-

aly do, it will aways be more omogeeous to say 'space of placemet todesigate te actio of te sructure. It would be eve beter to forge teterm pace. If, o e cotrary, oe says 'p lace, wic is more Maarma,we will eed to say, i te Lacaia maer, 'placeoldi g or 'lieuteacyfor 'place. But 'force is te eterogeeous to desigae te asructuraltopological side. would be more appropriate to say te outpace.

e dialecic, i te sawduslled area of te categorial combat, is teoutplace agaist te splace.

5

e relapse is te iert egative of srict determiaio oly if A(A )icludes a specic resistace of te term A o allowig itself to be exaus-tively determied by its idexica istace A If ot A(A) would beswaowed up i A oter words, there woud ony be reape is is tepriciple of sructuralism i al its forms.

But eiter I or Hegel are structuralists. I tik for example, tat , i itsatagoistic determiatio tat is specic to te ew revisioist bourgeoi-sie, te proletariat emerges as a positive ewess. is appes, timidy,durig May 8 i Frace, ad, wi grea uproar, i auary 97 iCiafor istace, i te guise of a torougly trasformed Marxism(Maoism) e ieriority proper to A tus comes to determine the determination After all, i e Cultural Revolutio, it is te peope i revot wo

desigate e ew bureaucratic bourgeoisie as te global det ermiatio ofe revolutioary atagoism itself Uless wat is ew i te dialecticalprocess is aulled i te pure relapse ito P, te place or space of place-mets, it is tus ecessary to posit a determiatio of te determiatio,amely A(A (A) )

is is a process of torsio, by wic force reapplies itself to tat fromwic i colicually emerges.

e determiaio of te determiatio splits itself i a distributivemaer jus t as muc as e determatio does. deed, it ca be a simplereafrmatio of e pure ideity of A A(A), tat is, a pure emergece ofitself, agaist (but outside of) determiatio ad tis i a srict parallel

ism to te relapse ito P. us, a revolt witout a fuure tat would pite combative fractio of te workig class agaist te ew bourgeoisieof te PCF ad te uios solely i te ame of ost purity ece agaistte treaso of te PCFwitout perceivig te iteral ewess of teew bourgeos peomeo. is is largely wat appeed i May 8leadig may to dream eiter of a 'reewed PCF or of a workig classrepuried followig te scool example of its great acestors of te ie-tee cetury. e itimate force of A is tus called upo agai i teilusory repetitio of its closure oto iself ad i e iabiliy actively tosupport te determiatio.

1

THEORY O THE SUBJECT



12

hr is th dviatio 'to th right whih lads ba to th obtivbrutality of th pla i ordr to dy th possibility of th w ihrti th old. But thr is also th iutabl dviatio 'to th lft whihvidiats th origial ad itat purity o for whil dyig so tospa th old ihrt i th w that is dtrmiatio. h shmasfor ths two dviatios ar A(A) p ad A(A) = A.

But if what is at sta is ot this rovoatio of sstia origis it isth fftiv pross of th limitatio of dtrmiatio th wor of oro pla th difrtial o A turig ba upo its ow idxatio iordr to rdu its ssary import his is A(A th dirt limitigappiatio of th fay of A oto th dtrmiatio that it is.

Evrythig that is of a pla oms ba to that part of itslf that is dtr-mid by it i ordr t o displa th pla to dtrmi th dtrmiatioad to ross th limit.

Hgl givs th am of limit (Grenze to this outrpross whihmust b udrstood i th ss o th 'limitatio of bourgois rightothig ss for xamp tha th rdutio of th gaps btw itltual ad maual labour ity ad outrysid agriultur ad idustry

imit ad imitatio ar th ss of th labour of th positiv.Eething that beong to a whole i an obtacle to thi whoe inofar a it iincuded in it 4

his is why 'totalitariaism dos ot xist t is a pur strutura gu-ratio without ay historial rality. t is th ida that i this world olyth ssary rightist raps ad th impott suiidal ftism xist. tis A(A) or A(A) itrmittty that is ad A i thir ioprativxtriority

h tat ad th pbs.But th tru trms of all historial li ar rathr A(A ) dtrmiatio

ad A(A

) th imit trms by whih th Whol afrms itslf without

losur a d th mt iluds itsl thri without abolishig itsl.

Aton manor o the sbjet

nur 4 975

trutural sythsis of a dialtial squh Fathr ad t ho osubstatialGostis ad Arias ouils ad ogrsss

irularity ad priodizatioEvrythig must b ta u p agai fromsrath

You a s low th shma o ay dialtia fragmt whatsovrsuh as w ddud it ast tim from th haptr o th somthig iHgls Logic

W must larly udrstad that th otraditio A is oly givas a strutural horizo t aways opposs a trm to its pla. Ay otraditio is fudamtally asymmtrial i that o of th trms sustaisa ratio of ilusio to th othr. h iludig trm whih is t o say

th pa th spa of plamt is amd (partiularly by Mao) thdomiat trm or th priipal aspt of th otraditio. h o thats iludd or its part is th subt of th otraditio. t is subjtdto th othr ad it is th o that rivs th mar th stamp thdx t is A that is idxd i A aordig to . h ivrs maso ss

Dos Hgl say this No. Hgl oals th priipl of dissymmtry.Or rathr h is it ba to th ida of a itgral who that wouldrtrosptivly idx ah squ. W shal om ba to this.

Rigorously spaig otraditio dos ot xist How ould it xist

3

THEORY O THE SUBECT THE PACE O THE SUBECTVE



14

P sac I>_+�(AA ' A

(term oae) iA SSS ETEATN

ILIMATION ! LMT

ApA P / rghts rease

A(A)STIT EENA

since to exist (to ex-sist) is precisely o be 'something, that is, o supporthe scission-effect of which contradiction is the cause? Contradiction is apure, sructural principe. I init in the index p of A, i marks he repetiion of A, bu nowhere do you have a rea, existing conict between Aand as consiuted and isolatable terms p the space for all isoation andall repeition, canno be isoated any more than it can be repeated A, heoutpace, is repeaabe ony as split by inclusion in the splace.

Contradiction ha no other mode of exitence but ciionn concrete, miitant philosophy, it is thus indispensabe to announce

tha there is only one law of the dialecic: One divides into wo. Such isthe principle of observabe facts and of action

What does the opposition of imperialis society and the revoutionarypeople amount o in the order of facts I is the poitica division of thepeope, because the two modes of politics, bourgeois and proetarian,possess reaiy ony insofar as each one of them organizes the peopleon its own erms A poliics wihout people, not based in a strucuredmass, does no exist. Thus, he principal contradicion in a country ikeFrance, beween the proeariat and imperialist society, between proletarian poitis and bourgeois politicsa contradicion, it must be said, sticompletey embryonic in its formhas no effective content other than thehistorica movement of the dvision of h peope.

This is why the strong and fuy deployed exisence of the poiticaproetariat can never do withou the revoutionary civil war This is whyit is aways essenia o pay attenion not only o he sate bourgeoisie, butalso to the civi bourgeoisie and its tight popuar ramications.

We must repea wih force hat the exisence in action of the contradiction between space and outpace, whatever hey are, is the scission of theoutpace Scission is hat by which the erm is included in the pace as out

of-place There is no other content to the idea of ontradiction

2

Regarding my exampes, some coud voice the suspicion that al hesediaecica algorihms and theorems stand in a reaion of absoute dependence to he contens which they organiehe proetaria, imperiaissociety, revisionism, and so onand that this is a syntax of itte interesfrom he moment that the semantics of i is forced

o this wi object:

primo, that this is a mater of indifference to me. Because as a Marxist,I in fact posit that he contents drain the forms, and not the other wayaround. What is certain is that the diaectica formuaions are rootedin an explicit politica practice

econdo tha his is no true The model on which Hege impicityworks is Chrisianity. And I wi establish right away the appropriateness of his theoogica mode

ake as the space of the nie, and A, G od as innite, hence, as radicaout-of-place

As such, this contradictory duaity has no diaectical meaning, and thuso meaning at a.

What gives it meaning is its historicization in scission, which makes heinnite ex-sist in the nite herein ies the necessary stroke of genius ofhristianiy. For his to happen, God (A) is indexed () as specic oupace of the space of the nie: this is the principle of he ncarnation Godbecomes man God divides into himsef (the Father) and himself-pacedinthe-nie the Son). A is the Father, and A the Son, that historic sonby whom God ex-sists. God hus occurs as scission of he outplace, A = God = Father/Son, a scission tha the Council of Nicea, he rst of thegrea modern poiicoideoogica conferences in history, wil designate

15

THEORY OF THE SUBJECT

l h ll k d l

THE PLACE OF THE SUBJECTVE

h d li i ll h h i Ch i hi i i di i



16

a ole eitencea unity o oppoitein the ell-knon dialecticaaiom he Son i conubtantial ith the Father.

From thi tarting point, our dialectical ragment unold in it entirety

AA} deignate the determination o the innite) identity o Godby it marking in the place o the nite. he radicality o thi determination i the Paion: God qua Son die. he innite climb up theCalvary

AA} deignate the counter-determination the limit o death) by theinnity o the Father the Son i reurrected and rejoin Acenion)the Father boom, hich repreent a gurative outplace.

he conubtantial duality Son/Father, that i, the ncarnation, the deatho the innite the Paion), and it non-death the Reurrection) are theimmediate theologica content o ciion, determination, and limit.

At the end o thi redemptive adventure, you nd in heaven a Godho reconcile in himel, in hi hitorical e-unolding, the nite andthe innite. And on earth, hat ubit i only the imple emp race othe competed proce namely, the tomb o Chrit about hich Hegel

myteriouly ymbolizing the eacement o the trace, the abolition o theabolihedill ay that concioune ha learned rom eperience thathe grae o it actual unchangeable being ha no acuali Ph 1 3 2

Ecept or thi unereal, aleatory ate, to hich Malarm i conecrate o many o hi poem, the aair here come ll circle. he acenional limit reditribute the pace and the outplace in the uion o Glory.Seated to Hi on right ide, God the Son) i no more than the immutableinterceor or the tribunal o God the Father). he revolution i diolvedinto the State. he place, or it part, declare thi lure o being illuminated rom ithin by orce, a or thoe ho etihize the ocialit State.

Such a topping point and uch a circle are only the advantage o theimaginary and o theology. o enjoy them to the ullet, the heretic mutbe burned. Which i, it mut be admitted, quite real

3

ndeed, our relape to the right and let have obviouly marked thehole ideological hitory o Chritianity.

AA} P i the reconvocation o the purely nite identity o the Son,the rejection o any torion in the place o the orld hee are the hereie

hat underline uniaterally the humanity o Chr it, hi eteriority to divineancendence. n hort, the hereie that give in to the obective heteroomy o the nite and the ininite, and break ith the aiom o Niceahat God i the plit identity o Father and Son. For Arianim, in act, theSon i ony the rt in the hierarchy o being that the Father engender.

Naturally, thi rationalit deviation 'to the right annul the eence ohe Chritian dialectical propoition

Symmetrically, thoe ho poit the reconvocation AA}

A unilateraly unold the divine innity, and reduce the determination A A}, thats the death o God a the nitude o the innite the Paion o Chrit),o being nothing but a emblance, an appearance. he rt in hitory oa long it o Gnotic hereie, Docetim, poit that the Son i aboluelydvine, hich prohibit him rom having a real body, rom truly dying onhe Cro, rom having a eed and precariou being It i only in appearance, or the able revelatory virtue, that God took on the gure o theinte. Gnotic radicality maintain an ironclad divergence beteen theorginal purity o the divine Father and the blemihe o e, the orld,and death God come to haun the ord in order to indicate the true

ay, he cannot etablih himel therein in hi eenceObeed by the pure and the original and violently inclined toard

anichaeim, thi ultra-letit herey block the dialectica ecundity othe meage jut a mch a the rational and peaceul hierarchical ordering propoed by the Arian.

n thi repect, Hegel help u etablih the rule o the orthodoieagaint the objective recurrence o the place Arianim, right-ingoportunim) a ell a againt the anaticim o the outplace Gnoticim,lt-ing opportunim)

Againt Liu Shaoqi and economic objectivity; againt in Biao and ideological anaticim

Gnotic and Arian have not nihed obtructingand nourihingthe path o the ne. Every party congre, like every council, peak outagaint them

4

et u take a cloe look at the dialectical ragment in it religiou intance.he oloing chema i in act circular ince at the end o it all e obtainonly the pure ciion o the Father and the Son a integral concept o the

17

HEORY O HE SUBdEC HE PLACE O HE SUBdECIVE

Where do these three statemets overge? hey geture toward the



1

P finite (splace)Man '

A nn outlace) I

God ,CONTRADON

Son consbsanal i

Go Fath/Son)

SCISSONnanaon

o e Fa

AA) A AA))!

m _ I �AAON Axio of Niea ! Reston

God, as Sonds

EERMNAONasson

A (A) P

te Son s onlya reaure

RLASAanism

A A) A Son ejonse Faes gloy

God nv allyescend into e wold

RAPSE MT

A A)

Gnoss Ascnson

redemptve absolute A(A

) ultmately does ot exeed A (AA

) t olyleads bak to t

hs s oe of the great probems of our daletal fragmet How doest otue? Where are we gog? After all the lmt s ot ad aotbe oly the result-oept of ssso he proletarat subjetvey osttuted s ot the aomplshmet of the teral oept of the bourgeose Maosm aot be redued to the oept of revsosm

We do ot st o the rght sde of the FatherHegel o ths pot must be dvded oe aga. He must be dvded

terms of the proedures he proposes for loopg bak the whoe proesso be bref we wl oppose (materalst) priodizaion to (dealst)

ciruari order to put ths opposto to work et us plae ours elves the ehoof three Hegela statemets

a) The objetve elemet to whh osee exposes tself quaatg s othg other tha the Selfs pure kowledge of tself (h481 2 tras. moded).

b) 'The absolute Idea has show tself to be the detty of the theoretalad the pratal dea ( 8).

) Ato s the rst heret ssso of the smpe uty of the oeptad the retur out of ths ssso (h 48 tras. moded).

Where do these three statemets overge? hey geture toward theea that ato s what shows tself whe oe s the vty of ompleto he Hegela absolute whh s the ame of the proedue of loopgak the daletal proess turs out to be the fuso of the proess asoept ad the proess as effetuato.

Whe ay atve reaty the releto upo ts ow hstory omes tothe surfae t s beause hs realty has ru ts ourse. There s othglft but to absove t the absolute gves t ts blessg

hs s the reaso why Mervas brd the owl of patet kowledgeoly takes lght at dusk wth ts slet wg salutg the otrary lghtof te Truth.

t does take lght however t s so as to go eat some me. But werethe s the mouse the absolvg beedto of the absolute?

hs s where Hegel vallates amely the vty of ths rok thate Marxsts al the prmay of prate ad Laa the real. A rok lets spefy ths rght away whh s ether ear or obvously markedad whh s etrely smlar to the oe that Mallarm talks about Dicro: some rok! a fase maor! suddely! evaporated msts! whh

lad! a lmt o the te (C 175 tras. moded). Whh gesture svaporated the msts maor of the subjet f ot the rare ato aboutwhh obody kow aythg other tha the real that t hages theffet whh urepresets t the te of the dream at last delmted?

At ssue s the rredubty of ato. Hege s stadg o both edgesof the kfetwo daetal matres as always. he geeral dea s that daletal sequee approahes ts losure whe the pratal proessarres ts theory ts ow wake whe t possesses tself the atvelarty of ts temporal trae.

But ths a be take two seses

Ether the sese of the theologal rularty whh presupposg the absolute the seeds of the begg leads bak to ths verybegg oe all the stages of ts effetuato ts aleato ts gogoutsde-tself ad so o are ufolded. Thus the dead So retegratedto the dvsble mmaee of the Father ompt the world oeptof the Chrsta God whh s the holess of the Sprt

O the sese of the pure passage from oe sequee to the other a reolabe usuturable lag where the truth of the rst stagegves tself to beg wth oly as the odto of the seod as fatwthout leadg bak to aythg other tha the ufoldg of ths fat.

19

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

t pridizig r spirad viw w ar awd t say tat t

HE PLACE OF HE SUBJECIVE

back t it at t d f t jury t mystry f ack is rtrspc



0

t pridizig r spirad viw, w ar awd t say tat tscd squc sts i w t cditis fr t trtica assssmt f t rst ar accumuatd Hwvr, w must add tat t vryxistc f is assssmt is pury practica A tat is dd is fr f t rms f t w ctradicti, t ws utpac t spacwas uab t keep d f, t bcm t barr f t itigibiity f prcdig squc

I s r, w sa s atr , tat it cms abut as subjctBut, f curs, t mpasis t fas tiry disctiuity, v faiur. us, is Bsvik party is crtaiy t activ barr fa assssmt f t faiurs f t aris Cmmu is is wat Lisas by dacig i t sw w pwr is d i Mscw i 9 7 fr day gr ta ad b t cas i Paris i 1 8 7 . t is t ruptur fOctbr tat pridizs t aris Cmmu, turig a pag i t istryf t wrd Ad wat tk pac was t arty as subjct t is t astf tigs t say, wit Hg, tat it xpss itsf qua actig r tat it ist rst scissifrm t Msviks, dubt. say tat it is tuity f t practica ad t trtica da is wat wi b rpatd ad

ausam i t tim f Stai: t party is t fusi f Marxist try adt ra wrkrs mvm.

But tat sti ds t wrk ut quit yt It ds t wrk ut vry wBcaus i a tis, w av prducd ny ne erm f t w suc:t tat 'dtais t baac st f t prcdig squc Ad,tus isatd, it is t Hgia absut, w gr t utpac f aspac, but uit prpry t spac f pacs

Idd, circuarity is tig tr ta t fact f tis aumttutpac ds a spac i t pac

Hw t tik f t gap btw t pridizati ad t circwitu prducig a pur ctr?

rugut t wrd t ird Itratia as su g t paa f tjust ad grius partis, simpy bcaus ty wr t party At t sagwr w ar attat f t Cutura Rvutisw s bttr wata rats st t party f t ird Itratia ca as b, t t pitwr it bcms xmpariy ujust ad witut gry, i t frm f tw buraucraic stat burgisi.

udryig pispy fr accpig suc trajctris amuts tpsitig t spac as t gra fudati f t diactic f wic tutpac is t mtr, but y ctivy spakig pac frm wict utpac was xcuddt idx frm wic it was puridcms

back t it at t d f t jury t mystry f ack is rtrspcvy uvid witi t spac tr was t uaffctd, upernumeraidx, wic t utpac turs t its advatag at t d r was trigt ad f t Fatr, as ivisib pac frm wic t utpac tkits apparac f t xcudd, wras i its ssc it is muc ratr tudr f a icusi.

Nw, tig i t ra crrspds t tis maciry Nbdy as

vr cutrd suc circs, witut tir faiig ad tir iatig at sam tim big t iric stigmata f tir scat raityMay tis srv as a ivitati, c tis structura trajctry is cm

ptd ad w tat Hg as b giv t prpr saut, fr us t taktigs up agai frm zr Fr w must tik pridizati trug t td W must kp stadiy ut f pac. 6

is is t fasib witut t rdubig f t pac by tat wic is gr f its rdr ad wic is gr spatiay gurab

at is t say, frc aftr pac.

1

THE PLACE O THE SUBJECTIVE

artesan proeat of the sujet an e ade to dsappear soethng



he real is the impasse o ormalization;ormal izat ion i s the p lae o the ored pas s othe real

Febuary 4 1975

Oe utpe twoWhat s a ontradtonBase nd otor

aets states that there s the wo and ntends to nfer the One fro tas a ovng dvson Metaphyss posts the One and forever gets tangedu n dervng fro t the wo

here are others ke eeuze who post the Mutpe whh s neverore than a seane sne postng the utpe aounts to presupposng the One as sustane and exudng the wo fro t he ontoogy ofthe utpe s a veed etaphyss ts ansprng oes fro Spnoza:rst afratve sustane then the utpe that unfods tsef n theatter wthout ever eong equa to t and whose unfyng nature one

an retend to have raketed hs s ony a fent n the ase of Spnozawho s truy great the spetre of the wo passes through the attrutesthought and extenson But n aordane wth the egnnng ths apparon ust e resnded [A]n asoutey nnte eng s neessarydened ] as an entty whh onssts of nnte attrutes he fatthat huan engs have aess to the true ony y the adequate onneon of the dea and the thng utatey of the sou and the ody and anthnk Sustane ony n the doue attrutve nnty of extnson andthought attests exusvey to ther taton: ths wo s an parentof the utpe he presupposed One ony has the effet of the ntegrannte utpty the nnty of nntes t s at ths pre that the

artesan proeat of the sujet an e ade to dsappearsoethngfor whh Athusser so strongy redted Spnoza

For e ths proess wthout a sujet of the utpe s the pnnaeo the One

We have dedued the there s the wo fro Hege a negaton set asde aordng to the ter and ts ndex of paeent aordng to the outae and the spae And we ht upon a re f the two depends ony on

he dvson etween the thng and the paed thng we ertany engenderhe preous proess of ss son deternaton and tut ony to wnd oupyng the passe of the return to sef to dsover that ether we arestopped up or we have to assue the naugura presene of the resut theseret ak towards whh everythng oves we are n a theody

How s t that the rea passes eyond ow s t that t perodzes ratherhan runnng n res o enre s sad of arres and efore t wassad of sutases. he voyage of the rea s soetes wthout aggageand aordng to Sant uke the od ask does not exude the new wnethat ust e poured nto t

f as aan says the rea s the passe of forazaton as we saw

when we ran up aganst the t as return we ust venture fro thsont that forazaton s the -passe of the rea

he agorth sssondeternaton-t wth ts devatons to theght and to the eft s the truth of the strutura daeta sequene utony up to the pont where ths peae foras s sued up n thedo not trespass that orders a return

We need a theory of th pass of the rea n the reah opened up yforazaton ere the rea s no onger ony what an e akng fros pae ut what pae through by force8

And there s no other way of graspng ths exess than to return to thewo

2

What s a ontradton We sha reak the onept down nto three partsa work n whh Mao w e our gude

A ontradton s rst of a soe wo that s a dierence. Dfferenew e strong or weak dependng on whether ts ters are voentyheterogeneous or erey dstnt

3




prehitorical of huanityunder which oe ordinary ocial body can

THE PLACE OF THE SUBJECTIVE

believe that cutting open th belly of an epirical bourgeoi with the tip



26

prehitorical of huanity under which oe ordinary ocial body canbe ubued

the contradcton called fundaental between productve force andocial relation of production

the contradiction called principal between the antagontic ocialclae.

The pecication of the fundmentl contradiction give u a denitioncontructed in the following anner capitalit i any ocial foration inwhich the private appropriation of the ean of producton tend to con-titute a barrier to the neceary and growing ocaliation of the produc-tve force. Under capitali the copettve diperon of property (theultiplcty of ubectprot enter into a retrictive collon wth theproce of the organic concentraton of the ean of production. hereyou have the claic ay in one voice what conttute the bae of theocial hitory of huanity. All the ret i upertructure

he pecicaton of the prinipl contradiction provde u with anentirely different deniton of capitali. apit alit any ociety n which

the central cla conlct the one that organie political life oppoe thebourgeoiie to the proletariat. uch i the clac tate unaniouly theotor of the ocal hitory of huanity. he ret i ideology

Bae and otor. wo contradicton two denition a ingle objectcaptaliand a ingle doctrineMarxi.

hi would be an aporia except that the working cl form knot hecla play an actve part both in the rt dention where t i the prnci-pal productive force and in the econd where in the guie of it politicalunty and under the nae thu conquered of the proletariat t confrontthe bourgeoie.

hu the denition of cpitlim ultimtely led to the divided denition of theworking cl. hi conr that any ociety whatoever i indeed denedby the plit dentity that pertan to it real ubject whch ake a knottherein.

We are only apparently confronted wth the choice of aying that theworking cla i deignated either a a place in the relaton of productionor a the concentration of all antagoni to the bourgeoiie. aken in io-lation the rt deignation lead directly to the reult that the cla whchwould ext only n the factory conne it ubjectviaton to the glooyprotetation of trade unioni or t variant. he econd antagonidetached fro all anchorng n the proce of producton ake one

believe that cutting open th belly of an epirical bourgeoi with the tipof the terrorit pck weaken the dictatorhip of apital.

In truth terrori and trade unioni are the head and tail of thedialectc abolhed by no dice throw whatoever hey are eparate inidentcal way.

la apprehended according to the dialectical diviion of it dialectic-ity ean partian politcal action anchored in the productive hitoricity

of the ae. repeat it i tting to think of cla a antagonitic party and a producve a in revolt.

The whole point i to know how al thi work together becaue iti thi workingtogether that i cla hi entail nothing le than toake the rectable ingularity of politic re up in the real oveentof hitory.

Productive place and antagonitic politic worker and proletarianhtory and plitc: here one wll recognie the tructural and hitoricalde of our table in their ubective coplicity.

hi becoe clear if one refer back to the two inaugural

contradction.The fundaental contradictonrelation of producton/productive

forceonly reveal to u the arrangeent of place quanttie andnvarant (n itelf th contradiction which i tendential doe notevere anything . It i the tructural de of thing.

For t part the principal contradctionbourgeoiie/proletarathal the attribute of hitory

trong difference (the ubectve project of the proletariat that couni cannot be repreented by the bourgeoiie

cla truggle and not a iple bnary dtributon of the ocal;

reverible ayetry withn the probleatic of the revoluton.

he fully deployed thought of capitalit ociety organe the ubjectiveunty of the tructural and the hitorical in the action of the proletariattying together the contradcton of contradictionfro productive forceo cla partyin which the dialectic i fullled

ny ubect whatoever and rt of all we ourelve when it occuro u to coe into being a ubjectwhich fortunately qute rareure the tubling encounter of the bae and the otor.

A for knowing which one of the two i princpal the principal ore fundaental the otor or the bae we can orient our thinking by

27

THEORY OF THE SUBdECT

editatig o thi etece fro ei 'Poitic i the cocetratio of



28

editatig o thi etece fro ei Poitic i the cocetratio ofthe ecooy

Eve I woud ay whe it i a atter of ibidia ecooy theecooy of the drive

Every ubject i poitica. Thi i why there are few ubject ad rareyay poitic

ege: The atvity o ore s essentially ativityeatng agai nst tsel

March 4, 975

The eiga of correatioForce fro active/reactive to quaitativeexpaioThe Whoe force ad the iterior/exterior etageet

We focu our effort o the correatio which i the eiga of cotra-dictio. You ca ee that correatio iofar a it uite the oppoiteitrouce a cotradictio withi the cotradictio.

ei ay that the whoe otio of the diaectic i ued up i thepricipe of the uity of oppoite. hi i true eough. Oy, by iitigoeef to thi forua oe pace the whoe diaectic preciey i a fraehat deie it. After a whe take too ry i their uity the co-rarie revea oy a ecodary cotrarie betwee the a cotraried

cotrarieNote that if we reai o thi tructura ide of the eiga, the atterdiove which i quite agreeabe. Correatio deigate the othigother tha the Two a uch You have the Oe iofar a you have oyis Two

That i baed o the ip e ipectio of the pace ad of what it keepoutide of itef out of pace you poit the uity of the proce a excuio. There i tis of which tat i ot.

The obviou objectio i that o thi accout the O e of the cotradictioi quite uifory reaborbed ito the Oe of the pace. Thi i exactyike ayig that the uity of the cotradictio bourgeoiie/proetariat

29


poe o proble, ice it i the htorical beig of . . . bourgeoi ociety,

HE PLACE O THE SUBJECTIVE

Thi i why at th poit we are aced with a evee expoitory probe



30

which i i fact govered by th cotradctio. A ouplace, the polearatcoe o be of a piece wh the place The oe o i uity wth he ohei the other a Whole.

Put differetly, the uity of the igiyig chai where the acaiaubject how up, iofar a it eact the uity of repetitio ad the drive,ut be read a the copulo to . . . repea.

The tructural i weak before the oe of place ' a dlun, Laca aid.'There uch a thig a Oe ). hi i a dialectical ateriality withoutleverage.

'Marxit politic, epecialy i ou cotext, there are thoe who holdo trogly o thi weake They adore tudyig the 'law o bourgeoiociety ad ferrg fro he what the proleariat i, ad what it u'do. Wha elude the i the fact that 'proletaria ociety, if oe ca rikuch a uagiable expreio, or ociai, which hey cla to wihfor with all heir ight, jut a uch govered by the cotradctiobourgeoiie/p oleariat a bourgeoi ociety ia fact of which the culuralrevoutio provde the tuultuou proof.

hi prove that the uity of oppoite i ot what oe believe it to be.ook alo at thoe Yakee pychoaalyt of the bll poqu who, i

a etiely litaitic piri, dig the ego of heir patiet too weak,propoed o 'regthe it defece echai. Where he devil didthey lodge the uity of the aackerhi deporably aocal idad hedeederhe ego of afable oralitieif ot the oraive path ofthi orality, that way of lif hat i ot or othig called Amrican

A or the Rua, they cae up with thi urpriig tur of the Oebeig the tae o the whoe people, their achiery o old e kow ofo other diidece tha that of the etaly iae . Whece the hopitala the ole place of he outplace.

But eough o thee horror.To thik correlatio all the way through, we u brig out the whole

eiga o the uity of oppoite. t i oly iofar a he oppoite areheterogeeou or ualigable, hat i, o the precie extet hat there o covivial place of the pace that olici he outpace, tha thee exta dialectica uy, oe whch doe ot ake ay Whole out o wha ittie together.

o ditiguih the Oe fr the Whole uch i the iple ad upreepropoal. Bear i id that thi gap lie the whole quetio o theubjct.

the correlatio of he heterogeeou caot be cheaied. t ca baelyeve be expeed. Every chea ditrbute a ere of place ad lead uback to trucure every dicoure xe the place of the vey thig hai pae over ilece.

The effec o he whole ad o place, wherei the Oe of he cotra-dicio, poited oly accodig to oe of it de, becoe altered, uder-ie repreetatio.

No ijectio of coou ca ake the chea of the dialectical equeceito a coplete preeatio of correlatio , of A hrough which the tethe outplace) i afected, o ieced, by it pecic cotary the place).trog correlatio, which the wod 'truggle reit to practicay,deped o a idrect vetigaio ad o a cocep wihout ay rep-reeable aigato.

t i with the ae 'foce tha we hall cover what overdeterie theexcluo ro ay place i which the outplace e evealed.

2

What i it tha ca put wo heterogeeou qualitie ito coreatio? Olyher reciprocal appicatio a force idiffere to ayhig ohe thaher w expaio.

oelao ea orce agai force I t i he rlation offorcLet u et ade right away the relape or deviatio o th obcure

idea. If oe lauche to he thee tha a 'active orce retrai adobtruct a 'paive th, reacive) force, oe fal back ito the tatiof ayetry. The abractio of the pair active/pave oce agai di-olve the qualitaive heterogeety. The ecod reactive) force i olydeteried, egatively, by the r it i till the place hat xe the placeof the outpace.

A trikig exape of thi relape i the purel y atirepreive cocepioof the politic of he people. Peope are 'obilied becaue hey ufer toouch iteaet. Brutalied by what ur ou to be, fudaetally,the oly active force of the poltical eld he tate, the bo, the cop.Thee wicked ete, uddely, exaggerate their ev deig. The greatbatte cry 'Dow with repreio ca be heard. he peit bourgeoi iboiig with idigaio.

Noe that he i right ad there i a good chace that i fact thee

31

HEORY OF HE SUBdECT

'exaggerationswhich the people permanently suffer n ther depthsmay

HE PLACE OF THE SUBdECTlVE

whose heterogeneity is irreducible to the facetoface confrontation of



32

gg p p p y p y

bring the petit bourgeos out of his chronic dejection, or hs complacency.

Yet the phiosophy behind all this comes up short, because t denies

at bottom any active autonomy, any real independence, any afrmatve

political vrtuality, to what rises up in the guise of the enraged rebel of

good faith. Down with represson leads no further than to a placed reac-

tve The force of the people is here the flat shadow cast by the horrors of

the State, and the conlctual correlation remains caught in the unfyng

weakness of the structural.

How, in the echo of the great antrepressve vituperation, wll I be abe

to estabsh my capacity to repress the repression? Therein ies the key to

understand everythng that otherwise turns sour according to the theme

of disenchantment.

We must come to understand that what raises me up reactvely against

the active of the Other must also be the actve of a force in whch the

Other s no longer represented Even f it is requred by the adverse power

in ts repressive excess, the force that rses up in revolt against this repres-

sion is itself n interor excess over this requisitioning

This is what Hegel understands with a defnitive sharpness.

3

t will be approprate here to read n its entrety one of the strongest pas

sages from the Great ogic: the chapter titled 'The Essential Relation,

which sufces to say that it concerns the enigma of correation

For starters, here is a passage where Hegel expressly develops the idea

that the essence of the reactive must be the active nteriority, unless we

fall back on this side of the 'essental relation, that is, unless we fall short

of the strong correlation:

Ths process then in whch an impulse is exerted upon one force by

another force, the rst force passive receiving the impulse but then again

passing over from this passvity into activity, this is the return of force

into itself. It expresses isel The expression is reaction in the sense that

it posits the externality as its own moment and thus sublates its having

been solicited by another force ( 523

Everything s here: it is when force posits 'externality as its own

moment that it gains access to a qualitative correlation centred on itself,

forces. t s when the people erect their vision of the adversary as an

internal gure of ther own politics that they 'sublate the antirepressve

dependence, excludng themseves from any inclusion and proceeding to

an afrmative scission.

To think correation s to thnk force as acting and, thus, as grafted onto

the other force, but according to its irreducble quality, for which hence-

forth the space is no more than the mediation o be desroyed

This whole chapter from Hege, even f it is sometimes dealistically

hesitant, can serve as a recapitulation of our endeavour

et us look at how t is constructed

The three parts are successvely:

1 . The problematic of the whole and the parts

2 Force

3 The exteror and the interor

This is our plan as we, for the partwhole r elation is nothing other than

a theory of the splace, in whch it turns out that, in struc tural terms, every

contradictory correlation is only an exclusion, an outplace, whose princi-ple of unity is inclusion the part as that which s of the whole

Force, as w e have seen, comes to overdetermne the unfyng impasse to

which the structure of incluson in the whole leads back, by the irreducible

position of qualitative interority n the confrontation of forces

In a striking anticipaton of Lacan, Hegel seizes ths impasse in the form

of the pulsation, the vacillaton, and the alternating eclpse

Now n so far as this [exstent] s a part t s not a whole, not a composite,

hence a simple But the relation to a whole is external to it and therefore

does not concern it the selfsubsistent is, therefore, not even in itself

part; for it is part only through that relation. But now since it is not partit s a whole, for there s only this relation of whole and parts present

and the selfsubsstent s one of the two. But as a whole, it is again

composte it agan consists of parts, and so on o infni. This innitude

consists solely in the perennial alternation of the two determinatons of

the relation, in each of which the other mmedately arises, so that the

positedness of each is the vanishing of tself. 5 1 8)

f on e rues out force, this bengposted whose essence is to disappear

in a perennal alternaton, ths vanishing term in whch the dialectic of

the whole is sutured, is the destiny of the outplace (here posited from

33




trip For u, thi tantaount to recognizing that in the logic o orcel d th t l l t d i h th t t l



36

place and the outplace are correlated in uch a way that t no longerpoible to poit the econd a the ipe exterorexcluded o the rt

In the logic o orce, the unity o oppoite i not an orientable correla-tion, and therein conit it hitorical eence, even though a ubjacent(tructural orentaton preciey that with repect to which the non-orentabe can be delted

Likewie, the proletariat a poitical claa orcei inked to the

bourgeoie in a wholy htorica untyotruggle, whch cannot bedtributed into the doain o the ocial whole and whch tructure theae beingthe peoplewithout prohbiting, but actualy reuiring, thatwe orient the cla poition n it placed groundedne, that , in the ocialrelation o production

The act that th topologica unty o oppoite, which under the ruleo orce bring about the correlation o interior and exterior, or Hegelnothing le than the unity o eence and exitence (L 5 29 , or what hecall actuaity, whch conttute the pvotal tranition n al o the GreatLogic, a telling ign o it ipotance

For the aterait dialectic, when one i led atray in the labyrnth oorce, inde and outide, hadow and og, there where pace provde orneither place nor lack o place, t i the Subjectthi Minotaur beret oany heeuthat one coe acro

t i then that every ubject urpae it place by orce, inauch a iteenta vrtue lie n beng dioriented

Subjetive and objetive

April 1 197

Diviion o orceSpinoza an d MalebrancheStalinThe traniono the new in the cience and the noncienceNonlove aong

poltcian and pychoanalytMay 1 968The bourgeoie akepolticerodizatonThe Hegelan opera

Force t own arative expanion, but paced wthin the overarchingtructura apect o the other orce whether it rule over the unity o theplace (orce in the potion o the State, or o the yboc or revealthe outplace (orce n the potion o the revolution, or o the real

Thi i our to and ro ethod No ooner hae we tracked down thehitoricity o the contradiction, the unagnabe uaty o t ter, theirutual trangene to each other, than we ut uickly ground all th in

the ordered oil o the tructure, unle we let ourelve evaporate intothe etaphyc o deire, that , the ubtantial and noadc aup-tion o the outplace ro which place itel coe to be inerred Thiauption ark the boundary o the dialecticty o the diaectic 'to theet (ety devation, rather than letit Nothing new on thi end everince Spnoa

The rightit, or their part, have never let the place, whoe decrip-tion ll the with joy The ot generou watchaker in the ailyi wthout contet Maebranche Spinoa and Maebranche, at botto,are the great purer o orce he Jew pot it unity, whch i not the

37


wholeand one is supposed to make do with that. The Catholic pro-

nounces its exhaustive mechanism wih its weight and counterweight so

THE PLACE OF TH SUBdECTlV

which gives direction, a the hear o the class to the unstoppabe batte

b h h h l h h h



nounces its exhaustive mechanism, wih its weight and counterweight, so

that God may hear arising rom his Creationthat outpace or which he

made placethe morning bells o his Gory.

And so you have he signicant auserity o the One versus the mirror

ing delights o the Whoe

Being Catholic and Jewish, orce is impure his is what put an end to

metaphysics (not or nothing was there the procession in honour o pure

Reason led by a ew guillotines and lots o popuar committees) at thedawn o the second conceptual modernity the rst one was consolidated

with caravels, Greek texts, telescopes, and innitesimal calculus)

Force is impure because it i s always placed The new o hisoricality is

inected by the continuity o the structures. Something o the quality o

orce becomes homogenized with the space, a east so a s to igure therein

its own abstracion and suppor the law

There is the innity o orce and there is its initude. his is not even,

as in the case o Hegel, the experientia and circular inerence rom he

one to the other.

Our take on this wi be as ollows in any contradicion, orce maniests s impurity by the aeatory process o its puriication The mode in

which the subjected character o orce unolds itse, in its scission rom its

airmative innity, is itsel a movement, in which orce concentrates (or

not) its qualitative identity, thus expansively tearing itse away rom that

which noneheess persists in xing its site

38

here is no other denition o the poitical class party except to say that,

in what can be a situation o extreme weakness and dilution, it must con-

centrate the historical project that is the orceoclass in person, namely,

that which emerges out o place and smashes the imperialist space.

This gives us some philosophical background adjusted to Sal ins declara

tion, the use o which is otherwise well known, that the party is strength-ened by purgng itsel o opporunist elements 4 To say strengthened ' is

an understatement. nvested in no operaion other than tha o splitting

the orce o the working class rom is subjected gure, 'concentrating the

correct ideas (Ma o) , keeping itsel maximaly out o place, and desroying

in itse all that is not the destruction o the splace, the party is purication.

his does not mean that it is pure, nor that it tends towards purity

any more than cutting o heads denes the essence o its action. On this

bloody path, Stalin arrived at nothing but disaster But the party operates

at the juncture o itsel and its impuriyng dissipation, being as it is that

between the two paths, without any claim to existence other than he

maniest proo o a denser quality, a more com pact heterogeneity, a newer

destructive and recomposing power.

At this juncture, the internal expansion o orce sketches ou the

history o a contradiction, whereas he impuriy brings it into alignment

by prescribing is place, so that he rst speaks to the hor o the horlieu

('outplace) and the es o the esplace ('splace) , and he second, to he -lieu

and the place. Mao gave this juncture a name whose simpliciy is bewi-

dering: srugge o the old and the newa struggle which, he assures us,

especiay when he is readying himsel to endorse the second Chinese

revoution (called Cultura), wi pursue its course, incuding vioently

so, up to and incuding the ime o he alacious communist pacication,

beyond classes and the State.

2

Strugge o the old and the new he purication o orce amounts to theconcentration o its newness Those right ideas o the masses, which the

Marxist party must 'concentrae, are necessariy new ideas

t is quite a step into he dialectic to understand, in a nonrivial sense,

that every rightness and every justice are, in principe, novelties; and that

everyhing that repeas itsel is invariably unjust and inexac. 15

And ye, i t is pointless t o try o live without repetition.

he best image or this urning poin can be obtained by comparing

taught mahemaics to invented mathemaics. While the rs apparently

is merey the ordered dispay o the second, rom the point o view o the

dialectic we must consider taught mathematics to be inexac, giving us no

idea at a o what mathematics is as a subjective and historica process.

What is taught is no mathematics but only its locus. Pedagogy delim-

its a space, it is up o you to be out o pace with respect to it, that is, to

produce were it only one decisive theorem, one that provokes a horough

reshufingwhich is the only title that can be caimed or he mahemati-

cian, who is no to be conused, as Lacan would say, with the university

proessor o mahematics.

In short, what is no transmitted is precisely the process o qualita-

ive concentration o this bizarre orce by which all spaced mathematics

becomes shot through with holes

39

THEORY OF THE UBJECT

t i oreoer perectly obiou that eery great cientic dicoeryaount to a purication What ruled wa the ipure chao trickery in

THE PLACE O THE UBJECTIVE

depot, one ut exp ect to be the decline o thi School into the ediocreh i i



40

aount to a purication What ruled wa the ipure, chao, trickery incoe an order that cannot be brought in line with orer cuto

Eery cience or a party jut look at their congree Will you ay that nohing i tranitted on thi ide o thing? No, you

only hae to read thoe great correpondence o the eenteenth centurybetween Decarte, Ferat, acal and other, or which the aliantFather Merenne all by hiel ered a the potal adinitrator in orderto ee that oe newne i caught in the act and tranitted thereinNeerthele, ery oten thi happen by the deant lant o what i keptilent, in the argin o the text, by the purely particular appearance o ahidden general principle God know that thee ater o thought carryitrut and ilence to an extree ere the lightning bolt o diruptiecounication kindle the dry branch o eaion

All by theele, thee letter deontrate that i the place propagateitel by zeal condence and loe a odern pedagogue are wontto ay, a uch a by coercion, contept, and coldne a i coonpractice aong the whipping prietpedagogue o old England) the con-

centration o orce reuire rather or it ingular traniion, the reli-ance on alluion, tenion and an obliue or o polite itrut, whoeart reache it peak aong the claic ndeed, it i an undertateent toay that Decarte and Ferat, or acal and the hadow o Decarte didnot like each other t i through their eential nonloe that the orce otruth circulated

eople do not like each other ery uch either in the great politicalpartie, which i oething that a ew naie people take to be the depi-cable eect o power truggle, when it i actually the ontological axioo puriying unity that i thu gaining ground

eople do not like each other at al l in pychoanalytic ocietie, epeciallywhen one put the to the uetion o ow i pychoanalyi tranit-ted? here i a proound logic to thi nonloe t i what coney theproce o orce and i punctuated, a i only to be expected, by excluion,ciion, and excounication n the cae o the pychoanalyt it i ateery intant that one i trengthened o r weakened by puriying oneel othe opportunitic or reolutionary eleent in one idt

n Lacan col Frudinn d Pari, thi nodal point o ow doe onehere receie the title o pychoanalyt which i what thi School with aperectly choen nae call the pa, currently produce erociou battlewhoe outcoe, beyond the unortunately ineitable death o it gigantic

anarchy o it ipaehe indiidual doe not ecape thi ate it pleae you to coe into

being qua ubject, you will be orced, a you well know, exprely andagaint all exiting cuto to ound the party o yourel harh, con-centrating orce and the power o abnegation to an extree point, andollowing it condition o exitence which i not to loe oneel too uch

hi i oething that the claical oralit aid once and or all, and rtaong the acal, one o our our truly great national dialecticiantheother being Roueau, Mallar and acan 'he el i detetable LMoi t haabl) here i no need to go back oer thi

At leat, that i i one wihe to coordinate within oneel the adienion anger indignation renzy, urprie, encounter reolt, joy , the dienion o the State way and cuto repetition, ociability,ailiaritie, eal and leepoer cat and dog , and the dieniono the party concentration o orce, heroi, innoating continuity, pur-poeul work, ciion ro oneel, unity o a new type, courage

hi i deanded o nobody, and it i oreoer ipoible to decide t

happen let u ay, that i ake a ubjct'.

3

A denition we will call ubjciv thoe procee relatie to the ualita-tie concentration o orce

et e ephaize that thee are practice, real phenoena he party ioething ubjectie taken in it hitorical eergence, the network o itaction the noelty it concentrate he intitution i nothing but a huk

Correlatiely we will call objectie the proce whereby orce i placedand i thu ipure

nauch a i t concentrate and purie itel qua aratie ciion,eery orce i thereore a ubjectie orce and inauch a it i aignedto it place, tructured placed it i an objectie orce

More exactly we will ay the being o orce i to diide itel accordingto the objectie and the ubjectie

you take a bird eye iew o May 8 you will ee in it a new andualitatiely irreducible breath or apiration you will ee in it thi exceptional and radica lly new point o concentration which i the etablihento thouand o young intellectual in the actorie together with the

4

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

miimal apparatu for thi cocetratio the Maoit orgaizatio You

will alo ee i it the eormou weake of thi cocetratio ad thi

THE PLACE OF HE SUBJECTVE

The objective ad the ubjective divide the dialectic. If ou take the

two atagoitic force without forgettig their uderig articulatio



42

will alo ee i it the eormou weake of thi cocetratio ad thi

apparatu the iurmoutable dilutio of the revolt ito peaceful pro-

tetig ifrapolitical gure. You will ee i it the defeive maoeuvre

for the ake of the xit of the place comfortabl agreed upo betwee

repreetative of the govermet ad repreetative of the uio

betwee Pompidou ad Sgu. Ma 68 i reall ol a begiig ad

cotiuig the combat i a directive for the log ru.

You ca thu oberve at oe ad the ame time t he objective tregth of

foce ad it ubjective weake Everoe i the trike ad i the treet

for a preciou ad i it ow wa immortal commecemet. But eve

ear later we are ver few to hold up the ubjective future ad coce

trated retricted actio of all thi i the mid t of the epulchral atmophere

of the programm commun ad the praer of Mitterrad the udertaker.

Thi amout to aig that the ubjective apect of our adverar

force i itelf till i a fairl good tate Thi i omethig the revolutioar

ie ever maaged to udertad. Mot of them thik the are the ol

ubject ad repreet the atagoitic cla to themelve a a objective

mechaim of oppreio led b a hadful of proteerThe bourgeoiie i i o wa reducible to the cotrol of the State or to

ecoomic prot O thi poit too the Cultural Revolutio elighte u

iofar a it deigate the bourgeoiie i coditio wherei the idutr

ha bee etirel atioalized ad the part of the proletariat domiate

the State. The bourgeoiie make politic it lead the cla truggle ad ot

o from the agle of exploitatio or from that of coercio whether it

i legal or terrorit. The bourgeoiie make a ubject. Where the doe it

do thi Exactl a with the proletariat i the midt of the people workig

cla icluded ad would eve a ice we are dealig with the ew

tatebureaucratic bourgeoiie the workig cla pcially icluded

The bourgeoi imperialit are a hadful of coure but the ubjective

effect of their force lie i the divided people. There i ot jut the law of

Capital or the cop. To mi thi poit i to top eeig the uit of the

place it coitec. t i to fall back ito objectivim whoe iverted

raom b the wa i to make the State ito the ol ubjectwhece

the atirepreive logorrhoea

We mut coceive of imperialit ociet ot ol a ubtace but aloa ubject.

Thu far however we have ol deat with the ubjective which i ot

the bjct but rather it elemet or it gere.

two atagoitic force without forgettig their uderig articulatio

to place ad outplace ou ca delimit withi them a objective dia

ectic ad a ubjective diaectic which together cotitute the dialectic of

force.

See the chema below applied to the caoical example of the cotra-

dictio bourgeoiie/proletariat

P (bourgeose)

objectivediletireliy

A (polea)

accodng o (A): subecve force

(cass poC amog he people)

accodg 10 P(A ): objecve oceelo o expfio d cotolof he Sae)

ccodg o P(Ap

objecve ocemss evos)

accodng o AAp A() subjecve foce

(clss polcs among he people; he pay)

ubjectivedileticrel

The commo objectivit ubted the life of the maeoppreed ad

rebellioui accordace with the axiom 'Wherever there i oppreio

there i rebellio.2 Thi i the objective dialectic the wa of the world

hitormade b the mae a we al kow.

The ubjective i politic made b the clae i the mae.

Let it be aid i paig: to unrtan th itinction btwn hito an

politic, ma an cla, i xactly th am thing a unrtaning th itinc

tion btwn th Whol an th On Thi i o trilig matter.

t i clear that the poit of appicatio of the bourgeoi ubjective force

withi the place i iteded to prevet the cotitutio out of pace of

the proletaria ubjective force. The fudametal target of ubjective

activit i thereb to block the proce of cocetratio of puricatio

of the atagoitic force t i a matter of maitaiig the atter maximall

diluted at all cot eve if thi dilutio i made up of iumerable revolt.

43




acivi, arng wih Wha I To Be Done? he ubjecive ueion plaa cenral par Concenrang force i he ver eence of Lenn work,

THE PLACE OF THE SUBJECTIVE

Ever periodzaion mu encompa i double dialecica ime andhuo a wih our exampeconain cober 97 a he econd



4

which bae ielf on he weaknee and falure of he Commune, whieMarx nead armed himelf wh he Commune vicorie n order omodif, on a crucial pon, he Manifeo.

Lenin draw a fourfold leon from he cruhing of he Commune

1 . i necear o prace Marxi poiic and no ome local roman

c revol, wheher workeri or populi The profound meaning ofWha I To Be Done? i enirel conaned in hi difcul and originalcall le u be aboluel and irrevocabl poliical acivi meaningprofeional, ha goe wihou aing who ha ever een amaeurpolical eader .

2 i necear o have an overall view of hing, in he naonalframework a lea, and no be fragmened ino he federalim ofruggle.

3. i necear o forge an alliance wh he rural mae.4 i necear o break he counerrevoluion hrough an uniner

ruped, miliaril offenive, cenralized proce

And wha of he par he famou enini par, in he mid of alhi The par a he core of eel, an arm movng wih he rhhmc epof eaoned profeonal For Lenin, he par i nohing bu he operaorof concenraon of hee four reuiremen, he mandaor focal poinfor a poiic. The par he acve puricaon of polic, he emof pracica poibil for he aemen of he Commune. i inferredfrom polic from he ubjecive apec of force. B no mean doe icome r. i an aberraion o read Wha I To Be Done? a a heor of hepar when i i a handbook of Marx poliic. Wh regard o he para apparau, wha can be inferred i mxed and econdar. Wha I To Be

Done? i a heor of he ubjecive apec of force, in he guie of a generalcal o poliical condence.

i no due o i inuiona concern bu becaue of he demand of Marxi poliical ambiion ha a I To Be Done? enail a en aemen of he Pari Commune.

Beide, i i curiou o ee ha he explici examinaion of he Communecarried ou b Lenin in The Sae and eouion foow an enirel differen hread, which originae in Marx and i relaive o he problem of heSae appearance nowihanding, in ha ex we are deaing, hroughhe reurn o objecivi, wih a far le novel underaking

hu o a wih our exampe conain cober 97 a he econdand proviionall nal canon of he aemen Whence he embarramen of hiorian accordng o he forceplace relaon, heCommune new Marx . According o he ubjecveobjecive relaion,i i cober ha i new and he Commune ha edge of he od whoepraccal percepon, b purifing force, parake in he engendering ofi novel.

i high probable ha he Chnee Cuural Revoluion ha he ameprole and ha he ueion of he econd me of i periodizing funconi now open. The ubjecive ueion how dd he Culural Revoluion,ma uprng agan he new bureaucraic ae bourgeoe, run no heprobem of he rehaping of he par reman in upene a he keueon for an Marx polic oda.

f Hegel make a circle, i i becaue he alwa eek a inge ime. A amaer of princple, he ignore he differed reroacion, even hough heinidioul olerae hem in he deail

5

n Hegel' Logic, here a chaper on objecivi However i i moinrucive ha hi chaper hould be locaed in he econ ied S ubjecve Logic', where foow he chaper on ubjecivi and pre-pare for he one on he Idea. Objeciv, for Hegel i he medaion beween pure ubjecive forma inerori and knowledge. Here we ee afagran idea inveron bu ha i no he eenial poin. The boom line of he whoe affair i ha, n making objecivi arie from pure logicalform, Hegel gve himelf in advance he uni of he wo crieria o

f perio-dizaon Inegrall referable o he formal ubjecive which dolve and conain, objecivi al a once open ief up o abolue knowledge.It is only the progressive lling of the exterior by the interior the coming o ligh of he conen of he form according o he exenuaion of form ielf. The undering concepion remain ha he ubjecve he pure law of he place b which he vod exceed ielf ino he oupace o as nally to become equa to the reflected totality. From that momentonward, p lace passes over into force according to the same movement bywhich the subjective passes into the objective, and the unique refecton of this movement is none other than the dialectic itsef Whence a principe

47



THEORY O HE SUB"ECT

d the Hegel i certail correct to wrte the followig about the logm 'f it i ot thought a mall matter to hae dicoered ome ix

f h d d d h f

AR The Sbjet nde the Sign iers of the Exeption



pecie of parrot oe hdred ad thirtee pecie of eroica etc.much le ought it to be thought a mall matter to dicoer the form ofreao L 682.

Frech 'Marxm there i a plethora of people who for ack ofegagemet with the ogim of actio iit o coutig parrot Thereult i that what the call 'ideologcal truggle' come dow to trig to

take he place of hoe who cout eroica.

The Sbjet nde the Sign iers of the Exeption

S

O ore as di sappea rane wh ose eet s the



O ore as di sappea rane wh ose eet s theWhoe rom whh it has dsappeared

December 95

Deito of the tructura diaecticThe Greek atomitogic of theciameChacehe vahig termWhat are the mae ad

what do the do?he cauait of ack

We cormed that there exit o eutra diaectic that coud be iertedto the etera trugge betwee ideaim ad materiam t i the dia-ectic itef that mut be divided, accordig to the edge of it diaectcit,ito it tructura de ad it htorica ide ogic of pace ad ogic oforce.

the pedagog of th projectwhch diaembe ad reaembe i etret the od foo bridge of the reatio Marx/Hegewe propoethat the formuatio deait diaectic, which oe uua ree off to bad-

mouth Hege, be repaced b tructura diaectict i rt of a a matter of agig Hege ideaim or Maarm ad

aca ot a much to the exterior perverio of a pure ier core omuch a to the choice of the pricipa term i the correatio of oppoitewhoe uit cotitute the daectic whoe beg.

Whece the foowig provoa deitio of the tructuraiaectc

a he tructura diaectic i certai a form of diaectica thought t hi it materiat de i the ee that, broad peakg, it tem fromtwo crucia otoogica pricipe

3

HEORY OF THE SUBEC

the primac of proce over euiibrium of the movemet oftraformatio over the afirmatio of detith i f h h di i

HE SUBJEC UNDER TE SIGNIFIERS

What characterie the tructura daectic reide rather i thecompex diovig actio b which i the coet proximit to a



4

the primac of the wo over the e cotradictio.b he ructura diaectic ha a tedec thi i it ideait ide rt to

make the tructura apect of the diaectc prevai over it hitorca apect tha i pace over force ad, ecod withi th ver ame primac of therucura fouatio, to make the theor of the pace, o the ba of itregated uvere predomiate over the emergee of the outpace.

A a reut, we mut regiter the perverio that from th momet oi troduced ito the reatio betwee the ubjective ad the obective,together with the tedec to udo ever pricipe of periodatio ifavour of a circuar coure.

he tructura diaectic b t choi ce of the prevaiig term i the ogru work o o oe de of the cocept of cotradictio ad mopio t i ot the correct oe.

aid before that there are three articuatio to thi cocept of cotradictio: differece correatio, ad poitio.

he tructura diaectic priviege the weak differece over the trogdifferece. It ted to reduce a differece to a pure ditace of poitio.hi i i pataiig ambitio, whch work to the detrimet of uaitative heterogeeit, for the atter, beig a it uchematizabe ca beregitered o i it tempora effect.

he tructura diaectic prefer the correatio of pure excuio, of pitpoitioait, ad of iterchageabiit to that correatio which uderthe ame trugge of oppoite attempt to grap the detructo thatiue from a certai uat of force

he tructura diaectic immobiize the poitio of the term ito a mmetr or ito a ivariat ammetr, rather tha eiig the becomig

pricipa of the ecodar, the rupture of a pace b the expoio ofit rue ad the o of pricipe of the iita potio

However, the tructura diaectic doe ecouter the rea a obtacewhich i the effective thought of the hitorca. t icude the atter, abeiti order to ubordiate it ad o whe it i o oger a daectic of thewhoe but a combiator: a tructuraim.

Structuraim i the itera 'rightit temptato of uch a diaectic,wth the obcure ad poetic effort of the ike of Maarm or aca coitig etire i no giving in to thi temptatojut a oe doe ot giveup o oe deire.

cotraria rea that rue t out t i the authort of the tructurethat cotat ed up beg reetabhed. What i eetia ie ithe acuar competee of the proect ad the patho of ecei which the everwrtte Maarma Book meet the evertiedLacaia kot A a there e the everabadoed repect forthe rea that eve at the hghet poit of it diavowa come through thee great ideait

Here we d uch a teo whoe hermetc cadece of writig, oofte mocked b the eviou reader i the gu re of a harh cerit that wi ever be a wate of our time to foow thee h eroe of obeig itothe arcae ecret of ther acidic diaectica achem.

f the rea b dit of t torio, the give u a the juice

2

rom the tart ad the a the wa to the ed the mut a ove whatwe might ver we ca the three caoica probem of the tructuradiaecticprobem whch i ma repect make up the who e traditioof ideait moderit:

1 How to brig back a trog uatat ive differece to t bare boethe weak differece or the differece of poitio, whch udergirdit? hi the probem of the chematiato of the uchematizabeof the flatteg out, or of the cha effect.

2. How to make dappear whatever wa eeded natter of force,i order to proceed with thi reductio? hi the probem of the

vahig term.3 How ca the obeig of the vaihed force caue the movemet of

pace ad, better et, their totat? h i the probem of the actioof the tructure or the probem of the cauait of ack.

hai effect vaihig term, cauait of ack et u add the pittig,hich we wi deduce ater ad there ou have a whoe orgazed accordg to the oe carit of a mtpe of e.

he Greek atomt were the rt i a thi .


3

THE SUBdECT UNDER THE SIGNIFIERS

Certainly, the appearance on stage of correlation is always the sign of

ialectical and even, if you want of speculative profundity. Hegel keenly

bserves that the most important operation of atomism lies in this relaxi ng



56

What difference can be stronger than the one between atoms and the

void? The Greek materialists, to begin with, posit an absolute heteroge

neity: on one hand, the discrete multiplicity of matter; on the other, the

innite continuity of the nohing

Hegel admires the impetus that 'makes this simple determinateness of

the one and th e void the principle of all things, deriving the innit e variety

of the word from this simple antithesis an d boldly presuming to know the

former from the latter (L 1 66)

This impulse behind the structural abstraction, though, immediately

comes up against its own force as the obstacle presented to it by the real

If the atoms stand in a radical qualitative exteriority to the void if no

atom is nameable otherwise than by this exteriority of principleto be an

atom, and not part of the voidthen it is clear that nothings happens The

atoms remain suspended, as the dust of identity, in that which serves as

their ground, vain stars in the night sky devoid of any constellation.

Here the difference is so strong that no Whole can make its way in any

process whatsoeverNow, the atomistic hypothesis has no aim other than to compose the

real of the Whole. So here it is running out of gas.

One will therefore arguethis is the second moment of the affairthat

the void engenders the movement of the atoms. With this gesture, which

breaks with the pure principle of qualitative and recipro cal exclusion, a cor

relation, o r even a position, begins to be sketched out. The void is causal it

splaces, if not the atoms themselves, then at least their traectories.

Hegel makes a big thing out this small move, rapidly drawing the

blanket toward his own concept of the negative

. . . with the rst thinkers the atomistic principle did not remain in this

externality but besides its abstraction had also a speculative determina

tion in the fact that the void was recognized as the source of movement,

which is an entirely different relation of the atom and the void from the

mere juxtaposition and mutual indifference of these two determina

tions . . . The view that the void constitutes the ground of movement

contains the profounder thought that in the negative as such there lies

he ground of becoming, of the unrest of self-movementin which

sense, however, the negative is to be taken as the veritable negativity

of the innite. (L 66)

bserves that the most important operation of atomism lies in this relaxi ng

f the strong difference of atoms/void, and not in their position as mutual

bstacle.

If there are two, the principles leave entirely open the question of the

One divided by them. This is where one awaits the dialectician

Is movement this One of the correlation? Surely, for if the void is the

cause of movement, then this applies equally to all the atoms. Otherwise,these atoms would have different relations to the void regarded as cause.

But this is impossible, in light of the fact that, qua atoms, they constitute

he opening principle, simply dened by not being the void, period.

herefore, all are in any case identical with regard to the void.

It is thus necessary to posit that the atoms all move together eternally

and according to parallel trajectories, at variable speeds.

This rain of falling stars constitutes a disaster, which does not add up to

a Whole either.3

It must even be admitted that this 'movement is perfectly nUll, for

lack of a reference point with which to mark itthe simultaneous andisotropic vection of an innity of atoms, without the shadow of a doubt,

being equivalent t o their absolute immobility.

Once again, nothing happens. Even by subjecting the atoms to the

efcacy of the void as motor, it remains the case that the differential het

erogeneity of the principles is kept in a sterile rigidity. Strong difference

actually, absolute difference) serves at once as a halting point.

But there is something and not nothing This is what the atomists turn

into the obstacle of the real over and against the rigid duality of their

pinciples.

In order to pass from the duality of principles (atoms/void) to the

one of the world as system of wholes things), one must obviously lterthe strong derence into a weak difference One must combine the atoms

amongst themselves, instead of eternally launching them, like Mallarms

nthrowable dice, into the void of their identical nonbeing

Here we are approaching a crucial operation of the dialectic, namely:

te linking together of a chain. This means passing from a strong dif

erence, wherein the quality of the real qua force makes itself felt, to a

omogeneous combinatory space, wherein a process becomes composed

ith terms of the same kind.

In ancient atomism, this is what is called the clinamen.

57

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

4

aom i deviaed he world ca come io beig The dde oblie

E SUBEC UNDER E SIGNIFIERS

i oliic he world i called hiory ad he mae make hiory j ach a for Democri he aom mak e he world. i o o eak fromeole o eole wihi oe ad he ame eole ha drig ay oliical



58

aom i deviaed he world ca come io beig. The dde obliee of a rajecory ierr he ideical moveme of he aom adrodce a colliio of arice from which i ally bor a combiedmliliciy a hig fcie o make a world.

Here a whole roceed a i hold from he fracre of a ideiyamely he aralleizig ad arayig ideiy of he moveme of he

aom. whole i alway he deah of a e.Wha i hi cliame? I he lace of ioroic rajecorie we ca

immediaely recogize i i he olace of a locaable drguatdmoveme.

cally i order o deviae from i core he aom m reae ohe void i a iglar maer by exceig ielf from he law which ala oce arrage for he ideica rai of arice der he aimoeffec of he void.

The deviaig aom marks th id ice i i affeced by i i a differe

way ad o j i i geeraliy a aom.e cloely folow he hread of he oeraio. f a aom relae ohe void i a maer ha i o he geeral rle for all aom i may fcio a atmistic dsignatin f th vid its i here ha rog differecebegi i ivolio io weak differece ice he ooiio beweehe deviaig aom or raher of he ciame a he ac of hi aom adhe aom a re ricile reicribe from oe aom o aoher ad hwihi he ame kid of ricile he abole heerogeeiy of he voidad he aom.

Thi oeraio i eirely comarable o he oe yo obai wheyo a from he abole ooiio of ricile bewee borgeoiie/

rolearia o he diviio io wo road of he ma moveme ielf ifo o he ieral rggle over he ary lie. The 'borgeoi road ofoliic ch a i i acive wihi olar acio i eiher he aboeexeriori y of he imeriali cla or he global do miaio ha he aerexer over ociey a a whole. i eih er domiaio or hegemoy. Ther cae correod o he rog aic ooiio of void/aom. Theecod o he differeiaed eig i moio of he aom Wha iere however i raher he way i which he oar creaiviy herevol i acio mark he aagoiic eleme wihi heir very midThere yo have a racica cliame which i o rriig a all ice

eole o eole wihi oe ad he ame eole ha drig ay oliicalrm whaoever ad eve oherwie he origiary aliaive differecewhich radicaly earae he eole from imerialim i reicribed.

i alo ceraily re ha i order o derad hi reicriiowhich ler differece we m admi he caaciy of he mae o diatBeide hi i wha i called heir moveme: he ma moveme

f core he cliame ree wih a major embarrame erai eiher o he void or o he aom or o he caal acio ofoe over he oher. I i alo o a hird comoe or a hird ricile i oly ha which eable oe o arrive from he abole aiaivedifferece o bodly oied a begiig ricie a he combiaio ofaom io a weak differece which aloe exlai he world of hig a obvioly exi.

The cliame i he dialeciciy of he ricile he weak differeiaio of he rog differece

Thi oeraor of ivolio maer more o ha he wo bodarie

o i efcacy: aom/void o oe had combied world of aom o heoher Noice ha i he meaime he void ha droed o. Sch ideed i fae ad he cliame which deoe hi fae m ao vaih i ieffec We wil ee hi i deail.

The cliame i he aom qua olace of he void which dialecicizehe void qua lace of he aom

e ay ha i he log r ad wel beyod he Greek he cliame he bjec or o be more recie bjecivizaio

hi way he rcral dialecic eek o do wiho force Howeverhi reire a olace ha verge o he miraco i ooiio boho he moooo fall of aom of which he void i he cae ad o

he law ha wi gover bee o he cliame he comoiio ofhe Whoe. he eed for hi olace will be called 'freedom or chacece he maive acio of he void qua rog differece a wel a hecombiaory roce are for heir ar comleey eceary ad ricly io he lace. The combiaory roce i ariclar i ohig bhe cocaeaio of aom accordig o he gre of he real world Thimea ig io a chai eleme which are all of he ame kid.

The cliame i aecic beyod eceiy aboey ooflacelaceabe grabe: chace

I i o for ohig ha chace come back a a major caegory for

S9

THEORY O THE SB.ECT

Mallarm. Chace i a ke cocept i a rctra dialectic. For acader the ame of Fore it i othig le tha the real

For i i tre hat hior i the forte o the eet eer o be

THE SBECT NDER THE SIGNIES

Mallarm amog igier for Laca ad i a certai ee amogpolitica cla poitio withi the mae for Marxim t i imperatie thatthe ietmet of he opei g priciple ito the proce of the rea reore



60

Fo t e at o t e o t e o t e ee t ee o becofed with politic which i it forced bjectie ratioalit.

t i f i keepig with Marxim o a that hitor i the chace ofpolitical eceit.

Which doe ot mea itrodcig ee oe oce of irratioaimThe Greek atomit are repectfl of he rea Right from the art the

potate the trog differece which i he flatteed ot hadow of forceThe kow that trog differece doe ot chage ito weak difereceall b itelf. For thi to happe the oid wod hae to be compoed oatom i wold hae to be poible o compoe the void, t a D ecare iorder o lik p hi be matter eed a ee more btle mater Wekow what iie impae relt from thi deperae operat io o igle oe poit two kid o aom thoe of the oid ad hoe of hereal which wold retore he trog differece witho a gai

mmediate omeoe will object thi i exactl wha thee Greek dowith their cliame! For o hae the deiatig atom rt kid ad the

'ormal aom ecod kid Yo hae b o mea etablihed a iteratomic combiatio. Yo hae qite impl diided he atom accordigto the trog diferece o tha the al ma egeder the thig.

It i from he Oe plit b the cliame tha he mliple coectio ofthe Whole i compoed

Thi i a deciie obecio Here Chace i eparaed rom ecei otha the ater faithfl to the priciple of it trog terile begiigaom the oid ad tha all ma pread throghot the gral combiatio o weak differece. Bt chace alwa retr a Mallarm aor 'i a act where chace i i pla chace alwa accomplihe it owdea i afrmig or egatig itel Cofrotig it exitece egatio ad

afrmatio fail. It cotai the brdt i ot eogh to a that oe ha wo b itatig the real proce

heceforth wihi the ole cocateaio o atom i it tr ot hat aabrd heterogeeo qaitdeiaioha bee broght i alog thewa. he pttig ito a chai reqire hat he rle o homogeeit becompee tom ad ohig ele th a i what i wated.

The trcral dialectic deped o he idea that at bottom trog differ-ece i thikabe. Sre it ere a opeig priciple Bt eerthigtha eit i thoght i the ret of weak differece diferece amogatomtic poitio for Democrit amog writte ig of the oem for

p g p p phe place withot a heerogeeo trace of the otplace

Grodig the world i the diferece betwee the deiatig atom adormal atom i a tep orward o dobt from it impoible thoghreal grodig i term of the oid ad atom t leat here the atom irepeated i it diferece. t mark a miimal progre if he deia atom

i the iglar mark o the oid to the poit where it reicribe the heterogeeo wihi the combiator proce of the world.

Whece the ollowig crcial tep i or dialectic it i of the utmot importance that the cinamen in tu be aboihed

What doe thi mea? It mea hat o particlar explaaio o aparticar hig whatoeer hod reqire the ciame ee thogh theexitece of a thig i geeral i thikabe witho it. t mea hat oatom hod eer be mappabe a deia i a combiatio of atomwhaoeer ee thogh the exitece of deiaio coditio the erexitece of a combiator

No ooer ha i take pace ha the cliame mt abet itelf radicall from al it efect withot exceptio.

No ooer ha it marked the oid i the iere of aom tha it mbe the abolte oid of thi mark

he trcral dialectic h eek to cacel ot th i imperceptibe emergece of orce i term of i relt o tha the oplace o the ciamema gie iibilit o the place of the combiatio of aom

Thi i he ecod major operaio the oe b which a Mallarm a'chace i coqered word b word The Mter i etter D 23 6 , theiame i abolihed t he ecear deiatio barred the operaio of theaihig erm.

5

Laca deeop the rea a ct which i a retroactie diperio reealhe ke of the order where i hod wa Malarm deote hi poeicachie o et he tage or the abolitio of the race of lack aboi bibelotdait oore the atomi poit toward the itracombiaor efface-et of the cliame

What i a aihig erm? t i the oe that haig marked the trog

6

HORY O H SUBJEC

differece of he real withi the hoogeeit of te of the proceut diappear o that the weaket diffeece poiblethe diffeece ofplacea aloe gove the becoig.

TH SUBJECT UNDER HE SIGNIIERS

leftove or race of thi affeco Bette e: the effec the reroactiveeffaceet of the caue ice f ou lii ouef to he ea of heworldo the cobiao of atohe deviao which i either



62

p g ghe vaihig ter eable the paage fro he trog differece to

the weak oe b arkig the heerogeeou qualit ad aboihig itelftraight awa. t i he paer of force oto the place

It i the ark that i ol dearcated ad ever reark itelf i itiital force6

hee ha bee a cliae a ato ha deviated but it i erel auocatabe ad atepora battig of eelahe betwee the falg aiof ato ad he ogaig collio of thig. 'Subequetl o topeak the cliae o oge ha ahig o do with wha happead it i i vai tha ou would earch the world for a ato arked bthe tigaa of deviatio. l ato are detica he oe affeced b hecliae o oger bear a race of i expoed a it like all of theto the uaou rule whch gover the cobiatio ad which oceaga i othig ore ha the rule tha dead that a ato if i ipreeted with oe void ove taight ahead i exactl a a otherato would

he cliae i outide te i doe ot appear i he chai of effect.ll effect are ubject to the law. he cliae ha eithe pat othigbid it o future here i o ore tace of it or preet ha eithea place or a oet It take pace ol i orde to dappear it i it eown diappearance

he devatig qualit ha vahed aboluel. You ever coe acroit i the whole eld of the thikable that i of real hg. he weakdifferece aog ao rule udivided.

Except that b dit of the cliae whatever grouded ad et edered uiteigible he fact hat there thi world that the trog dif-

ferece of void/ato ha foud itelf for he tie of a lightig ah atthe urface of beig.

I the tuctural dialectc the qualitative dfferece i which foceeerge i ot a othige. It i a dappearace whoe effect i theWhole fro whch it ha diappeared

t fo thi diappeaace a pot of the eal ad o at al ea thawe eerve he ae of the vahig ter

o thik the real aout to thikg the elfaulatio of that whichake the real i geeral poible.

he ato affeced b deviato egeder the Whole without a

ao or vod or actio of the void o te of ato uitel-igble hat whch groud he pobilit of thikig uffer a hipwreck the uthikabe.

he dialectical hough of hi pot of the uthikable a vaihiger whoe pritive categor i that of he outpace etal croig the

it of the whoe echa t u grap the fact ha a copleelufolded reao carre out the actve effaceet of tha which groudt eavg behid h eraed eade that i he hadow of foce whoeae deie. Ideed h tructural eao uwig to recogizeathig ohe tha the rapae pla aog pace.

Nevethee o ae how effaced a well be the vaihig tealo leave behd th eoou tace hat i the whole here i a woldol b reao of the cliae eve if o clae ca ever be igaledi the world.

Nowhere placed the vaihed force utai the cotec of a theplace

he vaihg ter diappear ol iofar a nothing icluded thatatche it except the power of iciatio i geeal which it hagrouded b breakg wth he e How? B ea of a coup de fore

Perhap I wi urpie ou b tellig ou hat fo he Marxit hi cai-ie e role of he a ovee which i boh abolue i ter offorce ad ull i ter of place Ye he a oveet i the vaihger of he evetal cocateao tha i caled hitor

he ae heelve i hei tatic beig their tructual poitio-ig hei tatit pacee cotitue he hitorcal world. I fo therbai tha a gue of the State d it uteace ad it i fro the

oeu that hold the together that a give ocial beig receivei deitio. hee placed ae do ot make hitor o uch a theare hitor

However thi beig of hior i a reult whoe poibt variablarie fro the dappearig fu of he deiating ae tha i to athe ae who the upedcable to of her codet evolttood up agait the gue of he Sate tha rt erved a heir foudigpricpe

he fac hat oe ca decrbe the a ovee it eorable ucid-it it ivicible couage it particular diviio it upicioulookig

63



HORY OF H SUBdC

Mallarm, in hose years beeen 880 an 890, sufere above all

rom a lack o rios hich hre he cro back on he sable floor of

is sais being He kne his very ell '. .] heres no such hing as a

l k h l

HE SUBdEC UNDER HE SGNERS

Secon gure 0 a a a a a . .

Here e are blocke by an excess of force From 0 o a, e o no even

have, as in he case from he place P o he erm A he meiaion o an

h l h h



68

resen, no-a presen oesn' exis For lack o he Cro's eclaring

isel, for lack oeveryhing (Resrice Acion', D 28)

heres no such hing as a Presen means ha here is no clinamen, no

creaive isappearance o he cro saning up in rebel lion. here is only

he placi combinaion of places accoring o he las regulariy-he

La Mallarm says, seae in all ransparency, nake an marvelous(Music an Leers', D 195)

Wha is especially marvelous is ha in hese colonial an provisorily

ocile imes, Mallarm shoul have been able o eec i only so as o

assign is ask o ar, ha everyhing ha has splenour, everyhing ha

subsiss an coninues, resuls rom he cros lack an bears iness o

he ac ha, by isappearing, he rioing masses have oune even he

orl ha forbis hem o exis.

2

he srucural penchan consiss in seeking o combine elemens ha are

all ienical herein lies somehing of an algebraic prescripion, in hich

he repeiion o he same leer, only iferen in erms o is place, an

no even inexe accoring o is locus, provies he marix of all elemen

ary inelligibiliy. Le us call his he rs gure, in hich only he sric

es minimal iference appears, he ifference from he same o he same,

from place o place, occupie by ienical marks.

Firs gure a a a a a a a a a a . .

Hoever, i one is a ialecician an no only a srucuralis, one

sumbles upon he obsacle propose by he real in orer o isinguish isel, he mark (he erm, he aom) mus lif isel up agains a

backgroun of blankness (he splace, he voi), hich no, ih regar

o he rs esablishes an absoluely qualiaive iference One hus

comes o posi o principles an no jus a single kin of erms. In a

secon gure, e nee he voi an he aoms, he blank page an he

signs his nee or a srong ifference uncions reroacively as he

coniion a priori of he logic of places. Le us rie 0 or he heero

geneous erm rom hich he homogeneous ones ra heir ieniy

by opposiion

inex, A'

he erminisplace. Here e have he incommunicaion o

opposies, he o of Manichaeism. Oppose o he coninuous voi,

here is he isseminaion of no hole hasoever.

Cerainly, he series a a a a a . . is qualiaively eermine by is

opposiion o O. Bu his applies o all in one piece. he srong ifference

makes he muliple ino a One o opposiion, ihou he possibiliy haanyhing combine emerges from i.

he clinamen, as e sa, ns he escape roue of a causal inexaion.

One aom is marke by he voi in a singular ay, one sign is marke by

he backgroun, one signier (he Phallus) by he symbolic, in ha is

movemen (is scripion, is represenaive funcion) inerrups he isoro

pism of he omain so ha he combinaory get going

Whence he hir gure a (vanishing erm) a a a (iniial chain

insiue as place of all hings)

his gure says in he amily (only as) bu his ime aroun he combi

naory consisency o he chain is guaranee by he vanishing erm.

his eging ou o he voi ino an inex ouches upon he ariculaion

of he hing

he vanishing erm is none o he elemens of he Whole he cause is

hus nohing, since somehing' is only a combinaion of elemens o he

Whole.

Neverheless, i here is somehing raher han nohing (hich is he

quesion or Leibniz an Heiegger), i he combinaory exiss on he

basis o hich he immobile ispersion of Ones ino poer, he milk or

a milky ay of nonsense, is overcome, hen i is uner he efec o he

eviaion o one One, vanishe in he hole

he vanishing erm is herefore no nohing, bu, as cause o he hole,i is consubsanial ih is consisency.

Like a Democrius of rien signs, Mallarm says ih clariy Bu

here is, an here I inervene ih conence, somehing, lile- soe

little nothing les say explicily- exists, or example, equa to the text'

(Music an Leers, D 177). Some lile nohing mae for he express

purpose of causing he hole of he poem, o hich henceforh i is

equal such is Mallarm€s vanishing erm, he suppor of he causal efec

o lack.

69

ORY OF SUBdC

3

It remais metaphorical to say that the vaishig term is equal to the

h l I t th h l thi littl thi f hi h ll i t

SUBdC UNDR SGNFRS

I say from a ifferet agle, sice after the iexatio by the place e

o obtai the scissio by the cause.

I the structural ialectic, ay term is split ito its place, o oe ha,

it i hi it f li k th th



70

hole I not the hole, this little othig from hich all cosistecy

results, o is it this cosistecy itself, sice the atte is so little othig

that it is istribute ito thigs Where the is it? Whereto goes the strik

ig a irreparabe eviatio, out of hich al oer is mae?

After the mutatio of iffereces, the vaishig term, a the causality

of lack, e ee to euce the splittig. This is the fourth cocept of thestructural ialectic

Let us pick up the threa of atomism agai

he fact that a cliame has take place meas that the atoms, hose

movemets are ally combie, from o o ca lik themselves oto

oe aother he eviatio, though isappeare i the sese that o atom

i the real or is its bearer i particular, is i fact omipreset i ay

lnkage of atoms.

he fact that a atom, istea of scootig by parallel to all others, ca be

like to the poit of eterig ito the cosistecy of a thig, is pecisely

the mark i it of the evapoate cliame.

To icue itself ito the thig as a hole is hat, i the atomistic act, is

ue to the eviatio Eve though this coces the epitome of its ormal

ity to be a elemet of a combiatio.

hat hich thus liks the tem a to its ietical a istict eighbour

a is, so to speak, the appearaceisappearace beeen them of the va

ishig term, hich is the support for ay possibe likage.

Actually, any atom is the vaishig term, i that it is capable of likig

itself to the others so as to make up the hole of a thig

he upshot of this is that no ngle atom is the vaishig term, so that

e ca avoias is the goal of the structura iaectic-the retur of

the stog ifferece hich is hat oul be etaile by the ivisio ofthe stock of atoms ito to kis, the eviatig a the ormal oes

Each atom must be egare as beig, o oe ha, itself, that is, the

iifferet a istiguishe oly by its place, a o the other, its capac

ity to lik itself oto the others, to iclue itself ito the hole, that is, its

iteral markig by the vaishig of the ciame.

Such is the equatio of the splittig: a = (aa)

i hich oe easily

ecogizes, recostructe from a ifferet agle, the equatio of the scis

sio A A' to hich e ere le last year i our ivestigatio of the

Hegelia iaectic

a its vaishig capacity for likage, o the other

For us, this is as goo as place a foce But, as sai before, the stuc

tua ialectic is euctat to name the force, a breaks its back tyig to

keep it i place

Oe elemet of the combiatory is iclue as sigula but it is like

to the others oly uer the effect of a missig totalizatio, of hich itpresets the bore; (a/a) latches itself oto (a/a) through the vaishig

that is commo to them via their bore a fom hich it results that they

are totaizable.

Thus, the abset cause is alays reitrouce ito the hoe of its

effect. This is a majo theorem of the structual ialectic: n ode fo the

caual of lack to exet tel all tem mut be lt

Thus, the trace left behi i the social orl by the great mass move

mets, about hich e have sho that they ere the vaishig terms

of all thigs historical, resies i the fact that ay form of cosciousess,

ay poit of vie, ay eality, i the a istace is split ito the ol a

the e, categoies by meas of hich history oduce movement i the

etities that make up its combiatio.

As for the proletaiat, it is the subjective ame of the e i our time

f the orkig class ees its place i the structure, the essetia poit

is for it to mark the borer of the ol, hich explais that this proletariat

ca be, i Chia i 9 the movemet of the schoole youth, a, i

otugal toay, the peasats fom the South he apparet mistake i

terms of positio overlaps ith the truth of the oppositio; the falsity of

the place is the truth of the foce

No matter ho stable, o eve ossie, it may appear to be, a histoi

cal thig pesets the bore of the isappeare movemet from hichresults its presece i the hoe, that is, the actuality of its futue estruc

tio, just as o those stumps ashe up o the shore the rie foam maks

a borer of the ea sea, hich is also the ties reversible immiece.

It is oe of Maos stregths to have isiste that the revolutioary

Marxist is the lookout for the vaishig term, emblem of the e ithi

the ol. He or she is the active guaria of the future of the cause.

hese geat causes, i hose ame sacrice is sometimes the least of

thigs, ae i fact great causalities

he fact that the vaishig term pesets itself, ai orer to attach

71

HORY OF H SUBdC

itself onto a that e have he heorem of he thing a=aa) � aa), hich

links the spitting to consistency all this is nothng else han the general

form of acans theorem A sgnier s that hich presents he suject or

another signier

H SUBdC UNDR H SGNFRS

he poem exchanges nothing he an numen of exchange s s maor

outcome or this to happen, the trace must isappear from that y hich

the ors pu in moton rought sparke to heir very on vanishng

A the core of Malarms alectca machines e n not only he



72

another signier

A term s tha hch presens the vanshng erm to another erm, in

orer togeher to form a chain

o unction as a comnale element amounts o presenting the asent

cause to another eement

4

Mallarm thus sets out hs programme o evoke, ith inentiona vague

ness, the mute ojec, using allusive ors, never rect, reucng every

thing to an equivalent of silence, is an eneavour very close o creating

Magic, D 24

he oject, reuce to slence, oes not enter he poem, even hough its

evocation grouns the poetc consistency It s the asent cause But the

effect of its lack lies n aecting each rtten term, orce to e allusve,

never irec, in such a ay so as o ecome equa on the Whoe to the

silence y hch the ojec as only nitiay aece

The allusive is the vanshing orer o the ren term t s that y

hich, uner he effect of the ojecs asence, i comnes iself poetically

ith other terms, in orer nally to prouce the evocaon o he lack, ha

is, a poec thing, an ntegrally comine universe

The poems or is spit it is or an non or, speech an silence in

equal pars, ligh an express shao Ths splittng alone is hat supports

the poems manoeuvring, its incusion nto the chain of metaphors

If it is silence that mus e sai, he poem mus reuce each or to its

vanishing siehe poem as a hoe, ecomng the equivalen-accorng to Malarms

ish-o he silence oect, procees to the ors sefefacement he

ifcuy es in the fact hat the exclusive nsrumen for this process of

selfeffacement o the or, ase on its vanishing orer, can only ever

e other ors

Therefore, e must aso efface the nstrument of the eacement, oth

erise the or gains the upper han on the sie o the oivon o lack,

on the se o is anonymous ienty, herein Mallarm recognizes

languages function o exchange, someho moneary in nature

A the core of Malarm s alectca machines e n not only he

rinity: vanishing erm, causality o ack, splitting; u also he seond degree

of its efec, tha is, the ack o lack

For reasons hat e ill have o investigate, Lacan names anxiety the

ack of lack An, he says, t s that hich oes not eceve

Mallarm says nothing ferent

he ampearer, Anxety, at mnigh sustains

hose vespera reams hat are urnt y the hoenix

An hch no funeral amphora contans,

On the creenzas in he empty room trans moe)

Inee, o the vo in hich a suect ecpses itself, anxety s he

extingushe gh in hch ths suect gave ustre to s scant reality

73




- tu in the rst ine is a past participe of the verb taire, to sience,

hush, or sti', referring to the shipwreck (quel naufrage, tu 0 la nue,

aboUt le mt dvet?' what shipwreck, stied beneath the oppressive

coud has aboished the stripped mast?');

THE SUBJECT UNDER THE SGNIFIERS

Satised by no fruits here, my starvation

Finds equa savour in their earned deprivation (CP 81

As or the diaectic and force, propose that you, in reading Maarm,



76

coud, has aboished the stripped mast? );

par une trompe sans vertu refers to tu (quel nauage, t 0 la nue par

une trompe sans vertu what shipwreck, stied beneath the oppressive

coud by a horn without force');

- '0 mme refers to basse (la nue basse de basalte et de laves, 0 meme-in

the sense of tout contre or ush with'les chos esclaves: the coud,base of basat and ava, fu sh with the ensaved echoes');

the second quatrain is punctuated with a question mark;

in the tercets, we must imagine a comma after ribond (furious') as

we as after haute (high or exated');

- uribond is said of Tabme vain ploy' (the vain abyss outspread'),

which is responsibe for drowning the siren.

No other path is possibe (you wi test this for yoursef) if one wishes to

incude a the expicit materias foowing the supposition, conrmed by

the author, that the syntax serves as guarantee

2

ast year I spoke of the space, the ega pace presupposed by any event

Maarm takes as his point of departure a spaced gura representa

tive: sea and sky bended into the owceiinged oppressiveness of the

nothing

Metaphor of the space, and more specicay of the white page where

everything is inscribed. Decor about which it woud be too much to say

that it is a fragment of nature, since Maarm excudes with great precision the assembage of sky and sea from nature: The sea-which one

woud do better to keep sient about than to inscribe in parentheses, if

the rmament doesn't enter aong with itbecomes disjoined, propery

speaking, from nature. A certain exceptiona drama works its ravages

between them, and this has its rationae in no one' (Bucoic', D 269.

Of this exceptiona drama', our sonnet offers a sketch as impersonied

reason' or rationae in no one' (pure ogic) whose writing must the

ack by practising the effect. To read such a sonnet means to become the

menta equa to those for whom

perceve the equa lavour of their absence.

n this regard, diaectica poetry is the reverse of diaectica poitics,

where the avour, often quite acrid, is perceived in the rea.

�s a resut, t this day, a poitica poetry pertains to epic, which is ony

obquey poet, namey, by whatever escapes its magnicence rather

than by that which brings out its spendour.

f.one admits that Maarm as a poet, hods the virgin page to be the

oga metaphor for the spaceinitsef, we wi at once see that the

oem opens with a second metaphor, where the compex seasky repaces

the bank paper guarded by its white (Sea Breeze', CP 25

On the Maarman sea, spit off from nature, reduced to its anonymity, a

trce, the foam, hods the principe of a meaning ('t le sais, ume: you know

th om') which it does not give up (mais y baves' but sobber on').

Th the poet's rst written trace on the paper void, itsef a meta

phor, for us, of the outpace which any space makes retroactivey into a

pace For the written in itsel has no assigned ocation and comes intoexistence ony by contradicting the chanceike purity of the virgin page.

The metaphorica gesture by which the poem becomes possibe is aimed

at the contradiction of the trace and the bank space, metaphorized into

foam and seasky.

Maarm's crucia probem resides in the process set in motion by the

inscription of words that are outofpace on the space of the page. The

theoretica statements that escort the poems do not eave us any doubt

about this:

To e�

n, accor

�ing to the page, on the bank, whose innocence inaugu

rates t, forgettg even the tite that woud speak too oud: and when

in a hinge, the most minor and disseminated, chance is conquered wordby word, unfaiingy the bank returns, gratuitous earier but certain

ow, concuding that there is nothing beyond it and authenticating the

sence. (The Mystery in Letters', D 236

Even before the poem, we obtain the foowing metaphorica ine of

entry (with M for metaphor'), as seen in th e diagram beow

The interrogation of the foam, and consequenty of the outpace and of

writing, is the point from where the poem is arranged.

77

HEOR O HE SUBJEC

utplace writing fam

splace Mo blank cld

THE SUBJECT UNDER HE SGNERS

by the vashg terms the shp's wrec ad the sre's drowg, of whch

wha s-he foam-s he mar otofplace o the splace's desolato.

Tha he vashg term s he mar of the vod tself s scely ear

from the fact hat the shp s eglfed, ad the sre, sgly' or avar



78

Two hypothees, separated by or' or less', ou ela que resolve he

sspese of a word that self s decpherable

a) the foam wold be the trace o the mare vod of a shpwrec;

b) the foam wold be the trace of a sre's plge

These two hypoheses are tr orgazed accordg to two meo

ymc chas The shp s made p of a dstress sgal the hor), the

of a mast strpped of ts sals; the sre, of ts yog a, ad he of s

ralg har

Shp ad sre are the wo vashg terms that spport the fac that

there s somethg he foam rather tha othg he oppressve

od).

Vash they do, these terms, wh the foam beg oly the trace of

ther dsappearace The shp has bee wreced, the sre has plged

derwater, ad f he foam opes p he whole qesto of the thg,

t s becase the qesto cocers ts case, whch s of the order of the

movemet of a absece

Te metoymcal chas, verable sll for the Mallarma cocept of

the egave, am to brg absece all he way o the edges of lly

The shp s evoed oly by the abolo, ot eve of ts ow massvty

bt of ts mas, spreme etsam; or by the hypothetcal sod of a a

dble hor The sre s redced to s yohfl head of har-except tha

t s oly a sgle whe har

f we agree to mar wth a slash, or a oblqe bar, he dsappearg

act of the casal erm, he the two chas, terrped by or' or less',

preset themselves as follows

? (wecked) (stipped and ablished (neffecual)foam

\.n (dwned hair

Here we d orselves bac wth all or categoes. The srog dfferece

foam/bla), whch opes p the problem of the hg; the etwor of

wea dffereces, orgazed meoymes shp, mas, hor; sre, har);

the trasto from oe to the other by way of the casalty of lac spported

p g g y

cosly' drowed, as f these terms derved her sbstace ad ther effect

oly from beg reabsorbed to the abyss of he sea, of whch they are he

dsappearg delegao the world.

Le s also otce the progress made over the whole corse of he poem

f the wreced shp s a exteral ded, a heterogeety eglfed the homogeeos, the coversely the mare amal of the sre reslts

from a dazzlg explso ot of s ave elemet, a homogeety

tras, st he tme of a dolph's leap, the spercal heterogeety of

the vsble, mch to the regret of the avarcos abyss.

The place s so avarcos as to tae bac mmedately whaever t gves

ot, he th scar of he case, so as to esre that ohg taes place

other tha self: Nothg wll have tae place oher tha the place (ADie Throw)

As for the splttg, t too s mafest, wth regard to the foams doble

atre. The foam certaly s a trace, ad ths s captred the ewor

of mdae dffereces, as opposed to he lmted atre of the od

Bt o he other had, t holds ot oly thas o a resemblace to the

abyss, of whch t dcates he egave power ad the derlyg effect

of abolo Tha whch exss oofplace, the poem says, ds tself

splace/outlac

t M oblank/wring

cham I of vanshg Sd o h ts

My My o or else

ong dfnc rn (dowd)- �k chd) ___-My

�_�y_ lsien's ai/van abss speadchan 2

oulac/slac

79



HORY OF H SUBdC

s antaonstc unt After Lenn eer Marxs text bears the ttle: The

Current Stuaton and Our Tass

Malar nerpres the structural dalecc ess as the hee for a eta

phor than as a drecte for he poe

H SUBdC UNDR H SGNFRS

a sensaonal dazbao, for the rots of the outh and then of a seent of

the worers, aanst the new boureose of the socas State

ro hat whch pu an end o the old trannes we ust aso now

how to lberae ourseles.



82

hat whch was lacn, the shp or the�p ust coe to ac n ts

ac so that hen qua dea a coe no ben

Malar sas: blow out the candle of ben b whch a has been

roof' (Igiur uvr ompl 43

The poe s ths retroacte proof of blownout benof9n-whchn order o be proded requres he lac of lac

f eerthn exss hans to what s acn fro t, hen the sae

apples to the cause. s on b aboshn a rst causat tha ou e

consstenc o he concept of causat self.

hs specal operaton pcal of Malar's daleccal achnes, b

whch the underae fro wthn the suppresson of ther rst neate

etaphor n wha follows wl be caled annuent

As for the queson wh the sren coes to a sop oblzed as t s n

he dealt of a lac whch for ts part canno coe to lac we wl not

hae te to answer t toda

There s no shortae of people who thn tha wh the October reo

luon a worers Sae s pu n place tha no hstorcal contnenc,

howeer repulse w eer separate fro ts essence

t s cear tha under he banner of the whern of he State, Marx

aned no onl he lac of he boureos State but, proresse, he

lac of ts ac caled couns, n whch an polcal causat s

abolshed Of ths aboon the State of the dctatorshp of the proetara

supports the plan Lenn copeted ths b ndcatn tha an State was

a boto boureos so ha n con to lac under he effect of the

rst nsurrectonar assault whch clears the round for he proetarat,

he Stae-alwas boureos-us necessar ac a second te, nowcearn the pah for the counst asses of the cassless soce, as the

anshn ter of hstor n eneral na en n ts concrete concep

What the asses experence s tha the socalst State and he part at ts

hel are a rat's nest of boureos bureaucrats

hs experence st had o be turned nto a Marxs potcs. t belons to

Maos pershable nate to hae at east pronounced ts urenc

Mao n the use of a lon seres of cultura reolutons for the rst

te has desnated and put nto practce he reurn of the States ac bac

upon tself-the or ese here ben nohn less han hs endorseent n

Those who, after tha persst n aln about socas and s State as

a stabe entt ceranl share wth Mallar the hpothess of a haln

pon But the hae faed to see s annulaton.

Maar has an alb hat the cannot produce. Contrar, alas o he

perast USSR toda the sren een f returned to the abss, does notexs.

83

A j x, m

THE SUBJC UNDR H SIGNIFRS

Te summons to pper, wic is te teme o te re presence', ens

in te invisibiity of Go, te funmentl vnising term Tken in te

emblem of is bsence, te tter functions s te cuse for te tuner

ing rt of te curc orgns, wic crries te pce to innity, just s in



84

Fy 1, 1976

Tetre-Ctolicism n politicsck n estructionTe signiers

of eception, ocus of te subjectOn te roe o tombs in Mrxism n

in rt-Te lting pointAnlysis of te ice trowTe rose n

communism

Wo will mesure wt we owe to te tetre, from Aescyus's Orestea

to Brect's pys Cpitl rt, uninterrupte nlyser o our istory

Mrm pronounces cer n istinct xiom bout tis: Tetre is, by

essence, superior' Of Genre n te Moes', D 42)

Mlrm ppies imself to estblis te tetre o our time. Wt oes

our time men ere It is te time wen te foremost representtionl

tetricl-reigion, Ctolicism, s fllen in isuse

In is nysis of te mss, our ilecticin ns s muc gurtive truts Hegel oes t te leve of te concept in te mystery of Reemption

Te mss is notorious tetre of te structur ilectic See rter for

yourse

Suc, ivie into te utenticity o istinct frgments, is te stging

of stte religion, s yet unsurpsse by ny frmework, n wic,

ivie into tripe work, proffers irect invittion to te essence o

type ere, Crist), ten proffers is invisibiity, n ten by vibrtions

outlines te enlrgement of plce to te innite, strngely stisfying to

moern ope of pilosopy n rt Te Sme', D 25

A Dce Throw te uncing of te numbers, uncertin unti te ocint's

isppernce into te sewters, lifts te ge up to te constelltions

t enumerte sum o strs

Te fct remins tt, in 90, one cn no longer ecenty mke o wit

Ctolicism Te securition of ll tetre of superior essence eves onytwo wys open to mentl reserc, were our nee bifurctes-estetics,

on te one n, n poitic economy, on te oter' Mgic', D 264

Noting s cnge. To wt sou we evote our nee or tetre,

if not to rt or to poitics Someone wil lege science Mlrm's pro

unity ere lies in not ving si wor bout it! Wo wi beieve tt

trut, suc s it is, my be tt wic cuses subject's esire

It remins to be seen wy it is te cse tt our nee must biurcte Tis

is te wole uestion of tetre s poitic rt Neverteess, I cn vouc

tt mong tose wo were up n bout in politics roun My 196

n wo gve up in 1973-tey re legion-te better ones returne to

e rtistic reference wie te worst fel into te vcuousness o univer

s reportge', if tey i not evote temseves to te coo ctplsm o

onoteisms

oitics is in structure of ction Tis is not te est o Mrm's

sttements . te soci retion n its momentry mesure, conense

or expne to low for government, is ction, it belongs to te omin

of etters' Segur', D 290, trns moie

To ve covere up te essentil bsence rom wic te soci bon

ssues s been, or tis bon itsef, grve error. It prevents us from relting

o te poitic substructures', s we sou, rom te position of n involve

uience wose eementry rigt is to iss te ply, or even to interrupt it, ssoon s it proposes noting more tn meiocre rtice, vulgr ction in

wic te crow wou not be be to recognie its own gretness:

Grea damage has been caused to terrestri togeterness, for centuries,

by inicting to it te brut mirge, te city, its governments, or te

civi coe oterwise tn s emblems or, visvis our estte, s wt

necropoises re to te evens tey mke evporte: n ert surfce,

most not booking Tolboots n eections re not ere beow,

toug tey seem to sum up emocrcy, wt mkes populr cut,

85

THEORY OF THE SUBECT

eve whe uh formalite are followed augutly a repreetative

of the aw eated i all traparey aked ad marveou. (Mui

ad etter D 1945)

Th l i it ti t th p lt i t t k f th p

THE SUBECT UNDER THE SGNFERS

Our ivetgatio i devoted to followig ud er the effet of the atural

oplae the labyrith of egaltaria fragmetatio (the plae) ad of

at whih i reated therei i term of the ew uder the halmark of

ere (the outplae)



Th alo a ivitatio to the poltia to take are of ther repree

atio whoe profeioalthat i to ay itioarule ome dow

to expog themelve abolutely i the traitory futio of emblem

without ever imagiig that they themeve poe ay ubtae

whatoever. politi oly oe lik i reuired trut whih mut be grated a i

the theatre order for the tio to work

A polti releved of everythg exept thi revoable bod wegh o

more tha the writte trae o the page. Everythig ee whh i a yet

perhap evtabe weigh up to a 'great damage.

I Marxm thi theatral airig of politi bear the ame 'wtheg

away of the State. That jut goe to how i what ee the State or-

repod to a eropol for the paradie that it make evaporate! At the

al term of thi f we a till peak of a term there remai oly the

iteral odee of the mae whih i the reiproal upport of their

truth qu tio.Mallarm for hi part reta the tak of arig for the Book while he

wait for omethig better.What i art? The arragemet of ature to a Whole by it aual

retrehmet

86

Nature ha take plae; it at be added to exept for itie or railroad

or other iveto where we hage the form but ot the fat of our

materia.The oe available at forever ad aloe i to udertad the rela

tio i the meatme few or may aordig to ome iterior tate

that oe wihe to exted order to implify the world.Eual to reatg exept that the otio of objet eapig i lakig

('Mui ad Letter D 187 tra moded)

To oupy the lak of beig put ome order i the ymbol 14 The euaity

of elemet ad the al eal of vere oetrate i rhythm ad rhyme

the atifatio of the deire to reate ' . . . the poeti at oit i eeig

that a idea a be broke up ito a ertai umber of motif that are eual

ome way ad of groupig them they rhyme a a exteral ea the

ia word are proof of their ommo meaure ( Crii of Vere D 20 .

do ot image ay more tha Mallarm doe for ature that we a

add to oietyexept ulear plat. Marxt poiti mut kow how

to etreh how to put the old oial order at fault i order truly to reate

ha whih did ot ex it 5 It eem that thi reure detruto whih

more tha akwhih i to lak what fore i to plae.Eve here the poet doe ot abado u 'Detrutio wa my Beatrie

(etter to efbure 87)

2

The aulmet ever ribe itef liearly i the poem You have the

metoymal hai from the hip to the mat from the re to the har

of foam You have the metaphori a ubtitutio foam for trae aby for

he plae But order to produe the ak of lak you mut leap from

oe hypothei to aother hp? No ire.

Thi leap i meaig or dretio aloe eable the aulmet of a rt

aihig term ad the exhibtio of the oept of the auality of lak

Do we o t have here ome troke of fore? A troke of the fore?

But th alo ome at a prie Mallarm pay for the debt iurred for

avig broke the pat of the metoymial hai wth igier of the

exepto. We aw or ee . . above. There i almot o poem exept

whih prove the rulethe Tomb that eape th eed 'What f .

No bu t . . . ' (A Fu i the Aeroo) . U l e . . . (Fuer Tost ad

Rememberig Begi Frieds 'Were t ot that . . (Soet). 'But . . . (itte

it A Lce Vishes.

) 'Exept (The Fie Suicide Fed . . . ) . 'Though . Her pure is o high ) 'Exept perhap . A Dice Throw

Suh are a umulated the itra textu al die of what the law of the

text plaemet would ot be able to egeder all by itef ie it i a

matter of what properly peakg i a exeptio to it

Oe the rt vaihg term give the poem follow a le

of totalizatio. Whatever wat to iterrupt t mut tad out of plae

But how if o fore ome to overdetermie qu ubjet the erie of

oeutive plae?

Here the aumet of the vaihig the hift to a eod lie of

87

THEORY O THE UBJECT

totaliaio, reuire that itead o the metom o a uppemeareaceme ater the hip, the pulled ai, the extiguihed hor, theeguled mat, wh ot the tor lag, the thread o thi lag, the atom othi thread there come'or ee . . .the ualitative break i whichhe rog dierece dimied beore take i revege o that the

THE UBJECT UNDER THE IGNIIER

ot thi thi orced pittig o two chai, thi miimal iterruptioor which a ew adverb or a ew cojucio uce, amot othig

Ye, bu withou thi imou ad total gap, wihout thi grammaro exceptio, here woud o be the mootoou ad iie ecaco the gridig o beig uder he aw o a abece



88

he rog dierece, dimied beore, take i revege o that therepreed heterogeeit retur

et u a thi i a traightorward maer: all the occurrece o 'orele, 'ue, ad al the 'bu t ad 'except hat are othig le tha theigier through which, a a caeura betwee two order ad i the timeo a lightig lah, he ubjective eect ake hod

ppearacediappearace o a ew tpe, i which the excepio clauemake or al the iterpolated drama o the ubject. Strog dierece ud-del puctuated i the thick plot o metaphor ad metomie. bruptierruptio o the ideal egaiaria ragmetatio.

The ack o ack, which reu rom the aumet, i ot twice heack, accordig to he previou etabihed aw t eed more, a wieed i the grammar a ukow ead, impoible to rack accordigto the itia placemet, ope up o the poetic eec

I provioril call 'ubject thi upredictable biurcatio

ubjec i a orced exceptio, which come i ecod pace.Mao ha poied or the r ime tha here i o hope i egederig

commuim i a iear ahio rom the ociait Stae From hat whichuced to kock dow the od ocia order, we hould o expect that itwil go a urther baed o pereverace aloe

Pereverre dibim i a maxim or the ocialit SateThe trog dierece, which Mao cal 'atagoitic cotradictio,

mut reappear o it ull extet Cutura Revouio o doig Mao dicered the curre agec o the commuit poliical

ubject, the roke o orce that eparate it rom it aleged prior lie oexitece, the ocialit State ad the part that i al too ivoved i it

h, but Mallarm would much raher ot how thi ubject that thetructura wi o hi diaectic tumbe up agai! I o all thi could bekept withi the homogeeit o the poetic operaio He voice hi ambitio i the programme or Igir: 'The drama . . . i reolved i a itat,ju the time o howig it deeat, which uold i a lah .

he time to a ' or ele, 'except that, happe o ooer tha the ubjectalread ha take pace, a diidece to he place Heceorth, oce patthe aumet, we are traitioig toward the idea o the caue, ad agaiwe ol have at our dipoa the amiliar uivere o metomie.

o the gridig o beig uder he aw o a abece true diaecticia, eve a ructura oe who ubordiate i to the

pa amog pace, recogie i paig, 'i a lah, the emergece oorce whereb the outpace iclude ite detructive i the place hat

excude it. o doig, aid diaecticia produce a heor o the ubject

The ac o havig puhed hi poetic machier a the wa to theimpacabe rigour o 'certai thi, i it wa o perhap tha ultimatelave Malarm rom the at precipice o tructuralim he latter i thawhich, i A Die Thrw, ju beore the 'except perhap, a cotelaio,he call with preciio 'the cotat eutrait o the ab C 177 ) romwhich the uike tear exceptio come, or the time o a ubject eec,to keep him apart.

or the 'Tomb, i the do ot reuire the grammatical exceptio,thi i becaue the aulmet o the rt vaihig term he deceaed

Poe or Wager, Veraie or Baudeaire i gured i them b the 'oidepulchre, the 'cam block which rom the art pariio the earth ieo the hero ad the ideal ie o hi work he i dead, except that we hoourhi materia tomb o or the mterie o hi piritual eterit

No other uctio i attributed to the mauoleum o Lei or Maohe are dead, the moumet a, i i i ot or the ac that the poitical ubject remai, or whoe ortuou pah the heceorth occup hepoiio o poar tar.

or kowig whether it i ot rather he tar hat i thu put ithe mauoleum o tha a 'the time to how it deeat ma come

or the ubject, that i a aair or the State, which, ater all, i ever abject.

Wh doe the poem come o a cloe Thi i a uetio o pure act ado pure logic It i a act tha it come o a coe. poem b Maarmeve give a pecia impreio o cloure, o a iegra eramig. det it would be logical or it to remai opeeded, ice the combied

89

THEOY O THE SUBJECT

oeratio of the vaihig ad the almet, b which the caerodce it effect ad the deliver it cocet, b themelve iml ohaltig oit whatoever

he hi . . or ele the ire . . if ot Nete . . le a coch . . d h t th i l f ti f th hi ? N th t ld

THE SUBJEC UNE HE SIGNIES

. . . . . . a a . . . . . . . . a

a a

Delimitig the imoible, the aiom of fodatio i roerl amed,i that it toche o the real the real of elficlio b wa of beig elemet of itelf



d wh ot the circle of a recovocatio of the hi? Now that wold

be rett!

90

Stilled beeath the oreive clodthat baalt ad lava bae

lh with the echoe that have bowedbefore a trmet lackig grace

what elchral wreck the rakow, bt it iml drivel thereltimate jetam cat awaabolihe the mat tried bare

or ele cocealed that, friofailig ome great catatroheall the vai cham gaig wide

i the o white ad trailig trewold have drowed avariciola ire childlike ide

left dead b the og eceecet that hatred the mat alfrom foam the lgig ride

t the cot of a ecod bjective forcig 'ecet that, we obtai theerfect clore, from which et theor had to gard itelf b forbiddigthat oe accet decedig chai i the form of a loo of the te:

a . . . . . . . d c b a

he imlet of thee loo i a a, which oit that the et i aelemet of itelf, which i omethig o ititivel graable et ca tolerate. ccordigl, ch formal etitie were calle d 'e traordiar et,o etraordiar i fact that to imlif, or eve iml to make oibletheir metatheor, oe forged their iterdictio re ad imle, rovidedfor b the ecial aiom called the aiom of fodatio or of reglarit.d o too the aiom o f fodatio forbid that oe deced to iit,i the followig wa:

elemet of itelfSo it i, i ome regard, with the cla art, at leat i the wa Stali

ee it 'detachmet of the workig cla, art of thi caelemet of itoleit i alo eqivalet, idetical to it from the oit of olitic, the

prt i the clah the Staliit cla cotai itelf a elemetThi amot to aig that it i fodedwith regard to the aiom

of fodatioMallarm, for hi art, i wellfoded The oem, which i oed

to be ite, doe ot ed i a loo, or doe it gget the ricile of aterative decedig iit

leave it to o to jdge whether m looigdefodigdditio which al the ire ad reetablihe the hi rodce aparado for the oeratio acceted b the Mallarma theor of oeticet metahor, metom, vaihig, almet The latter, reeat,

articlate all the cocet of the trctral dialectic chai effect, vaihigterm, caalit of lack.

Mallarm to.Mao doe ot to. o Stali loo he refer the other loe of the

foded, of the real a imoible: the iite decet rom the artto the mae, i which it itall ad limit itelf, the trajector evercroe a table frotier. Withot the ma lie, the art i ll adoid. Not to iclde the art diarm the mae i qetio of olitic.hece the followig two aiom: the art i 'eadig cle of thepeole a a whole, rather tha 'cla detachmet. t bild itelf, ad

ectie itef, 'oe wide o all ide, rather tha rifig itelf accord-g to it law of orgaiatioStali olitic i cloed, detached, frotierlike algebraic that of Mao

i oe, imlicated, tedetial toological.oological, too, i the Maoit cocet of olitical hitor. Periodie ad

pa beod. No haltig oit. 'Scce, failre, ew cce, ew failre,d th all the wa to the al victor. Bt the 'al i etio i ole oe recribed b the eriodiatio. here i o al victor that iot relative. Ever victor i the begiig of a failre of a ew te 'Thi the al trggle, the ofcial og of the worker for a whole era,

9

THORY OF THE SJET

deigate the mode of hitoriciatio precribed by the curret gure of

colict of cla coict, a far a we are cocered fter which, ew

cotradictio, ew truggle ew failure, ew a' victory.

d commuim? Commuim i the ame for the other era of co

lict 'I do't beieve that commuim wil ot be divided ito tage ad

THE SJET NDER THE SIGNIFIERS

It i give the lie i Igtur itelf by the followig theorem, which

alarm cal a chema':

Briely, i a act where chace i i play, chace away accomplihe

it ow Idea i afrmig or egatig itelf. Cofrotig it exitece

ti d f ti f il It t i th b d i i it b t i



92

lict. I do t beieve that commuim wil ot be divided ito tage, ad

that there will be o qualitative chage. Lei aid that al thig ca be

divided' Mao, Tlk on Quton of Phloophy, 196 . 2

Thi type of tatemet amout to the followig, which i crucial for

Marxim: hitory doe ot exit it would be a gure of the whole. lyhitorical period or hitoriciatio gure of the eof thetwo exit.

Thi i why we commuit potulate o haltig poit Whe we deter-

mie the curret tage, it i with regard to the precedig oe ad the

comig oe We do ot cout further tha three Four at the mot a

ucertai four i eeded i order to obtai three certaitie.

Mallarm' poem, which i le the curret tage of the Bo ok tha the

wate of it impoibility, poit a implacable itude. It may limit all th e

glum light of baphemy hurled to the future' ( Th Tomb of Edgr Alln

Po tra. modied; it i that 'rock . . which impoed a limit o iity'

(A Dc Throw)

There i a time to coclude I it the good old egatio of egatio?May believe o. Chace havig bee deied a rt time, the ecod

egatio produce the idea of chace itelf. The ire i the abolute of

which the hi p i oy the mediatio. We ca d omethig of thi kid

i Igtur:

t lat he himelf, whe the oie are ileced wil forecat omethig

great o tar? chace aulled? from thi impe fact that he ca

brig about hadow by blowig o the ightThe, ice he will have

poke accordig to the aboutewhich deie immortaity, the abo-

lute will exit outidemoo, above time . . 2

atet Hegeliaim, coolidated by what follow The iite emerge

from chace, which you have deied' (bd.)

There i certaily othig wrog with thi iterpretatio, which give i

to the opey idealit apect of the ructura dialecic. But I woud like to

raie two objectio.

egatio ad afrmatio fail. It cotai the burdimpie it, but i

the latet tate ad prevet it from exitig which permit the Iite

to be.2

MaUarm' ogic doe ot et tle for egatio ay more tha f or afrma-

to. The cauality of lack ha othig to do with the labour of the ega-

ve. The coceptualiatio the iite o f the rea chace operate by

way of the reciprocal eutraliatio of both afrmatio ad egatio.

The dialectical procedure vaihig, aulmet, a we wil ee,

forecloure, which moreover are irreducibe to oe aother, have o

other aim tha the productio of the cocept It follow that they expoe

themeve to chace oly i order to icribe it eceity Therei lie

he pecial iteret of Laca' paradox, for whom forma ad deductive

logic i the ciece of the real pure happetace, chace ecouter.

Thi paradox explai the egative emblace of the operatio: they

delimit withi laguage withi llngu Laca would ay, more peci-cally withi poetic aguage the forbiddig dictatorhip uder the effect

of which the real ca be aid i it eceity

A Dc Throw ilutrate throughout the afrmative power of the diaecti-

ca equece without liig up the parapheralia of egativity but the

ack, the void, the diappearig: ye ubtractio i ot a egatio.

The hoary maiac' who come to play . . . the game i the ame of the

wave' diappear o a to bury himelf i the 'origia pray' while obody

ow whether the dice have bee lauched or ot pparetly: Nothig

o the uforgettable crii or ee the evet might have bee achieved

view of all reult u huma wil have take place a commopace

purge i heddig abece other tha the pace a lowly plahig of

ome kid a if to catter the empty act abrupty which otherwie by it

alehood would have fouded the lo i thee ideite regio of the

wel where al reaity i dioved' C P 89, tra. modied.2

Except that there emerge a cotellati o cold with eglect ad diu e',

which ideaie the wager o the rea of which courage ha the tak of

ructurig the upee I thi ee oly: Every Thought emit a DiceThrow'

The iitial operatio which clear the groud for the telar

93

THEORY O HE SUBdECT

exceptiothe ivetive prodctio with which the metal bravra irewardedpreet a formidable complexit.

he ceea deerte d oceabrig ot of it ow void a wrecked boatof which the foam the ail the mare ab the coch. the al pieceof wreckage of thi phatom hip i the proce of abolitio there rie

THE SUBdECT UNER HE SIGNIFIERS

5

wold compare thi hard labor of logic to partia work whe politicrack dow the tiiet of atagoim i the midt of a thick coeredce the pleitde of the ocial to it colctive boe ad jt whe it



4

g p p phe captai cloed t cotaiig the dice. he heitatio before theirlachig that i the eivalece of egatio ad afrmatio chagethe aleator getre ito a veil of egagemetbetwee the old ma adprobabilit a veil of illio which 'will falter ad fall til it i o logercomparable 'a rt bject effect except to a hoverig ill. he illmetamorphoe the ocea ito a velvet cap ch that dereath thifeathered headgear oe gee the preece of Hamlet bitter price ofthe reef bt above all i the pla the mater of the decidable act heDae rock i barel eve evoked whe it i to it beig lapped b the tailof a ire that the ill almet i aiged logicall eivalet to theerare of the dice throw

ppearig ddel ot of the maritime void at leat ix vaihigterm follow oe after the other: the P wrecked the Jlof the dicethower heitat the ; of egagemet which fall the /1hoverig o the brik of the ab Hamlet the decidable ), the termial cale.

he tem o f metaphor cotie ichigl from the pair chaceeceit that erve a a directive for the poetic logicciece of therealall the wa to it idealizatio a haltig poit: k/cotellatio ' atome lat poit that actie it thr ogh the itermediate rg eachof them carrig ot the elfeffacemet of it predeceor wig of foam/gapig depth ail/hell; had cotaiig the dice/the mater corpe 'acorpe ct off b it arm eparated from the ecret it withhold; probabil-it/old ma; ill/ab ill/velvet cap; Hamlet/reef ire/rock.

dd to thi a theoretical commetar which i mixed i with theproce ad which dercore it eatio. It iform that i thitheatre where there i o backtage the pla beig performed i the oefrom which a dialectical advetre draw it formal legitimac.

While the hero thoghot ha had the corage of diappearig itothe operatio aimed at the logical captre of the real the al bjecteffect marked b a magicet 'except perhap occr at the ed of thejore whe a icredible etwork of metaphor metomic corro-io ad cceive diappearace ha craped to the boe the 'ghotof a getre' where 'a idle chace wa attempted.

redce the pleitde of the ocial to it colctive boe ad jt whe it o the verge of havig exhated it reorce receive if all i properlcrried ot the bjectivizig exceptio of a abrpt collape of the iitialcoditio der the imperio prere of the revolt.

r micle actio ma eem eivalet to iactio. Bt the corageto hold tead i thi eivalece eable to be the political bject ofti ew era.

or chace a Marxit 'idle Certail Who wold bet a pe ohe revoltio i Frace toda r thoght thogh emit thi throwof dice hi i becae it ha the reired patiece for it ad o it owcale kow how to prodce the radical logic of which the vlgar forteof evet i ol the rt chace.

Now we come to m ecod objectio to the poe t alleged Hegeliaim.Hi haltig poit are ot jt abot athig he leadig role i

eerved for the tar: cotellatio of the dice throw 'Septetrio of

citillatio fetive tar elewhere Whe the hade threateed . . 'of a tar that o loger hie bt die Herodia: vertre. hi i awelletablihed traditio Hgo alread ed plet of poem with theight of thi tarr k cocerig which Kat aid that together with themoral law i hi heart it completed the whole of Reao.

he other edig he wa the roe ad the gladiol the jewel'the re of a bracelet cold precio toe a woma tree themic itrmet the ire ad the mazo. he tomb.

t i ot ver clever to ee how beod their cltral evidece all thii poetic it it the igier i etio are i ome wa eparable.

No matter how worot the ma well be t heir alitative iteit di-tigihe them to the poit where b merel aig roe certail otpetia or 'wa dck b cotrat . . . or 'madoli avoid coretor 'tree mop of hair wot do I pt melf at a precio ditace iharp cotrat to table 'room paagewa or 'cetral heatig tem.

Whece depite the archaic hr heir the iel prelimiaratre of the followig lie:

he heir apparet aciet roomRich thogh falle trophie bearig

THEORY O THE SUBdECT

Wold still be cold if he came faigThogh passagewas back thogh the gm.

With these lies Mallam pepaes fom a distace the ollowig gad-ated haltig poits the st two beig the depiig fo a etoactive

THE SUBdECT UNER THE SIGNIFIERS

Bt the oses ad the gladiolses, th e tesses, the sies, ad the cosoles,wee also eate b moths i that desicle poet which was give theame 'smbolism ad which all i all was a catastophe

et s t to be o moe commist i the sese o Bezhev oMachais tha Mallam was a smbolist i the mae of VilGif.



almet b the thid 'the coso les lightig glow, 'some ose i thedak, 'thee sleeps a madoli folo

The time to coclde ovedetemies th e dialectical laws i a pla opeestablished itesities that the tempoal depth o lagage daws backito itself.

Bootlegge of clte, Mallam, who peteds to geeate the poemsedig fom the stict esoces iteal to the dialectical pocede,ijects some familia cootatios theei i ode to achieve his goalBecase the loatig lagage we iheit athoies s to do so, we toleate that a poem pases at the ose of dak ight o the swas exile Wehave almost aived safe ad sod, havig bee gided b the sta

That is whee, afte the 'ad et of the exceptio, the secod oup dfor seaks i, the blff of itesit whee we sccmb to the sbject.

The logic of places, eve whe hadled b a absolte vitoso, wold

be had pt to delive athig othe tha the egla ad viall iite iteatio of that which vaishes ad that which is alled. Thiseies the histoical miacles o at, all of them b the wa with theispecial date attached, sice this dig ieteeth cet stads ot likeo othe, Mallam iclded, fo its wilted oses, its gildig, its gladiolses,its cosoles, ad its as.

No avesio hee, as fa as I am coceed. Maked with the seal ofiheited itesities, the poem attests that we mst dialecticie the stctal dialectic beod itsel This wold be a kid o foce, i at the ed wewee to pla with the fasciatig ad impesoal sedctio of sepaablesigies.

This is also poof that the 'egatio o egatio i all this is ot whatallows s to coclde

The beatifl wod of 'commism has bee etsted to s, Maxists,as the misleadig ame fo the haltig poit of o pehisto. v e that o'evoltio, thogh less opel melodios, ofte ctios as the time tococlde, thogh it is clea that it cocldes othig, havig o meaigwhatsoeve aside fom the oe cofeed po it b the othr evoltio,the secod oe, fom whece the limit of the st becomes clea.

The wod 'commism has cotacted some mold, thats fo se.

Machais tha Mallam was a smbolist i the mae of Vil Gif. smbolism has held p so gloiosl well with the swas ad the stas,

e s see i we ca do as mch with the evoltio ad commism.t is becase oe takes the exact mease of thei powe, ad ths of

thei divided shaig, that wods ma be iocet

Jewel ery or the sare d o any sbtration oexistene

THE SBECT NDER THE SGNIIERS

Pulling himelf eec, he examine me wih animiy. I i impible wipe him u menally: I wan cmplee he wk f achl andlay him in advance in he du ha he wil ceae be hi vulga andmean clu wihu my having le him in a igh hawud iluae, n he lawn, he cla uggle. In he meanime, he



9

ebruay 8 976

Malam and he cla ugglenne in and ecueheubjec a delayLgic f he ajecyEveyhing i ue, bu we

mu mve n and g bynd

The heegeneu exi a ubjec hi i wha Mallam upp byway f he ced excepin. hee i a he ac ha he aica inf he dec, diven by he inience f he vanihing em, ene cnic wih he pem bual cncluding ineniy.

Cnc i he diaecical ile f a aey qued pe ex, iginallypubihed wih anhe ile A Cae f Cncience. A cae f e inellecual cncience in he cla uggle. Ye indeed! he lae men-ined by i vey name in he ex.

Mallam i in he cunyide. In fn hi eea, a an annex finduializain, a 'me hall f aiad wke i being cnuced.Fu line give u he equivalen f Geminal in de peen hewking cla hi buiding, ha vien, ade unini 'labu quad,full f achl and age. anlain f he inu again ppey andexpiain. he hiliy un again he villa ccupied by u wine:Piece f cap Accmpanied by he und f fee kicking he gae, ud-deny bu u. He i hu, iiaed. Hi eicive lilquy, which ai aemped exemp ielf m he wke haed, i ineuped bya whim he he cla, unfgeably quaelme.

velw wih new inul. D 44

Mallam nd n help in hi ppnen bviu dunkenne. Rahehe ee in he lae muene a dubiu deucive cmpliciy. A hi

pin he i acked wih cnadicy ae, pinle, ied, andafeced by he cnagin, he hive, f me imbecilic ebiey (bd)

Wha culd be he ucual aice which he hady inxicain he ca uggle peain?

Only und ay fe a cnveia l ecape. Ae he piica dicuinadne, ay Mallam 'ha wha pduce emain, peple likehi, eenially, like he cud a duk he a in he ky, vain, hiime i i he a which, ied by anagnim, cme up again i limiand i unable cnclude excep wih vaniy), fled by he alchl hewke fal aleep.

emped eun hi daydeaming beynd he cnfuin f bdie,Mallam cann make up hi mind d . A pweful epec, whichlieally ha cme fm elewhee, ende him immbile.

In he alcheepine, hi mmenay uicide (45 he deciphe he dimenin he aced in hei exience (4, he pviyubiue an ineupin he wke in which we huld ecg-ize, f ack i highe fm which wuld be he evl, a deivaivefm hi acce he cncep ha i he annulmen.

Then, 'cneain begin hine. Ae we nce me ging end nhe ne f hei cd diue? N. he expeience f anagnim fce henellecua link hi endeavu he cncep hi expeience. Yu

will ay ha hey ae ieducibly eal hee wke whe myey andduy, a Mallam decae, he in hi capaciy 'huld undeand (4).

The bdy f wke, ha i, ca i n i ncunal deachmen, peenan paciy fa nge han he a. Rahe han epeening an bacef he peic endgame, i becme he lae ubance, ejining cenu-ie ceaiviy f he pepe all he way he ininiy f a cial idea

Keeping wach ve hee aian f emenay ak, have ccain, beide a impid, cninuu ive, mediae n hee ymblf he Pepleme bu inelligence bend hei pine evey day

99

ORY O E SUBJEC

n de exac wihu he nemediay f whea he miace fe which gund peence he n he pa have bu aqueduc ceaed ed f me impemen weded by he ame uiPeeMan Piu he Nman When hey ae n aeep hey huinvke ne anhe accding hei mhe hei pvince Bu

E SUBJC UNDER SIGNIIRS

tr f th sttng sun, nt n wth th shs tht n ud h td n nr u

Thpt, mstr f th ps, hs gn t th rr f dth, tkng wth hm sgnr th px whh rfrs t n xstng bt

Hwr, nr th pn wndw n th nrth sd, thr fnty sprks th gt



g pn ac he bih fa in annymy and he mhe n he deepeep ha pae hem whie he weigh f cenuie pee dwnn hem eeniy educed ca ppin (4

Given he imi f i me wha negiy i hee in addn hebeauy he ibue n ubming h neecua ak he enuuchance encune f he ea f cae whu cnceding anyhing ppum hugh he inne cnen gven he dea ha hee hevien uce a dieen knd f cncep mu be gaped

2

A ecnd aening f which he ynacica guaanee i he aw f he

pace

100

He pue nai n high dpaying he nyxThe ampbeae Anxiey a midngh uanThe vepea deam ha ae bun by he PhnixAnd which n unea ampha cnain

On he cedenza n he empy m n pyxAbihed he whe enance eman(F he Mae ha gne daw ea m he yxWih hi e bjec ha Nhngne aain

Bu n he vacan nh adjacen he windw paneA dying haf f gd umine a i waneA nix heahed in pak ha a unicn kick

Thugh he in he bvin ha he mi amee nude and deunc hee anThe cinain f he neandix

In ny mp rm t mdnght ny Anx rgns supprtd by th dspprn f th ght k trh n th frm frsd hnds whh wud hdny n xtngushd m ths nx f th d nnt b urd wth ny

m f mrrr n whh r suptd sm uns hsng ftr nymphA f ths s gng t dsppr, t s s f th nymph drwnd n th wtr f

th mrrr whr nrthss rss th rtn f th sn strs f th rtBr

Maam wa ahe pud f hi pem which he quaed a 'nunne eecing ie in a manne He cndeed ha n h nnehe had puhed efufciency he exeme n makng a whe uf nhing Thnk he e f he ven nne aegica ie

The ex appea empy ef u nnp The buden f ack peak a a maximum

a The 'vepea deam an aun caica Maam heeng un aeady bun by he ending dayhugh caed upn be ebn whence meaphizain by he bd Phenix whchaway ie up again m i aheha n even e behind a acehee a ack f ace f ha whch ha diappeaed

b The dec (a an abuey empy

The mae i a he yx The pe ubjec he chan awayccupie he pace he dead He acce hme ha he exmay cme n being a a ced aiy cy gvened by heaw The igh accmph anyhing excepina beynd heeach f he vuga paid by he min he de and fhi deah a and (Reced Acin 2

He ha aken wih hm he 'pyx many ge have beenwien abu hi wd ha n dcinay cngn Maamhugh ha ad wice ha i a mae a pue ignie unincbabe hewe han a he abue he dead pe Abbbt dnnt snr', nubjec educibe he nu vd he gnie e bjec ha Nhingne aa n bjec wihdawn fm being ubacive bjec

f i ubaciveminu nehi i becaue he pyx and inexce ve he eaue f he gnie Guadian h e pbiiy

101



HEORY OF THE SUBJECT

the star the sun certany comes to be ackng twce The star presupposes

the nght hence the causa vanshng o the sun and yet by brngng

brghtness t annuls t

The dea of the (settng) �, whch the (defunct) renames s the

relecton of the seven stars n the mrrors nght (n the obvon that the

) Th h th t th k k h h

THE SUBJEC UNDER THE SIGNFIERS

But n addton none of them is there

These ghosty bengs for sure woud be vanshng terms snce they have

no other beng except to desgnate nonbeng we dd not have to admt

that to vansh s somethng they cannot do aected as they are n the

decor by a radca absence wthout any effect (contrary to the supposed

shp whch coud be nferred rom the vsble oam or contrary to the



mrror rames). There we have the concept the ack o ack rom whch

al anxety s ted since it is anxety.

t s the absence o sun that led to anxety. The sevenstar consteaton

s born from the annument o the supposed trace o ths absence the nx

It thus grasps anxety not as efect but as essence

Yes but s there then only one vanshng term they? And what about

the quatrans?

4

There s rst o all the poems retroacton upon ts condtons. What s t

that takes pace beore the empty salon?

The naugural par s cleary that o day and nght. It s gven twce n

ts vanshng uncture. The vesperal dream scaret umnaton o theevenng and the Phoenx (the sun) consumed by ts nherent re n the

promse o beng reborn at dawn

It s n the md de o the nght that the poem proposes ts wager by way

of the conceptstar o the dead re on the soar promse. Between two

presences only the ack o the absence o any present, whch has the value

of an dea saves the word rom cance

Between two magnares only the symbolc guards us rom the real.

Between two mass uprsngs, ony the potcs of the party preserve the

class.

Beware though they can be stated at the same pont these three

statements the Mallarman the acanan, and the Maost are not

somorphous

Does the empty and nghty room keep the trace o the goden promse?

Ths s the queston that commands the nspecton o the paces accordng

to the poetc regme o anxety

Somethng a bt strange happens. We can certany see that n ther suc

cesson, the (funeral) amphora the master (at the Styx) and the (nexst-

ent) ptyx consttute the trple ban of nonbeng The rst one contans the

ashes the second s dead the third s ths word that says nothng.

104

shp whch coud be nferred rom the vsble oam or contrary to the

dvsbe mrror whch we can dscern).

Shoud we say that these terms are annuled? No snce for the annul

ment o a hypothetca term ts vanshng must be the cause o a trace wth

regard to whch as excepton another term s made to appear, such as the

sren ater the shp or the consteaton of seven stars ater the nx

The amphora the master and the ptyx have a the attrbutes o the

vanshng term except the vanshng rom whch a trace of the lack

shoud be evnced. They ack wthout a trace. On ths account they are

rrepaceable

Here we have a new knd o absence one that no onger operates

wthn any representaton an d on whch the concept the lack of ack has

no grp Pckng up a noton rom Lacan we shoud say that these terms

are oreclosed

I must dstngush three operatons that work on absence

the vanshng wth causal vaue;

the annument wth conceptual vaue

the forcosure wth null value

We owe t to Malarms genus to have post ed wth regard to the ptyx

that the pure sgner of ack toerates to be evoked ony when struck by

orecosure. It s not that t dsappears: t is not there.

Unaterabe support o the 'there s not t makes or a tangency of the

rea o whch s sad only the there s

That s why the word tsel had to be carred to the shores of death.

There s somethng unconceptualzable That s what, based on the

foreclosures ths sonnets quatrans decare What s ths unconceptualz

abe? The pure act of there beng some conceptwhch s the reaty to

whch the tercets are devoted. What makes that there s some concept s

the master death and the pure sgner: the poet the amphora and the

ptyx

Ths s somethng you w never be able to deduce ths trange of the

subject death a nd anguage. For a deducton happens from there.

To deduce means to substtute. The rules o substtuton le at the bass

105

HEORY O HE SUBdEC

mahemacal gc. he ampha, he mae, ad he pyx ae uub-uabe, hed a hey eve ae he hee , ymblc celaef he hee he eal. he ymblc y a uch

h ue? I mea, ha hee me uccepuaabe? Ma dd eem beeve . He ad 'We w cme kw eveyhg ha we dd kw bee (W V 34 a mded

HE SUBdEC UNDER HE SIGNIIERS

Whee he he lhg ke he ubjec h cae? he waulme d have he au a up d fr ha elewhee we ecgzed hem (ad ha e ca dce he majy f Mallam€pem: pace yuelve!

he bu he ece pped ly he ully eclue pe a le f alza he glded fame whu beakg up



kw bee (W V, 34 a mded.I h egad, he Max axm: I gh ev ambguu I

mea dcae ha he evl ha ea, ccep? I d hk he ev wha fud aaly, ad cceae a huadea ev. A ppula ubecva, hweve, ehe ca beeduced ea (whch belg he ucue he eve, de whlly ablh el he pvy plca fuue Heehee a ac f hcal fue, llumag chace, whch ha laguage ad deah, bu ha f cuage ad uce.

O he ev, he ae ca y ay ha hee ay Plcaevluae, he pa, ck he hee Exque chace xcae he evuay, he ev he pyx f he ae

We ae am a he ed f u ube. Le u mak x he eclue,ad he vahg. he aulme pucuaed wh bu hugh We hu ba he flwg cuced chema:

>

06

{ j ')+ /nixempty

roomn

1

series of foreclosres

(fnerl)ar �ter (t Sty) 9(?) ( nnlmen, bering on te foreosed)

mirrorfr

+

me (wning gold)> n (dent)

glss

hgh (2d nnlmen, bering one vnising)

(strs)-refletion of consteltion/obvion

pe a le f alza he glded fame, whu beakg upay he, ce he ampha, he mae, ad he pyx gve cecyly he adcal lack f exece, he place.

he hugh eeal e he ymph Cal, ahe ha deyg he

Defuc ad aked, he a ew Heda: M, cld wae ze yu ame (CP 30) whch he ela excep p he edge f hehg

h pem me uby ucua ha may he. Leavg adehe eclue, whch have efec he ha ey he vd, heheegeeu alm ueadabe Wha lde ude he hugh,uued a eged (Call whch bdge he ymph ad he a, y a ubjec dmhed fce, alm lded backaly heeve uface f he meymca pea

Excep f h gula delay f pecep ha ave he day wh

he gh ly he al ace, whe bvuly he ky elec he m wa pee fm he ahe cuc deu va he wag gld ad he geea f he

evcable vahg em (he x ly eve he pupe dfeg heme cclude.

he fam A la ue accabae . . wa aced f u m he aHece, he eap f he hyphe , he ele he ubec, mped efwhu ay pbly f ecape Hee he ue, whch jue Maa makg , c ppg he ella ace a f culd rult fmhe x, wheea acually ce, cexe, wh .

Wha he uc f axey? dvde he gh. he pp

daygh ad f el a adaecca meaph, a pue gdeece Day ad gh ucceed e ahe whu eleag hemveme f he uy f ppe. hey ae djed aeagee: meaphycal, a he vca he devaag myh-gy f amu uhe m adcal aemp a davwg exualdfeece Wage Tritn

he daleccal ep c gapg he ucce f w em g deece m he vahg f he caua em ha aculaehem, hee he (eg . f, hweve, he eced gh whch

07



HEORY OF HE SUBEC

Dialecic ye ideed! he he hiical apec, which i heeubevie ad deved he he lighig lah, by ce ee heubjec m he chai ha keep i i the sme pe

All hi m a peciu legacy: he aiculai he ubjeceecude he igie he ecepi he cuig ue he igiyigce pey ha leave u wide pe a a ime cclude ad

ART III

ak and Desrion



p y p ially, he deay i he aecy, by which he ubjec aiey hwhe dice.

The ecepi i he igie, he wd ha hie, he delay Laca

will g vey a alg hee ame ail.N, d aul wih all hi, ecep ha I am wayed by a de

hig i which all hugh i deved he ipeci ha whichubdiae i he placeme a abece ad which big alvai he ubjec ly i he aleadyheee a a.

The ac ha i hi amu ad aaly ukw auh eveyhig iue y cmmi u cuiie he welcme deemphaizig whichwe huld ea him

Thi will ead u aca, ad hpe me aua ce m Maima i lampbeaig pwe he hey he ubjec, which wil

deemie whehe i, ad i ale, ca cay he ligh cuage i headveue hi ceuy, i which i i claimed have pvked lyaiey.

110

111

The new one orbids the ne w one andpresupposes it



Janar 0 977

Lcn mphiboogyh of Mximwo exe wo ce

en wihou uhe dey no Lcn mbiguiy when on wo hee i neve ny eun neve moun o mking on

w no even nw one uebung i one of hoe pey i dem ofhioophy X 9079, modiied)The eing o ccoun wh Hege comng om he on who fo u

ech Mxi ody Hegehe ony one whom i ou k oividein inge phe gve voice o he dnce h epe wocuie n he hioy of he diecic

cn i pking bou hioyn h ce behove him heoy of ove queion of eucding he boue novey ofh ven nmed couy ove in he hieenh cenuy Hi nwe h omehing ge pi heeomehing whoe vividn cnno beed by ny upeio eopion

He we e in he mid of ou dipue cn he heoeicin of heu cion of which he Moi mxim 'One divide ino wo ougho eve he iepbe foce gin hoe epimen of f ye heviioni o whom i uied he yupy convicion h Two fue noo

As fo he ic diecic ogic Lcn oupefom Mm who xd on he in he pecie exn o which he i mde oconize:

113

THEORY OF HE SUBEC

h nvy f h a ad by h aing apa f h dicuivink;

h pcaiun f h On biad by h nw, wh nc h diviin

n ding, h Hglian cnciliain, whin vyhing i dvid

LACK AND DESTRUCION

mannc hughu h a Epcialy if w fllw Ma in admiinga hi diviin main inac und wha i cald 'cialim and ha il la in Ma wn m 'f a vy lng pid f hiy Bu wuay admi ha a h pliical induc f nnpliic f cmmunim) paia cau h bakdwn f h n ha divid h pin i can n lng ak n hi fm n vn by incibing if a



ha h pang f m a nhing m han h pnc f hcncp ( D Z dr Bgrlb dr da , 'Tim i h cncp lfha hr h hr ha h n), i ducd h imaginay

alna 'py ll dam f philphyHwv h ubly in which h analy xpinc i an dca

bynd pach, li in h ynacical amphiblgy ha Lacan will ulnllycnay wha hld b Mallam nal univc-iya an pa by which h nnc having n ih c n vhld gh h w d f n and h am vibl blad

Whch id? u b cla: h f h dialcic, in i ucual apcand i hiical apc Th id f plac (h ymbic in h acanianminlgy) and h id f fc h a)

Cnid u pning lin: ' nv amun making n anw vn

a nw n D hi cunning agi f lalangu, a h pu i, manha h divin f h n mak f n nvy? Th mphai f hngaiv in ha ca wud fall n h nw: n vn a nw n W ain h gic f iain whin ha which pli ff i abvd wihuany un f i unid fmbu w a unab ay ha anyhinghappn xcp h Law f hi pliing

O ah d h man ha m h diviin f h n h aian afmaiv nvly which w wuld nly hav cnid uidh fm f h n ha pviuly culd b aignd i? Th mphaif h ngaiv n ha ca wuld b n h n n vn a nw nmhing nw, hf bynd h ignifying law fm which any

pi fm h n dw i vidnc And, cnquny, an iv-ibl dia f hi vy law h ymblic uind by h al, h nungapab xcp in h pc f i ducin

Th ni gniu f Lacan lucidan n h ubjc hng n hfac ha in nnc af nnc and in mina af mina, h aybh hing a h am im

d w Bcau w had b adm ha infa a i divid ilfin plaia and bugii h ld f pliic nly giv iaiv law fm wh pin f viw i nvly i l ca han i

4

g y g f h m f h cnadicin

Lacan, h analyical hy hld n hi quvcain a hn f di fm wh h ubjc i apphndd F u Maximd n i in h pliical pacic wh ubjciv pin h pay

Lacan an invlunay hician f h pical pay? Maxinlighnd paciin f di?

i i a fa windw Th uh i ha h i nly n hy f hbc Lacan i ahad f h cun a f Maxim and w mu akdvanag f hi advanc a impv u Maxi affai

Why d w daw hi undividd and makd hy f h ubc fmMaxninMa and fm Fudacan huld w climb h fldgh h!f FudMaxim?

bcau n vn f a cnd i i a ma f cnciling dcin

vyhing dpnd n h al, bu h al ha i u in un dpndy n h fllwing:

h a w x; h a w ca

Mak d wih ha yu ubjc f al xpinc

5

On the side o the true

Febuay 7 977

LACK AND DESTRUCTN

3 Maphyical maialim (mim al calld 'mchanicim);

4 Dialcical maialim

uhm w knw ha in d b a ccly caliba Maxii i bad b idali maphyical and hnuabl b maiai dialcical

W hu hav a u dipal n iu inul (pic f maphyi



Febuay 7 977

Philphi n h blackbadu cn f uh: chncpiin aliy inOn paabing

Anygd plmic is always suppsd t qui a zlgy f dviatins tat

Maxism, which in gnal is t Maxism what in th wld f ps a sn-

tnc fm a distict cut is t Rimbauds Illuminations, xcls in this manic

manipulatin f typlgis Th is th lft in appaanc nly, which in

ality is n th ight; th visinism which is symmtical t dgmatism;

th ptitbugis anachism which is th cuntpat f halfbugis

buaucatism; th cnmism whs vs sid is vluntaism

Th Chins say 'Giving labls Can w d withut thm? I dubt it .

mtims w must knw hw t simplify th wld 4 What mmy

bscud by innumabl singulaitis wuld affict us if w w fbid-

dn t numat th pisn flasks? Th fact mains that nith plitics

n th Paty hav as thi vcatin what Mallam calld th 'atlass,

hbaiums and iuals '

As f phisphy hsimpcmbinay cmpiss u nins

akn w by w idalism and maialism and hn dialcics and

maphyic.Fm h w inf ha h a fu philsphical yps

1 Maphyical idalim;2. Dialcical idalim

16

W hu hav a u dipal n iu inul (pic f maphyica idali) w mda inul (idali dialcician and mchanicalmaiali yu a n h igh ack bu n n g nly and n fm

f pai (maiali dialcician xcln yu pad h xam aliniz f h pac f cncpWha i h maning f h pimiiv m wih which w Maxi

cmp u cal f inul?Maiali i whv cgniz h pimacy f bing v hinking

bing n nd my hinking in d b) dali whv pih ppi.

A dialcician i mn wh un cnadicin in h law fing; a aphyician whv d h am wih h picip fidniy

day w will n fuzz v h bu diincin Excp wih a

abl in which h cmpl yplgy f a ingl cnadicin (hawn hinking and binginilf and in which by h pvininducd by vy upplmn w will diinguih v phiphical ypwhich i mhing nin alady d ll h uh inMaeralm and Emprrm, by paaing h 'fankly and painlyagud idalim ( Bkly fm Kanian laivim

TYPE

ubjcv

aphyscal dals bjcv

apysca as 2

dacca

dals

aphyscal

aals

aasdacc

4

HINKNG BEING-TSLF

u - - - - - - - - - ·

-.)

117

HEORY OF THE SUBECT

he pecedig diagam ik he diici he ajecy f hepce f kwledge

hi able hud be cideed a philphical plgy Why? Becauei i baed he pii f iide ad uide he quei f hebde f hikig a lgic f fie Ad becaue i i fm hivaage pi ha i illumiae he quei f uh whe pape we

h b f h h

LAC AN ESTRUCT/ON

Whece he eu cheece a he guaaee f uh exiig he bihp' palace wha de Ka ga by ecgizig ha

hee i a ude if he ciue legiai f he iide ufce gauge expeiece? Wha he gai by dig i he peig f aeiy ma ad eligi ha i i exce ve he delimiaif kwledge Ad ecd a miimal pduciviy a a he uej d i i d b h id d h d i h l b i



ae hee equeg befe paag thrugh utmhei le u ay ha f Bihp Bekeey ha alway eemed fa-

ciag due i adical appeal I pi ha hikig ha eible

uide N mae hw fa yu g yu will eve be ay fahe haha mewha eaciay he wh avelled aud hi bedm i ppely impible f hugh expaiae ief ce i evedeal wih ayhig bu he mage f image ha ppulae i uhwhich he ame f a ageeme f hugh wih ielf f a imma-e adequai i deical ha which diaily xe he fmalau f i icipi cheece 'uh ad cheece ecipcae eahe: evey ime yu ead h aphim e f i deivaivead hey plifeaeyu ca be ha yu ae i he cmpay f hebihp

hi plgy eal i cue by feclig he eal which halluca-y cme back i he fm f he c i he dvie eacy f cledhikig

Ye he deciively mde awad f meaphyical idealim de g wheve ecie t prp bu wheve ague he ba fhe igh f fm ha he cei f he ue givig up adequaichee wih beig i cheece adequae ielf

Pii 2 ad 3 diibue he eaable idealim ee he uide iecgized a uch he plgy aage a bde f hugh

weve he pce f cig he hehld ad he divi g piciplebehid he pce f kwig ciue fllw he aw f he idea he

ajecy a u m he meal place w de i pa ve i i bjecive uide? w pah

a ha f Ka i pii 2 i u able exclude he beig fkwledge Requied i i pue mei by he vey fac f expeiecehe ielf emai ukwable ia empy em whch gudhe uiy f kwig ly i he exe which i abe ief fm hivey peai

Beigiielf f Ka i he placed iexie m which i fllwha i pee fce f law f he acedeal ubjec

11

judgeme iiued by he vid ad hu deceig he place beigha i lack d he ce lik gehe em ha ar nt he aa-lyical epeii f e ahe he yheic a prr judgeme ame

hi plgical abiliy f geeaig he ew accdig a ajecy iwhch he eal exeiiy, eve hugh i ca be aveed ehe-le impe fm afa up he ubecive iei he agee f apduci ielf

b) ege pah i pi 3 decae ha he ei pducei w exeiy i a expave plgy i which he pagudefielf ciue he whle ac f a place We cud ayha all egeia e ae pe wee eceay i de pihei malleable fie cle he whle ce agai ad pgamfm vey fa he ageive peig a euielf ha he

lcal exeiiza eve ayhig bu he effecuai f a glbalieiizaihi ge hw ha he egeia uh eve exi excep egaly

hi i wha aca ive whe he make he halfay g i a abuecdii f aig he ue

Befe we ge hi pi e u beve ha u dc f he pli haheiaed ad eve led like all f u wih he egela chimea f heiegal wayg i a cle a pible he dialecic i which he uecicuae a i w faee:

[ a lg a he uh i eiely evealed ha i ay i all pb-

abily uil he ed f ime i aue will be ppagae ielf i hefm f e [

he wd dicue i i cadici which uh fme Fm whece he egelia ccepi f ablue kwedgeAbue kwedge i hi mme i whch he aliy f dicuecle i ielf a pefec cadici up ad icludig hefac ha i pi explai ad juie ielf We ae me way ye fmhi ideal [

we ae led i wuld appea a hiical Pyim which

119




2

The iveoy give u fou philoophical ame fo uh coheece,epeiio, oaliy, oio

Thee ae o ohe The adequaio of Aiole ad ai Thoma haeve bee ayhig bu a icey ou of a dicioay To ay ha hee iuh whe he pii agee wih he hig doe o dipee ayoe fom

LACK AN ESTRUCTON

Thoe of you who, a hi age, olve he poblem ca move o o hela chape hey ae ipe fo he ehic of Maxim, excep fo he explicipplemeay codiio of egagig, hee ad ow wih he paiaoio

oio, eve if he wod doe o belog o he commo palace ofaxim, ca be ifeed fom i by combiig he oio of he cice adha of he leap The oio of he ue deigae a cicuaiy wihou



uh whe he pii agee wih he hig doe o dipee ayoe fomlookig fo he effecive law of he ageeme i queio Aiole adai Thoma offe hei oluio o hi poblem, which, like all ohe,

ae diibued i he yem coheece, oaliy, epeiio, oioLaca eve fail o lah ou agai adequaio 'Thu Tuh daw i

guaaee fom omewhee ohe ha he Realiy i coce i daw ifom peech. Ju a i i fom peech ha Tuh eceive he mak haiae i i a icioal ucue E 40)

ue B u he fac ha ealiy egage o uh i he poi o f depauefo ay philoophy. Adequaio miead o oe, o doe i pa fo aillumiaig oke egadig he eigma of he ue

Thi eigma ca be ead off he diagam of uh:

chrc z"' " p

ttaiy trs

Aimig a he whole, he ubjecpoce of uh epea i diffeece,ude a ew law whoe hidde coheece ca be iuaed oly by aoio of he iiial ule

Laca, o hi opic, ha aid i al abei wih a iidiou ippage

Wha he did o ay i omehig I eave o you a a (difcul) execieo gue ou i a queio of demoaig ha, a fa a Maxim icoceed, he chema of uh become he followig:

ca t dctip f h p«

cmim party

22

ha of he leap The oio of he ue deigae a cicuaiy wihou uied plae, a dicoiuou cuve ee Mao hee i a cicle, icehe poi of depaue of uh i pacice which i i poi of aival a

well, ad heoy i he mediaio by way of a cuve fom P o P Thee oio by he doube uhigig ha, a a iegal pa of uh a a-ecoy, goud he pacica ovely, he local idex of p a he diviioo P ad which i o a empoal diviio bu a cogiive oe helw of paceme

Why a dubl uhigig? Becaue i ode o guaaee he ciculaiy,eve if i i a boke oe, we eed wo dicoiuiie

Whece he wo leap of kowledge: fom eible o aioal kowledge (a eap i he pacical ideiy of he ajecoy) ad fom aioal evoluioay kowledge (a eap wheeby p dvide ief) Read On

aOe will ecogie ha fom he eible o he aioa we move byway of a beak alog he axi of uh: oaliy epeiio Wheea fomaioal o evoluioay kowledge, we move hoizoally: epeiio oheece

hi i peciely wha ieup he epeiio, ice he peceivedoheece i ew

hi pedagogical laguage Mao he Maxi ae wo hee ha aeeeial fo ou udeag of he ue:

All aioaliy ucue he Whole by way of epeiive eie2 All eceived coheece ieup a epeiio

Oe ca go vey fa wih hi Bu I imagie he objecio, which willquoe 'You ae coug he iue! Afe all hi, i i ill poible o eaca a a ideali? A lea admi ha he i guily Le u add o heoie oe of hi decaaio, which i dvaaig:

o i i ill o ayig eough o ay ha he cocep i he higielf which a child ca demoae agai he cholaic i hewold of wod ha ceae he wold of highig which a u ogehe i he h nun of he al i he poce of becomigby

23

HEORY OF THE SUBECT

giig is cocr big o hir ssc ad is ubiui o wha hasalwas b ktma e ae E 229/276)

'Do ou rcogiz Marxs proscuor will coiu h priacof hiig or bigislf of h subjc or h objcidalisaxios o which aca assigs hir odr for, i which i is a usioof h arioi of aguag or h hig isf?

hee are no sh thing s as lass relations

Febuay 4 977



f as sagacious oppo 'Is hr priac of capialis orh prolaria? I a o sur ha h will b uch br uippd oproid a aswr wil pro usful a his poi o dia o acrucial hsis fro Laca 'h subjc is, as i wr, iral xcluddfro is objc ( E 6 3 ) . I is difcul i his iral xclusio, opipoi a priac

A orsio sLi Marx ad li rud Laca is iidl awar of h fac ha h is

brigig abou a (Coprica roluo No i h ss of a irsobu rahr a slaig wha w saw as sraigh, w us s as wisd Wha w bli o b i fro of us as aca pus i brillial is big-ohsid parabg parapparig:

is a h r poi a which paradoxs sprig up rgar dig rhigha aags o b forulad as h ffc of wriig eet d r) habig prss islf, alwas prss islf b parabig W shouldlar o cojuga ha approprial: I para ou parar, h parisw parar ad so o ad so forh ( 4/44 1

us agr o call dogais a Marxis ha prds o rsor hli wihou ahig alaor righ i fro of us

To a his li 'jus' is ol a soscr for calig 'rgh Radi h ha had of hisor i is h l of ruh of which w rcogih foldigs

'L us parab ha is our war crAd br 'W ar ohig l us parab h Whol

124

Chris, Marx ad rud (r foudd b ai Paul Li, adacaTh roluio as h ipossibl propr o MarxisA

xrcis i orsio'Dsro h sas

spo o ou abou priodizaio old ou ha h arialis dialcicudos h circl of h glia dialcic i crai rupurs whrbr phoo cos o iscrib islf wo is a las

Th doubl sal is h pric of isor for all ol 6

Of cours Marxis is a phoo ad, as such i is priodizd hus bgis wo is: wih Marx ad h wih i 'Marxis-Liis is a a for his doubl salfor h doubl a h docrial O of h hisorical wo

Chrisiai oo bgs wo is wih Chrs ad wih ai Paul

No ha h crai of h rs bgiig is aachd o h ruh ofh scod Wihou h foudig ilia acii of ai Paul wihouh idaagais Prof uirsalizig h ssag of laig hLaw of xcdig h wish uirs wha would ha bco ofhis illar powr fro which alo w ca rad a bgiig ih agld hisor of ha scara adr liuidad b h Pasiiasablish udr h procio of h urali of h Roa a?h poliica i of h uirsal Church, of which ai Paul is h bril-a ad illhuourd Li, rroacil grouds h caraio as

125



HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

or h subjc of which Maris is h hor his ral is h bourgoisi/prolaria aagois as ipossibl raio aog h popl h shapha his olaio as is valid for a Maris poliics i h rgisr ofchac (o si h bull b h hors of h caus is fro his olaio ha polics as such, which is o sa ass poliics is bor ad of cosisc h susaiig of aagois is wha givs Maris is saigpowr as wll as dig h pricipl of ui of is sags

LACK AND DESRUCION

Mars is h pracical discours for susaiig h subjciv advo a polics Wha pracic? approv of h diio Laca givs oprais 'Wha is a prais? I s h broads r o dsiga a cord hua acio, whavr i a b whch placs a i a posiioo ra h ral wih h sbolic 5 XI 6/ 1

Maris ss o chag h ral of rvoluio hrough h sbolicgrip of which i assurs h poliical subjc of su ch a ral a subjc for



Do w h adop, such as i is Lacas ai ha h ral is wha isipossibl? s, wihou a uibbl h ral of Maris is h rvolu-

io Wha dos h rvoluio a? h sol hisorica for of isc of h rlaio of cass ha is, aagois, which urs ou o b thedetrutn f that whh dd nt et

h rvoluio is h isial of aagois is hrfor h aof h ipossibl ha is propr o Maris

Dos his a ha rvoluios do o is? Qui h corar hah ar ral as prcisl ha h is, ad has all h Marissaus of h rvoluios is hir havigaplac, which is h ralo h basis of which a poliical subjc prooucs islf i h prsNohig has a plac cp h rvoluio is a ipossibl v,li all ru vs of which Maris surs h subjciv guara bh rroacio of is cocp

'Paris Cou ' Ocobr IT 'Culural Rvoluio ar o piricalcoiguraios of which so 'Maris hisoria or ohr would providh arraiv h ar Maris cocps ha abl us o hi h rla-io of h poiical subc o h ral ha is, o h isig ipossibiliof h rvoluios

hs cocps ar ohrwis crucial ad foudaioal ha hos hao is isld o aig for Mars priiiv cocps, such as 'od ofproducio 'produciv labour, 'surplus vau ad ohrs

or Maris sid fro a poi ha is o is ffciv opraio

which is ir of h ordr of poliics wihi h asss, dos odsrv o hour of our roubls Nor would i b worh ivsig hishour i a rudiais rducd o h drar docri of sual dr-iaio adjusd o so hrap or ohr a o riforc hgo

I hs is ard b h 'coo progra of h fhos who iagi ha ahig whasovr of Maris ca subsis ifo prds o do wihou h ipossibl rvoluio ar jus good for habsolvig al us of acadia

28

grip of which i assurs h poliical subjc of su ch a ral a subjc forwhich as w all ow, i rsrvs h a 'proaria, which is ihror or lss appropria ha h (dubious wor 'ucoscious

his is also whr Maris us ordai is orso

3

a polog fro which w igh h h pair rior/irior, whas h si of hs wo rs, 'bourgoisi ad 'prolaria

Ecoois which is fod of disicios, posis h riori bourgois is whovr ows h as of producio rolaria whovr issparad fro h ad has a his disposal ol his labour forc which

sllsNow hr is sohig ha is crail o wrgW ow wha follows his opological riri chags ovr io

a fucioal iriori his is h rvg of h plac which w saw h cas of gl If h prolaria is ol his produciv plodriori, would b br o a iwih ar'labur forc, orv 'variabl capial Idd, i is ohig bu a pic of capial ouav ad a disicio govrd b h rul of a rucurd s i whichdisicio is acuall o a law of coposiio ha of h ccl oflargd rproducio Wha ou hav is Captal. r h orig classs v h os prcious capial sic i s h o aciv pricipl of is

rgraio ou a do awa wih h capials al h whil aiaiig h law of capial his is wha h Russia fucioaris aago do ui wll h worrs b coras cao b subrad fro hovrall coguraio ro his w ca fr ha hir iiial disiciofro h bourgoisi purl fro h po of w of loiaio ofh orio of surplusvalu ca dow o h followig sasf icusio h bourgois world splacs class caial is h plac of hprolaria

Paradoicall i ordr o co o hi of h rolaria as bigor

129

TEORY OF THE SUBdECT

as possibl bigh ouplac of h bourgois splac we mut rt thnkthe burgee nterr t the prletarat .

his is whr ruh appars o sad i a orsio whras h cohrcof h cooiss ga us ol h rpiio of capial as placwhol

h bgiig h 'prolaria is idicad as a paricular gur of hbourgoisi h spli gur of h lars poliics Wha sard Marxiswas ohig ls ha h popular ad worrs isurrcios of 835

LAC AND DESTRUCT/ON

o agr wih h iw ha i would sufc ha h uliplici ofh rols h ouplac of pur subjciiaio h rupi gi of hpopular poliical cocraio

h orsio is or radical is o ol as h placouofplac oflfxpulsio as hrooous poliics ha h prolaria ua subjcos io big i h world Wihi h coiui of h puricaioo ca alwas a h prolaria for a uoicd card of h bourgoi-



hsls grafd oo h bourgois docraic o i EuropA xcpioal disordr us as pschoaalsis bga ol b lisig

o his sigular disordr of spch ha is h n-de-le hsric h his-orical spo whc o rac dow h subjc origiall ca b radoff h bourgois poliical disordr Wha is his disordr? h scissioiroducd io h subjc b is assigaio o a hrooous ordr is h xpulsio h purgig, of h iral ifcio b h subjciprolaria rgc whar h dgr of is cosisc ha frscosius i

W igh as wll sa ha i is h rgc of bizarr pracical orga-iss i h hcforhcofusd doai of bourgois poliics ha cosi-us h prolarias parapparig

Wha is h prolaria? All ha is hisoricall i h procss of curigislf of a oral poliical disas is a suriig bod bor fro roNr curd w should o alwas i h procss of big curd

As a spo of halh which fro a ohr poi of iw xcpMarxis rads as a spo of icurabl illss h poliics of h pro-laria crail sads i iral xclusio o bourgois poliics, ha iso is objc

Dos h bourgoisi a a subjc? afrd as uch i his rplac i April 97 5 L coradic slf i is a ric of parapparigh bourgoisi has o b a subjc for a log i i as a plac

hr is ol o poliical subjc for a gi hisoricizaio o

igor his ajor obsraio gs o agld up i a isio of poliics asa subjci dul, which i is o hr is o plac ad o subjc hdissr is srucural i aur

h prolaria xiss rwhr whr so poliical ouplac is producd is hrfor b purgig islf ha i xiss has o ariorior h orgaizaio of is poliical surial o xpl h bourgois poli-ics b coprssig is ow orgaissuppor ad o brig io xisch prolaria poliics apparl ar o ad h sa

Dos his allow us o wagr h xisc of a poliical subjc? No do

30

o ca alwas a h prolaria for a uoicd card of h bourgoi islf a rur of is subci copc a pifall of h plac his isha w ar augh b h apparac i h R of a new buraucraic

a bourgoisih subjcs asur dads ha h sric logic of h ouplac

ord i wholl Mallara fashio b h causali of lac xcdsslf i h detrutn f the plae

is o a p plac o ha of powr ha cojurs h r-c i h poliical disordr of h subjc of is occupaio

Dsro h sas such is h cssarad prologdprolariaa This barbaous sa forbids us o iagi h poliical subjc i h srucural odali of h hriag h rasissio,h corrupio h irsio Bu also i ha of h purifig cu, of h

orld bro i wDsrucio as orsio ral o h spac i raags is placs, i laborious duraio

o wha iriori prais ha which xiss ol b dsroig hrul of dliiaio b which h xior fucios as a bordr?

Ad h prolaria crail rgs n t plae.r w us produc a opolog of dsrucio ha of h lac (of h

hol alo cao b islf full h hough of ruisOur ir dispu wih aca lis i h diisio which h rsrics of

h procss of lac fro ha of dsrucioac ad dsucio his gis us focus al l h or so i ha his dia

lcic is rasrsal o h o of algbra ad opolog which coadsll of arialis

13

Every subject crosses a lack of being and a

destruction

February 21, 1977

LACK AND DESTRUCION

Lke Hegel for Marx Lacan for us is essential and divisible The primacy

f the structure, which makes of the symbolic the general algebra of the

suject and of lalangue, its transcendental hrion is counered ever more

clearly wih a topological obsession in which what moves and progresses

pertains o the primacy of he real.

There are broadly speaking two successive Lacans the one of the lack

being and he one of the ontology of he hole of the nodal topos and,



February 21, 1977

LacanHegelThe subject of the chainThe communist effect

Ontologyacans four axiomsDestruction as mastery of loss

Lacan I said earlier is our Hege that is, he presents the (ideal is dialectic of

our ime Wit h our time comes the requirement that one pretends o oppose

this dialecic to Hegels machines, and acan does no shirk this duty.

Provoked by JacquesAlain Miler, on May 27 19 64 into saying 'Lacan

against Hegel he approves with delight but also with the polite prudence

of denying that it could'a abe a matter for a philosophical debate

(5 XL 2 5 /2 40)

What happens is hat ten years earlierI invie anyone to look a t the

index of the Bcrits: Hege takes the lions share, after Freud (who is no

part of the competition and thus does not appear in the ist but before

anyone elsei was a question of deciding 'if there is still something pro-phetic in Hegels insistnce which reveals the extent of his genius, on the

fundamental identity of the particular and the universal, that is, in h

dalctical torsion itself and to inscribe in it the retrospective label of psy-

choanalysis which provides this orsion with its paradigm by revealing

he sructure in which his idenity is realized as disjunctive of the subec,

and wihout appealingt the future 292/242 trans modied. This is

th operation applied to Hege\ of the double stamp of dialectical moder-

nity Consequently of the double jump. S

132

nsequently of h e being of lack

From the primacy of the symbolic o the consisency of the real.

The rational matrix tied to the effect of lack, by which Lacan continuse Mallarman effor, is concentrated in the articles in whch Jacques

lain Miller in a clear stepbystep manner ses out the logic of the sig-

fier and then the theory of lalangue. Millers conclusions sum up the

frmalism of the structural dialectic under he themaic heading of the

vanishing entiy, of the inconsisent toality:

I is only when the mark disappears hat its place appears, and therefore

the mark as such Is this enough to justify our saying that it attains its

being only in its disappearancethat it akes hold only on the border

of its lackin a lash? [ . . . ] the being of the mark just like hat of lack

'exis s only in the inbetween, incorporeal un graspable, or in he differ-nce between the one and the other, in the movment in the passage,

and it is always either too eary or too lae. [ . . ] This processthis

entitypresents itself as untotalizableor as a contradictory totality,

which is o say a totality with its contradiction, or with its nonintegrable

elemen, multiplicity irreducible o a uniy . The mark [ . . .] doesnt

consist (it is inconsistent, it persists it insists, i is a process.

The subject here is revealed in the eclipse of the marking, caught in the

pusating movement the lashing at the edge of hat which articulates it.

Thus the proleariat, rapped in the political law of the bourgeois world

is onlyas Lacan says of the objec of fantasyan 'unspeakable vacilla-n ( E 5 50/ 65 6) Whoever wants to declare its substance is a swindler.

Of the proletariat we never obtain anyhing except the body (the

party except the traces popular historical facts whose nominal evidence

ikes us with uncerainty.

Whence ts subjectmaking.

rscribed by the loss of its objectthus sutured onto he rea by

e lack of beingdesire divides the subjec being inextensive to the

nohing from whence it proceeds. The only mode of existence of such a

133

HEORY O HE SBEC

iisio is law of alaio o wic i Lacas cas o sa coso p is sap

sbc follows ogo fa of aisig aig sas of a ial bw wo sigis I a wic ps o o s as polaia is ol a wic a (aolio pss o ao ( aabl olio s as wcsip ( pss sbjc of wiig o si ( wil oig

LACK AN ESRCON

aca w p o sio iial s goo ac ofobli cig s spas o is asw aocig s ao cos a oologw o?li o ls b aas a as is iscos is coc 'as o clai co i of xpic ( X 72/69.

O ba 1 9, 1 964, i wol s a oos i i s ofos No, 'scoaalsis is i a Welanhauung, o a piloso-

l b



cosoia s is psaio o Mallaa a of a cipof is co i Boo i wic is is sol ogi-

call cliao Laca sbjc as o oig wic is o gligib b

i as o ss i a i s sli o absc wo a gipfo 'si is o of lac of bg (E 534/65, asoii

is wa aca gis islf a accss oa wic sis s iooolog coscios is a big wic sbs apsicalopposiio o big a obig o i is ffc of lac of big(ffc wic as a a asfc

o a x as w will s coscios sbls pola-ia poii accoig o Maxis wic effe ef-fa fn beng(ffac wos a is 'cois

JA Mill sill i gos af Laca wi sio 'Wa is ooolog? Wa is coscios?

O oals o wic o is a Maxiss a sbc wo ows a poibla big sio (is apps aosa is o so a w ca icobsibl poc ga'W is o polaia? s i o a iagia sigi?

Wo o os wo bli a s follow i loacios o-o oo ai of xisc o wic as poo W sac o si of wos a faco xpoiaio

o w big p xisig as sl will alwas bi oo c o oo lil. is fil o wa o a o cicaof xisc of a piical s (b i a social class o ial obig ofa pojc fo soci (b i 'sociais o a wic gis a poliica sbjc foc of is a

Ni sxal is o aioal scoaalicalAssociaio a po xisc of coscios L s oxpc aig o i s o polaia fo faco sio o Cis a

134

a clais o poi o is is go b a pa-ila ai wic is soicall b laboaio of oio

o sbjc ( X 7773.s b is sbjc is pcisl lia sc wapo (os

wic sows a siilal bos os is poiical acaliza-io sic is cocp sffls og lss a ia of all possbl scicjs as os a of all paccal appcpo of sociabo i F pisolog as fo o aco wic gosfo pcpio o scc was off i wog icio bcas aois abss of casaio ( X 7773. L s sa is assaig a o a o accss o ig ia of if o cic ffc of lac is wol ao o gig oslf cocwio osio wic will ps o pal io iag of wo

Oolog o o pscoaalsis accoig o aca iposs a galcicaio o pilosop wic ocs po oig lss a wa i wic las p agas a

A so wo os la, spi is 'fsal o follow Mills sso o sbjc of a oolog of coscios o icsbss abo lig go of 'a lil op ( X 1 34 12 2 Wa il pico op? a wc ogs opposiio of big/obig

A is poi sol coscios cas i as a xiso as a UK Q a oxisas bli i E os a o-xis of possibili is a Q of poibiio a bigs o biga xis spi of is oa i is a fcio of ipossblo wic a cai is bas ( X 289/1 7

Tis 'poibiio a bgs o big a xis i spi of isoa cos casal pai of sbjc ooaloolass of is fo Wo is o failia i poliics wi filio ia acclaio? Of xac picio?

Ni big o obig poliical cas wic alwas ails o

135


show up if announced as ust cause is the rea at once abolished and

dazzling by which a hole is punctured in history so that the proletarian

subject its body divided may fasten itself onto it

ts name? 'The masse s This is the real hat the patisan subect retroac-

ively encounters in any beak in historicization

The masses are not the substance of hstory but the prohibition to

repeat, which brings to being the aleatory subject that Marxism puts into

di

LACK AND DESTRUCTION

3 Thesis of the imagina ation at the source of totaliy

However the noton of unconscious fantasy no longer pesents

any dificulty once it is deined as an image set to work in the

signifying st ucture

Let us say hat in its fundamental use fantasy s the means by

which the subject maintains himself at the level of his vanishing

desire vanishing inasmuch as the very satisfacon of demand



discourse

2

The 'rst acan in terms o what matters to me and which does not

concern psychoanalysis boils down to four theses he system of which

covers the four names of truth (coherence repetition totaity torsion

This axiomatic arrangement in my eyes gives structure to the essence of

the Ecrits as well as the Seminars until the end of the 960s .

Beginnng in the 970s, which one can mark by the primacy of the knot

over the chain or of consistency over causality it is the hisorical aspect

that gains the upper hand over the structural one

Psychoanalysis in my view suffers a shipwreck in the process while

ethics comes to rule absolutely But this is only the opinion of a distant

amateur

would deduce the four constitutve theses of the rst doctrine as

follows

136

. Thesis of the emp place at the source of repetition

what is repeated s a product not of nothng fom the real

(which people believe they have to presuppose in it but precisey

of what was not [ce qui n 'tait pas] . (E 32/43)

2 Thesis of the vanishing term at the source of torsion

Where it was just now where it was for a short while between an

extinction that is stll glowing and an opening up that stumbles I

can come into being by disappearing rom my statement [dit

An enunciation that denounces itself a staement that enounces

itself an ignorance that sweeps itself away an opportunity that

selfdestructswhat remains here f not the trace of what really

must be in order to fall away from being? (E 6 8/80 1 )

g y

depives him of his object (E 532/63)

4 Thesis of the phallus at the source of coherence

or the phallus is a signier a signier whose function in

the intrasubjective economy of analyss may lft the veil rom

the function it served in the mysteries For it is the sgner

tat is destned to designate meaning effects as a whole nsofar

as the signier condtions them by its presence as signiier (E

579/690)

This latter signier is thereore the signier to which all the other

signiers repesent the subjectwhich means hat if his signier

s missing all the other sgniers epresent nothing or something

is ony epresented to

Now insofar as the battery of signiers is it is complete and this

signier can only be a line that is dawn from ts circle without

being abe to be counted in it Ths can be symbolized by the inher-

ence of a 1 ) in the set of signiers

It is as such unpronounceable but its operation is not for the

latter is what occurs whenever a proper name is pronounced Its

statement is equal to its signication (E 694/8 9)

Thus from the quadrangle of truth Lacan extacts a s far as the alge-

raic doctrine of the subject is concerned the ollowing trajectory:

(phallus) (lack)

(coerence)<z'.

.

' {,,")

'(wole) i(a) S (torsion)

(fantasmatic mage) (subj ect in ecipse)

137

THEOR OF THE SUECT

n his rajcor h sbjc is gornd b h ignoranc of h lossha consis i follows ha hr is no rh which is no iladand no sbjc which is no sbjcd

Th opraions of h splac ar sbsiions (aphors and on-is is hrfor ipossibl o rcogniz h loss as sch Th sbjcglids bwn h sccssi parial rprsnaions of ha whos radicallac insis i as ariclad dsir

Ndlss o sa ha poliics has onl h r diocr inrs of a

LACK AN ESTRUCTION

r wha cos o b dsrod a h r as h prcariosnss ofsraion is scrd as wll as ha par inhrn in all rpiionich insiss in inrrping i

r sbjc sands a h crossing bwn a lac of bing and asrcion a rpion and an inrrpion a placn and an css



Ndlss o sa ha poliics has onl h r diocr inrs of ablindnss ha cass a rac abo is fals sbsii insighs 'Wha

is social is alwas a so Confncs 9} . And b , in answr oh following sion which rals a good aon of fronal opiis'Th poliical iplicaions of or pschoanalical insigaions? whi chis a rl Arican sion, addr ssd o Lacan in h winr of 97 5 aal nirsi 'n an cas hr is no progrss Wha on gains on onsid on loss on h ohr No nowing wha on has los, on biso ha won M "wisd brains sppos ha his is narrowindd'(Confrncs 37)

A balancing, in an nclarid hafsaing, of gain an d los s sch is hoco of an srcral concp of h poliical sbjc

f i is possibl o sa anhing or abo i i is onl insofar as hr

is an ffci mae f lTh objcion bing ha i canno b sion of a for of nowldg,

ch lss a rcollciono wha is h asr of loss? Maris aching s ha i is

dsrcionTh dsrod ral is no rdcibl o is disapparanc in h hol of

h lac. sl drops in i and sois wiho an lfor bhncforh i is diidd bwn is casal ffc of pr lac and whaw will proisoril call h sconda ffc, whos ainspring consiss indgaing a irali of ee or h rpii placn s in oion

b h lac of bingDsrcion diids h ffc of lac ino s par of oblionofaoaisand is par of possibl inrrpionof css or hplac of h orhaing of h aoaiss

B his hin gap anohr asr can b said o co ino bingoghr wih an asrical baancing of loss and gain

Conrar o coon opinion, which ss prsranc in bing ash grond of all consr ais i i s in ffcas acan claisfro hawhich is acing ha consraion scrs islf B w s add ha,

3839

he subet's anteedene to itse

Apl 1 1977

ACK AND DESTRUCION

eampe, Frech imperiaist societyso as avoid faig ito the trap ofi subjectivizatio

s for the private subect it is ideed to the aw of desire ad morepeciicay to the pair of perversioeurosis that we must ascribe theuorgivig effect of its vaciatig idetity. Neurosis ad perversio suchs the society that each of us makes for him or hersef as the primordialmen of the subjective

owever the fact that the other poe of the cotadictio from which



estructioThe moretharea ad the iterruptio of therepeatabeCure ad reeducatioTwo subjective aocatios of force

aiety ad superego

estructio is that gure of the subjects groudig i which ossot oy turs ack ito a cause, but aso produces cosistecy out ofecess

hrough destructio the subject atches oto that which i ack itsef,survives the ackig ad is ot the repetitive cosure of the effect to thepresece of the cause

f the uual cocept of cotradictio the spittig) poits to the ackas ts maisprig ad to the aw as ts horio the hal cocept ofcotradictio is forged o the basis of destructio whose sphere of actio

ies i the oawIt is true that oe poe of the cotradictio, the oe that costitutes the

aw of the space as the paces evi geius pays o its ow absece as othat which, by foudig the repeatabe, guaratees the pereia coservatio of the word.

uch is the defiitio of the ruig cass which thus ca ever be madepreset ecept by that which, i the atagoistc subject, is subservietto repetitio.

I woud be rather ttig, moreover ame this absece 'societyfor

0

owever, the fact that the other poe of the cotadictio from whichthe subject arises ca be cosidered destructve ivites us ot to reduce the

uective diaectic to its aspect of sociaized or eurotic repetitiot remais true, though, that he al he neu f plThis is what trade uioism with its doefu compsio its eary ae-

iace to the tate, ad its strict subordiatio to a imperiaistic repeti-tios, icarates 'i the raw.

he ogic of trade uios stems from ack aoe ad thus from the awtheir vidicatio is by deitio 'egitimate

oitics eve though it is structured i the same way, origiates i theedestructio of its egitimacy.

We must reserve the ame ubje for that which caot be iscribed ohe spaced groud of repetitio ecept destructivey as the ecess over

that which keeps it i paceTo dee the subect as the metoymy of the ack of beig oy ideti-

ies haf of its essece, the other haf beig ha whh ge beng he lak,that is destructio which is irreducibe to the act of pure substitutio

Thus the subject as the paced product of the aw of ack, brigs out aoretharea i its domai through which ack itsef i the tracks ofestructio, comes to ack

t is actuay this 'more that I ca fe.owever this poit eeds some recticatio. the booket etited

h fCnadn, which wrote two years ago the otio of force is

ot reay diaecticized There force compemets or eve compimets,ace isofar as it is coceived of as a 'paced orce . t bottom it is othigese tha the quaity of the process that provides the threshod or theperod term for the overthrowig of the system of paces

Today woud say that it is sti i vai, however we iteded adedagogicay soud it may be that we seek to ' the structure withthe quaitative. t is ot oy because of their quatative heterogeeitythat he two terms of a cotradictio tur ito a 'reatio of forces. f wermai at that eve we are back i a due.




The process of revolutionarization, for its part, calls on history, in vain,

as it shoud be, and often treats it to a beating, in order to 'spill the beans

of the true in the integral of its schize. Its ambition is to make a symptom

out of the old totality, and a total truth out of the symptomout of the

crisis

Here we are nearing the domain of ethics, and of the strictest kind of

ethics to boot Is it at all possible to make sense of any resistance what-

soever if the identity of the subject derives only from the repeatable and


subject, comes into being as the morethanreal o destruction.3 These

wO themes are anxiety and the superego

The principal reference when it comes to the superego is the following

The superego has a relation to the aw, and is at the same time a sense-

ss law, going so far as to become a failure to recognize [mconnaissane]

te law. That is always the way we see the superego acting in the neu

rotic. Isnt it becau se the morality of the neurotic is a senseless, destruc-

i l i l l i l l li h i b



soever if the identity of the subject derives only from the repeatable and

from the obscure rights of the lack of being?

Conversely, however, can one measure the price of destruction to bepaid for any mastery of loss and for any opening of a space of novelty?

The cure or the revolutionarization: as always, the facts in themselves

decide nothing either way. Between those who survived the couch and

those whose militant politics, in the forced marching style of the Gauhe

Proltarienne, put them there, we really cannot say that the Western

debate of the 1 970s has brought much that is of value.

Instead, let us try to grab hold of the two faces of the notion of the

subjectivewhose articulation will requir e great efforts from usin order

to graft onto it the fruitful destruction, together with the happiness of

falling short of it. 3

2

If Lacan is a dialectician, he must notice what he does not notice. I mean

no matter how far he pushes the structural primacy of the law of lack, we

will not recognize him as our Hegel unless he at the very least points at the

other aspect, that of destruction, of the more-than-rea, of force.

'Force, however, is a term for which he feels an intense dislike, busy .

8 as he is ghting the deadly arrogance of the Amecan economCsts.

'Psychic energy, quantity, low: all this is ignorantiae asylum. acan pro

ceeds in no uncertain terms from epistemological mistrust'How often, in

the course of history, have the notions of energy and force been taken up

and used again upon an increasingly totalized reality! S XI, 63 / 49)to

the signiicant verdict-'in general, force is used to designate a locus of

opacity ( S XI, 2 1 24) .

From this side we should not expect to obtain any satisfaction.

I propose that there are two themes in Lacan that indicate everything

that, beyond or shy of lack and mark, in a breaching of the algebra of the

144

tive, purely oppressive, almost always antilegal morality, that it became

necessary to elaborate on the function of the superego in analysis?

The superego is at one and the same time the law and its destruc-ion. As such, it is speech itself, the commandment of law, in so far

s nothing more than its root remains The law is entirely reduced to

something, which cannot even be expressed, like the You must, which is

speech deprived of all its meaning. It is in this sense that the superego

ends up by being identied with only what is most devastating, most

ascinating, in the primitive experiences of the subect. It ends up being

identied with what I call the feroious gure, with the gures which we

can link to primitive traumas the child suffered, whatever these are.

( S I, 02 / 9 )

Te superego gives access to the root of force of the la w itself, to thatwich is no longer of the order of language but which nevertheless lies at

e core of the commanding character of the law.

If the law can bear the advent of destructionthe excess over the

epetition that the law itself dictatesit is because the very order of the

w, grasped as pure commandment, is in itself essentially excess and

struction

This is the rst signal of what I will describe as the eternal antecedence

he subject to itself Witness the law, which the subject must both follow

ad break in order to come into being in its specic splitting.

Regarding this signal, Lacan says that the superego functions as anning, n o matter how sinister. The n onlaw is what manifests itself as the

rmative side of the l aw; for this reason the superego can be simultane-

sly the sign of the law and of its destruction. The superego originates as

a stance where there is something outofplace in the commandment

ncerning every place, that is, where there is a nonrepetition of the pre

rption to repeat

It is precisely there that some light is thrown on the paralysing

(and thus, in effect, disruptive) function of the superego, as is shown

145

THEOY OF HE SUBJE

eamplaiy i he seseessess of obsessioal euosis ad, i the caseof the poltical subject, alas, i eveythig that takes comfot i the pesece of the tate

euosis ad i the uivese of iatioal eguatio, the supeegosustais a destuctive oaity, a commadmet stipped bae, whichfoces evey sybolic pacemet ad seds it io sycopaio

Let us put aside fo the time beig that this has bee egisteedegatively the 'seseless ad so o ee iteuptio as such begis

LA AND DESUTION

hese wo cocepts have bee ecogized by Laca, oe i he paa-g hoo of obsessio, the othe i the avagig tuth of the puge

he eal Although this was ot his theoetical guidig thead, it waset heess ight i lie wih the igou of his epeietaccoplishedlte of the diaectic that ideed he was



to stad out

Now as fa as aiety is coceed, i is fo the poit of view of theea i ecess athe tha fom tha of the faiig aw that it fuctios asieupioad theefoe as eveatio

A]iety is a cucia tem of efeece, because i effect aiety is thatwhich does ot deceive But aiety may be ackig

epeiece, it is ecessay to caaize it ad, if I ay say so, to takeit i smal doses, so that oe is ot ovecome by it This is a difcuysimia to tha o f bigig the subject ito cotac wih the eaa tethat shal ty to dee et time X, 4 44

Aiety is the submesio by the ea, the adical ecess of he ea

ove the lack, the active faiue of the whole appaatus of symboicsuppot povoked by what eveals itself theei, i a cut, as uameabeecoute

ee, agai, it is ecessay to 'chae its effect, sice aiey destoyshe adjustmet o the epeatable. It shotcicuis the eatio of the lap-beaig subject to the ea

Aiety, the, is the sig of that which i the subject foces he legaspace

As i Lacas supeb epessio, aiety is othig but the ack of ackBut whe the ack coes to ack, its metoyic effect is iteupted

ad a mastey of ea oss begis, paid fo by the avagig of all syboicpoits of efeeceece aiety eve deceives esuctio must each the law of ack

i ode fo the lue of deceptio, semblace, ad the obivio of obivioto be swept away

Aiety ad the supeego ae theefoe two fudaeta coceps ofhe subject thee ae two othes, if by this we mea o desigate thawhich lies at the cossig of the iet ad civilized law of lack ad thebabaic iteuptio of destucio

14614

Torsion

May 2, 1977


his type of aalysis will the have to be cofroted with the oe thats for

diffe

.ret paths such as the dialectical ad materialistic theory of

he subect order to accomplish the covergece of a ecessity or toestgate the apparet abutmet i a chacelike coicidece.

he backdrop for all this is the uderstadig that i grapplig withguage the mthematical formaisms perform a desubjectivizatio oly he cost of eploitig to the maimumto deaththe sigiiers tohich the subject is sutured.



O a certai dialectica use of the mathematical tetTorsioubjective formulasFirst metios of us tice ad courage

I would like to tak about a certain use of mathematics that is properly my

own, without seeming proper to anyone else neither to mathematicians

who nd it metaphorica nor to others, who are intimidated by it.

Briey put it is a matter of short-circuiting the dialectical analysis by

examining the way in which mathematics treats a word, so that without

osing anything of its rigour this treatment is nonetheess from the star

considered to be an interpretation of this word.

ndeed, an interpretation or rather: a realization, or even a representa

tio s i the theatre.

The postulate is that no signier nds its place in a mathematica text by

random chance, and that even if it is true that its mathematica character

derives from its role within the formal texture of the demonstration, this

texture should so be considered, in its overdetermination, as the retroac

tive analysis of this very non-random character.

This is tantamount to saying that we consider the mathematical signier

symptom around which the deductive text without knowing this at all

empts an auto-analysis.

That is, we take themathematical textt be in the position of the anayst

for soe of is owwordsas being symptomatic of itsef.

Cosider also the fasciatio that Mar ad gels eel for differetial

culus d their somewhat ae itet to seek therei the matri ofhe laws of the dialectic or Mrs faacious covictio dispayed i hismerous wriigs o mathematics that he was a mathematicia becausehe was a dialecticia. These are all sigs that the eigma of writig ised to the fatasy of a formalized diaectic with mathematics beig itsstricted speciaty from which upo close scrutiy it would be possible he same to etract the uiversl priciple.

We should abado this path i favour of the oe I am idicatigwhch holds that words resoate withi a demostratio well beyod theeve of ifereces for which they serve eve tho ugh this echo is owhereo be heard ecept i the actual uderstadig of the chai of adduced

oofs. give you a eample.We have aready see that the term 'torsio desigates the subject-

oit from which the other three classic determiatios of truth come be coordiated: totality coherece ad repetitio. This the remidse hat besides its topological use as i the torsio of a kot followigcas ead) the word torsio is lso used i algebra i a very simpley

Take group which I recal or you is a set deed by a law of com-ositio amog its elemets et us mark + this law which has the

good .caoica properties of beig a ssociative + y+ z) ) = +y) z) ;f havg a eutra elemet 0 such that +)=; ad of associatigech elemet with its iverse that is with + )) = ). Oe calls orsio of a elemet of a group the smallest whole umber if iteists such that added to itself times equals zero:

. . . -

times

19



HEORY O E SUBEC

iitgrat d torsio group wr it . With rgard to th diactic thmathmatica irprtatio of th trm woud b i a positio of mastryovr th css

But this is ot at a th cas. Th thorm of hafarvitch 964 showsthat it is ot tru that a itgratd torsio groups ar it. t dm-ostrats this by way of a coutramp through a group gratd bythr torsio mts that is othss it.

Th isc of such a group brgs th aaysis of h trm torio toits cosur i a cott of diactica covrgc

C ND DESRUCON

o subjct prists aiy or asts byod th suprgo if aity isat subjctivizs ad th suprgo is o of th mods of cosistcy of subjctffct.

r w costruct th cocpt of th subjct sartig from much mor

ra diacica catgoris: forc F pac ), truth T ocus (Lstructio d ad ack .

ity is that cssofthra css of forc ovr what ca bboizd pacd throf i a crtai ordr from whc a subjct

d di id d h d f i bi h b i h h



its cosur i a cott of diactica covrgc.Thus iit ad ocommutativ torsio groups tur out to hav

oy rar ad uhahy proprtis. Thy stad as agbra shows at thoutr dgs of th agbraic uamab.

Torsio fuctios as th bordrimit of agbra. Torsio is prvrssubjc.

Not that w hav ot prstd a mod of ayhig hr orattmptd to 'mathmatiz aythig whatsovr. W hav oy trid torstor a sort of surpus briiac whos so mas o f prssio rmaisth mathmatica tt udrstood as th objctiv ucidatio of thsymptom provokd by th cotrivd chac of th word.

What happs howvr wh th dductiv aaysis of th math-

matica sigir that w hav isoatd divrgs from its diactica itr-pratio? this cas us hav th audacity to say hat a upordmathmatica ad must forc th divrgc. W maitai that o rmcoms ito us by chac.

This is as good a approach as ay othr though crtaiy uorhodo,to sarch i istig mathmatics for thos pacs that hod i rsrv thmas to tak a stp byod ad thus to d what is vrybodys drama ukow thorm.

For mathmatics is h scic of th ra ad its sigirs whatvrhy may b ar accoutab for it.

2

What agbraic otatio wi w us for th suprgo ad aity to idi-cat that ths two cocpts rfr ithr to subjctiv prics orto parts of th subjct but rathr to two procsss whos combiatiods that rgio of practica matriaty that w woud do bttr to cath 'subjctffct?

54

rgs arady dividd crushd from its birth by its ow truth whos

ig udr h ru of ack coms itsf to ack.Thus if idicas th css th this is h ciphr for aity

F } P =�

Th sig '= idicats that it is at th momt of css wihi th dif-tia form of subjctivizaio tha sists as spit.

s for th suprgo which ams th part of oaw that adhrsstrucivy o aw isf if w posit that is for aw o r for ocus or for thac ad d for dstructio w wi hav to writ it dow as foows

} L + d F P � -_ r must b rad as idicatig that it is i th ram of th cosist-

n ffct of h subjciv procss which is itgra ad o diffrtia,at durs i its cips udr th trrorizig ca of th aw purykd with its ativ frocity.

s you ca s i is a qustio of Odipus ad of ophocsTo say hat aity srvs as a guidpost for truth amouts to sayig

tat it is i th guis of a upacd forcad ot i th ogic of pacs

ugh th attr is prsupposdthat a sufcit quatity of subjcfct spits off i ordr for w kowdg to appar.This is th uciatio of torsio it is from trsio ad for torsio that

othr thr ams of trthcohrc th who ad rptiio gratd for which Mao at th pak of h Cutura voutiovidd a crysacar rasatio 'Troubs ar a ct thig. t thig tha is if w wat o s cary.

Ts coud b a diitio of aity th troub with sig thigsary

155


We wi see that it s also, and from the same point, the denton ofcourage, but in order to see this we will have to ind our way through thescssion presented in Greek tragedy. t is certanly true that truth in the

regster of anxety is unliveabe because of ts essental compcty wthlack: Mallarm gave us its latent structure t s unliveabe to the extentthat-demanding an interrupton of the efcacy of the symbolc, the effectof a hoe-it can never be domestcated nto an integral sayng Beng onyhalfsaid, the truth is illsad45 This s why the truth-that of Oedpus, thatof Sophocles the truth that demands the boody sacrice of the gaze is


vendetta, she nstitutes a tribunal such that, as the chorusanguished yeton the path toward courageannounces, the new laws overthrow theod ones

he courage of the scission of the aws, the anxety of an opaque persecution, the superego of the bloodthirsty Erinyes, and naly usticeaccordng to the consstency of the new these are the four concepts thatarticuate the subject

As early as in 19, Lacan impctly ndicated the necessity of these fourt h h t t d th th l h f hi d i



of Sophocles, the truth that demands the boody sacrice of the gaze-is

ndeed tragicThere is, however, another truth and another tragedy: that of Orestesand of Aeschylus. Here, destruction assures the subject of a certain masteryof oss t is no longer l but J. What does this mean, f not that in thisway we come out of the radica impasse to which the unity of the place,that is, the insurmountable xity of the symbolic connes us? Destructionbecomes dalectically linked to oss n the unrepresentable suppostionthat the splace is divisibe- suppositon that tsef is amost unsayable, eventhough it is the foundation of the unsayng of the truth

Hence, the subect as the excrescence of the revolt of anxiety s born in

the violent internal distance of the aw to tsef, and t names the process

through which the order that the subect sustains in its truth comes intobeing as other than tself

Neither the other of Lacan nor the Other can conceve of this type ofaterty, whch is the ony one that alows us to think of the advent ofrevolutions, the ony one that alows us to understand in what sense, asMarx says, the communist revolution involves 'the most radcal rupturewth tradtiona ideas (The Communist Manifesto). The ony one, naly,that can name the heteronomy of potcs

Indeed, wthin ths dvided law, ths broken symboc, we deal with atransOther which is such that what is at issue is the transformation of the

very framework for decidng the other and the same.n this sense, we must say that, hstorically, there where a subect arises

at the crossroads of ack and destruction, and at the pont of anxety butin the nverson of ts truth, there is truly found somethng the exstenceof which Lacan deniesan other of the Other, from which it follows thatwhat functoned as the rst Other now appears as nothng more than anunenlightened mode of the Same

This s precisely the process for which Athena serves as a name at theend of Aeschyus Oresteia when, n order to nterrupt the archaic family

56

concepts when he antcpated the ethcal reach of his dscipne

Once the number of cycles necessary for the subects objects to appearhave been accompished, and his magnary history is competed, oncethe successive tensedup, suspended, anxietyprovoking desires of thesubect are named and reintegrated, al s not, for all that, brought toterm What was initiay there, in 0 then here n 0' then agan n0 has to be referred to the competed system of symbols The veryoutcome of the anaysis requires it.

Where coud this adournment come to a stop? Do we have toextend the analytc intervention to the point of becoming one of thosefundamental daogues on ustice and courage, in the great diaectical

tradton?That is a queston. t s not easy to answer, because n truth, modern

man has become snguary unused to broaching these grand themes.He prefers to resolve thngs n terms of conduct, of adaptation, of group

morae and other twadde (S 1, 1989/223)

Anxiety does not lie and the superego gves egal consstency to destruction But the 'fundamenta dalogues on justce and courage open theway to that aspect of the daectica tradton n whch, by virtue of aompetely different take on the rruption of the real, the subect placed asforce can force the excess over the pace

57

heory o the subet aording to Sophoestheory o the subjet aording to Aeshylu s

My 9 1977


ubjeve dama egaed o a myh whh ha a eeded, almouveal huma value, ha he ubje bg hmelf o beg 9 91 2 5 .

Thee hu eem o be a eeve ad uvealzg poduvy ofhe 'ubjeve dama o whh he ed he pyhoaaly wok, vahe fudameal dalogue o ue ad ouage, ould hold he key.

Why ue ad ouage?ue ha by whh he ubje odal lk o he plae, o he law,

ake o he dvble gue of afomao, wheea he upeego



ue ad he upeego oaw a law ad law a olawoephCoadCouage ad aeyophole aodg o delThe

deee of Ahea AehyluReveal of he ave plae ad evealof ele

[O] ce the successve tesedup, suspeded, axetypovokg deses of

the subject ae amed ad eegated', says Laca: psychoaayss ope-

ates as he educto of the toomuch of the eal; t etegates wth

a splace of omato that pat of excess ove the place whch kept the

subject the suspese of axety.

Thus, foce s put back ts pace.

Yet, Laca also says, all s ot, fo that matte, bought to tem'. what

sese? The questo caes cosdeabe weght, sce what s at stake

thee s the dalecca exteso of the theoy of the subect, that s, the

ecogto, o the sold mateal bass of the effects of the stuctue, of

the excessve evese sde though whch hstoy etus as subjectve

ovey.The excessoftheea the, detached fom ts obscue eadablty

the tuth o axety, mght be able to suppot the exteso of the sym-

boc ode ad ot smply to put back to ts place what fuctoed as

outplace thee

Hee Laca metos a gadose pespectve: t s as much as the

158

ake o he dvble gue of afomao, wheea he upeegopeed he feoou aham of he y of he law ue make oee a a ouve aegoy of he ubje f he ymbol opeae advbly whoe keel of eo foud he oey of he ubje-ve poe, he epeve fab of obeo. ue e que a daleal peaoue of he law, uepble of beg hake up he poef o. Th o he peaoue of h o ha paula law,u of he vey pple of ommadme elf.

Moe adally, jue ame he pblyfom he adpo ofwha bg o be g a ubeeffeha wha ola w may fu-o a law.

Mam, h well kow. ee he ouepa of he upeego

he fa ha he eeal ad ouve oe of he ae, he d oma-o of oe la, alway daoal. Ude he peee of defedghe legal appaau ad palameay demoay, he ae eeallyhe llegal beg of all lgaly, of he volee of gh, ad of he law aoaw O he ohe had, he ommu heme ue, fo lamha, ude he aegoy of he wheg away of lae ad of he ae,olaw may beome he la law of poleaa po Commum, ahe ole mode heoy of evoluo, effeuae he paa ubjevy he uveal pple of jue, ha , he olaw a aw.

Theefoe, wha eed elf aa eeded, almo uveal

alue mu be ooed wha ee ove he plae, he lou, heymbol, he law.oey may eve a ou gude h mae ofa a oy by

eakg up all oday poe ha eed he lm of he ommua-e ad puhe bak he aeble foe of lalangue.

wholly oe ha oeph Coad, he upeme ovel ofaey ad he upeegoa Hear f Darkne ad Lrd Jm efyhould oehele gve a he aeg ak o ede he hghe d of ue o he vble uvee ode o do o, he alo oe ad he

159

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

same movemen had o become he excepional novelis of courage hat

he is: see The Rover for men and The A rrow of Gold for women.

Courage is insubordinaion o the symboic order a he urging of the

dissoluive injuncion of he real As based on he excessofhereal,

courage is idenical o anxiey, bu as a disrupive force wihin he space,

i funcions as is inversion Courage posiively carres ou the disorder o

he symboic he breakdown of communicaion, whereas anxiey calls

for is death

Since courage is no an aribute of he subec, bu raher the divisibe


2

ere is a theory of he subjec according o Sophocles and anoher

ccording to Aeschylus The aer which is hisorically he rs bu sill

e second for Freud and, hough invisibly, he rs for Marx) entirely

ialecticizes is oher because, besides anxiey and he superego whose

trucure t reains, i posulaes tha courage and justice are necessary

operaors of the subjeceffec

I goes wihou saying ha Sophocles and Aeschylus here serve as signi



g ,

process of is inrinsic exisence, i is more appropriate to compare it o

fortitudo foriude or srengh of mind) han to audaci audacy or bod-

ness) . Fo r he opposie of courage is no fear, bu anxiey On his opic,

see Spinozas Ethics Par , beginning wth Proposiion 59) Audacia is

enirey dened by he mediaion of he Oher; i is 'he desire by which

someone is led o do somehing whch involves a danger which hs equals

are afraid o undergo 47 Fortitudo is intrinsic because it sustains isef ony

from he rue, � meanng ' a] l he acions which follow from emoions

which are relae d o he mind in so far as i undersands 48 But he truh a

issue, by he hrus of he rea produces a deci in he symboic whereby

he subjec, as courage, urns he radica absence of any securiy no s

force In his process, he subjec ruly loses is name. B esides, i is also oneo Spinozas heorems hat securiy desubjectivizes in his language, secu-

riy is no a virue) : Securitas [ ] animi impotentis est signum' Scholium o

Proposiion 47). Securiy is he sign of a subjectve impoence

Anxiey means deciency of he place, while courage is he assumpon

of he real by which the place is spi

Anxiey and courage share he same divided causaliy, in a reversible

ariculation of he poin impaced by loss

On he necessary and indestrucible basis of anxiey and of he super-

ego, courage and jusice hus arculae he subeceffect as he division,

by he excess, of he symbolic orderof the splacein which his excess

is unplaced.4

This makes clear why a poliical subjec comes ino being only by ying

he revo to a revoluonary consisency, and desrucion o a recomposi

tion. Such is he real process which bespeaks he fac ha for every order

and every principle of legal commandmen, however sable hey may seem,

heir becoming coincdes wih her inernal division. The Oher mus give

way to is very own scission ino hat unprecedened Oher which i never

was and tha Same whose ideniy had never prescribed.

160

I goes wihou saying ha Sophocles and Aeschylus here serve as signi-

ers, or even as conceps, and no as names or as lierary works. t is ruea hey are texs, bu these are meant for he theare, which changes

veryhing

The whole purpose of our criica delimiaion wth regard o he psy-

choanalytc conribuion o the theory of he subjec can be evauaed by

asking the following quesion: why is is theory of he subjec essentally

based on Sophoces, ha is, predicaed on he Oedipus compex?

propose ha we mus be Aeschylean Lacan sides with Sophocles, bu

poins a Aeschylus, whch is where we wan o ge

H61derln opens he debae over the real issues in his dazzling 'Remarks

on "Anigone', where he describes he essence of Sophocles in he

olowing way

I . The ype of conradicion pu ino play by Greek ragedy s ha of he

orignary versus the formal of what is native versus wha is learned

(he 'natively Greek, says H6lderin, s opposed to he 'naive form).

n other words, we see a division o he naive place, an inernal con-

radcion ha opposes he simple foundaion of he law o he law

iself n erms of splace, ragedy is he parousia of an inimae scission,

namely, he one hat ses apar the One of he splace from s func-

ton, which is tha of regulaing he mutiple Le me add in passing

ha his is an avaar of he conradiction, which makes the subjec,beween he One and he Whole.

. For he Greeks, his contradicion ses in opposiion:

on he side of he originary One, is innie and orgiasic, 'Asiac

consisency; on he side of he regulaed civilized) splace of which his One is

the origin, he rmness of is niude, its power of represenaive

closure, which can be found in he formal perfecion of Greek ar

mahemaics, archiecure, and he poliics of he ciypolis

16


Let us translate: if the Greek law is nitude and cosure, then the

nonlaw that is the foundation of this aw, its native vioence, is muti

form Asia. Thus, the reaization of the Greek superego, which gives the

subject its consistency-the law as nonlaw-is elucidated in tragedy

3 In Sophoces' Antigone, this eucidation of the tragic contradiction is set

in motion by insurrection The fratricidal rebe violently turns against

the city and, as a resut, he is radically excluded (he is kied and his

body is eft unburied) But the attempt at excusion fais the shock

spreads throughout the polis not in the form of a olitica insurrection


The internal engine of the tragic comes from the excess of the law

over itsef, from the gure of Creon The formless is set on re only

as a reaction, in a second time. As for the gure of the rebe, he

cannot be put in any camp He is simply an algebraic term, an absent

cause subtracted from the pois Those who stand up against one

another are the excess of form and the formless, the superego and

anxietyintertwined gures of the primordial One, the One of the

reversal



spreads throughout the polis, not in the form of a olitica insurrection,

but as the resut of an innite unlimitation within the native form4. This innite formgiving process produces a reversait is a subec

tivization thanks to which the pace allows its contradictory origin, its

illegal unity, to return within the infated framework of regulations

5 The reversal takes on the theatrica) gure of an antagonism

The very unimitation of the native form gives rise to a formal too-

muchness Creon). The aw is reveaed as being in excess of its own

restorative gure Creon is the superlaw

In reaction to this excess of form, the latentformlessness in its turn

is set abaze and cals upon the innity of the sky against the nite

aw of the polis Antigone)Creon' is the name of the superego: the aw deregulated-destroyed

by its very own native essence as it returns in excess of the place that it

circumscribes

Antigone is the name of anxiety, that is, the principe of the innity of

the rea, unpaceable within the reguated nitude of the place

From this point of view, Antigone and Creon, athough they are antago

nists in the play, in my eyes accomplish the same process, which denes

the oph oclean tragic subject. Such is the foun dation of this tragedy as

textual One to present the subectprocess through the combined catego

ries of anxiety and the superego

3

We can formulate the probem as follows, by isoating two maor theses

in Hlderlins account:

162

The effect the course) of insurrection is that of a reversal, by which

the road of the new is barred

Thus, we ask what is the link between these two theses? At stake arethe politics underlying Hlderins poetics The possible modeity of the

tagic is a politica questionas a question for the theory of the subject.

For Hlderlin, the contradiction is tragic insofar as it leaves no way

out other than death. Why Because it is not governed by any new

ight. In the two terms Creon and Antigone), it is the innite form that

pervades everything, that is, the real that submerges the symbolic, the

ative force that dissoves the place The unity of opposites prevails over

heir division, in direct proportion to the extent to which the essence of

he process lies in the areadythere of the origin Hence the Sophocean

ame of every subjectprocess is reversal This is what Oedipus incar

nates with all the clarity of his blindness. And indeed I believe that this

ubjective gure, whose diaectical edge is limited to that of anxiety and

he superego, must always prevail in times of decadence and disarray,

both in history and in life

This is precisely where we must take hold of the division between

Aeschyus and Sophoces.

n Aeschylus' Oresteia, the tragic is set in motion by the murder of

Agamemnon. Orestes, forced to kill his mother who has in turn killed

his father), is somehow predened by the innite dynamic of revenge

and counterrevenge. This is the repetitive splace in which a murder shall

be punished by another murder, as the chorus says Here the unimited ishe debt of blood The future) Sophoclean categories are clearly present,

onnected to the splace itself: that paace dripping with bood from where

Orestes flees after the murder that subjectivizes him through anxiety and

here he is pursued by the pack of Erinyes, watchdogs of the superego

ad cruel custodians of the repetitive totality constituted by the family

edetta.

ut the true orientation of the trilogy is the rupture that aows for the

dvent of the new What is at stake is the interruption of the innite debt,

6

THEORY OF THE SUBdEC

of the repetitive chain of murders, by way of the torsionimposed by an

excentred decree of Athenawhich alows for the advent of a new right,

capable of competey recomposing the whole ogic of the decision

For in the tribunal that is thus set in pace, it is indeed a new coherence

that is instituted by the interruption of the repetitive series that made up

the whole previous social order

The result is that the two antagonistic positions are no longer articulated

by the unity of the native as in Sophocles/H6derin. Instead they are the

internal division of that which constitutes them, a division beyond the aw


Athena: Now hear my ordinance, peope of Athens, who are udging the

peas in the rst tria for shed bood or the future too this council of

urors sha aways exist in Aegeus people [ ]. Untouched by desires for

gain, revered, quick to anger, the lands wakefu guardian of those asleep,

this council now estabish This has been my engthy exhortation to my

citizens for the future; and you must rise and take your votes for casting

and decide the case with respect for your oath. My speech is said . And

Orestes wins even if in the judgement he has equal votes Empty the votes

from the urns at once you jurors who have this duty put on you! [ ]



, y

of everything that can have a ega vaueIt is the locus itself that is shownto be in principe not one, but two

In the course of this diaectica process, the new prevais over the old n

H6lderin's lexicon, we could call this, not the reversal of the native form,

but its advent

These two positions are made explicit in the trilogyWe can see the rst

one in the chorus of the Erinyes, the divinities of revenge:

Catastrophe now is coming from new ordinances, if a justice which is

harm to ustice shal prevai for this man here, the matricide. This days

work will at once accustom al men to licence. [. .] Justics house fas.

There is a place where terror is good, and a watch on minds by fearseated above. t is wel to learn wisdom through grief Woud any that

nurses no terror in his heart's cear light-both man and city the same

revere Justice still? [. . ] the man who dees out of boldness, trans

gressing [while he carries] his great cargo, one randomly got without

right; in violence, wil ower sail with time, once trouble catches him

up and his yardarm shatters He calls on those who do no hear, from

the whirpoos centre so hard to struggle with and god aughs over a

hotheaded man, when he sees one who was condent that he would

never be caught impotent in helpless torment, and not surmounting

the wavetopHis prosperity, lifelong till then, is dashed upon Justices

reef he dies unwept unseen50

Thus, the diaectic between anxiety and the superego is the soe foun

dation of some form of measurement in the chain of revenge Justice is

subordinated to the superego, to the structural reguarity of punishment,

whereas subectivization occurs through the trouble of anxiety, under the

sign of death

Athena, the founder of the new right, of course states the second

position

6

from the urns at once, you jurors who have this duty put on you! [. .]

Apollo Count the emptied votes correctly, strangers, with reverent careagainst a wrong determination! When good udgement has gone away,

great harm happens but if a single vote comes in, it can set a house

upright

Athena: The man here goes free on the charge of bloodshed The

numbers of votes are equaP

Thus, against the unlimitation of the old rule, the dispute must be

ettled by instituting the new one Such is the divisible courage of the

ouncil which intrinsically refers to the justice of number The fact that it

akes equaly divided votes to seal the decision symbolizes a radical change

in the very concept of what a decision means or possibly can meant is acission in the very essence of right

Athenas decree produces an egalitarian torsion from whence the new

juridica coherencethat of the maority deliberation beyond appea

once it is apprehended and put into practice, interrupts the mechanica

eriality of revenge.

Thus we see that there exist indeed two Greek tragic modes: the

Aeschylean one, the direction of which is the contradictory advent of

ustice by the courage of the new and the Sophocean one, the anguished

ense of which is the quest through a reversal for the superegoic origin

4

What does H61derlin say?

The true language of Sophocles, since Aeschylus and Euripides know

more how to depict suffering and wrath, yet less how to depict mans

understanding as wandering below the unthinkable. (ELT 110, trans

modied)

65


My first objectio is that it wil ot do to pair up Aeschylus with

uripides. But this is oy the sig of a much deeper distortio: a partialy

uexpaied predilectio for ophocles, which is ot etirey abset from

Freud eitherfor who wil argue that the ative ogic of the ucoscious

is exempt of reversas?

f Aeschylus excels i aythig, it is rather i graspig, o the super-

egos irm groud, the momet of the nttutve druptn. There is ever

a retur to order i his theatre, but rather the recompositio of a differet

order Aeschyus excludes the presuppositio of a uity of the origiary.

LACK AN ESTRUCTION

his cosistecy to the superego foows the ivoutio of the splace to theoit of death

The key poit for Aeschyus is competey differetit is the iterrup-tio of the power of origi, the divisio of the Oe. This iterruptio asoas two aspects. The rst is that of the courageous refusa which questiosthe law uder the effect of a excessofthereal ad trasceds axiety the mode of a dpue This momet is reached whe Orestes demadshat a decisio be mad e o the questio of whether he was right or wrog.The other aspect is that of the recompositio which, o the basis of the



order. Aeschyus excludes the pre pp y

This is why the Aeschyea hero ideed does ot wader uder the

uthikable. His excelece assuredy is o the side of the thikable. It

cosists i tung away frm any retu, or rather: his virtue ies i the

abiity to expose a oative reversa

As a result, it is o loger the forma excess that serves as the egie,

but rather the courageous refusal. Although devoured by axiety, ad i

fact precely becaue he is devoured by axiety, Orestes does ot iteral-

ize the aw of the debt of bood with its edess allocatios, or does he

tur agaist it i a blid fury. stead, he demads a discussio based o

facts; h stads rm ad does ot give i to the murderous seductio of

the Erinyes.

Orestes', who is rst the ame of axiety, is the ame of courage.

Athea is the ame of justice.Atigoe, Creo, Orestes, ad Athea ame the mplee rage of

subjecteffects withi Greek tragedy the formess, the formal excess,iterruptio, ad recompositio.

a tragedy by Aeschylus, the dyamic course of isurrectio, asHderi woud say, does ot coicide with the propagatio of death.t is what fouds justice through the itera divisio ad witherig ofthe od right. Far from beig tied to the excusio of the abset cause, therebelOrestes or rometheusis the immediate aget of this dyamic

courseHlderi cearly opts for the Sophoclea tragic, that is, for the structura

part of the theory of the subect.The dividig lie depeds o the ative limitatio of the reversa.

Because of this imit, Sophocles tragic history circumscribes atagoism

i the power of the Oe.

The crucial poit for Sophocles/ Hlderli is the retrogressio toward the

origin in its double aspect: the formal exce ss and the re of the formless.

In this case, the tragic hero who owes his subjectivization to anxiety and

iterruptio, ufods a ew order of justice.Neither of these two forms amouts to a retur of the origi i the rue.Both ame the dimesio of the subect which, while aways beig rea-ized uder the aw (axiety ad the superego, oetheess at the sametime aso exceeds it so as to brig ito beig the ovety of its beigithis case, for Aeschyus, a subject of aw.

Like ay great diaecticia Hderli at times recogizes i passig thevirtuality of Aeschyus side 'Ad i the ative reversa where the etireform of thigs chages, ad where ature ad ecessity, which alwaysemai, iclie toward aother formbe it that they tur ito chaos orass ito a ew form (ET 5 tras. modiied.

However, the virtual ovelty, the ew form that tragedy coud geer-ate, comes about oly through the force of death. Why? Because this ewform, as is subsequetly show, is othig more tha the forma excessit is oly the aw itsef caught i the vortex of terrorad because chaosis othig but the uimited, the baze of the formess. Besides, how caoe fuy gai access to the ovety of a effect if oe presupposes, i themode of the ative, the absolute uity of the cause? Therefore, Hlderimust make expicit a priciple of limitatio a al reversa he says, isot grated to humas t is cear ideed that a tota reversa coud otbe ative. order for that to be possibe we would have to be deivered

from superegoic . Aeschyus path, i which courage ad ustice dia-lecticize axiety ad the superego, aows for divisibiity ad elucidates thepossibility of deiverace.

It is ot that we have to eave the beautifu word 'reversa behid.stead, I wat to distiguish two forms of what this word desigates forhe theory of the subject. There is the ative reversa which takes pace axiey ad preteds to cure it both through the terror of restoratiod through its opposite, the mystica stupor. But the there is also theeversal of exie, i which it is from the deegatio ad scissio of the old

THEORY O THE SBECT

aw that stems the iumiatio i the guise of the ew of the tosioificted upo the ea. The evesa of eie evokes the oigia i itsscat eaity whie estoig the ea i justice.

I this egad it is a tota evesa et us make a tabua asa of thepast.

This is ot simpe because it is vai to hope that the pocess o theevesa of eie wi take pace without the stuctua achoage ofthe ative. Ideed it is fom the mateiaistic impasse o the atte that thepactica eistece o the fome poceeds t is oesided to decae the

Of the strands o the knot to know on y theoour

May 23, 977



subject tagic; evetheess tagedy eistsTo sustai eie o as imbaud says i Seasn n He 'to hod o to a

step oce take is what Hdei coud ot bea. Eie fo him evestopped beig the cucifyig mediatio of the etu.

Thee is o othe deitio o couage eie without etu oss ooes ame. But Hdei wats to maitai the omiatio of what isea

d o wode! You ative couty ad soi you ae wakigWhat you seek it is ea ow comes to meet you haway PF 277

caim that we must pass o ovetake ostagia as oe passes o ove-

takes a specia covoy we must eceed the pegat fom o the etuby way of couage.

Sophoces stads fo the etuig quest o the ea i what is emotethe iite patiotism o pue poimity a tuth so itimate that oe hasto die i ode to ucove it i oese

eschyus stads o the emote i the ea eie cosest to oes ski actio achoed i that whose ogic is most fobiddigy oeig to

eveythig that is famiia to us such is the subject o atagoismEve though we have to etuad it is this etu that makes the

subjectthee ca aise a eighteed ovecomig of what o oge

etais ay etu.

68

Notes fo a diagamThe cisis has matuedCasses the StatemassesMa themest t he backboad

wet a bit ast these ast times ode to coute the eigma et useaggeate it. My goa is to daw up a tabe of what we have accompishedBut wi do so by goig though a seies o adom aotatios.

acas tems ad ou ow

We bega i 975 , with the space o the pace of the subjective theoutpace cocetated ito oce ad the doube aticuatio of the twopacemet ad ecess.

We have coupted this eico of oce ad pace with acas tiitayesio symboic ea tuth imagiay That thee makes fou is cea.

'S ubject is commo to both o us ad commoy evaded.eceituy I popose to you the oowig two odeed ists. e they

isomophous ets see.Laca symboic ea imagiay tuth aw sigie kotHee ad esewhee pace oce ideoogy totaityepetitio ideo

ogy 2 to siocoheece State ogic o paces ageba ogic o ocestopoogy.

169

HEORY OF THE SUBJEC

2 We are dealg with the theoy of the subect as such

With the productive ratioaity of the subjecteffects. It is said ether that

a subject requies a (sexuated) idividual as support or that it belogs to

a (social) class. We are oly givig a overview Whece the possbility of

the aforemetioed lexical coruptio.

3. Force ad destructio


What, the, is to be doe? We must aussprechen was ist, 'state the facts,

admt the truth that there is a tedecy, or a opiio, i our Cetral

Committee ad amog the leaders of our Party which favours waiting

for the Cogess of Soviets, ad is opposed to the immediate takig

of power, is opposed to a immediate isurrectio That tedecy, or

piio, must be overcome.

Otherwise, the Bosheviks wi cover themseves with etera shame

ad destroy themselves as a party.

For to miss such a momet ad to 'wait fo the Cogress of Soviets

would be utter idio or sheer treache [ ]



This is oe ad the same cocept, dvided accordg to the structure ad

accordig to the process.

Accordig to the stucture, force remais deed terms of the pace,

as puicato i excess, as toomuchoftherea t cotiues to be

referred to the lack.

Accordg to the process, force is what terrupts the repetitio. t is this

momet of teruptio that makes lack stay ito destucto

Marxist poitics, oe kows this diffeece oly too wel. 'Beig

a force to be eckoed wth meas coutig fo too much-fom the

poit of the adversaryi tems of the tolerabe pace of the opposi

tos. t is a iteiorized epessive detio Now, ths fasciatiowith ack is amost the rule amog 'revolutioay politca pates. They

measure their ow force agaist the quatty of toerabe excess, that

is, agaist the theshod of destuctio. Above all, they do ot wat to

take the place o f beig out of pace f ecessary, they weake o r divide

themselves This tedecy to deploy force oy accordg to the structue

makes the revolutioary impatet, axious to exceed the excess i the

act of iterruptio.

The exempay historica gure of this subjective drama is eis fury

i 9 1 whe the party, Zovev ad Kameev, essentially balk at the

otio of forcig history by way of the isurrectio. They wat to haveothig to do with this art, which s the ame e aps about to

describe the isuecto i the digity of its ucertai power. For them,

the force of the Bosheviks ies i watig; it s a cumuative give.

The essece of politics ideed cosists of waitig. O oe had, this is

nsurmoutabe. But whe Lei says that the isurrectio is a 'art, he

meas precisely that t violates the essece of poitic.

What does ei say? We must read all these texts from the fal of 9 1 7

for example 'The Crisis Has Matued:

170

would be utter idio, or sheer treache [ . . ]

To refra from takig power ow, to 'wait, to iduge i talk i the

Cetra Executive Committee, to coe ourseves to ghtig for the

orga of the Soviet), 'ghtg fo the Cogress, is to doom the revolution

to failure

vew of the fact that the Cetra Committee has een left unan-

swered the pesistet demads have bee makg for such a polcy

ever sice the begiig of the Democratic Coferece, i view of the

fact that the Cetral Oga is deleting from my artices al refereces

t such garig errors o the pat of the Bolsheviks as the shame

ful decisio to particpate i the PrePariamet, the presetatio of

seats to the Mesheviks i the Presidium of the Soviet, etc., etc.-am compelled to egard this as a 'subtle hit of the uwiligess

of the Cetral Committee eve to cosider this questio, a subte

hit that shoud keep my mouth shut, ad as a proposal for me to

retire

am compelled to render my resignation om the Central Commiee,

whch heeby do, reservg for myself the freedom to campaig amog

the rank andle of the Party ad at the Party Cogress

For it is my profoud covictio that if we wait for the Cogress of

Soviets ad et the momet pass ow, we sha ruin the revoutio (SW

41720)

hope that you wl discer the omiatio, almost ubekowst, of

uprecedeted subecteffect. That which spits off hee rejects the

waitig, as a closed gure of force, so as to tp over ito the immediate

destructio of its coditios

This momet of pure torsio-of resigatio as a missio55i which

he cumulative is iverted ito loss, to the squaderig of force, is the

tempora sphix of the subect.

171


Here we see the crossover in a raging vacillation between the lifeless

straightness of what is missing and the vital risk of interruption.

Here the subject awakens to the decision, which is purely its mode of

existence. To decide always amounts to disjoin, in the determinant unity

of the serial lack, the point of destruction. This is why it is extremely rare

that anything whatsoever pertains to a decision

4 The double articulation of force and place


5 Classes the side of the truth

he dominant class derives its position from keeping the splace as is ts

ruth is halfsaid by claiming to be all. t manages the repetition. All

perceived coherence is unsustainable in its eyes.

The revolutionary class denes itself as the subject that sustains the

truth in its division. Based on its political existence which is highly alea-

ory the halfsaying becomes Onesaying according to the torsion from

he point of which the new coherence is put into practice.



Either it is the case that one is the l oss of the other when the excess b eing

destructive cannot be located in its assigned place or else it is the other

way around when by keeping at its place force is squandered in the

wideeyed opening of the superego.

This is Marxs great discovery especially during the Paris Commune:

f you look at the last chapter of my Eighteenth Brumaire, you will nd

that declare that the next attempt of the French Revolution will be no

longer as before to transfer the bureaucratic military machine from

one hand to another but to smash it and this is the preliminary condi-

tion for every real peoples revolution on the Continent. And this is

what our heroi c Party comrades in P aris are attempting56

It is a question of destruction as a tendency of heroismsubjective

quality if ever there was oneso as to give rise to the popular dimension

of the insurrection

Marx theorizes the link between destruction and the 'really popular

extent of the historical phenomenon in question The being of the

working class may very well appear as subject as it did in June 1848,

in the defensive mute tragic aspect of anxiety. But the interest of the

people as a whole for its part lies in the general interruption of the series

of the place that is in the destruction of the intimate mechanism of the

State

The more the revolution is capable of being radical a nd not stuck in the

bloody outburst governed by the anxiety of repression and the superego of

teror the more it participates in the courageous tipping of the scales into

destruction and the just audacity of recomposition and the more it turns

out to be the act of a people of which the proletariat only names the One

as the One of politics.

172

The Marxist analysis in terms of class is isomorphous with the Lacaniananalysis in terms of truth Both cases require torsion since the truth

annot be said all (Lacan) and there is no truth that is above class

Marxism) hence it cannot in effect be said all.

This means that it must be said notall. That is it must be said in the

guise of the subject: hysteric for the one revolutionary for the other.

Proletariat is the political name of th truth that is notall

6 State and masses the side of the law

The State is the violent core of the laws commandment ts specic effectles in the annulment of the antagonistic subjective force.

The masses by making history (good as much as bad) can be registered

on the side of the nonlaw They are the only antistate force which is their

ery denition.

The masses can irrupt onto the stage of history only in a destructive

excess over and above the State. This is their communist invariance. They

may also in their identity as substance dictate the thickest and even the

most abject statist consensus. But this is their placed being thei forced

being Their beinginforce falls under the law of nonlaw.

We call 'masses the historical interruption as such the real of the cut.

7. Four mathemes

Our algebra is composed of L (the locus or place) F (force) P (place) T

truth) (lack) and d (destruction). The sign = marks a differential time;

he sign � an integral process is the fork of the excess over the bar of

the placement.

173

THEOR OF THE SUBJECT

I have aready wrien ou for you he ahees of anxiey and he

superego:

Aiey:

uperego:

F PT

L + d

ACK AND DESTRUCTION

DSTRUTONf h hr ht f h lw tht h

th w my th my i

lw w w w � Stt m



L + d

P �

Courage i he derucive ippig of he cae i which he ruh iuaied i i diviio

uice recopoe he pace u de he ark of a aw which heceforhi ackig i ha which aache ief o i. iuiae ad cooidae

he diviio o he pace:

SF- P �-

Y+ 1

hee fou ahee coiue he effecoheubjec.

2

e e recapiuae his for you i space (see diagra beow)

Regardig he doube divisio which deeries he subjec effec,

i woud be fair o say ha Laca has ehausivey aed oy oe

haf.o he rs divisio, he horizoa oe i he abe, correspods he

diaecic of aw ad ruh, whose correae woud be ha of he Sae ad

cass. Freud aed i

The secod verica divide receives o aayica ae I passes

bewee he oe of he aw ad is divisio, bewee he Sae ad he

17

"

�v< F P F P S Cr

Ath +

SUPEREGO� JUSTICE

ANY� COURAGE

Atig F P T F P S + dOt

( [th uuiblwhl] [trth tid i it diii] < " � . dmit cl rliry cl

th frc f th lc th lc l f th frc

FOR

ae bewee he wo aagoiic cae. Mar ha aed i. iough hi diviio ha hioriciy circuae

A a reu of he ko of hi doube piig a ko which o far weow oy by he coour of i rad here are four fudaea cop of he heory of he ubec.

Thi ehau he criica power of our agebra. We kow wha uder efec of h ua ed derucio ecap e Laca i he deeriaio

75

THEORY OF THE SBECT

of h subc Bu w do no kow wh i is in courg h rrocson h uvoidb niy nor wh i is in jusic h rsos i hprscripion of h suprgo nor ny how h rcomposiios, whhrhy r rrorizing or dissolving ricul hmsvs ono h inrrup-ions ohr hn in h fs mpiricl vidc o succssion

h mhm of h four mhms ds our currn impss onsur is mrilis gurn will rquir vs dour From h lr,w pc frmwork wih which o lucid ou r sigulr livs d hr h imbus hm s wll s h isc of poiics d h hisoryh is plod in hm

AR IVA Mqter ia ist Reversal of Materia ism



h is plod in hmA ll ims i is from n hics h cio gis prmoniion of is risk

d is succss. From h widsprd convicion h cion is impossiblh mos rvgig dsubcivizios r born.

Wh c w pc rom hory o h subc, if no o shd somligh o h mysry o dcision

he bak sheep of materal ism

November 7, 1977



he subject o traditioFa guessTo deed Marxs is to deeda eakessO ideast doatioFro God to deaguistery

What s a subject i poitics For good reasos ths questio toretss eorabe etists ad etists o short eory We carry this obscurequestio aost thout koig it to a poit o eve greater obscurityinto the cass o actory orkers ad its obtuse history But ca this queso be ateriast Ca it be Marxist

Woud it be a atter o addg a coveiet psychoogy to daecticamaterais i the ay Potzer ated to the poit o suppressg itsein the process say ay tes o It is ot the case th at Marxis havigccupied tseet us suppose geera satsactoriyith casses ad e tate th hstory ad th poitics oud have et bak the suspi-ous doai o the idvidua the ury o sex or he eoto o oveeavg the or other cooks o the cocept

t has ever ed to aythg or it ever ead to aythg to iageat there is soe ack to i Marxis soe regoa discipe toich its poers ought to be extededa psychoogy or exape hicheope have prided theseves or dreag up o the Russia sde the hep o a e caies bessed ith educatioa sava.

Our questo hich is uch ore radica does ot take the gure o aegio o the cocept We ask 'What akes a subject ad it is the best

79

THERY F THE SUBJECT

constituted domains of the tradtionclass action and ts partywhere

hi queion eonae mo abupy.Besdes, this tradition does not fail to shelter our problem. Perhaps

it even gives it too much sheter. It is an entirely orthodox distnc

tion to oppose the 'classin-itself, whch is the pure existence of the

worker collective, and the 'classor-itself, subjectivey consttuted in its

evoluionay goal.It remains to be seen whether this Hegelian arrangement is

illuminaing.The track that les open before us consists n the notion that the organ-

A MATERIALIST REVRSAL F MATRALISM

econciliaion of ief eihe wih he eal o wih ielf. acan i oucuen eache wih egad o hi majo pecauion

2

Wha i all he fu abou dung hi fal of 977 The depai oveioy he idioyncaic aehecim he ae fo pecal conucione convicion ha he monou gue of he Sae loom ove andene ou deiny and ha Ween aionaly o f whch Maxim would



p

zational phenomena of politics depend, n any historcal process, on the

ubjecive. They ae i maeThis argument nds echoes throughout 1 50 years of hstory in the hair-

splitting debates over the question of who are the agents of history: The

classes? The masses in revolt? The S tate? The revolutonary leaders? Who

then makes history as subject? Who is the subject of the verb 'to make?

Mao on this topic irts wth theoogy: 'The people, and the people

alone, are the motve force of world hstory' (SW III, 207) .

The people hee occupy a ancenden ubjecive poiion.eninism certanly has marked a major stage in the ocusng of Marxsm

on subective acton. Here the theory o organzation as practcal subjectdominae he ca analyi.

With Marx, we rather have a theory o the self, a critque of the usions

of consciousness. Class positions are expained as part o ideoogca appa

ratuses that are not far from evoking the functon o the maginary n the

ideal edicaton of this self that for every subect constitutes ts Whole.

There is aso the recurrent debate about the roe of the indivdual n

hstory. Related avatars are Khrushchevs thesis on the 'cut o personal-

ty to conure the phantom o S talin, and Lin Biaos Icaric fal when in

light o the 'theory of genius he tried to project Mao into the inactive

heaven of poleaan uddha .You ee he dipaae naue of h legacyIn any case exclude al attempts to put the subject back into the

saddle as simple centre, as pont of orign, as consttutive of experience

The theory of the subect is diametrically opposed to a elucidating

anpaency. Immediacy and elfpeence ae ideai abue fo whais introduced only with the aim of re nking the dialectical division.

Concenang he dialeciciy of he ea\ he ubjecpoce een-ially ouche upon cion The ubjec doe no ovecome elf in any

180

y y

nly be he moden oucome caugh up in hi deniion. The medacho he new ha wih he Gulag and he Vienamee boa peope wiho Po and he Sove amada we would nally have wha ake o pun ed o he abomnaion of Maxim.

The ehic behnd hi end i divided beween a moal of igh (oefend he ife of he indvidual again he deadly abacon of he Saend a poiic of he lee evil (o defend Ween paliamen again healiaianim of he a The communi ambiion i judged cimial fo pefeing ma poic ove humani and uidica negoiainggain ideoogical violence we hea pea o he ubbon eguaiy

f iniuion nofa a hey would eec a bulwak aound he nulaoncience.

The adca ocia Alan aleady poke of 'he cien agan heowe ha be. Thi Fench modey now make a comeback in anniMaxi dabe eved up by a key chaace he lef enegadee epenan Maoi whoe ae pichke ha of a whole geneaionf ' Salini ineecua aeady in he 95 0i ha nobody wll cachhem edhanded again.

Hand ove educaion o hoe who go ied o anagonim o all hoeho afe oining hei fae o ha of he woke have ince hen comeack o he pecbed place a nellecual and you will make he whf ae uncionaie come ue by keeping hough fo he nex wocade wihin he naow conne of he uual coue of affai I wille eveyone fo him o heef nobody will peend o peak fo anyonehaoeve.

Thi i he ue oad owad he wo. When one abdicae univeal - y one obain univeal hoo.

Wih egad o hi medioce challenge I ee wo aiude among heffeen people I know o defend oneel o o change oneelf.

181

HEORY OF HE SUBJE

Deending Maism and poliics leads only o deaness Do you eally

believe ha ou aniMaiss could sceam oul pay and announce ou

debacle i we wee able o deend ouselves vicoiously? I claim ha

devoid o al novely he aniMais popaganda o he epened and he

ealigned o he champions o human ighs and he amaeus o Helveian

peace o mind only has he eeciveness o ou own weakness

Yes le us admi i wihou deous Maism is in cisis Maism is

aomied. Pas he impulse and ceaive scission o he 960s, ae he

naional libeaion suggles and he culual evoluion wha we inhei

in imes o cisis and he imminen hea o wa is a naow and ag-

A MATERIALIST REVERSAL OF MATERALISM

he Communiss do no om a sepaae pay opposed o ohe

wokingclass paies

hey have no ineess sepaae and apa om hose o he pole

aia as a whoe.

hey do no se up any secaian pinciples o hei own by which o

shape and moud he poleaian movemen

he Communiss ae disinguished om he ohe wokingcass

paies by his only 1 . n he naiona suggles o he poeaians o he

dieen counies hey poin ou and bing o he on he common



menay assemblage o hough and acion caugh in a labyinh o uinsand suvivals ha which we name Maoism is ess a nal esul han a

ask a hisoical guideline. I is a quesion o hinking and pacising pos-

eninism. o measue he od o claiy he desucion o ecompose

poliics om he scaciy o is independen anchoing and al his whie

hisoy coninues o un is couse unde he dakes o bannes.

o deend Maism oday means o deend a weakness We mus pacte

Maism

Whence he paadoica saemen ha I woud popose o you Even

hough i is eviden ha ou aniMaiss have i in above al o he

dialecic i is maeialism ha we mus ound anew wih he enovaedasenal o ou menal powes.

we wee o le go o ou gip limiing ouselvesas we did duing

he miian yeaso posiing ha he movemen is eveyhing and ha

i divides ise ino wo while he aniMai ss demand a eun o ighs

and laws wohy o heologians we would emain wih ou backs agains

he wal bind o ouselves and o ou ime

ue i i s no by chance ha he pey aacks o he ikes o Gucksmann

and ohes ae aimed a Hegel and a he ole o Reason in hisoy. he

supeme age is he dialecic

ike he used acicians o ancien China we gan he advesay hese

abup changes o eain ha un hei avaging lighs ino cavalies o

windmills

We demand o matealm ha i include wha we need and which

Maism even wihou knowing i has always made ino is guiding

head a heoy o he subjec

he inaugual e was iled The Cmmunt Manfet Wha wee hese

communiss in 1 848, i no he new subec abou whom he ounding

ahes said:

182

neess o he enie poeaia independenly o a naionaliy 2. Inhe vaious sages o developmen which he suggle o he woking

class agains he bougeoisie has o pass hough hey always and

eveywhee epesen he ineess o he movemen as a whole.

he Communiss heeoe ae on he one hand pacically he

mos advanced and esoue secion o he wokingclass paies o evey

couny ha secion which pushes owad all ohes on he ohe

hand heoeicay hey have ove he gea mass o he poeaia he

advanage o clealy undesanding he line o mach he condiions

and he uimae genea esus o he poleaian movemen SW I

1 1 920 ans modied

Communiss hey ae in he movemen o hisoy he poliica

ubjecha is he poin om which we mus sa again.

3

e maeiais hesis is no impe. is even less simple appeaances

wihsanding han he dialecical hesis

Maiss have always posied ha eve since is Geek oigin he con-

adicion ha denes philosophy is he one ha opposes maeialism anddealism his is he aiom o he bale o he ceks

he philosophes spli ino wo gea camps. hose who asseed he

pimacy o spii o naue and heeoe in he as insance assumed

wod ceaion in some om o ohe [ ] compised he camp o ideal-

ism he ohes w ho egaded naue as pimay beong o he vaious

schools o maeiaism Engels Ludwg Feuebach and the End f Clacal

German Phlphy, SW 346)

83

TEOR OF TE SUBJECT

Wha s he soce of hs sca nvaance accodng o whch ph-losophy seems o sage a skelea bae on whehe A pecedes B o B A?

Wha sppos hs n he ea s ha he ng classes ae nvaabypone o clam ha hogh pecedes beng (nae). All hs s ahecos s no? And Enges a boom does no eplan hmself fheon he opc.

e s gve wo povsoy moves fo hs deas complsonA ng cass s he gadan of he place he oblgaoy fnconay of

he splace. s am boh volen and hdden s o gaanee epeon andpohb he polca sbec hogh he bockage of nepon.

A MATERIALIST REVERSAL OF MATERIALISM

olcs only as he ange eqed fo s access o h e ea Namng as does hogh popa voence he ne ed o mease he sages eachedh egad o he esopon of he hee gea dffeences (hence of sdens engaged n he pocess of podcon ces sopped fom gowng sma ndsaaon of popa commnes he wokes echncannovaon ec ) he Chnese Cal Revolon deseves n n o benamed he s commns evoon n hsoy.

Whaeve fas keeps s name. If no wha eacy s ha faed?Fo hose casses of whch commnsm s he spece s mpoan o

onsoldae he dsncons Abe n a vaey of fomas whose een-



To le means t nteupt nteuptn n he langage of he pocs of he Sae hs s ca ed 'esong ode.

Ode s wha s eesablshed whle keepng sen abo wha esabshes. ke he sbec denes ode decaes ha comes n he secondplace.

The consevave pose eqes ha he aw be named as ndvsbe can only be nesabshed b neve dvded Fom sbveson o con-spacy hogh desabaon he Saes lecon s epee wh wodso efe o he nesablshmen of he law b no a sngle one o names dvson.

The ndvsby of he law of he place eceps fom he ea Tolnk p hs ecepon n he doman of heoy amons o spanghe adcal aneoy of he e whch n fac s dened esabshed)ony eoacvey hogh he oson n whch s coheence appeas asdsoned fom he new coheence.

The poson of hs anecedence s elaboaed n phlosophy as dealsmI s necessay o gond he place of he epeve sees n he absole.

Ideasm s he nomna paosa of he space as sch Plao as behovesa fonde desgnaes as tps

dealsm necessay domnaes beng he oblgaoy angage ofconsevaon.

On he ohe hand s e ha o hs vey day evey lng class on sown accon has kep n pace he soca dvson of labo. Cng ansvesaly acoss cass conlcs we nd hese gea menaan scanvaans hese hee gea dffeencescy and conysde ndsyand agcle nelleca and manalwhose abolshmen s he veyam of commnsm.

s n hs sense ha commnsm s concee. Speced wh eacnessby he mos enacos socal dffeenaons akes p he qeson of

184

yon s almos devod of common mease hey al monopoe neec-al labo and sysemae s 'speoy ove s mana conepa.

We wl ecogne ha deasm s ansve o hs soca aom. In henal anayss sbodnaes nae o he concep mch ke he speca-d woke of he assemby ne s sbodnaed o he engnee o hesave ha anmaed oo o hs mahemacan mase

Do no hnk ha he vgay of hs agmen s an obsace o sh

n he handbooks of phosophy yo w see ha ke he ephe of awob Home he adecve vga amos nvaably aaches self o

e non maeasm'. We yes Thee s somehng val abo eadnghe abjec sece of a speclave pemanence n he denses of socalheaches. B ha s how s.

Whence he maeasm of he bogeos evoonaes of he eghenh cenyagans he cecafeda esablshmenand ha ofhe poeaans of he nneeenhagans he baons of nance capalonveed o spasm

Ths oo wh he onse of he old age of consevasm one easyoges he ascbe maeasm of ones poca yoh The same oneswho feased on pess and academcs end p sbsdng he msson of

e go od fahes n Afca o dsbng o he Cena Commee hecons of a 'Sove hmansm hogh whch we can easy glmpse hewelheeed dachas and he back Mecedes

Maeasm f s no a dead dog aess whn he concep o he p-g emegence of foce. I s an assa phlosophy. Wh s dssovng

185


ppose and simpliyin coae i makes he sse o he symbol shine

a he ahes emove insced as i is by an ooplace

Maeialism sands in inenal division o is aes is no inexac o

see in i a pile o polemical scon Is inenal makep is neve pacied

Maeialism mos oen dsguss he sble mindhe hisoy o maeialism nds he pinciple o is peiodiaion in is

advesay. Makin a sysem o o nohin el se han wha i seeks o bin

down and desoy ped p in laen s o ae his aim is baely philo-

sophical ives colo in oen babaos inlecions o he impaience

o descion.


he podc o all his is a specic idealism cened on Man and no

e on God Consciosness as he ocal poin o expeience he sbjec

as aanee o h moaliy as aempoal omalism his aveae

anianism lass on a massive scale o his vey day.

he second e o maeialism is hs made o o he assal aains

umanism and especially aains he pey Kanian eaches o he

ivesiy.

hey pshed hei pawns vey a hose pawns o he anscendenal

a he way ino he anks o he new poliics as we can see in he eninis

aibe ha is called Maeralsm and Empr-rsm.



he s maeialism o o ea ha o he isin boeoisieha o

he eiheenh cenyexiss only wih eeence o eliion which i

poposes in a violen and even epnan manne (wha moe medioce

able han Volaies The Mad f Orleans he vesicaion o hose sodid

ba soies whee one looks avidly ndeneah he ock o he villae

pies) o abolish immediaely his maeialism hoh i ees o he

clockwok science o he wold, calclaedly close o Newons mechan-

ics seeks o oanie as qickly as possible a sinle diecive Csh he

inamy!

Howeve his ime o oensive sbjeciviaion podces no sabiliy

We see his as ealy as in he Fench Revolion when he aniChisianexcess o he povisoy allies he plebeians o he ciies is boken by

Hbes execion on he lloine wheeas he eeneaion o spii-

alism o he ea idealis sysems connoes he possibiliy o a nivesal

concoda. oeois seclaism esablished hoh he Sae will

someimes be anicleical neve maeialis

e his be eoacive poo o he ac ha maeialism oanies he

assal no he akeove he pisin no he epession

he boeoisie aken o be he adian o he moden place ms

obey hee condiions once he old eime is ovehown and he pah is

open o is woldwide le

186

oleae his minimal pa o maeialism ha is adeqae o he

aionalied lio o he podcive oces as accedied by science

eoanie idealism which makes a symbol and a le o o he

sbodinaion o he mana o he inellecal in he hieachical

division o labo;

ssain in philosophy he jidical and moal ode ha names he

pescipion o he places and assins he epeiions.

he bale in he backond o he second maeialism o which he

oeisie is aleady no lone he beae comes down o akin sid es

ih Heel aains Kan.

Ask yosel in pain i evey maeialism is no he sfenng o an

d idealism.

Whee did he maeialiss o he eiheenh ceny e hei spela

achines i no om Descaes? And enin bins Heelian immanence

t bea aains he anscendenal And we aains Alhsses pocess

iho sbec invoke acan

A new e o maeialism annonces isel in a division o idealism.

s sbjecive mainspin is wha inodces he beakhe second maeialism ae ha o ieliion will be hisoical becase

s ask is no lone o ndo God b o ndo Man Na ewhich is wha

e opp osed o ace and miaclesceases o ncion as eeen. akin

place is he hisoical becomin o he wold in which he class posiion

uns o o divide hmankind and hee is no one simple em capable

ncinin as he cene o eihe expeience o h.

Whence is name hisoical maeialism and is sname dialecical

aeialism wih he second elevain ino enealiy ha which he s

uaanees in is empoal pecaiosness and is divided bein.

Ye oday do no see how anihmanism cold be he paiclaak o Maxism. Fom he 1 960s onwad i was nivesally held ha we

ad o be done wih Man and sch was he ask o Focal and acan

well as o Alhsse

Does his aomaically mean ha we ene ha ophanae o bein

a ives maeialisms hei shele o chamless h Fa om i All

ihmaniss o he peiod held on o a consien ncion in he las

alysis namely ha o discose.

anae is ha o whch expeience is he eec and is om ha

187

THEORY O THE SUBdECT

whch mae h peech pobe ha Ma deve he powe o o exThee you have he axom o all ou be he

hee ae hee maealm o he excelle eao ha hee aehee dealm elou dealm huma dealm ad hehe uo h hocal culdeac whch mpeam ca la ay o a-uh modeyluc dealm

'uc hee mpoe el oa a 'he ucue ca be ecoed a poduc a I ay lauae ou o lalangue'

auae ucue uch he coue aeme whch we houldo coue wh h o ha aeme he cec dcple amed

A MATERIALIST REVERSAL O MATERIALISM

A or poiin ha i deire (communim) i reciprocaable o he aw he dicaorhip o he prolearia) h erein lie he whoe roe o eniu Marxim wih he pary bein he enimaic ubjec uppor o hi ecpocy

Thi docrina proximiy orbid u he oohin vulariy o yeer-ear maerialim. We ay and we hin ha i ivularyideali o i ha lanuae precede he word. True ! Bu he reered hei (ha he word precede anuae) reveal or wha i a ae an enormou eae.

Neiher God nor Man in mode ideaim ha he i hi b



luc o bee ye he oe amedby acaluey.ve o o he exe ha cam o expad a he way o he he

he wold dcoue h aume coempoay phoophy wouddeeve o be ebaped dealuey

oday dealuey ha he maeal aaul mae o caue

I exacy o h eao ha he eece o acve maealm by aCopeca veo demad he poo o a heoy o he ubjecwhch pevouly had he uco o oeco.

A wo whe educe e o he decpo o va dcuve

couao ha chaacee he ee meal ad paccal poceo a ea deauey exclude ay ubjec Th he he whchI wll call x o Foucaul ha Cuve o he achve who wh omebooh boe examed wh eu ve you he ee booauuo a ceuy.

A aowe he ubjec ha dealuey oleae ayhbu mple cee alucd ocal po, acedeal dpoo I aqueo o a deceed ubjec a ubjuaed ubjec whoe ecpe helaw eveal el o be ecpocaable o dee.

A uch h ubjec cloe o u ae all due o he modey o heeec ha al

Ioa a we ecoe a pocal ubjec a cla aco he laeoo wl be eveely boud o he dace o el pecbed o by heom o he pcpal coadco. The wo ca oeve uableo eob he co whch ve be bewee ocal mmedacyad polcal pojec. O uch a polcal ubjecally eced o heaco o pacehode he pay body made o a opaque ad mlpleoulwe wll eve ay ha coue hoy o eve ha maehoy

188

uncion o heanizer o bein. he coniuen uncion o lanuae which ex cenreevery ubjec eec deacivae he maeriali operaor o he inverion he inverion in he ene in which Marx poe o puin Hee bac h ee

To claim by a 'maeriali inverion o o rom he real o he ubjec ean o al hor o mode dialecical criicim which eparae he wo emubjec ad eao ha a hd, he ymbolc o dcoue, come in o opeae a a odal po whou o h eao becom a cee9

aed om he pah o a mple veo ad ummoed o hold oo he co whch he ubjec o dealuey come o be a a

eec o he cha we Max d ouelve o he de oad o a poedue o deucoecompoo

To pece houh he adveay le o deece eque h heavyamod whoe doazed head bea ou ubjecve embem

Tha a cocepual back heepa maealm ceed upo a heoy he ubjec equaly eceay o ou mo pe pocal eed,whch volve daw up a balace hee ead he queo o heay, o doub pove omeh.

u wha

189

The ind issolub e sat of truth

Noveme 21, 977

A MATERIAIST REVERSA O MATERIAISM

ee he inelligble repond o he enible. For he Chan henie and he ne ae a ncommenuable a he Ceaor and ceaue Two egon of beng whoe redupcaon p every One caughi he nie So fo human made up of a oul and a body o forioe anyhngwhaoever made up of a form and a maer.

The ey concep of a egiou ideam alway operae a he juncureof wo regon of beng whehe i (Plaoni) paricpaion (ewh)eaon o (Chian) incanaion.

Shall we ay ha for acan h daleccal exremy can be found ine no or o be more prece n he ng fthe knt Tha how i would

h d h l



Thei of he One hei of he TwoAm I anianThe womeaphor (eflecon and aympoe)Ang fogvene for he ducbThe Same excep fo i emainderThe pay a he hrehold

The axom of cong

Under he name maerialm we undeand wo pefecly conradicoryhee. One ae ha hee i he One he oher ha he One precedehe Oher and hu ha here i he Two.

'There i he One i he moni hei abou being fo which maer inrealiy i ony he igner vey maeiam poi he pmive unicyof beng wh he mplicaion ha inmae coniuon requre onlyone name Maer hi name.

only he nondevabe naue of he Oneofbeing ha i deig

naed by h ignier of mae. One can illua e h nomnai ng powerwih a variey of cenic conideaion o mae i eem aacve andconvincing ma elecron aom enegy wave vaou paricle ando on

Thu if you wan o name he name of he One you inanly obain hemulple. Thi ha alway been how negaive heologan objeced againany one predicae for God

Maerali aheology i neceary negave.Theologcal dealim i founded on he rm gap of he Two. For he

90

em The no doe no coniue conency exi in he elemenf he cod n he conen cord.

n h exence of he no I ee a funcion of uncue Becaue i hough ancendence whin mmanence (exence whn conency) ha we ecogne he operao of he connecion by which alldealimand dealnguery canno be an excepondeduce he unyo ha of which po he gap of being. You can verify h fo pacipa-ion ceaon and incarnaon. I will peronaly handle he no.

A for maerialim you wll ee ha aher a queion of beanghe uniy of nominaon wh whch bloc beng. Tha doe no mae

e a any eaie or clearerAnd human idealim you wi a nce we umped abenmindedly

om San Paul o acan I purpoe o mae a ubjec ou of anonologca egon. To he conuen ubjec o concoune o heoief oppoe he lux of epreenaon he objec he nief.Simlarly via he concep ne bruh ace he border of experienceoo a all hoe anan execie maed by a baneful obcuriy hae fo nowedge chemam (aw of he apped magnaion by whichenible beng ener no he eld of he ancendena ubjec) and fooral epec (law of enbliy in oder o move excluively accodng

o he inelgble).I can ee ha here ae ome of you who hn ha nce 1 9 5 whplace and ouplace o wh place and force go off he wrong foo inrm of maeralm. They lie n wa fo me a he juncure and hey ahemeve whehe I do no call ubec he effec of he border wheean and oher ge hemelve ino ouble

You hould noe ha aready hi would be beer han o mae ne ofhe erm ino he ubjec. And moreover I coud invoe ou anceorfor uppo. Indeed wha i ha pary abou which auy paied high

9



THEOR OF THE SUBdECT

eginning in 196 we efleced he fac ha he PC had abandonedall class objecives and we named he image evisi onism. The adequaionof he concep wih he hinghe hesis of ideniyamouned o ighlycoveing he poliical pacices o his pay mos noably is lagan adeunionis couneevoluion of Mayune 196 unde an ideologicalblanke he evision of Maxism We dew gea hopes fom his opeaion of decipheing since all docinal evisions ae weak and moalbeing only he decomposing of ha which had he powe of he univesalon is side We wee hus able o imagine ha he immediae elay by heue Maxism and he ue masses was eseved fo us in ems of he

evoluionay ideology of Class Fom hee i was only a sep o suppose

A MATERIALIST REVERSAL OF MATERIALISM

eniy while ha of he asympoe uns his ideniy ino a his-ical pocess exceeding iself by he concepual insubodinaion of ismainde.

Maeialism opeaes as he unifying scission of a sucue of eduplicao and a n effec of appoximaion. posis he Same plus is emainde.

To say ha maeialism is dialecical is an undesaemen. is enielyavesed y he dialeciciy of he dialecic i s double occuence as suc-ue and as hisoy

popose o name algeba he s ype of dialeciciy of maeialismunde he meaphoical law of he eecion as logic of he hesis ofeiy) and opology he second meapho of he asympoe logic of



evoluionay ideology of Class. Fom hee i was only a sep o supposeha we wee he lae oganies in he sho em ecause beweenhe bougeoisie and he woking class ideologues of he PC (hei evi-sionis sevans) on one hand and he evol and is Maois bapism onhe ohe wha moe could hee be han beween an egglaying bid anda vivipaous mammal ha is o say nohing

Wha lay in beween was pecisely he duckbill of class ha is he newbougeoisie he monopolis and sae bueaucaic bougeoisie of whichevisionism is only he ansioy ideological poducion and whose hisoical ise o powe anchoed in he impei al powe of he Sovie Union

s only jus beginning. hus became necessay o measue he endenial gap beween ousideologicalconcep and he poliical eal To measue i we s houldadd in he expeimen of a weakness which bough us back o hepimacy of poliical pacice ove he aangemens of hough

om he elecion of hisoy by conlicively asking fogiveness fomhe duckbill of he common pogamme we had o ansi ino heasympoe of a subbon poliical duaion.

Vey few have wihsood his expeience which consiss in avesinghe meaphoical division of maeialism To ask fo fogiveness fom heduckbill fo he vas majoiy epesened he damaic choice beweenduckbilling hemselves o else shouldeing he old fu hunes ifle

isoy is he ne sif of goss appoximaions. Tha is is maeialismand is auseiy.

Relecion seves as a meapho of he fac ha hinking and being aeone and he same hing. To his Engels addsvia he asympoeha iis he same hing exep fr mehing somehing o which he pocess ofknowledge efes endlessly as i remainder.

n he ode of he sucue he meapho of eflecion posis he

196

eiy) and opology he second meapho of he asympoe logic ofe hesis of pimacy causaliy of he emainde)

aeialism dialecicies he meaphos of elecion and of he asympoeus piing he whole in he excepion of is emainde. acan beasiness o his as egads he division in which he subjec comes inoec. I leave i up o you caefully o gloss his ex

The jubilan assumpion of his specula image by he kind of beingsillapped in his moo impoence and nusling dependencehe lileman is a he infan sage hus seems o me o manifes in an exemplaysiuaion he symbolic maix in which he is pecipiaed in a pimodial fom [ . .

u he impoan poin is ha his fom siuaes he agency knownas he ego pio o is social deeminaion in a cional diecion hawill foeve emain ieducible fo any single individual o ahe hawill only asympoically appoach he subjecs becomng no maehow successful he dialecical synheses by which he mus esolve as

his discodance wih his own ealiy. (E 769)

Specula and asympoic juncon ha says quie a lo. The dialecial success of he ha is is idenicaoy esoluion is elaive o heympoe of which he imaginay of he ego names he limielecion.

Te ego is a gue fo he of ha unpoducive whole of which heal unicaions ealie he povisoy coheence

euds maeialism nds is foohold in he scission of he ego and he d i is o he la e esiuion ha acan fom he sa devoes himself

197



THEORY O TH SBJECT

that, fo Lacan, the object-emainde of knowledge, whch i not the

othe-object of the known, the caue only of the ubject.

A fo me, dvidng the theoy of the emande which, once again,

i only the Maxit junctue of the election and the aymptote, I wi

post that it is equaly on the side of the rea that we must designate the

unknown caue of knowledge.

To educe the latte to the caue of the ubject put u in the whole

frame of idealinguistery

We will therefore give preference to the axiom of the crossng, in whch

the subject does not appear: the knowing makes a knot out of a rea-

f h ht t the real (within whch there is adequationrelection)

Answeing-to the Sphnx-demands fom thesu bject not to have to an swe-fo the Sph nx

December 4 977



t j t t pp ttion of thought to the real (within whch there is adequati t )

and the becomngknowable of the reaL putting the two terms vi s-a-vis

one another, from whence the limit of the rst reation comes to be

determned as t s condtionremainder (i ts purely asymptotic value) .

The exhauston of a ed of knowedge presupposes the inexhauston of

that which, in the real and in hstory, supports its exstence as One.

00

Thee ext no unknowableOediu the hinx th e edetalheationa in a oition of the ubject fo whoe numbe and fo

Pythagoahe Cut ual Revoution in the ame oition fo theOctobe Revoution and enn

o the doctine of the emainde though which the two cognitive meta-ho of election and aymtote ae ut into tenion not antian.

oit that thee exit no ntinic unknowable To eak wth Maoclaity We will come to know eveything that we did not know befoeW IV 37 tan. modied.

xcet to add that what we did not know befoe wa detemined a aemande of what ha come to be known at the coove between theamee movement though which the eal aea a a obem and theetoacton named knowedge which ovde the oluton.

It i not by chance that Oedu anwe the hinx at the cooad.Howeve if he know how to anwe the quetion What i Oediu

e mut leave a a (dead emande the quetion of th queton Who hinx having made Oedumannto h obem

et u not foget that the hinx in fact a hnge. Kant thnginitelf woud athe be the edeta on to of whch the

hnge eched. No one wil eve detan the quetion fo which thio the anwe.

01

HEORY O THE SUBJECT

u I hold ha he sphinx is nameable one he quesioning limi fom

whee Oedpuss answe povisoily appeaed o be we adaped hough

a oed even omes ino he ligh of hsoy

As a eleion of he quesion hs answe was igh o n age wee i

no he asympoe of an omied eal ha of he sphinge whom Oedipus

by killing he aused o fall ino he anonymiy of he emande ha is

he pie o pay fo a exaness

When maeialism pus ino quesion 'man ha obsue poblem fo

whih Oedipus saes he lea souion i esusiaes he sphnge and

uns he fom quesione ha she was no he heme of is quesioning

The emainde is hus wha peiodes knowledge affeng al umula

A MATERALIST REVERSAL OF MATERIALISM

ihin his domain a geomeia elaion ha of he diagona of hequae o is side an be measued neihe by a whole numbe no by aaonal numbe

is eviden only o us ha his demonsaive even opens a isisoding o he law of he plae o whh he demonsaion onfomsee foows only one hing ha he elaion of he diagonal of he squae he side is no a numbe

Ae all my basoo is no a numbe no is he iumfeene of saidasoo whih is ound in elaion o is diamee

f hee is a sis i s insofa as i beomes a pobem o make a numbe

ofan undenumeable. This is wha we ae invied o do in he phlosophi-



T e p g g

ive and linea hope of pogess wh an index of nulliy

Thee is no unknowable even hough a knowledge demands is

posiionThe eal of knowledge is a all imes ha whih is impossible o know

u ha is peisely wha asympoally xaes he fuue of he ele-

ion his impossibe heefoe will be known all he whie being paed

in he posiion of possibiiy (of eleion) by he new addon in is eld

2

Pyhagoean mahemas posis ha he ounabe o denumeabes made up of whole numbes o of elaions among whoe numbesThis is a pesipion wh egad o he possble Whaeve woud fallouside of hese assgnaions denes he mpossible pope o numbe heundenumeable

ha ony whoe numbes and hei elaions he 0goY, whih lae wibe alled aional numbes oun as 'numbes is no you will admi aninamahemaal esul Rahe he whoe ed of Pyhagoean mah

emais is pesibed by his laen deisonwhh peisely s no a d esion bu ahe he unknown eal movemen hough whih mahemaialpobems pobems of numbes whole o aona ome o exis

You hus oban a onsuive emande of he ed in whih he mah-emaa l knowedge of he ea opeaes his emainde is he undenume-able posied as inexisen aodng o he nom of he denumeabe

nowedge means eeion as fa as numbe goes and asympoe asonens he nexisen ha is pope o i

ee one sipulaes by way of an answeeleion o a poblem ha

22

f de me e p pa imagnay of he Pyhagoeans who wan a a os ha beinghus Wholebe made ou of numbes

he episemologia fable a issue hee seves o daw up a able of heamous aanian insanes I is vey simple he symboi in ou asesis as law ha he denumeable be omposed of whoe numbes Wiha you have wha akes o oun and ombine all ha is he pho-phial maginay gues he oaliy of he wod aoding o wha law spulaes as he ule of mahemaial wods I saes eing ismbe he eal is he impossibe ha is he esisane of he undenu-

eable of ha which is no a naual numbe he subje pesens a hen of he imaginays deieny he numeable o he undenumeable akes effe as he mahemaiians dese o numbe he undenumeabe o legae he mpossible

A his poin you mus foe he aw of he plae whih pesibes noae whasoeve fo suh a 'numbe

is a mae of naming he emainde wihn he eld by whih is lak susained

ohe wods i is a mae of makng a eleion ou of an asympoigmen

When wh Eudoxus Geek mahemais engaged in he geomeiali-aon of he denumeable esablishes in is heoy of popoons a as-iiaoy aangemen ha inludes he aiona 'numbes i foes hepossible i symbolies he ea

As suh you have desoyed he pevious sysem of eleion hough injeion n exess ove he pae of is asympoi emainde Theld of he denumeable is enaged A new lega sysem beakng up hed onsans foges a onep of numbe on new gounds

s no wong o sae ha unde he name of numbe he eaion of

23


the diagonal of the square to ts sde comes in the positon of the subject

for the old place of the denumerable

Whereby you nd the outplace force destructon and excess.

Whereby you nd justce the revolutionary recomposition of the theory

of number accordng to an order n which forms of knowledge prevously

considered absurd can now function as relectons.

You have displaced the prnciple of the crossng that tes the asymptote

to the relection the remainder to the place the mpossble real to the

legality of the possble.

Does this mean that all that s left pertains to the order of relection? Not

at all. n such a spacewhch admts irrational numbers-there remains

A MATERALIST REVERSAL OF MATERALISM

Soon t appearsfrom within the Lennst nvestigaton through the

scission n the internatona communst movement of the 1 960sthat the

eninist partes n fact have been capabe of becoming bourgeis parties

that oppress the working cass and peopes in an amost fascst manner.

What can we say about ths demonstration? Without resortng to the

doctrne of the remander one wl be content wth ittle that is with

afrmnglike a rghtwng Pythagorean summariy expellng the diago

nal nto nothingnessthat these degenerate parties are notLeninst partes

hat they inexst for that domain his conservative posture amounts to

speaking the closed anguage of orthodoxy. The task is one of restoraton

to redo (repeat) the ost Leninist partes.B if d P h B l h k il



(for example) the impossbility of any soluton for the equation x2 + 1 = O.

The undenumerable (the unnameable) remains as asymptotic support for

the sovng retroaction of problems whose possible existence t prescribes

When the Italan algebraists of the sixteenth century posit the exstence

of 'imagnary roots (so wellnamed the fantasmatc fury of number as

Whole! ) of the type - 1 they perform the second forcng of the arrange

ment of the denumerable.

Every uncrossing of the knot of knowledge makes for a revoluton by

positing a name of the impossble for the subject.

3

The revolution of October 9 1 7 you will agree opens onto a new stage

n the history of Marxism.

hs stage s dened by the adequate soluton the solutonrelecton of

a problem handed down by the faure of previous revoutions specically

by the Pars insurrections of June 848 and March 1 87 1

Ths problem can be formulated as follows: what type o f organzation

does the proletariat need to really and enduringly break the enemy statemachne? What becomes of a victorious insurrecton?

The Leninist party resolves ths problem The eld of possbiltes pre

scribed by this organizational form is called the Third International. Pretty

much everywhere political class organizatons in conformty wth the

Bolshevk model are set up. One relects Bolshevsm unversally practs

ng the Bolshevization of parties.

There are successes. The Chinese party seizes power; and so do the

Korean Yugoslav, and Albanian partes.

204

But if one s an audacous Pythagoreanor Bolshevkone wil

nstead pose the blasphemous queston: what then was the asymptote of

Boshevik knowedge? Where then is ts remander?

The Lennst party s the hstorica answer to a problem that s wholly

nscrbed n the State/revouton contradcton t treats of the victorous

destructon. What happens then to this party with regard to the State/

communsm contradction that s in relaton to the process whereby

the Stateand classesmust no longer be destroyed but must wther

through an effect of transton?

he hstory of the USSR is by and large the hstorica demonstration ofthis pont: the Leninist party s incommensurabl e to the tasks of the trans

tion to communsm despite the fact that t s approprate to those of the

vctorious insurrection.

But what testes by way of forcng to the necessary extension of

the 'partiableke the denumerabe n Eudoxusis the Cutural

Revoluton in Chna which having stumbed on the party n the re of

a communst uprisng puts on the agenda the fact that the Leninist party

is over.

The domain of Leninsm makes no real pace when t comes to the

party for the problem of communism as such. Its busness s the State the

antagonstc vctory. The Cultura Revoluton begns the forcing of ths

unnhabtable pace. t nvtes us to name 'party of the new type the post

Lennist party the party for communsm on the bass of which to recast

the entire eld of Marxist practice

Thus t is retroactvely proven that the problems of Leninsmthe

questions of Lennsm as Stan put tleft as a remander the probem

of these probems the problematic of communism only reecting as they

do the previously prescribed task that of the takng of power.

205

EORY OF HE SUBJEC

he aympoe o he olhevik eflecion i nohing ohe hancommnm

Wha make he Saeevoion conadicion ino a conain mbe deoyed and ecompoed by he hioica nominaion o i emain-de which i elaive o he Saecommnim conadicion

Whence a evolion in Maxim he Maoi evolion

4

knowledge i poce i m in pincple ollow he Hegelan maicehi h h h i d 1 9 5

A MAERIALIS REVERSAL OF MAERIALISM

The deviation on the right knows only the la w o the pace I t makes no oblem o he poblem i eolveThe devaion on he e ollow a pepecive o flgh i a adicaim

of novely beak all mio Deleze on he ale; LviS a on he igh Two maeiaim a ea o ideaingiey by way o a di One ino he combinaoy o ins, the other into the cancerous molecules Materialism is aways n the position o having to resist the temptationsat ound it: neither atomic deciphering nor liberation o flux.



which we have chemaied n 1 9 5.We hold expec ha om he coove wo deviaon wo eape

epaae hemelveWha ae he heeie o maeialim?he mechanici one iolae he meapho o he eflecion imagine

adeqaion wiho emainde ick o epeiionhe dynamici one doe he ame wih he aympoe Univeaing

he docne o he emande i poe ha all i flx endency appoximaion Fo hi heey evey nied congaion i an ilion o even

a 'oaiaian heaHee yo have he able

DNMICIST ECC MCHNCISTMTERISM MTERIISM MERIISM

multple g mbaty faable tete

/ �udempabeut

, te f te f

pmay detty

aymptte eflet

elate ablutekwledge kwedge

\ · emade plae

lftt gtt

206207

Agebra and topoogy

Decembe 9, 19

A MATERIAST REVERSA O MATERIALISM

The Aan of maeamhe dynamcpo he ubquoumande he mulpcy of vaable nene. hey ae people whobeleve n he noluble endency Saed wh he Ohe eched oull ove he oon mae lle o hem ha a place and ule aeeeded fo anyhng eal whaoeve o be n he poon of an obec ofnowedge)

Meaphocally hey ck o he aympoe o he low. The logc ny one of appoxmaon In polc hey empce 'Wha maeoe han all ha ad

The empc lack nehe flavou no uefulne yn g n wa fo he

ovemen hey eep u fom educng he need fo exac eecon o hebl f l Th mp h h l h f



Dogma and empcaw of compoon o eemenay belongng ageba)Neghbouhood o adheence by ncluon

opology)Hege he One he One One (das in ins

The Gnoc of maeamhe mechancpo he adequaonwhou emande. Saed wh he Same cloeed n epeon edo hey cae ha he cong of wo pocee needed fo any objecwhaoeve o come o be known

he logc meely one of exacude Meaphocally hey ck o

he mon poc hey dogmae 'Wha ad ay wha I hould be noed ha we nee d he dogma. Guadan of pncple

n he foen uface of he mo hey keep u fom confung he law ofhe emande wh he abandonmen of he pace They ae he one whoale u o he fac ha h o ha 'novely n Maxm fom eneno huhchev) o Feudanm fom Jung o Rech) fa fom focng heunoccupyable place ha pece he cuen ae of ou poblemacmpy leave and goe off lswh

The fac eman ha he focng un hem off. The conevavefuncon of he moof he lookng gamake of he dogma aelucan maeal. Ignoance of he emande make he dogmaemann pace

08

blvon of novely The empc ae he one who ale u o he facha h o ha conan of he pace fom aale o Saln o fomne o Anna Feud) dmulae fo u he unoccupyable place fomhch any beak could poceed

The fac eman ha hey ae uned off by he paan akng of d e.he aympoc pepecve of gh make of he empc a wandengaea a vagabond phloophe of naua ubance. Ignoance ofhe mo un he emp c no he moof he wold

Thee wo amy fank of conequenal maealm ae he ympom of

he lae vey own con whoe meaphocal kno hey une Theeeevaon dcoue cu off fom he own lfe pon ou ha heee two pocee ha make up on maealmand no only wo heeha of deny and ha of pmacy)

n an openng ono a new meapho we wll ay ha hee he algeac dpoon and he opologcal dpoon

Acve maealm coe hee wo dpoon.A fo he ubjec maealagumen ncbed n h ne

con Any ubjec effecuae he opeaon of a opologcal algeba.

2

[ pudenly expoe myelf o he mahemacan condemnaon boow meaphocaly fom h vocabulay and hen o he phooe objecon f gve up on he dea of makng he boowed wodne n he lgh of pue cence.

Th pah of p nepeaon my own. Pleae efe o he chapeon. hope ha ay nohng mpece n mahemac bu alo

09



THEORY OF THE SBECT

oganiaion copied fom he poducive banches of capialism in whichhe One becomes only moe of he One. Is dominan is algebaic.

Poleaian poliics is he moving sysem of epulsionaacion bywhch he One becomes One One

n his egad is ulimae sie following egels analogy mus encompass boh he coninuous which is he effec of aacion and he dis-cee effec of epulsion.

ndeed if he aacive uniyhe popula consisency of a campspeads wha is n eeded o mediae his popagaion is fo he anagonisicepulsion o be opeaive ha is he class conflc by which he con-

inuous One One disinguishes iself in un (as One) wihin he disceesysem of opposie foces

Neighbourhoods

ebrur 6 978



y pp

n coninuiy heefoe magniude immediaely possesses he momenof ieteneepulsion as now a momen in quaniy Coninuiy isselfsameness bu of he Many which howeve do no become exclusive i is epulsion which expands he selfsameness o coninuiyence disceeness on is side is a coalescen disceeness whee heones ae no conneced by he void by he negaive bu by hei ownconinuiy and do no ineup his selfsameness in he many. The dif-feence of he epelling is heefoe pesen only as diffeeniabiliy. (

17 ans. modied)

Though afmaive in essence aacion holds wihin iself he dif-feeniabiliy fom which i poceeded o begin wih when is exisence(like ha of us a handful of Maoiss) emained subodinae o he law ofpuncual exisence in he place of mulipleones.

Any maeial subjec One fo he One One and One One accoding ohe Ones aiculaes he algeba of is placemen and he opology of isnovely

2

elonging and adheenceCanos heoem and he inexhausionof hisoyRelaive scaciy of pope name sMaeialism and se

heoyThe axioms of neighbouhoods in hei dialecical legibiliyThe maheme of he cul of pesonaliy

Let u s relaunch with a summaryOne can obviously state that algebra is the metaphor of the calulable in

aterialism In it, the relation to the real stems from the procedural pos-siility of knowing the behaviour of such or such a term, in its differencend its combinatory capacity, under the effect of such or such an explicitule

Topology takes things y the pack'. It metaphorically translates the functional in materialism, insofar as it is the neighbourhood, the families ofelonging, the local variation, which constitute its

domain.Two different relations to the Whole: a lgebra explores it under the aegis of the individuals that belong to it and the rules according to which theyelate to one another. Topology, under the aegis of the varied subsets of ich each individual makes its s ite within the Whole

With regard to the Whole, the term of algebraic materialism is isolatede only relation it has to the set i s one of singular belonging, e E E. The rm of topological materia lism is apprehended in the local modality of itsresence within the Whole, through the mediation of the families of parts

25


ha surround i. Wha is hus specied is he paricular way in which i

adhees o he Whole. he fac ha i is one of is elemens is a necessary

bu insufcien requiremen One see ks o know from where i belongs o

i how in wha geography wih wha collecive physiognomy.

Algebra is a logic of belonging opology a logic of adherence

hink of he difference beween being a member of a poliical pary and

having adhered o i.

o regisero possess he cardperains o algebra o unie perains

o opology.

2

A MATERIALIST REVERSAL O MATERIALSM

es is inconsisen. Similarly he concep of an inegral maerial oaliy

is only he porous fanasy of maerialism is dejecion urned back ino

idealism.

or he mahemaics of se heory as much a s for he rue maerialis all

oaliy is paricular ha which belongs o he whole requires he posiion

o he oher which is no of he whole

rom his one concludes among oher admirable modesies ha univer

al hisory conceived as he acual oaliy of poliical evens for example

i an inconsisen noion. here is an ineviable hisorcal dispersion his

one o he reasons ha invalidae he deniion of Marxism as science

of hisory since hisory is no an obeche concree analysis of a concree siuaion which is he eninis



Hilber said ha mahemaicians would never le hemselves be chased

ou of he paradise ha Canor had opened up for hem

Hilber is perhaps he las of hose grea subjecive echnicians of sub-

servien wriing who consiued a second golden age of he concep he

rs being ha of he Greeks). his age like is predecessor lased for

hree cenuries and Gauss in he middle of his ime span gahers all is

presige. Here you have an incomparable series of gures of anicipaion

and masery from which even he inexplicable adolescence in he syleof Rimbaud is no absensince i s provided by he gure of Evarise

Galois.

The paradisiacal aspect of set theory, created in one fell swoop by

Cantor, lies in the fact that it provides a unifying language of such powers

of generality that in comparison the ancient objects of mathematical deno-

tation must appear as contrived artefacts

One will not be surprised that, establishing this calculable disposition

of innites in the harsh solitude of a positive theologian, Cantor slowly

should have slipped toward the delirium o f grandeur.

The notion that everything can be stated under the sole name of the set,

and within the logic of belonging, is equivalent, as far as am concerned

to the materialist recognition of the One of the name of being. Matter'

here serves, for being, as universal signier, just as the set does for math-

ematics. Besides, like the set, it can only receive an implicit denition,

governed by axioms, whether latent or actually formulated

S et' and matter' are as a result subordinate to the principle of limita-

tion that restricts the usage of any master signiier, namely, that it cannot

be referred to the Whole It is well known that the notion of a set of all

216

y

formulaion of acive Marxism has he virue of deoaliing he referen

and indicaing ha no Marxism is in a posiion o survey any oaliy a

all.

When one venures o enumerae he grea conradicions of he con

emporary world of which here are four beween he prolearia and

he bourgeoisie beween imperialisms and he dominaed people among

he imperialisms hemselves and beween socialis Saes and imperialis

Saes) i is clear ha his formal apparaus does no lend iself o being

unied ino he global percepion of a course of hisory an d ha i has noeficacy oher han o map he ypes of process whose local overlapping

lces a siuaion wih regard o ha which surrounds i.

he algebra of he four fundamenal conradicions hus prepares he

opology of he concree siuaions Besides none of he erms subsumed

y i has any hisorical exisence hese are pure conceps for he homoge-

eiy of places. mperialism is a leas double (classical on he American

ide socialimperialis on he Russian side) the world prolearia does no

xis any more han the dominaed people and so on

he srucure of he proof of inconsisency for he se of all sesfor

bsolue mulipliciyoperaes a he juncure of algebra and opology.

s mainspring lies indeed in esablishing ha one canno biunivocallyorrelae he se of he pats of a se and he se of is elements. he rs

ulipliciy necessarily exceeds he second.

Suppose ha you have U he se of all ses a once you will have o

jec i as absolue for being lesser han he se of is pars.

Wha a marvel of dialecical maerialism is his famous diagonal reason

g from Canor by which ha which is lef over grounds ha which hashe value of excess!

217

THEORY O THE UBJECT

Take a funcion of coespondence which o each pa P of he oa(imaginay univese U makes coespond an eemen u of his uni-vese, in such a way ha wo iffeen pas have wo diffeen coe-sponding eemens e you ha one pa dops ou of his supposedcoespondence.

In ode o esabish his i sufces o disi nguish hose pas ha conainhe eemen ha is assigned o hem fom hose ha do no conain i.

One coud aso say ha he aemp consiss in disincy naming eachpa of he univese wih an eemen fom his univese. I is he aibu-ion of a pope name o is pas, aibuion supposed o be immanen o

he esouces of U, ha hee povokes he impossibe ca auonymous a pa whose name gues in he guise of an

A MATERIAT REVERA O MATERIAM

The poin of he impossible of he coelaion beween elemens of U nd pas of maks he ealof wha? Of he fac ha he powe of U anno go so fa as o include he immanen nominaion of all is pas. A leas ha is, if you seek o disinguish wo diffeen pas by diffeen elemenay names names

Eihe he univese is closed, oal, and hen hee is somehing sicly disinguishable since you do no have enough pope names a you sposal in he univese o isinguish is pas o else one can always isinguish bu hen he univese does no fom a whole hee is someexcess by which you give ise o a pope name beyond he supposed oaiy.

The univese always conains moe hings han hose i can nam



eemen wihin he named pa and heeonymous ha pa whosename is exena o his pa isef

Le us invesigae he se of a he coeaesof a he pope namesassigned o hose pas which do no conain his name of a he popenames of heeonymous pas. Since i is a se of eemens of U i is nodoub a quesion of a par of U which heefoe has is disinc popename: we suppose indeed ha a can have one

Is his pa auonymous No, because by deniion i conains onl

names of heeonymous pas and heefoe i canno conain is ownname, which as a esu woud be a name of an auonymous one Is hispa heeonymous Evey name of a heeonymous pa beongs o i, bydeniion aways Qua heeonymous, i woud hus have o conain isown name and hus, be auonymous

We mus agee ha he pa ha is hus consued neihe auonymousno heeonymous puey and simpy is neihe named no nameabe insiues isef in excess ove he supposed coeaion

We ouch upon he impossibe of he biunivoca coespondencebeween he pas of and he eemens of The esouce of mui-piciy of he pas oveows he eemenay muipiciy in which i is

ooed. U sands in a viuaiy of being by is pas, moe numeoushan isef

Any eemenay muipiciy induces an oveaking of isef. have aways ooked upon his agoihm I add in passing as he efua-

ion of he isomophism ha is pesupposed in so many docines beweenha which is of vaue o he individua and ha which is of vaue o hecoeciviies The esouce of he coecives necessaiy supasses he ypeof sucua muipiciy in which he individuas ae esoved

218

y onains moe hings han hose i can name ccoding o hese hings hemselves.

Whence its inexistence.

Poleaian poliics when i exiss which is no so common, is one of e unnameables of any closed sai� space Accoding o he law of he dy, it remains without a proper name.

This lack of civil saus is pecisely is poliical saus I indicaes com-unism as non-S tate, as non-whole.

3

nasmuch as opoogy poceeds by way of famiies of pas and ageba byay of combinaions of eemens he impossibiiy of can aso be saedas foows excess of opoogy ove ageba.

Hee once a se is xed you have wo ypes of muipiciy. One isened accoding o beonging e E E he ohe accoding o incusion, E

ncusion, i shoud be caefuy noed does no undemine he se-

eoeica uniy of anguage. Wha is a pa A subse a of whose ee-ens aso beong o he xed iniia se P e E means by deniion ha E P e E E Howeve, he viuaiy of he pas oveows he iniiauipiciy. Thee is a scission of wha 'beingin means The pa, juse he eemen is in E n anohe sense the pas exceed E wheease eemens compose i

Do no ook any fuhe, as fa as absac geneaiy is concened foe gound of you convicion as o he micoevouions of he desiing dividua T hey say in hei pace No individua has he powe o exceed

219

THEORY OF THE SUBdET

he ea and i onain exep by he mediaion of he pa and leay i of paie

I would eapiulae hi a follow

MATRALT TM MATMATA ANAOGYnty f bng (mtt) unty f lngg ( ltn ncl f dtlztn nt inci f dttztn n t f

n n y t- lctnblut knwldg (lmny blnging)

ymtlt knwldg P (ti xc

t clct fc i f t f t t tcu fm in wic t cdnlty g tn t f t


and he uounding adheene by whih he elemen ae loaabe baifo opologial maeialim.

e u paie he exegei of he fou axiom ha goven he uage ohi noion

. Any neighbouhood of a poin onain hi poin.

Thi i o ay ha he e loe o you inlude you. Hee we have in anexemplay fahion a piniple of adheene in opologial hinking hee

exi no neighbouhood in exeioiy Thi maeialim i an inuiveopeaion wheein he ingula i appoahed aoding o ha of whih



y g

indiidl lcd nt

topolol pont of lb pont of topoloy lbw w

bcming f mnt nd fml f t lw fc ut f (ngbud) cmitn

c mng lmnxc tnfc lc tlgcl lgbc

tct tctu(c (lw)

Who will fail o ee in he dialei of elemhenay mulipliiie andpaiive mulipliiie he poo allegoy of wha I aid above egadinghe iion of maeiali knowledge? The algebai ompoiion of emefe o he efeion o he gounded oelaion of he onep and heeal. Wha i known i effeively o he powe of nominaion i om-plee abolue. i fuhemoe elaive aympoi if one efe o he

ovefowing paiive mulipliiie ha uppo i and ha oniue anobale o he xiy of he whole

4

The mahemaial noion of neighbouhood eabihe a ink beween heelemen of a e whih i he bai of belonging fo agebai maeialim

220

p g pp g i a pa. The elemen i he poin of fligh fo a eie of olleive. Thendividual ha no ohe name han i muliple adheene. y onayou know ha algeba a epaaing maeialim aange he exenalonneion of he ingula ono he ingula

2 Any pa ha onain a neighbouhood of a poin i ielf aneighbouhood of hi poin.

Theein lie he exenive value of opologial hinking A poximiy hai looe han anohe i nonehele a poximi y. The fahe whih ane meaued ony by he 'neae kehe ou a movemen of expanionof he loal. By evehaie appoximaion he elemen ouhe enden-ialy upon he oaliy whih i he limi neighbouhood he neighbouood of any poin ha ha a neighbouhood Thi axiom i ha of heinveed aympoe o eie he elemen equie he movemen of idiffeen hoion i impo e he aeoy of dianing

You have a double pae a wok in he analyi of a onee iuaionOn he olid gound of an algebai famewok piniple of he diinguihable and of legal onneion i i a mae of ooking fo he igheneighbouhood he loe olleive in um he one ha i uohe-ody In ode o do o we mu paie he expanion aep ha heoal be dialeiied by eve vae uounding

Thi opologial law of expan iononion give i aive meaning ohe laial pai of he univea and he paiula. Thee i uh o heeixed aegoie he uh of algeba. Thei eal effeuaion pin ou heopologial inluion of adheene boh he neae and he fahe.

22


3. The ineecion of wo neghbouhood of a poin i aneighbouhood of hi poin.

Thee you have oehing wih which o ighen he appoxiaionan aypoic inuen. f you ae pa of wo pocee you aepa of hei coing fo he place keched ou by wha hey have incoon The woking cla ay be he neighbouhoodaleadyvey vaof a facoy evol. You wil hu obain accoding o axio2 wide neighbouhood he belonging of cla o he geneal poce ohe conadicion poleaian evoluionipeiali The ineecion of

hee wo neighbouhood i nohing le han he fo of inenaion-ali ianen o he e evol Doe i unify he Fench and heh f h h d

A MATERALIST REVERSAL OF MATERALISM

. Given a neighbouhood of a poin hee exi a ubneighbouhoodof hi poin uch ha he neighbouhood

(he bigge one) i he neighbouhood of each of hepoin of he econd (he alle one).

Thi axio aheaically anlae he aypoic idea accoding owhich wha i nea a poin i nea eveyhing ha i nea hi poin Thecaegoy of neighbouhood doe uice o he neighbou neighbou.

Once again i i a queion of acking down he collecive adheencehe exce of any localiaion ove he ingulaiy o he e The axio

ae: if aeiali deeine he appoxiae envionen of a poinone know ha hi envionen will alo be ha of eveal ohe poin



iigan? O i i chauviniic? Doe i af wih he PCF Madein Fance only? I i a new neighbouhood a he ineecion of henaional and he woke which deand a pecial opological akingof ide.

You obviouly have ohe eie in he poliical opology. The evolhough of he wokes, lead o a logic in i popula uounding (uppobehaviou of woen ec). I i an expanion (axio 2) and alo anineecion Accoding o which pinciple ae he leade auing hewoke adheence o he people? Ae hey wokei locked up inhe acoy? Do hey have popoal of a pay ype explici pinciple ohe woke ianence o he poliic of he people?

You ay alo ak which doinan hioical eoy auae he?Thi i he epoal expanionconicion. Do hey ac accoding o hedea of une 1 936 ? The echo of May 1 96? The ene of an iolaionof a beginning?

O coue hee queion ae anchoed in he coniency of heMaxi algeba which aange ino a ucue he eleen of clahe people ipeiali he ong oen of ideological hioy ando on

The concee analyi of he iuaion avee wihin he concepuallegaliy of analyical Maxi he collecive adheence hei incluionhei ineecion. The poliical ubec i found noin hee aei-ali coing of he elecion and he aypoe.

222

of a collecive o poin which heelve copoe a (ighe) envion-en of he poin which ielf oeove (axio 1 ) eide aonghe

One ee how opology i disidentiing in nau e. Tha which in opologyapplie o a e a poin an individual by way of he deeinaion of iie i local adheence u alo alway hold ue fo ohe fo a collec-ive o which hi individual belong.

Any opological pedicae i plual. The opological noinaion i

coon dialeciciing he pope nae of algeba. i he aeiali deiny o he ubec o have o ubve i popenae in he appoxiaion o i coon nae.

O o have o idenify i coon nae in he algebaic ubupionof he pope

To elec upon hi poin i wha in aeiali gound he foce awell a he eancy of he cul of peonaliy which in uh i he culof a nae.

Having o coniue he opology of i adheence i wha expoe heoliical ubeche payo he anxiey of diidenicaion fowhich i i exceped by he eoiing eun of an algeba of he nae.

223

Consstency, second name o the ea ate thecause

ebuay 20, 98

A MATERIAIT REVERA O MARIAIM

maeal eo back o he gfyg cpo, ad, o he ohe,dealguey

Laca eme foce co acpag (by e yea), ad eve acpag upo he fuue of h acpao.

He eve cofoud he algohm of he cha ad he la combao of he em, o ha h algeba maxmal, o he po of effecvelybeg ow bode. Wha ee Laca le he law ha he llegal,chacelke pcple of deemao ha he law pu o effec. Hehold eady wh egad o he ubjec effec, whe all he ohe wlludead ha mu be elegaed o he mueum of dyg huma

deology.Whe, aoud 1 960 he Chee commu aed he deologcal h h USSR h bj d h l h l



ychoaaly ad Maxm 960 ad afeSal?Twococep of he ealMae, clae, Sae, pay: cha ad koThe double eal of he CommueWeak ad og coecy

Rhdus h alta

The exeme fom of he ubjec algebaczao ca be foud he

Laca, fo example: A he oue, ubjecvy ha o elao o he

eal, bu ahe o a yax whch egedeed by he gfyg mak

hee ( 3/50)The whouelao' o he eal he laed way, ubodaed o he

algohmc ule, fo avg maealm he md of he acae mye-

e of ubjecve black heep. f you deeme he poce ag fom

ucue, you oba a lea he ucual maealm. Y ou avod he

couo of he eal by he ubjec; you hoccu he pheomeol-

ogy of he daa of cocoue

Howeve, doe a yax amou o a mae? The ea ( 1 9 5 5 ) beg

o beleve o whou a ye kowg . We ae o o cea. Te yea

lae, he yaccal mode of hkg eaed, a fa a Maxm

coceed, Alhue agume ha he cla he oubjec

eulg fom he aculao of he dffee ace he ovedee

med ocal oaly. Thee heefoe a udecdably bewee, o he

oe had, he combaoy ad mapg a lack, whch how he

224

c wh he USSR, hey ubjeced hemelve o hee pcple

To eoe he cec ad cocepual gou of MaxmLem, whch ee hey wee algebac, aga he blad opology ofpeaceful coexece, epeeao, ealm whou bode, adgoulah commum.

To maa ha he evoluoay heme emaed acve (hece,algohmc, ad o a able combao) he gue of he wa ofaoal lbeao. I h ee, hey puhed he algeba of wold

wde coadco o opologcal bode, ude he g of a poof codeao (of a lmpo) of all he faco pu o play

Neve o gve up o he poleaa a uveal polcal ubjec.

Coequely, hey mafeed he cue of Mx cecyhewoldwde moveme of Le ohodoxy aga he evo ofhe emlbeyod elf, all he way o eveo he CulualRevoluo. Ju a Laca, ude he bae of he eu o Feud adaga he Ameca empc, ubveed boh he commo heme ofahumam ad he deubjecvao advocaed by he ucual, all he way o eveal o a heoy of aaly whch o

eal ha he ubjec expoe elf he aguhg k of log boh mage ad law he poce.

ve moe wa a k, o be ue, he Culual Revoluo.Ad ye, omehg hed a by he mo fac ha he ucde of a

few ellecual voked a a agume aga boh Laca ad MaoSome day wll be he lea of hg o label Laca aohe Sal. Whhg a hey ad oday, a Sal whoeve eek, o ome majopo of doce o ehc, o o gve .

225

HEORY O HE SUBJEC

weve, ha ehe aa Ma ae ass s smehg yukw, f he sed, fm he fa ha he was he u ddha f mmu sdsde (he he beg he sas mmade f speal heavy mealsad, f he s, fm he fwg ex, amg hes, whh he alge-ba mea meed abve, eued s alghm, mes mel he fuae f he plgs

Yu kw hw, by meas f axms, Pea aulaes he sees fumbes . I s he fu f he suess, f he + , ha he pus eef as suug he whle umbewhh eveheless pe-suppses a he use a umbe ha wuld be he suess f ayhe, whh he desgaes as he e A ha hese axms pdue, fmy wh he equemes f ahmes, w heefe be

MERIS REVERSL O MERISM

As aa says exply, 'he k s smehg ese. e us aslaepgy s he same as algeba.

Abu he mea k, we eed kw me hee ha selemeay ppey kg hee sed ps suh a way ha eah sed he he w s ehees s suh ha he u f ay e pudes a he lks ad dspeses he whe.

If, f example, yu have he flwg



y qhmlgus he sees f whle umbes

he k s smehg else. ee, deed, he fu f he plus-e s speed as suh. Om he puse, ad hee ge s aseessmpy fm he se f hs eamghes, he hesae beaed, eah as e. hs ud be a way, fully maea, makeyu gasp ha Oe s a umbe, eve hugh he sees f umbess made up f es

I mus be admed ha hs sees f umbes hee s suh ss

ey ha e s had pu ake f beg suve f he eaAy appah f he ea s f us wve u f umbe. u wheefmsems hs ssey ha es umbe? I s aua a a, adh s s pesey wha bgs me appah he aegy f he ea as-muh as s ed ha whh I am als led gve ssey,he magay ad he symbla

f I d sme seve he k, s beause hese hee somehingswhh I gae as he symbl, he magay, ad he eal, s aques f he same ssey. I s hs au ha pduehe mea k, ad hs, wh a eye dg use my

pae. sae ssey as suh s smehg ha has eve bee de.Me, I slae , ad by way f usa I gve yuhe d.

ee he plga eve s speed I s made fm he Oe,as was be expeed.

he Maama sde f he eal peas he vashg bje, ausef dese f he exhee he e, fm whh flws ha hees suess

yu see ha p 2 sues he Oe f he ha. I s a ha peselysfa as y he u f he emeday em 2 he weakes kdspeses he whe If yu u 3 hee emas he k f I ad 2 ad fyu u 1 he 2 ad 3 ema ked

y as, f yu have ehe e f he fwg (hey ae he same ! ,he u f ay f he hee udes he whe

he Oe f the Brrmea kt s that f a sstey that affetsthe whe, t s a Oe f adheree, the lletve prperty f the terms,whereas the Oe f the ha presrbes the paes f the et,whh have a separatg fut.

What s t that makes the kt t 'smeth g els e? It s beause the Oe des t h ave the same assgat there as the agebra rder.he Oe f umbers s sustaed by the zer rder t repeat tsef by dt he Oe f the kt hds tgether the terms f the seres .

I e ase agrthm prpe f the terat f the Same, rdered algebra f suess. I the ther: tplga prpe f parttve hesion, of knotted interdependence.

We must theefoe advance that in Lacan thee ae, adequate to the diiion of

HEORY OF THE SUBdEC

the One two onepts of the eal the eal of the anishing whih is in a position ofause fo the algeba of the subjet and the eal of the knot whih is in a positionof onsisten fo its topology

Fom he eal as cause o he eal as cosisecy oe ca ead a ajecoy of iegal maeialism Oce he umeical successio is egedeedi he efcacy of he vaishig em, we mus sill kow wha i is hamakes all hese umbes hold ogehe

Oce i is udesood ha oe succeeds he ohe, i he causaliymaked by he zeo, ad ha hey all belong o he domai of umbe, wemus kow which is he Oeofumbes, he geeal adheene i which

he successio cosiss.The algebaic likage of aoms of he deumeable cao i ad ofiself goud he coiuiy of hei commo maieace

A MATERIAIS REVERSA O MATERIAISM

fom, he ielligible fom of he social ego) all his holds ogehe olywihi he massie egulaio of geeal public aciviy. The Sae is uableo guaaee iself fom ayhig ohe ha he cose of he masses,whehe sached up o peaceful. A s fo he classes as piciple of disibuio, as imagiay disucio, hei immediae subjec mae is massive.

The masses ae heefoe he eal o which ae ied boh he Saed he classes; hey ae he guaaee of cosisecy which, if udoe,esoes he Sae o he dead ad closed beig of is appaaus, ad heclasses, o he hisoical imagiay.

Maeialism ideed afms ha 'he masses make hisoy, i says so

ccodig o he algebaas vaishig evoluioay causeadoccodig o he opologyas geeal cosisecy of he poliical place k f h S h l d h h l



iself goud he coiuiy of hei commo maieace.Thee is he chai ad he hee is he ko.Thus, i he space of he heoy of he subec Laca ises up o he

challege of he supeme poblem of maeialism, which is coecly o ieogehe is ow divisio accodig o algeba ad accodig o opology.

The 'eal, fo havig o suppo ude a sigle ame he fac of beigboh he cause as objec ad cosisecy as hid em, comes o he placeha sice always is pescibed o i o esue wih egad o ay dialecicalpocess ha hee is he oe of he wo, which heefoe makes hee.

The desucive couepoof is clea eough If he eal as cause fails, i fhe lack comes o lack, you have he aiey of he oomuchofheeal,which o loge makes sese; if he eal as cosisecy fails, if heBoomea ko is cu, you have he dispesio of he oolil eofheeal,which umoos he law, hecefoh eoizig, ad he imagiay,iflaed o he poi of he deliium of uivesal similiude.

See 'he masses which, fo he Maxiss ha we all ae, I hope, ae hehisoical ame of he eal. I have aleady had he chace o say ha by'masses we eve udesad a subsace Wha he Tha which a hisoical cu comes up agais i a ecoue

I geeal, he masses ae eihe hough o hikable The 'hee isof he masses is h e vaishig mode of he hisoical eal, which ca bepeceived by he fac ha hee is some defec, some chik, i he saesamouwha is called, wih Lei, a evoluioay siuaio

Howeve, we mus also ecogize ha he masses ae he sole piciple ofpoliical cosisecy The Sae, as he coceaed guaaee of a esablished poliical algeba, ad he classes, as he poi of assigaio of socialideicaio ad as such imagiay (he poi of view of class i is sae

228

oomea ko of he Sae, he classes, ad he masses hemselves.As fo he poliical subec, i is wha ies he ko made up of he Sae,

he classes, ad he masses, i he gue iscibed i he pay, whichdaws is occasio fom he evoluioay eal, is duaio fom he liko he masses, ad is aim fom he Sae.

Wha emais o be see is how his likage, his likig, akes isde fom he subjecive cosisecy deaied by he aiculaio, i heasses, of he poi of view of class upo he Sae

Fo poliics is oly he subec effec of his aiculaio.Thus, hee ceaily is a divisio of he cocep of he eal (of heasses)

To seize he mome is wha dees he algebaic ale of he evoluoay. I is a mae of o missig he sigie of ha which vaishesas eal u o hold up he piciple of cosisecy is wha dees heopological geius of he commuis I is a mae of baidig he cody which he Sae ca come uied, isofa as he ko ha ies i o heass (he dicaoship of he poleaia) is , by he mediaio of he masses,oomea

Whe Mao says Ge youself mixed up i he affais of he Sae, ad

whe he lauches he Culual Revoluio, he makes himself io a codweave, eve if he payhe subjeceffec gasped i is cause ad i isoisecymus suffe dealy i he pocess

e us say ha beig boh ad a he same ime evoluioay ad comuis, his subjec i he hoes of he eal is eclipsed i he aleaedgle of he moumeal Sae ad he class deliveed up o ioig.

o cosis i oes cause is o easy. Some, i he pay, will alwaysefe he bees of he Sae.

229


These preferences, which un dvide the real for the benet of the algebra ,are what dene the appearance of a specal hstorca entty, the antcom

munst fuson of the State and the masses, under a proletara n class name

that s henceorth absolutely magnary Ths entty has a name the new

bourgeoise, born from wthn the party tself.

To be one of the new bourgeose, t sufces to gve up n poltcs on

ones communst desre. Whch s, by ar, the easest thng to do.

Under these condtons, the State aone promses a consstency of whch

we say very lttle f we say that it s the consstency of those soups n whch

the ladle remans standng.

The cause s lost. The loss s lost.

A MAERIALIST REVERSAL OF MAERIALISM

It s rea, n the second place, n that the Commune enters nto the con

sstency of any prolonged proletaran poltcs, to the pont where Lenn

s brought to dance in the snow when the power that resulted from the

October Revouton supasses the duraton of the poor Parisian State of

87 To the point also where the workers nsurrecton n Shangha n

967 declares the oundng o a Commune, and that moreover, as early

as 966, n the solemn declaraton that tres to organze the Cutural

evouton, the Maost eaders arm It s necessary to nstitute a system

f general elections, like that of the Pars Commune.

We thus pass rom the agebraic punctualty, by whch a materialst

doman opens itsel up to knowedge, to the topologcal adherence , whchaturates the recurrence of conlct with memory and neghbourhoods.

F ll th C th ti f th l t b k



2

To thnk the one of the two without a connecton that would be external:

ths clearly requres an effort n topology.

Topology s ths pont of materalsm where the dalectc supports its

divson. 'On the basis [ . . ] of rngs of string, a wedgng [coin(age] occurs,

snce t s the crossng of two contnutes that stops a thrd contnuty

Doesnt t seem that this wedgng could consttute the ntal phenomenon

of a topology? (S XX, 1 9/ 1 3 1 2 ) .

Wedgng, cossng we have seen these terms, whch are constitutve o

materalsm n the proces of knowedge. The real, n additon to ts den-

tity as a mssing causa object, comes to the surface n consstency as the

stopped crossing of two processes

Ths shows the extent to whch the real s the unty of the algebrac and

the topologcal, unty of the cause and the consstency

It s object, but not only.

In what sense do we say that the Paris Commune s real? Certanly not

n that t has taken place, which s merely the ndex of ts realty

It s real, irst of a, n that t breaks wth the framework o the State,and even more so wth the Marxst theory of the State. It s by puttng nto

effect a pont of the mpossible n ths theory that t reveals its status as

real, so that Marx, who logcay dsapproves of the trggerng of the insur

recton, can only enounter n t the vanshng Parsan masses. Whence the

oblgation, to whch he emans fathful, of beng wholly on the sde o

that of whch he dsapproves n theory, so as to nd the new and retroac

tve concept o hs practcal approval.

230

For us all, the Commune s the reection of the revolutonary break

t llumnates, whle we stand n an asymptotc rapport to ts communst

vocaton.

It conssts, for havng dsappeared. Ths same obect wth ts vanshed

recson, whch s commemorated n the Pre achase cemetery, s co

resent, as inexhaustible concept, nearest to our acton

It is the wedgng of this doube mode o being that makes up the mate-

alist real o the Commune.

Ths obvously requres the current potcal subect: that of the Culturaevoluton, that of the Maosts.

3

oes Lacan push the daectc of the real ths far?

Here we are in the vcnty o a legtmate and nameable dvergence. Why?

ecause the Lacanan concept of consstency s too restrictve. By ang

10 oppose and conon explcty the algebra and the topology, he exposes

msel to the risk o thinkng of consstency only as an attrbute of algebra.

ke those who n poltcs would see n the masses, once past the revolt

hat s the causality o lack, ony an attrbute o the class State.

For hs own needs, Lacan does not have to push the ssue beyond that

hch, at the eve of ormalzaton, lets itsel be recognzed as consstent

omogenety o the symboc

The nature of the mathematcal language, once t s sucently so-

aed n terms of ts requrements of pure demonstraton, is such that

231

THEOR O THE SUBJECT

everything that is put forward therenot so uh in the spoen oentary as in the very handing of ettersassues that if one of theetters doesnt stand up, a the others, due to their arrangeent, notony onstitute nothing of any vaidity but disperse. It is in this respetthat the Borroean not is the best etaphor of the fat that weproeed ony on the basis of the One. S XX 1 6 28 )

Who fais to see that onsisteny, in its Borroean gure, is here dangerousy ose to being a sipe prinipe of existentia interdependene?

This is not by aident. Engesand Stainade this prinipe, errone-

ousy, into the ey of diaetia ateriaishe uniatera referene to the One, without the sission whih evenin Hege opposes the ones to the One One, aes what is proper to the

A MATRIALST REVERSAL O MATERIASM

order to ground in it the rea unity of the ogi of neighbourhoods andthat of a.

As for the subjet, it nds in this unity that whih in Laan is ony theeipse of its insription the wherewitha to arry out the exess over theaw, without needing to surpass ateriais.

or it is ateriais, divisibe unity of agebra and topoogy, that underhe priay of the seond suh as it is indued by a subjetiviation, entersn an exess over itsef

The two paths are clear, after al. Either the material locus of the sub-je ctive is made up of an agebraicization of the topoogical (B orromean

chains, consistency of interdependence) ; or it i s made up of a topologiza-ion of the algebraic (matrices of destruction, conIctual consistency)

Hic Rhodus hic salta.



in Hege opposes the ones to the One One, aes what is proper to thetopoogy disappear, that is, its rootedness in inusion, the partitive, theneighbourhood, the utipe

To say that if the One is aing, everything disperses, oes down todiing consistn fom t h caus

venture that the priay of agebra has the effet of reduing the edof topoogy to the soe onsisteny of the agebrai oation.

As did for differene, here I posit that there are two onepts ofonsisteny

Wea onsisteny is resoved in strutura ohesion. It maks a knot ofwhat is only a chain

A Laans traing of the rea is subordinate to the study of strings,series of nots, Borroean hains

Strong onsisteny overdeterines the agebra, as onsisteny ofneighbourhoods. Though anhored in the ause, the objet, the struture,it naes the prinipe of the rea in the oetive exess and the adher-

ene, etting itsef be sued up neither in the a of a ter nor inbeonging

he onsisteny of interdependene is the eeentary for, barey set

apart fro the agebra, of that whih ust be pushed a the way to thepoint of onitua onsisteny, heterogeneous onsisteny, the onsist-eny that is independent of a interdependene

You now that this requires the onept of foreLet us say that the Laanian reation of the ause to the onsisteny

whih aes up the whoe divided nae of the rea, wants to reain inits pae.

The truth is that destrution is required, at the heart of ateriais, in

232

ic Rhodus hic s lt .

233

So litte ontoogy

March 3 1978

A MAERIALS RVRSA O MAERIAISM

Heidegge intends to deonstut etaphysis peviousy dened asthe oneaent of the st question by the seond say that he seesto dissipate the agebai peision of God oaization of sipe beong-ing paed being fo whih a beings tae thei pae t is a question ofopening up onto the topoogia uniitation of being fo whih it is noto nothing that Heidegge evoes ad nausea the diaeti of the neand the fa

Heidegge woud ie to pu an end to the phiosophia idea of auaaneeof onsisen by he ause

You wi be abe to shed soe ight on this point if you now that what

we ontepoay Maxists want to put an end to is the thee of a guanee of ommunism by he soial SaeThe State as ausa esut of the vanishing of the asses estabishes



HeideggeThe guaanteeing of ounis by the soiaist Stateis not woth oe th an that of onsisteny by the auseThe thee

onsistenies of the woing assBeing is said in thee ways

The notion that being is said accoding to the cause and accoding to con

sistency is actually the oldest theme of phiosophy

As such, philosophy touches upon the ea, and upon mateaism, by

the indiect and ugent ecognition of the pai ageba/topology, no matte

what speculative clothing it comes in.

do not appove, fankly speaking, of the disdain with which Lacan's

sectaians egad philosophy, which they inscibe univocaly in t he egis-

te of the imaginay.

They boast about being daing antiphilosophes. I athe see them

potect the algebaic indivisibiity of th e object. Besides, hee they a e at

a oss as soon as the ontological tacking pu sui t of the maste, edging

on silence and indiffeent to the subte and vain g ames of metapho and

metonymy, wants ony to keep on weaving-no of his own eancy

the eal cod of destiny

Consistency suppots the question: what about the being of what is?

Causality, the poblem of the supeme being, by which the wold is the

fo of what isOntoogia question theoogia question

234

g the agebai disposition of poitis We deae that soiaist o not andthough invaiaby needed fo the inteigibiity of ation the State guaan-tees nothing with egad to the subjetive effetuation of ounis

In ode to beieve the ontay one ust iagine this soiaist State asn exeptionas state of the exeption apabe by itsef of an agoitho its own witheing away wheeas Lenin aeady new that any odentate inuding the soiaist one is intinsiay bougeois and henepetains with egad to the ounist topoogy to the ategoy of thetutue and the obstae

This status of the exeption an be deipheed in phiosophy aong theuia opeatos that aow one to ush onsisteny unde the ause oeing unde God See Aistote a natue ies in oveent suh is thew of the wod The supee ove who is being pa exellene, is e-iny the objetause of oveent in genea but it is exepted fo iteing itsef iobie

The soiaist State supposed ause of ounis is exaty this io-ie ove

Thee is no oe i peious deand than to eep the distane between

use and onsisteny as the diaetia division of the effetsoftheeahat is theeby at stae is the subjet

If a phiosophy has no othe denition than to povide fo the osingp of this distane though its iobie oves, its tansendenta subets its negations of the negation its beingsthataenotwhattheyaeen it is tue that we annot be phiosophes

Let us say that phiosophy ies on this side of the atiies with whih ittepts to ensue its gip on the neighbouhoods and the adheenes by

235



HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

poitia eades of the woes ae inteetas. n enea this povoesthe indination ony of the boeois o of those fo who the ysteiesof the ea ae nfathoabe.

n the patisan poitia topooy t he staes i e in exeedin the aebaa the way to its iit point whee it an bea. he desttion isatiated pon the aintenane thee whee the tade nionpeseveed.

The paty is the sppot of the opete sbjet by whih the poe-taiat bit on the woin ass ais at the dissotion of the aebaifae in whih this ass is paed.

f onsisteny #I is inonsistent aodi n to the vey aw of the aebaof opetition onsisteny #3 destoys the pinipe of onsisteny of thepae. t is ths eqay inonsistent in that no objec on the side of apita

A AERIALIS REVERSAL OF AERIALIS

in a position of vaiation as to the objet and of siiitde as to thesbet.

3 The piay of onsisteny ove the ase beinfoed in a positionof desttion as to the objet of exess as to the sbjet

As an exeise popose that yo onfont the tipiity of bein estabished in this way with the aanian noinations

insistene in whih the effet of the syboi ovens the epetition; onsisteny (in the weak sense) into whih the iainay identia

tion is esoved

exsistene wheein is the ea.As fo e wi ony te yo that seein how peope ive and thin

ne ay onde that thee ae indeed thee visions of the wod the



an fntion as ase of its onsistenyn the poetaiat the woin ass has disappeaed Reaied as vanis h-

in ase it onsists in the paty whose existene has no othe ai thanto sppess that whih ade possibe the asaity

The objetive existene of the ass oets dispesed woes ts poitia existene athes onists. n both ases the sission of the aseand of onsisteny is asyetia. he ea of ass is a spei ibaaneof aeba and topooy.

Ony tade nionis sees a baane. his is bease it ppots to aeonsisteny ot of the apitaist ase.

Ah the tedi it neashes Between the hadship of wo and theabo of the evotion neithe one no the othe and pidin itsef onits 'eais it is a hidden aeba and a sbissive topooy!

3

These distintions ae enea.

Beinso itte ontooy!is said in two ways hene in thee. aseand onsisteny ae the piitive onepts whose obinatoy eo-nized in the asyety of diaetia divisions ives s

238

1 The piay of the ase ove onsisteny of the aeba ove thetopooy beinpaed in a position of vanishin as to the objetand of dispesionepetition as to the sbjet.

2. The eqiibi of the ase and of onsisteny beinstted

ne ay onde that thee ae indeed thee visions of the wod thedinay the tade nionist and the poitia Eah este eah wodpetains eay to one of these thee types Cassify yoseves on a daiybasis yo wi be bette off.

s thee not a soe of happiness in the anient sense in the ontooi-a ond behind these ndane evaations?

Fo this joney thoh ateiais infe that aeady two deniions of the sbet oppose one anothe

the sbjet is a onsistent epetition in whih the ea ex sistsaan

the sbjet is a desttive onsisteny in whih the ea exeeds.

239

ART VSubjectivizaton and Subjective Pocess



241

Te topoogica opposite of te knot is not tecutdispersion but te destuctionrecompositon

Mah 3 978



Doube occurrence of he subjecCrucia concepsA LacanianebarrassenIn praise of he pary

he subec if such an effec exss is aeriaie eeryhing ese haxiss foows ha i can be grasped boh by way of reecion and by wayo he asypoe, hrough agebra and hrough opoogy

Wha are he diided specicaions of he subjecprocess ha circu-

cribe he wo conceiabe orders of is aeriay?Le us reca ha he poica subec s he cass pary The epir-

ca side of shows us is inerien briiance when i s a quesion ofsurrecion, and s asing consisency when i beongs o he Sae.

The ac of yng ogeherhe Borroean effecis no he sae nhese wo circusances. wi argue ha rs as he cu ha ruinshe in ha es he od cass o he od Sae, i aers he rea of heasses n he dspersie anishing of is effec. he Sae fas o ruin,he cass seies hod of he ass, he pary is resoed ino he owha carries i, poics concides wih hisory. hen he reyng causes

he One of a differen ind, he new cass Sae organiing a assnsensus.Wha ies he no depends eiher on is cu or on is inageWha does i ean o coe o now a no? nying i is no enough

ecause i gh be a aer of chance I is aso necessary o ie i.The subjec crosses hese wo operaionsThe ie of nsurrecion is essenay agebraic as I said. is by dn of

ha causes o disappear ha a reouion deseres o be gauged. The

243



THEORY O HE SUBECT

You ust not think for a oent that this inoneiabe ire is puresophistry. To te the truth t is what we witness eery day. Eerybodyais that if in a reoution there is ths rea of the ut that an be foundin the ipuse of the asses the iainary takes its reene by beinthe ony thin that uarantees in the uise of soe ounist or eai-tarian utopia the terrorist onsisteny of soiety. Suh is in essene theantMarxist war ahine of these rent ties What does this ean fno that the rea is hed out to be ony a anishin ausesoe wouda it with the bad nae of the 'pebsand that the ony onsisteny ofounist poitis akes for an iainary reoetion waered by ex-sistent asses, that is, asses who are out of pay een thouh they areonstanty inoked as an abstration of the State?

Missin fro this aruent are the thouht of an effete destrutionof the od aw and the obseration that what reoposes itsef an no

SUBJECTVZATON AND SUBJECTVE PROCESS

a� �ai to the tte of teaher), and of the anayst, beause in ettin potCs.Jher

.by staes, the ounist asses ust oe to despise the party: qUdaton of the transferene

I .oe the idea of the poitia party, just as one oes what onssts as subt, �or han been, beause one ost, the eadertooe of its own eratn. 3



of the od aw and the obseration that what reoposes itsef an nooner in any way be he same In this way the rea of the subet uarantees onsisteny wihou he mediaion of he imagina

Een the passe of the poitia subet does not restore the od rueThis is what the Maoist debate is a about. In the SSR we hae neitheran 'interrupted reoution nor dontknowwhat totaitarian renditonof the boureois word under the uniersa and repetitie onept of theodern State We hae a new boureoisie.

But to ay the roundwork for a new way of thinkin of this noetywe ust ake sure that the rea is anhored in onsisteny as uh as inausaity; we ust deterine the subet in the subetiiin differentaand in the ben of the subetie proess

At stake here s nothin ess than the thinkabe and pratabe existene thouh epiriay unapparent of a ounist reoution

A reoution say 'unnterruptedbystaes whereby staes shoudake you think of subetiiaton 'uninterrupted of the subetieproess and the dashes of the poitia subet.

he opete onept of these dashes is issin fro aan due to the

fat that under the idea of existene he ets onsisteny drop nto theiainary ounis into utopia and reoution into the struturaauousness of an aebra of the Sae

pity aan states that the party is the Master Now wi aruethat nsofar as it exists whih is rare the ounst party the oppositetherefore of the C) is ertainy the disourse of the Master of the Statebut it is aso that of the hyster in reaity insurretionary and foowinthe pirouettes of the oent as uh as that of the uniersty Mao ony

246247

Subjectivizing anticipatio n, retroacton of the

subjective process

April 3, 1978

SUBJECVZATION AND SUBJECTIVE PROCESS

he an see what sign arks the two others bt ignores his own. The taskonsis ts preisey in deding his own fro the other two with eah o-

petitor being infored that there are a tota of e disks three white ones

and two bak ones A prisoner wi signa that he has fond the answer by

oing toward the exit door. Of orse he wi be interrogated afterward

as to the strity ogia natre of his dedtion.

We an see that this test aonts for an indiida to opete the dif-

ferentia trait bak or white) that arks hi and ths to ahiee by the

syboi at of exiting the stats of free sbet

t is iportant that this sotion ors fro the point of the Other (the

two others) who aone is in possession of eery preise.

This perie gae is fasinating s it not fndaenta in order for the

working ass to ake itsef into the sbjet of onist poitis that i t

knows how to dede fro its experiene aone the trait of niersaity



The prisoners apoogeThe sansion of the sbjetie proess

Sbjetiizing fntion of hasteA ogiians reftationThe nonsaid

Here for the sake of the texts sefsfieny st reont to yo

the anedote whose exegesis wi xate or irredibe distane fro its

inentor Laan.

The foowing shod be taken as the inferene of the inos gap

throgh whih the sae passes oer into the other

A the whie trying to keep a respetf sense of proportions adit

that the fntion of the reading pt to work here is oparabe to the

one that Marx in order to identify his ftre appied in 1 843 to Heges

phiosophy of right.

At isse is the text Logia Tie and the Assertion of Antiipated

Certainty whih yo wi nd in aans Bis between pages 1 6 1 and

1 7 5 .Here yo hae three prisoners to who a warden of the sadisti kind

prooted by 'enightened despotiss proises that he wi iberate ony

one of the proided that he is the one who eerges itoriosy froa enta test in whih nothing bt the pre resore of the sbjet is at

stake.

The ateria for this test oprises three white disks and two bakdisks. One disk is fastened to the bak of eah prisoner in sh a way that

248

knows how to dede fro its experiene aone the trait of niersaity

that oes to ark its isery? And st we not at eery deisie step in

or ies take it pon orsees to wager on a nae a n at a gory whose

oefient of existene we an obtain ony fro the others Then is the

tie when we st otstrip the starting fro the onition that they

are he same and drawing or inferene of what arks s based on the way

n whih these sae ones wi pratise an identia inferene.

As thogh to ndersore that it is fro the Sae that the eenta

speriority of oneaongothers st proeed the prison warden fastensa white disk between the shoders o f a three prisoners

ah one ths sees two white disks

The entra reasoning is then the foowing see two white disks. f

had a bak disk the others wod neessariy see a white one and a bak

one They wod then say to thesees " see a bak one and a white

one f had a bak one the one who bears the white one wod see two

bak ones. Sine he knows that there are ony two in tota he wod

onde at one that he has a white one He ths wod aready hae

started waking toward the door. B t nobody has oed therefore hae

a white disk. And they wod hae started waking toward the door B they didnt oe. Therefore hae a white disk

Moe past the potentia obstae of yor onfsion. A this wi beoe

ear step by step.

et s retain that this reasoning based on the preise ' see two white

isks is the sae for a three prisoners a of who see two whites

hs they start to wak at the sae tie.

What does aan then te s That this beginning wak anns their

249

HEORY OF HE SUBdE

onusion. Why? f A at the tie of putting one foot ahead of the othersees that B and C do the sae he an no onger onude sine his rea-soning inuded the iobiity of the other two as onusive arguent

A of the wi thus stop in their traks with the sae restessness ofhaving uped ahead of the onusion

But eah on e seeing that the other two stop wi iediatey annu thesupposed annuent of his hypothesis. or if they had seen a bak and awhite disk the two others woud have no reason to stop. f they do it isfor the sae reason as they have seen two whites and they are restessbeause of the possibe antiipation of their ertainty

A of the thus start waking again.Here you na y obtainaording to Laanve onstitutive ties in

the engendering of ertainty whih periodie that whih fuy deservesthe nae of subjetie proess whih as expeted is intersubjetive

SUBdEVIZAION AND SUBdElVE PROESS

advane by whih the at the step forward antiipatesperhaps!thewefounded ertainty. t is preisey this 'funtion of haste that distinguishes the subetiviation fro the subjetive proess a the whiehaining it to the atter under the aw of the Other.

Consider th� fat that without exeption a popuar insurretion evenone that is nay vitorious is aways preature with regard to the poiti-a proess that prepares it.

There is no subetiviation without antiipation whih in turn anbe easured by the subjetive proess. It is absoutey right that 'whatakes this at [of onuding] so rearkabe in the subjetive asser-

tion deonstrated by the sophis is that it antiipates its own ertaintyowing to the tepora tension with whih it is subetivey harged (E1 7 0 9 ) .

Consider aso that the subetive proess aounts to the retroative



j p p j

1 . The iobie wait during the apse of tie neessary for the dedu-tion and whih I aso suppose to be required for the other to foru-ate the reasoning at the end of whih if I had a bak dis k he woudai for the door. This is the tie to understand

. he step forward by whih I deide as to y own ark. This is thetie to onude.

he representation of a possibe haste given that the others have asostarted to ove. Retroative disovery of a possibiity to antiipateertainty.

4 The sansion suspended oent at whih a stop again. he attitudeof stopping of the others obeties the preise of their reasoning.

he re initiating of the wak governed by a ertainty that this tie isfuy grounded.

You an see eary that the subjetiviation invoved in this proessies hidden in the oent to onude whih retroativey turns out tobe arked by a possibe hastiness. This is where the at surfaes in exess

over the agebra. I an ony wager on the tie of the other on his tie tounderstand) hurri ed as I a by the rea of the situation whih wi set freeony the rst one to exit 'he " in question here denes itsef througha subjetiation of ompetition with the other in the funtion of ogiatie. As suh it sees to e to provide the essentia ogia for (ratherthan the soaed existentia for) of the psyhoogia / (E 170/08)

Aording to the ogia onstraint whih denes the spae orded overby the prison warden the outpae here is an outtie a tie of possibe

250

Consider aso that the subetive proess aounts to the retroativegrounding of the subjetiviation in an eeent of ertainty that thesubetiviation aone has ade possibe. or at the tie of the sansionwhen a three hat it is the haste of the others that I put into question andthat sends their identity bak to e.

Now a this is very true. Marx udges the Co une to be preipitatedsubetiviing in its poitia hasteand baes it for not arhing ontoersaies. But this is in order to indiate retroativey the nature of the

ertainty of vitory) of whih this haste itsef oud be the bearer insofaras it an be deiphered in the other in the initia disorder and surprise ofhe inhabitants of ersaies and in the possibii ty of hanging the ak intoeason by a seond haste that of the iitary offensive against ersaies.The atter woud thn nay be aught up in the subjetive proess thatis to say in a onsequent poitia diretion whih is the ony vaidation ofhe vanishing agebra of the Parisian asses i nto a onsistent subet.

n subjetiviation ertainty is antiipated.In the subjetive proess onsisteny is retroative.To pu t into onsisten the haste of the ause: therein ies the whoe eniga

of the subet

owever the aanian exegesis annot suit us . ts aw onsists in presup-osing that whih renders it ipossibe an absoute reiproity a stritogia identity between the three prisoners.

251


ai that if a thee ae identia ogia ahines things annothappen the way aan says By thus foing on the side of the ageba weannu the topoogy hee an be then neithe haste no etoation nosuspended tie

he tite Logia ie is a ave in that it sees to oss the asyptotieffets of tie antiipation suspension etoation and the eetion-effets of pue ogi

In ode to egitiie this tite in the ouse of a set of theses on thesubet soething ese woud atuay be needed than the axios withwhih aan eguates his gae

I wi deonstate thiset us distinguish thee easonings R R, R3, aoding to the thee

peises that ae vituay possibe aoding to the ue of the gae ( I seetwo ba diss I see one ba and one white see two whites

SUBdECTIVZATO AD SUBdECTVE PROCESS

At east, that is, if the 'speed of reasoning of the three prisoners is thesae Now Laan expiity presupposes this ogia identity: eah of the [ ] is A insofar as he is] reathat is insofar as he resoves or fais to resove to onude about hisefeah enounters the sae doubt at thesae oent as hi (E 1 64/20020 ) .

But under this presupposition the reasoning R3 is entirey onusive, given the fat that if the other reasoned aording to R2 he would hae tarted moving before I couldnish R3, whih ontains R 2 as one of its parts, and he woud thus have given e an abundant Signabut too ate !that a indeed bak

By ontrast, the fat that the other does not ove exept when I doannot ead e to doubt t is even the exat opposite For it ony indiates

hat he reasons, ike e, aording to R3. As a resut y onusion, whih was aready ertain, is purey and sipy onred surpus ertainty, and



R I see two ba diss Now thee ae ony two bas Theefoe Ia white

This is the easoning that we oud a iediate The tie of thegane

R I see one ba and one white If a ba the white one sees twobas heefoe he easons fo the stat aoding to R In the tieof the gane he shoud have taen off f he did not I a not ba I

a whiteNotie that at this stage R is entiey ontained within R. t is by

assuing that the othe wi aopish R whose intuitive biiane Ia abe to invoe that infe that he shoud have eft the oo

R3 see two whites f I a ba the two othes see one ba and oewhite hey thus eason fo the stat aoding to R. hey shoud haveonuded If they have not eft I a white

One oe R is ontained within R3, whih is atiuated aound thefat that R, if begun at the sae tie woud end befoe R3 an eah aonusion by giving a signa due to the fat of the othe (the opetitos

who stat to ove)As you an see the thee easonings ae by n o eans identia in tes ofthei deonstative 'expanse In fat they onstitute a hain of inusion

R c R c R3

f as is the ase in o u anedote eveyone easons aoding to R 3, it isea that the 'du ation of R has un out when R3 i s opeted sine Ris an intena piee of R3

252

p y p ertainty, andnot suspended doubt

Under the hypothesis that the subjetive auations are i soorphousand that we are deaing with agorithiay identia subjets there an ony be a singe siutaneous otion forward of a three toward the door,overdeterining the ertainty that eah of the draws fro the ope-tion, without any kind of signa, of reasoning R 3 .

Fo then on you have ony one tie that of the unfoding of R3,

transitive to th e at of onudingBoth the peiodiation of the subetive poess and the subjetiviation

thus oe jointy undoneo haste thee is none

Of ouse the peiodiation is exat and the subjetiviation isexistent

Theefoe thee ust be soething ha acan does no say. This sienedsuppeent is peisey the point whee in ode to oss the tepoatopoogy and the ageba of auation in ode to aount fo the hasteit is neessay to p osit that the heteogeneity of foe exeeds the onne-

tion of the paesBy ganting too uh to the ageba thee ends up being no oe pae

fo the outpae no any tie fo the outtie

253

IH rry! Hr ry! Word of e Living! ,4

April 10 1978

SUBJECIVIZAION AND SUBJECIVE PROCESS

My haste, y hating If yo eiinate the eeent of dobt as to thedifferentia heterogeneity of the other, then yo have no oneivabehaste whatsoever.

It is here, of orse, that grafted onto the agorith, there arises soething whose prinipes annot be reded to the atter res the qes-tion of y poximi to the other, here assigned to the differene R R,in whih the possibe inferiority of y oeages inteet in atters ofdedtive veoity warns e abot the need to be wary when he startsto wa

hs, st ter the experiene of his starting to wa, ertainythrogh the agebra, whih reates it to my reasoning, bt aso throghthe topoogy, whih arond this reasoning deterines a set of sbjetiveneighborhoods (of speed, haste, stpidity . . throgh whih I proeedto evaate the other



Qaitative fntion of the spposed neheadore retrns to theseneNeighborhoods and sbjetiviing interrptionor onepts,

two ties, two odes

We now now the foowingeihe the sbjetive aation foows the age-brai re throgh and throgh, in whih ase there is neither antiipationnor retroation, o there is a hasty sbjetiviation of ertainty, bt then west presppose soe eeent of originary nonidentity. Whih one is it?

If, when the other begins to ove, I stop, aware as a of perhapshaving jped ahead, i t is bease sppose that whie reasoned aording to R, the other may not have been abe to opete ore than thereasoning R, even thogh R i s part of R.

The experientia ed ths i ndes the fat that eah sbjet reogniesthe possibe nonidentity of the other. In this ase, the fat that there are

different speeds of reasoningMy awareness of haste is here dependent on the possibiity that the

other is perhaps a neheadYo see hat what is at stae, whie easrabe by the agorith (its

speed, annot be reded to it.My haste and ths the entire periodiation of the proes s ste fro the

pereption, whih is inseparabe fro the at that there is a qaitativeeeent in every sbjetive deterination.

254

We st observe how the opetition entioned by aan iposeson the sbjet, in addition to the test of the agorith, a qaitative atten-tion to be paid t o the pay of differentiated that stres its ef onto thereasoning as soon as it is a atter of an at propery speaing.

Better yet, st oneive of the sbjetwe have been saying thisfro the startas the rest of a priation of fore in the tension toresove the agorith.

Sbjetiviation operates aording to the eeent of fore by whih thepae the onsion I draw fro R) nds itsef atered

he story nfods in the way Laan says ony nder the hypothesis of aed of possibe neighborhoods that, by diffing a qaitative ertaintythroghot the agorith, fores the periodiation of the sbjetiveproessthe sspended tie.

Whene arises this ianent topoogy whih oes to interrpt anagorith that withot it wod nerringy ead to its ehania and treonseqene? ro the fat that the spae is aways aleady the os ofthe sbetive.

By spposing that the other stands in a position of a possibe differeneof fore, sbordinate y experiene to the notion that every opationof a pae restores the aw on the basis of the otpae.

The ar of this differene of inteeta fore wod be y savationif the prison ward freed e at the end of y vitorios and reasonabeeit. Bt this differene st strtre the entire ed om he sa, as theneessary onept of the sbet, in order for y rivas steps to tae onhe vae of an aar

255


The subjetive in the differentia of fores aways preexists itsef.hat subjet that oe to be in ertainty is soething oud onyantiipate based on its supposedy being aready there through the evau-ation of the other And an g round that subjet retroativey ony insofaras through the effets of haste i t gains astery in its very pae over theontradition of fores.

n the end read haste as the interferene of a topoogy in an agebra. Thesubjet is onsistent for having situated its ause in the eeent of disorderas uh as in that of order.

or a knukehead is a disorder in reasoning no?b h h d d

SUBJECTIVZATION AND SUBJECTIVE PROCESS

hurry for the sipe reason that being the rst to exit is the ony reathat atters. The at takes preedene over the reasoning

You see in this priay ies the whoe seret of subjetiviation Whenthe popuar insurretion breaks out it is never beause the auabeoent of this insurretion has arrived t is beause it is no onger worthdoing anything ese exept to insurret. This is what Lenin said there isrevoution when those fro beow do not want to ontinue as beforeand when it is everywhere iposingy evident that it is worth ore to diestanding than to ive ying down.

Our anedote reveas that it is the interruption of an agorith and not

its exeution that has a subjetiviing effet.As for the subjetive proess it exists ony in the reoposition ofonsequenes in ight of the interruption. t is never the pursuit of theagorith sine the entrane of fore onto the stage breaks with the aw



As Mao says Disturbanes are an exeent thing We shoud under-stand that therein ies the seret of onsisteny.

However if haste annot be inferred fro the agorith if there existsno purey ogia funtion of haste as Laan ais due to the fat that itsfuntion is topoogia then where shoud we situate its possibiity?

f it is the others step that urges e t o be distrustfu and that reinds eof the fat that he possesses perhaps a dintfocfro ine then it is atu

ay beaus e did not think of this before beaus e oud not think of thisHow oud have sine the extent of y differene fro the other

topoogiay onstituted does not fa under any stabe tepora easureand aways eaves e guessing when it oes to knowing whether thesupposed knukehead ay not be about to get ost in the ost straight-forward preises?

During the rst oent of y reasoning suspense no onvitionregarding the different fores invoved serves any purpose for ak offaing under soe reasonabe auation of its insription in duration.

t is thus tting to take off as s oon as have opeted R so that th logi

of th nighouhoods is ati onl accoding to th stps of th othWe wi posit that the ogi of the neighbourhoods is inseparabe frothe rea. Haste whih annot be inferred fro the syboi is the odein whih the subjet exeeds the atter by exposing itsef to the rea.

irst of a the rea of the others otion rather than aeerating eakes e stop.

But ore ruiay the rea denes the stake that is the subjet itsefua free subjet

256

to whih it owes the fat that it exists in its paeSo it is with the party whose poitia onsisteny put to the test of the

ass uprising is odied forever.

Haste is divisibe. an exit without giving any thought to the quaitative differene of

the other beause the rea subjets e to an intoerabe pressure andbeause the spae of topoogia astery is nu. My passion to be freeeads e to trust ony the shortest agorith without toerating anyinterruption

Here is how it ooks beause the rea overwhes e in the guise ofthe vita iportane of the stakes invoved exusivey a up on the awwhih fais to sustain e to the end.

f shortiruit the abiguous essage of the others departure in

order to run with a heaving hest toward the door without evauating thisessages divisibe signiane n o doubt subjetivize but purey aord-ng to the effet of a stiffened and ifeess agebra. ing to R withoutonidering the ogi of the neighbourhoods.

ro a different perspetive what we obtain here is anxiety whoseajor onept we aready have introdued.

he orreated subjetive proess represents the prison warden as thekey to y very being t is toward hi that run rekessy to beg for y

257


eease f the nuehead easoned aoding to R thee woud be asobe tuth to it if he wee to put e ba in the hoe

Anxietysubjetiviationas upon the supeegothe subjetivepoess

Thee is anothe side to haste whih nds suppot in a stategi antiipation without having anaged to eah a wegounded etainty I taea oents advane by a wage on the ea.

fo exape thin as a good topoogist that y opetitos aeoe o ess y pees the ony way to get away is by no waiing fo theend of the easoning whih they woud othewise aopish at the saetie as I The possibe undeidabiity of the outoe is what I auateust be boen though an essentia subjetive ondene in the fat thatI wi opete the easoning in font of the pison dieto

Afte a thats the ony thing that ounts

The nexstent

May 8, 198



Vitoy beongs to the one who gains the uppe hand by thining onthe go

We have aeady enounteed this sudden baaning oveent bywhih I expose ysef to the ea without esoting to the iobie te-poaity of the aw its nae is ouage

he two genei fos of subjetiviation ae anxiety and ouageNotie that the at is the sae. aste i s the fo of the One fo the sis

sion ouage/anxiety But the subjetive odes ae opposed insofa asone bos a igid aw unde the effet of toouhoftheea wheeasthe othe bets on the ea unde the effet of an antiipated auation

As fo the pison waden in the ase of ouageous subjetiviation it is notfo hi that I expet any savation. I popose athe that y exess ove aauation wageed by bet on the ea subjets the aw to itsef ondeneaows e to eate to ysef in the onvition that in the ong un the subjetive poess wi eopose a wod in whih the aw ust withe.

ouage appeas to justieThus the doube subjetiviing ouene eeives its naes as we as

its onnetion to the doube identity of the subjetive poess.Thee ae fou fundaenta onepts anxiety ouage justie supe-

ego) two tepoaities subjetiviation subjetive poess) and twoodaities the ode \ whih ins anxiety to the supeego and theode , whih ins ouage to justie

As the topoogia upheava of an ageba the subjet aopishes itsefin the at of dividing the ode \ and the ode .

258

uuative denitions of the subjetCantos theoe and theeguation of nationaitiesesiption of the epty pae

A subjet is suh that subsevient to the ue that deteines a pae itnevetheess puntuates the atte with the inteuption of its effet.

Its subjetiviing essene ies in this vey inteuption by whih thepae whee the ue is deeguated onsists in destution

A subjet is equay the poess of eoposing fo the point of theinteuption anothe pae and othe ues

The subjet is subjeted insofa as nothing i s thinabe unde this naeexept a eguated paea spae And as o inasuh as what the subjetdestoys is at the sae tie that whih deteines it in its beng paed.

The fat that the subetive poess ous fo the point of the inte-uption indiates the aw of the subjet as the diaetia division of

destution and eoposition.his is what guaantees that the subjetive poess in pat esapes

epetition he effet of the Sae is destoyed and what this destutioninstitutes is an ohe Same

The topoogy aone is apabe of easuing the fat that one onsistenyoes afte anothe in the ausa odeing of the inteuption.

he subjet ateiaies the division of ateiais insofa as it annotbe oneived without the suppot of an agoith ovedeteined and

259


confounded by the subjectvizing antcpations and the retroactions of the subjetve proess

A subject is that element of an algebra from whch the law of composton

that determines it beomes open to hane.

As the power of the rabble always asserts: 'We can never know what

these people are thinking '

I know some excolonialists who we re haunted by the regulated calm-

ness of their servant, hs perfect and smooth belongng to the racst system

of servitude . They could not stopand rghtly sobeing convnced that,

at the rst sgnal, that s at the rst effect of vicinty this affable man,

d h h h

SUBJECTIZATlON AND SUBJECTIE PROCESS

. A subjet is destruton/reoposition, for there s never a nonpaeThe exess over the pae dtates a repaeent4 Subjetvzaton desgnates the subjet n the prinpa diension

of the interruption the subjetive proess, in he dienson of thereoposton

The ruia pont s to understand the topoogia onept of exess Asfar as the (agebrai) nterna exusion s onerned, we owe ts oneptto Laan

Both onepts present theseves at the sae spot Theren es pre-sey the dfuty

Th h f h bj h hi h



this excellent cook, this child-lover, would unload rght on ther chest

the scrap metal of an old gun usually reserved for Mster's mornng hunt

(besides, the lttle devl was dilgent enough to brng the game and the

sna to the oasion)Ths i s the old colonial subjective theorem o f the mpassveness o f the

ChneseThe topological disturbance of an algebra s the precse name for these

fears whose roots lie n the extreme algebraiczation of the sp lace.

A this st gves you ony the causal oation The subjet exsts onyinsofar as that whh perturbs oes to put ts own order on anotherpae

'Great disorder under heaven reates great order under heaven Maowas very fond of ths proverb The support of ths engenderng is thesubjeteffet as suh A subjet s engendered when the uprisng gansaess to the onsisteny of the war of iberaton, and the aeatory of thepae beoes artiuated upon the dfferentia of fore

260

You have four eas

. A subjet stands in the agebrai postion of nterna exuson Eventhough t an be assgned to the aw, it foazes the nterruption ofthe atter effet

. A subjet stands in a piton of topooga exess over the paeEven though it beongs, a s a snguar ter, to the spae, t o adheres,as a oetvzing ter, to a seres of neighbourhoods that bur thepaes

The theory of the subjet s opete when t anages to thin thestrutura aw of the epty pae as the puntua anhoring of the exessover the pae

The seret of this anhorng ies n the ateriaistdaeta divson ofthe very nexstent whose produt s the exstene of a whoe

Two onepts, and not one ths aes a the dfferene between thediaeta og and the og of the sgnier

Let us return, if you pease, to the entra exape of the disuntionbetween agebra and topoogy the exess of parts over eeents, that is,Cantors theore

A set E, onsdered as a whoe, beongs to a type of utipty that theoperations of set theory aow u s to spefy and that they a the ardnaity of ths sae set, Card (E) Grosso odo, 'a set has "ore eeentsthan a set E s wrtten as foows Card (E) < Card ()

Cantors theore oes down to ths The ardnaty of the set of partsof E s aways superior to the ardinaty of E tsef

Let us onsider the type of utpty of E, Card (E), as a aw of the

utipe Let us say for nstane that t s forbdden that a utpty begreater than the one that resuts fro beonging to E

) [Card (E) < Card ()

By the effets of pure og, - ) Card (E) < Card ()] an aso bewrtten as foows \ ) Card ( ) Card ( E) , whh is the nsrpton ofthe fat that a ardnaity is ted by that of E

What you have here s the diaetia divsion of the whoe, depending

261



HEORY OF TH SUBEC

soia fore, deand the sae poitia rights as the renh, fores the inexistent whose nationa utipiity deterines its osure as iperia-

ist, that is, it fores the ianent popuar internationais

S iiary, if posit that there exists a ardna iediatey superior to

Card (E ), detotaize, by oupying the epty pae, the ardinaity of E

spaed as the axiu ardinaity Heneforth, it is ony one ardinaity

aong others in the new osure ared by Card * (E , the ardinaity

that succeeds Card E)

Whatever the - (3 of the aw reated in ters of the void now nds

itsef ed

n a ases, the subjet proeeds fro a subetivization by foring

the epty pae, whih a new order grounds retroativey qua pae, by

having oupied it Mutinationa peope and ardina suessor are the

proess antiipated by the fored existene of the inexistent

h h f ff t s oup of the destrution of

ogic of the excess

May IS, 1978

That the iigrants aside fro the epty pae indue



Any spae is thus the aftereffet or aps-oup of the destrution of

anotherSubetivization is the antiipation whose struture is the epty pae

the subetive proess, the retroation that paes the foring

The subjet is the spae, as that whih has beoe, through the inexist

ent, fro what has been destroyed

64

That the iigrants, aside fro the epty pae, indueneighbourhoods everywhereCantor one oreThe ontinuuhypothesis as desire for agebraThe onstrutibe Gde and thegeneri CohenThe inauabe ipat of the gesture of the die

thrower

s this a In atters of the subjet, is the inexistent a that existsWhat we have negeted is onsiderabe Are those iigrant worers

deterined in their being by the reourse to the epty pae aone If wewant to dene the ange by whih they touh upon the poitia subjet,does it sufe to say that they stand in interna exusion to renhsoiety On that aount, the unity of the renh and iigrants woudbe iited to the show of soidarity granted by a few reasonabe have-rights to the rebeious withoutrights t is the feebe unionist poitis of

support for a soia forero the point of their pratia ianene within the assstrugge, there is ore, uh ore he topoogy of the revot ofiigrant worers quaitativey disrupts a the poitia neighbour-hoods Those who undergo the os t iportant odiation are not souh the iigrant worers theseves, even if they snath up theright to vote, so uh as the renh the renh worers for whothe subversion of their nationa identity, provided they are swept up

65

THEORY OF THE SUBJET

in the process subjectivies another vision and another practice opoiticsThe poitica construction o a utinationa cass unity denes a topo-

ogy that exceeds ro within the aw o iperiaist society and that by noeans can be reduced to the orcing o the epty pace or to provokingthe aiure o the aws o prohibition and the practices o expusion that arepart o the nations reguations concerning citizenship even i this orcingand this aiure ark an obigatory tactica scansion

There exists a recourse o excess which is ianent to the whoe ando which the occupation o the unoccupyabe pace is ony the structuraconstraint or the prescribed occasion

Set theory gives us the abstract schee o this scission o orce you posit that Card E) is the axiu cardinaity you wi certainy

obtain the structura resources to pinpoint the epty pace o its successor Bu t aready E hods within itse the excess over this prohibition since

SUBJETVIZATION AND SUBJ ETVE PROESS

succession o cardinas) and topoogy excess o the partia over theeeentary) The truth o the continuu hypothesis woud ake it aaw that the excess within the tipe have no aocation other than theoccupation o the epty pace or the existence o the inexistent properto the initia tipe This woud aintain the iations o coherence inthe sense that what exceeds the whoe ro within goes no urther thanto nae the iit point o this whoe.

But the continuu hypothesis cannot be deonstratedMatheatica triuph o poitics over the unionist ogic o reais

2

Where do we standn 93 9 Gde deonstrates that the continuu hypothesis is con-



t y t t t t p t Cantor deonstrates that the set o the parts o E has a cardinaity that issuperior to that o E

Conceived topoogicay by the incusion o its parts E destroys thetotaiing aw o the axiu o utipicity that it is supposed to be

Now it so happens that the desire o the atheaticianand Cantorsdesire to begin withcan guide us toward the recognition o the diaecti-

ca stakes that are invoved in thisThose who want to limi the revot o the iigrants to the subjective

eeent o trade unionis decare that the equaity o rights that is theoccupation o the unoccupyabe pace is a that the action is about Theynegect the rea o the neighbourhoods they restrict the aterity o theSae to its agebraic iations

Matheaticians though oten ad ee the pressure o the sword oorder against their back They woud ike to be ab e to posit that the ia-nent excess o utipicity which is that o the set o parts o a set assquarey in the epty pace o its upper iit In short they woud ike t o

posit that the cardinaity o the partitioned is exacty the successor o theeeentary cardinaity That is i PE) indicates the set o the parts o Eand Card * E ) the rst type o utipicity superior to E they woud iketo posit the oowing Card PE) Card E )

This is the aous generaied continuu hypothesis the priordiaconcern o speciaists in set theory or whose ipossibe deonstrationCantor used up his na years

What is at issue is nothing ess than the usion o agebra ordered

t t t t t t yp tsistent with the axios o set theory we want we can add it to theseaxios

or the sake o this reassuring deonstration Gde uses a ode thatis interna to set theory the cass o consucibl sets This signier is exe-pary t indic ates to what point the ai is to obtain an operationa asteryover the resources o utipicity to iner through procedures o ordered

expansion the stagebystage construction o ever ore copex sets Thepotentia anarchy o the excess o the parts is thus subdued at the cost itis true o an extree iitation o the settheoretica resources Gdesode is characterized by an extree narrowness o the utipe.

Logicians show great ucidity about this Consider K. . Devin inHandbook of Mahmaical ogic):

. .) the notion o the power set o an innite set is too vague; weknow that Px) the power set o x consists o all subsets o xbutwhat does all ean here? The axios o Z [Zereoraenke] and

ZC [Zereoraene pus the axio o choice do not hep us uch.The consucibl unis is obtained when this ooseness is reoved bytaking the power set o any set as sa as possibe without contradicting the Z axios More precisey we notice that any subset o a givenset which is rstorder denabe ) ro other given sets ust 'existin any 'universe) i the given sets 'exist and dene the constructibehierarchy with the constructibe universe as its iit) by taking at stagea not all ) subsets o what we have so ar but ony those subsets

TEORY OF TE SUBJECT

whih are rstorder denabe fro what we have so far. This minimai of the onstrutibe universe has the resut that for any ardna 2 the ardinay of the set of pars of ] s as sa as possibe (henethe GCH Generaied Continuu Hypothesis hods in the onstrutbe universe) HM 5 version adapted in aordane with Badioustransation

This text eary proposes to put soe order n he paritoning of theutipe. The fat that for Devin the notion of 'a the subsets of s'too vague denotes hs perpexiy in he fae of the unassignabe resouresof exess The proposed path onsiss in eeping in existene ony hat

whose dention fro within the whoe is expiit aording o hswhoe itsef

The fat that one ends up in inaity shows what it s that he turnsaway fro.

SUBJECTIVIZATION AND SUBJECTIVE PROCESS

Broady speaing eah stratu w aow a the parts fro the preed-ing stratu hat are denabe aordng to the atter 'denabe in therigorous sense used before We an phrase his pont in a denion oftransnite reurrene whose rst ter is the epty or nu set

Subsequenty you w aept ony those sets that beong to a deterinate stratu

The onstrutibe universe that is buit n this way proeeds by stagesn iposing the sefitation of ianent utipiities whose foruaust be abe o be given aordng to the paraeters of the whoe.

One oud for exape deand hat any potia organiation be den-abe based on the exusive paraeters of pariaentaris (partiipation

in eetions ear assiation 'on the right and on the eft and so onand tha any worers group be abe to nsribe tsef in a unons foruaBesides this is exaty what tends o be done. The notions of the extrapariaenary and of auonoy are quiy riinaied. The doinant poiti-



yLong before the eoogists with heir ourishing beads the ogians

post hat n the fae of the 'vague spages of topoogy it is appropriateto proai ma is beautifu .

Saness is hierarhy the onstrutibe universe s buit in straa nsuh a way that eah stratu ontans ony obets that an be denedanoniay on the basis of he preedng strata. Of ourse the obet o

wah over is the one in whih the exess is rooed tha is the par arvedout in he whoe Gdes onsruton entais a vertabe doestiation ofadssibe partsor of adissibe parties . One proeeds by way of anagebrai rarefaon of what is toeraed n ters of the subsets of a givenutipity

et us sipify so a s to penetrate the antdiaetia essene of the proofn question.

Given a set of sets M a part of M say X is deared denabe in M ifthere exiss a stateent wh a singe varabe x a b . ) where ab . are sets of M tha are aready dened a stateen suh hat he

eeens of X are the ony ones to satisfy in M this sateenPu differeny X s that subset of M suh tha an expiit stateentbut aording to the paraeters that beong ony to M desribes a prop-erty oon o a its eeents and o these aone Suh a staeentharaeries X. M so to spea onros inguistiay its part X It detainsits fomua.

ro there you wi pass fro one settheoretia stratu to anoherthrough an ordina enueration in a reurrent struture.

268

y y q y pa universe that is our own no doub sees to reain onsrutibe.

In ths unverse he exess of the utipe is utatey redued towhatever the agebra of it toerates s just under the onep of thenexistent that deits the whoe In this way the ontinuu hypothesisis satised

The prie to be paid for this is an extraordinary poverty of the utipe

as shown in he disa spetae of pariaentary eetions and of asth-ati rowds hat bess us wh he gift of their personaity during he'eetings of the ajor unions.

Indeed he agebrai enoding of he exess whih subts it o anordered enueration redues what is subjetvey toouh to wha forhis order is tooitte.

Whatever a pae hods virtuay n ters of subjetiviaion one it isreaigned exusvey onto the epy point of its boundary fas ba onthe equiibriu between pae and exess whih does nothng ore hanrepeat the fat that a pae has the power of being the pae of he sube-

tive without the quaitative brea by whih the subeteffet in a torsionesapes the oa easureA truy astonshing theore Rowbotto stages the fore of interd

ion by whih onstrutibiity utiates the tipeIn order to grasp its ignane we us understand that Gdes

outoe does not at a satisfy the reguar atheatiian What the atterwans is for the dotrine of utipities to presribe the ontinuuhypothesis as a neessary resut and not as an aowabe suppeent.

269

THEORY O HE SUBJECT

His o he goa is not the hoow feedo to add o not the ontinuu hypothesis to the axios of set theoyhe undeying idea is that it is not possibe to ae an axio of the

identity between the exess and the oupation of the epty pae. Whatis needed is fo the ea to ipose on us he impossiili for i o e ohewiseIf not, the intega diaeti pevais thee is soe heteogeneity betweenthe ogi of suession aong the epty paes and the inteio exess ofthe utipe.

iiay, the tade unionists who defend the idea of 'suppoting thesoia foe of iigants, in ode soehow to eguaie the attestatus within ipeiaist soiety, want histoy to ipose thei soution

as the ony poitia soution iaginabe o the what is at stae is thesipe, etaphysia, and atepoa natue of ass, whose status denesthei ideoogy of beonging

One theefoe seahes fo a way to u b the ontinuu hypothesis by

SUBJECTlIZATION AND SUBJECTIE PROCESS

his goes to show the extent to whih to posit any set as onstut-ibe, whih is Gdes path to estabish the onsisteny of the ontinuuhypothesis, eans to astate the ianent powe of the tipe andto stie those utipiities that ae too abitious with the stap ofintedition.

n 96 Cohen deonstates that the negation of the ontinuu hypoth-esis is as onsistent with the axios of set theoy as its afation.

he 'disode on eath instas itsef by way of deonstation.Most aaingy, in ode to bui d his ode in whih the agebai egu

ation of exess oes to fate, C ohen use s a tehnique to whih he givesthe nae of 'foing bind intuition of the fat that, at the point whee



eshuffing the axios. o exape, by fouating hypotheses egad-ing the pausibe existene of giganti adinaities t is a question ofsoehow binging the exess in ine, no onge fo beow, though infeio stata as in the onstutibe univese, but fo above, by adittingstaightaway etain peeinent tipiities that ae expeted to odeeveything that peedes the.

Aong this path, opaabe to the nationaist, waongeing, ipeiaist gand designs by whih the bougeoisies see to ight the bae ofises and popua upsuges, nothing wothwhie has been found

Rathe, it beae possibe to easue in what sense the onto 'fobeow, the Gdeian onstutibiity, suppoted none of the vast existen-tia hypotheses, due to the intinsi povety of its esoues in tes ofutipiities

If thee exist 'vey age adinaities (the tehnia denition of whih annot get into hee), thee neessaiy exist innueabe sets that aenot onstutibe.

he pessue fo above and that fo beow ae inopatibe. Youannot both and at the sae tie show off the syndiaist euphoia fonegotiating the ipeiaist expansion in ties of peae and indotinatethe peope in the is of wa and the shady appea of onquests

Rowbotto deonstates that if thee exists a etain speies of adi-naitya 'vey age type of utipiitythen thee ae, aong the patsof the odest set of whoe nubes (the saest innite set) any oethat ae nononstutibe than onstutibe.

70

the nae of foing bind intuition of the fat that, at the point wheethe ue of suession no onge appies, what is at issue is the subjetiv-iing foe.

Cohens ode is buit aong paths that ae diaetiay opposed tothose of Gde. We an hady povide an idea of it, if fo no othe easonthan that no intuition athes this ode. his is a sypto of the fatthat it bespeas the exess

In ode to expoe its detous, the eade wi efe to the hapte by P . Bu gess onfoing in Handook of Mahemaial Logi (02 .

t i s by the 'iaginay extension of a stabe piitive ode (goundmodel that we obtain the wheewtha to uniit the patitive esouesof the utipe.

he funtion of the exess of this added iaginay set as an indutoan be ganed fo its nae genei set.

And, etainy, any subet bings about the divided unity of the geneiand the onstutibe.

he genei suppeent is ony minimally desibed. his is ey the

weaest possibe astey of the anguage of the whoe ove that whih isexpeted to ae it poifeate As Cohen hisef says 'n the pesent asewe ae stating with a singe sybo fo the set a and wish, in soe sense,to give the east possibe infoation about it

Gde, by ontast, equies at eah stage the maximum desiptiveapaity, sine he etains ony those pats of whih an expiit fouapovides a singua popety

In ode to eep the infoation as sae as possibe, Cohen epaes

71

HEORY OF HE SUBJE

he popeies of ipiaion if p, hen q) wih he oe evasive popeyof foring: if hee is sh o sh a ondiion, hen he saeen q is'foed o be he ase.

A ondiion is in fa ony an eeen of he genei se. he infoaion ha aows s o siae he exension as he heoys ode anbe sed p by saying ha he beonging of an eeen o he added'iaginay se foes sh o sh a popey of his exension.

A ypia exape of his evasive ogi o of he syseai nde-infoaion sogh afe by ohen, an be fond in he pefeenia eaen given o he nivesa qanie ove he exisenia one.

Why? Bease if have a saeen of he ype (3 x) P x)), is h

aoding o he ode eqies ha designae a peise eeen a of hisode sh ha a) is saised in i This peision ns one o hegenei inspiaion, whih ais o disingish as ie as possibe wihinhe esoes of he exess.

SUBJEIVIZAION AN SUBJEIVE PROESS

poin of an inexis en eaive o he saeen p ha he foing of nonqis deeined.Wha is a 'songe ondiion? ven if ohen denes i siy in es

of a eaion of ode, we an inepe i as a ondiion ha gives 'oeinfoaion han he iniia one, o again, a ondiion ha is oe esi-ive as o he haaeisis of he genei ode.

We wi hs hod ha p foes he negaion of q if hee is no ondi-ion, known o onain oe infoaion han p, whih foes q isef . Thesaeen q nds isef, so o speak, feed wih egad o he ondiionsha ae songe han p

Ths, he foing of he negaiveof nonqas opposed o he ino-paibiiy inded by is ipiaion, is he es o f he fa ha nohing inha whih oaes and enopasses he ondii on p foes he h of q.

oneived of as a beak, sbjeiviaion eainy opeaes wihin aogi of foing. he 'No! of he evo is no ipied by he oa ondi-



In his egad he genei esseniay esebes he opoogia whih, aswe esabished, disidenies he eeen in favo of is neighbohoods

I foows ha 'when faed wih x Bx), we shod hoose o have ifase, n ess we have aeady a sybo x fo whih we have song easono insis ha Bx) be e.

Sae has any ies ove asseed ha he eaion of he ineea

o he evoion ies in his o he nivesaiing fnion He is igh abohis The exess, whih is he opoogia aw of sbjeiviaion, indes apiay of he nivesa ove ha whih, fo he exisenia podedwhaeve was disingishabe in he od wod

Poiia foe, one i is e oose, no onge disingishes as beforeTheein ies is oniaian vieis genei vie

Likewise, i no onge pesibes he sae negaive spae anseshe od aw of opposiions paiaenay ones, fo exape) I eahess o say 'no diffeeny.

A his poin we si have o beak wih he deeinisi effes of

ipiaion.Tha p ipies nonq eans pey and sipy, in he assia ogi ofpoposiions, ha p and q anno be e a he sae ie. If p is e, henq s be fase. he ipiaion of a negaion denoes he inopaibiiyof wo saeens n his sense, he h of p siy deeines ha qno be e

By onas, in he ogi of foing, ha p foes nonq eans ha heeexiss no ondiion ha is songe han p and ha foes q is fo he

272

g g p yions. I is foed by he inexisene of an absoe onsain ha wodfoe sbission o he iediae ondiions in a ansenden way.

Beween foa ipiaion and foing hee ies a he abivaeneha he diaei inodes in he od pobe of deeinis

The sbjes seion is he effe of foe wihin he pae This doesnot mean that the plae implies it

he genei exension obained by way of foing, o whih he addediaginay se sbjes eveyhing ha an be saed abo i aows hepodion of an ipessive qaniy of new ses

n fa, we an pode as any ses as we ike he esoes of heopoogia n o o be niied

We hs deonsae ha he adinaiy of he se of pas of a se isieay feeoaing. I spasses he adinaiy of he iniia se wih anabiay qaniy an be he sesso as Gde shows) he ses-so of he sesso, o i an nd isef fhe down si in he seies ofadinaiies, and nay his is he heoe of ason) oe o ess as fa

down as one wans.hs, he inne esoe of a se aken in is pas, is no egaed byany neia egiiay. I an go pas eveyhing ha one ppos oassign o i as is bonday he ogi of he exess is real, insofa as i isipossibe o ii i.

This is he eason why a ino naion, povided i ons on is ownfoes, an vanqish a gea powe Mao). xep ha i si needs hepoiia onenaion of s soia pas, ha is, a pay.

273

HEORY O HE SUBJEC

Of suh a party the ardnatythe fore atheatans have hadhe foresght to nae 'power the ardnaty of a setsurpasses everythng that one thnks ght be expeted fro t

Note that Cohen breakng wth the od ordna han of the atheatans desre ends up onvertng to the superpower of anentexess

A pont of vew whh the author fees ay eventuay oe to beaepted s that CH the ontnuu hypothess] s biusly fase [ . . Now s the set of ountabe ordnas and ths s erey a spea andthe spest way of generang a hgher ardna. he set C the on-

nuu] s n onrast generated by a totay new and ore powerfuprnpe naey the Power Set Axo . ] hs pont of vew regardsC the ontnuu] as an nredby rh set gven to us by one bod newaxo whh an never be approahed by any peeea proess ofonstruton.

ART VITopi o Ethi



What Cohen here reognes s that between the og of paes and thatof exess there s a daeta break.

hus the exess nds tsef reoved fro any nuera aegane hesubet n ts doube regster of agorth and neghbourhood effetuatesan rreonabe ssson of ts own proess. We weoe those 'vntes

of the vague n whh the parttve utpty s dssoved onsderngthe to be the proof adnstered by those who woud desre the exatopposte that there s a wager on the rea f n ths wager the nubernsrbed on the de s the resut of a onseuton t annot nk up ntoa han that whh n the throwers gesture produes the nauabtyof ts reah.

274275

Wh?

arch

en theses on the sbjetDonation and iitationHysteia, ot



Whee is the p oetaat?Whee s the nonsios?Mathees oMaxisTowad the tops

f I onentate the pesent stage of o tajetoy in ten theses on ysbjetthe sbjetI st eneate the as oows

1 The sbjete et is the spit atiation of a stta vaiatonaond an epty pae and a foed exess ove this pae

o a ateaist point of view the sbjetefet ofes p to now-edge both the ageba of ts paeent and the top oogy of its oingIt nsists on beng ased by that whih disappeas fo ts pae andonsists in the neghbohoods of ts ase

. I a sbjetivation the inteption of the vaiaton by the exess

t is a desttion a sbjetive poess the ptting ba into pae o the exess ntoa spae ented on the exess itsef t is a eoposition

The sbjet effet is ony the divisbe nity of sbjetviaton and thesbjetive poess Eah o these oents s abstat It is not aept-abe to spea of the sbjet exept in ght of a poess of destti oneoposition whih in tn s efeed in a seond atation, tothe diaet o a and exess

277



HEORY O HE SUBdEC

notherthe totity they woud f or is inonsistentit is beyond doubttht reuds unonsious nd Mrxs proetrit hve the se episte-oogi sttus with regrd to the brek they introdue in the doinntoneption of the subjet.

'Where is the unonsious? 'Where is the proetrit? hese questionshve no hne of being soved either by n epiri designtion or bythe trnspreny of reetion. They require the dry nd enightenedbour of nysis nd of poitis.

Enightened nd so orgnied into onepts s uh s intoinstitutions.

he ony surfe effet tht begins to put us on the trks of the subjetone sees this ery in poiti riots s uh in the hysteris thetre) isthe existene, redy under the presupposition of ried teriisof one ue saemen whose disposition perturbs the gebr of truth

The subjet is neither use nor ground. t hods out in wht it porizes,d h ff f di i f i h i i ib i

OPICS OF EHICS

for Borgs ge. ht the se n, Mrx, n be the engineer of sphtnd the hpion t the net herds the ties tht re to oe forthe poyvent worker

t is with gret swiftness tht you n nd the deipherent of thepoiti subjet when Mrx, enin or Mo, exposing theseves to thedestrutive re of the syptos of history, foow hin unti theyobtin the inbetween of two inks

By the rst red The Class Suggles in ance; by the seond, 'heCrisis Hs Mtured; nd by the third Repo on an nesigaion of hePeasan Moemen in Hunan, or the strnge diretives during the CuturRevoution. ypi expe 'Aording to y own observtion I woud

sy tht, not in ftories, nor in n overwheing jority of ftoriesbut in quite rge jority of ses the edership is not in the hnds oftrue Mrxists, nor yet in the hnds of the sses of the workers, so tht'it sees essenti tht the Gret roetrin Cutur Revoution shoudst be rried out Apri 969) Or gin enigti nd essenti in



nd supports the effet of preeding itsef in the spe wys invisibe inthe exess of its visibiity

We n never repet enough tht the texts of Mrxis re rst nd foreost those of iitnt poiti. The sign of this essentiity is n urgent,phosphoresent writing, t the junture of insription nd subjetivehste. t is there, upon exiting the egory of the prisoners, tht onethinks on the go of the se opinion s uien Grq in prenthesis,together with Sue Bekett the extree endpoint of onteporryprose, if it is not the se tht the forer brings Chteubrind to ose,nd the tter s)

rered The Class Suggles in ance nd The igheenh Bumaie with ndirtion nd even j oy without ny dixtu res. Nothing oes ose

to the high tone nd the shrpness of the trittht fro beginning toend nd ost effortessy trverses these textsto the feroious ndbuoynt heerfuness of Mrx the journist . . . ] this revoutionryjubition tht hs exusivey befen ony the very gretest kind ofstte of gre gaya scienza of the poypse [ . .

And the rest? he eephnt tht is pit? his is the hrd surfe ofonrete on whih the re th is pyed Do not istke the spht

280

st be rried out Apri 969) Or gin, enigti nd essenti, inthe yer of his deth ( 1 96 'You ke the soiist revoution, ndyet you do not know where the bourgeisie is. t sits t the hert of theCounist rty.

A question of topoogy Where is the bourgeoisie? But, ore deisiveyWhere is the proetrit? Where is it, sine in the pe where it is ge-

briy presribed the prtyStte) it is the new) bourgeoisie tht isking itsef ofortbe?

There is not singe jor text of Mrxis tht does not nd its in-spring in the question Where is the proetrit? t foows tht poitisis the unity of opposites of topis the urrent sitution) nd n ethisour tsks).

n The Class Suggles in ance, the oveent to disover the subjetworks wonders s it is ught between the feroiousness of the poeind the urgeny of the intervention Red, for expe

. . whie the strugge of the different soiist eders ong thesevessets forth eh of the soed systes s pretentious dherene toone of the trnsit points of the s oi revoution s ginst notherthepoleaia ries ore nd ore round eoluiona Socialism, roundCommunism, for whih the bourgeoisie hs itsef invented the ne ofBlanui his Soiis is the declaaion of he pemanence of he eoluion,the class dicaoship of the proetrit s the neessry trnsit point to theaboliion ofclass disincions geneally, to the boition of the retions of

281




this oent an has to susain himself he mos hence he aso is theos exposed in his characer (E 1 0

This adirable text is the etaphorical condensation of the fourconceps.

Hderlin is coening upon a question that Creon asks of Antigonewhence derives her energy her audacity to sustain hersel in he divi-sion of the law? How can she bear he assuption of jusice a the precisepoin where in the guise of CreonI ean in he guise of hat which inAntigone is the obligaory existence o the Creonefectthe violence ofthe superego deands repetiion?

In order o elucidate this proble Hlderin goes straigh to the dia-lectica essence of subjectivization he whoe ext bears its unbearabetorsion

What is he contradicion given in he risk in the 'bodest oen? Onone hand the 'spirit of tie t ha which 'takes hold of an ; on the oher

TOPICS O ETHICS

one to 'sustain onese To susain oneself therefore in the openingof he new the apparen uniitation whose dialecical ideniy is heliiaion he character This is because courage the burn precipitation(one has 'red ones ast rounds in the excess over the pace proptlyrecoposesbeyond the destruction tha it ishe subjective process ofjusic e. he srand of the subjective torsion explains why to be 'the osexposed and o 'sustain onesef are one and the sae thing.

And it is also one and the sae thing to follow 'he objec in which oneis inerestedwhich i appears s hould ul the desireand the act thathis object is always hafway

For this second identity is the strand whose interlacing with the oher

expains why fro the point of the subjec you have the risk and theday the erocious and he exposed the halfway and the characer thais anxiey the superego courage and justice

There is no 'virue in his hese words fro Hlderlin do not designaeany ability and in a cerain sense Creon will obain no answer to his ques



'the object in which he is inerested.I is patent that here lies the ontological discord between he consist

ency hat 'takes hold and the cause (the object. Hderlin posits onone hand the excess and on the other the place Tha which 'takesholdsand whose sie because i is out of place is called 'heavenlyis

the sae thing fro which follows the need to tear oneself away frothe place prescribed by the lack in the guise o the object of ones interest It is not a source a focus or a cause It is the very process of force asdisplacing Hderin says so hiself later on the spiri of tie 'awakensost owefully.

The placed denition of he huan being ied o the sensuous causalobject goes only 'half of the way What a rearkable expression! Thealgeba is only half-of-he-way of he subje. The overcoing of this halfway draws a topological picture that does no coe up by accident If hecontradiction appears 'ost ferociously it is because the place us beovercoe so hat 'the other half ares up . Asonishing etaphorical con-cision! The 'oher hal is the other diension the topoogical correlae ofany placeent he algebra is ieraly set on re by the excess

What appears next? One ust 'sustai n onese wherein you wil ie-diaely read the constituen requisite o courage agains the backgroundof a 'erocious anx iety. C ourage is he nae o the topoogical burning upof paces and of interests inasuch as it is subordinated to he gesure ofopening oneself up to becoing 'the ost exposed which is wha allows

288

any ability and in a cerain sense Creon will obain no answer to his question It is a ques ion of a passing oen of a pass in which halway andre orever poeticize he subjectefect.

The topic is in urn divided into a satic and a dynaiche basic square only ends o cobine the two divisions of he subject-

process

according to the pair subjectiviaion/subjective process which refersus on by way of the cause and consistency o the logic of destructionand of recoposiion;

according to the pair / which reers to the alternaing priacy oack and excess

he four concepts becoe the peaks of a network of which 'subjectnaes the doube articuation or o be ore precise the doubletrajectory

If you think o subjectivizaion/subjective process which is he analyial view o the subjec you obtain the two pairs anxiety/courage andsuperego/justice

If you think of / which is the synheiunderstanding you obtain hetwo pairs anxiety/superego and courage/justice.

289

HEORY OF THE SUBJEC

To know he ubjec reuire he unfoling of wo rajecorie. Anyanalyi of neuroi or of a a revol, operae fro he poin of heory-pracce, clearly how hi.

n al cae, he uppor of he croing i a naeable er of aerialiy.Thi er i he One of he ouble proceu.

For pychoanayi, i i he exuae boy.For Marxi, i i he pary. Conceive of in he piri of Marx, a he

rallying of he prolearia. I i he pary in i phyic.The pary i he boy of poliic, in he ric ene. he fac ha here i

a boy by no ean guaranee ha here i a ubjec, neiher in he caeof he anial boy nor in ha of he iniuional boy. Bu for here o be

a ubjec, for a ubjec o be found, here u be he uppor of a boy.The aic of he ubjeche reul of a chain of concep a coplex

a are all hoe of he rucura ialecic (pace, ouplace, vanihinger, caualiy of lack, lack of lack . . an all hoe of he logic of exce(forcing, erucion, iviion of he law . . an he reprie of he whole

TOPICS OF ETICS

CLA { iot-movement

inurreciowar

ohip o l pl_ couniIpary C LA

he uncheaiable apec of he ubjec coni in aking a poinou of a line.



e hrough he funaenal caegorie of aeriali (algebra an opology, an o forhgive u he following:

ubjeciviaion

BECubjecive process

boy

anxey- courage

uperego- juice

�-

BEC

The eleenary Marxi ranlaion of hi foral arrangeen i conrucible. hi reuire a whoe reperoire of eiaing concep (hiory

an poliic; revoluion, prograe, iviion of he bourgeoiie, hepeople, alliance, oe of proucion, oinance, ae, ae, an oon. ee he iagra below.

n hee chea, he obligaory uage of line houl no hie he facha anxiey an courage operae fro he ae poin, a o juice anhe uperego. Thi poin i ha of h e erucion an he recopoiion.

Here he aic inver ielf ino he ynaic.

90

ai ha he four concep are neiher virue nor abiliie. Beer ye:hey are no even experience. Two year ago, propoe heir abracforula here you can ee clearly ha hey are only nae for cerainprocee, an nohing ele.

Neiher anxiey nor he uperego nor courage nor juice are ae of

concioune. They are caegorie of he ubjeceffec. Wha hee caegorie give u o hink i a pecic aerial one, which i he openingprincipe for any erucion of ha which uppor i.

Anxiey i ha for of he inerrupion ha, invae by he real a oouchne, le hi orer be a ea orer. Here he oouchofh erealinerrup he vacillaion aroun he e py place by way of an obrucion, wherea courage, for i par, operae by way of eregulaion.

We gh ay ha anxiey eignae he oen when he real killhe ybolical, raher han pling i.

Hence, ubjeciviaion block he rule wihou annulling i pace.Th paralye pace urn he iorer ino he eah of orer, uner heconcep of hi orer ielf.

Hiorically, anxiey exi a he noinaion of he 'power voi, haobeon which haun he poliician. Of coure, ha which govern hepoiion of hi voia if uenly he unoccupyable place were every-wherei he inolerance owar iorer, becaue he laer i reaineuner he foral ainenance of he law, in he ( ea gure of orer.

91

ERY E SBJEC

Whe towad the ed of May 68 the ewae L Mond made aomete tuaoud that thew it bak to the ide of the outeevo-lutio Eough BeuveMy ut i the headlie) it agued fom theoit of hao ad tamitted axiety a the vioet aeal to the Gaulitueego.

Axiety effetuate the detutio of meaig a hao i uh a waythat the law alway udivided hie i the ditae iofa a it o logeue Axiety maitai the exe withi toologia adheee. Of thiaayed ode the aw ommad that I ary the whole oe. Theiteutio i stuk oto the lae with the emblem of a fueal At theoigi of axiety thee ie the odutio by way of the exe of a que -

tio without a awe (ouage fo it at i a awe without a que-tio) 'What doe oe wat fom me? But though fatally hit the lae iwhih thi quetio i ouded emai the od ode of the lae

Axiety a we ee i the mute ad uiida iot (ue 188 foexame) imie i it effet the death of detutio itef the detu-

PICS EICS

the uiveaity of the exe whih make eveyoe i hi o helae uiiou

Hee we ee how i the ueego effet the feoiou gue of the awt eee of olaw i et fee ad beome omieet

Now that [uiveality ha omleted the detutio of the atualogaizatio of the wold ad exit ow ut fo itelf thi i it oleobet a obet that o loge ha ay otet oeio exiteeo oute exteio but i meey thi kowedge itelf a a aboluteyue ad fee idividua elf [

The oe wok ad deed of uiveal feedom i theefoe dath, adeath too whih ha o ie igiae o ig fo what i egatedi the emty oit of the abolutely fee ef It i thu the odet admeaet of all death with o moe igiae tha uttig off a headof abbage o waowig a mouthfu of wate

I thi lat ommolae mooyllabe i otaied the widom of



tio of detutio. It i the mot eexive of the ubet oet Itivolve that fom of the exe by whih the ae impods.

2 Hee axiety al uo the supgo Axiety i that ievitable ideof ubetivizatio whih aught i the web of the dead ode make aaea to the eifoed uteae of the law Hee the Feudia will

metio the axiou atie of efuihmet The exe i that whihaxiety is i the itoeae of it beig t i the exe hideed by itvey ow iie toologia adheee. The aie of the exe tothe etoatio of the lae i what ubodiate ubetivizatio to theoevative ubetive oe the ueego Thi oelatio dee thetad of the ubetive toio

What i the oe of the ueego tye A a gue of oitey itut the exe bak ito lae by distibuting it wh aoding to thaaiab pas The ueego i the tutua aet of the exe Thoughit the algebaiizatio of the toologial ou a i ful of ubetivizig

axiety the ae eomoed itelf o it ow i the teoizig eitio of the aemet.I fat the ueego i the ubetive oe of teo Hege dei

tio efeig imiity to the teo ude Robeiee may hee ufe.Thi deitio big togethe

the 'detutio of the atual ogaizatio; the idiffeet ode of death;

292

I thi lat ommolae mooyllabe i otaied the widom ofthe govemet the abtat itelligee of the uiveal will i thefulllig of itef [ . .

Whe the uivea wil maitai that what the govemet haatuay doe i a ime ommitted agait it the govemet fo itat ha othig ei ad outwady aaet by whih the gilt of

the wi ooed to it ould be demotated; fo what tad ooed toit a the atua uiveal will i oly a ueal ue wil intntion . Bingsuspd theefoe take the lae o ha the igiae ad effetof bing gi; ad the exteal eatio agait thi eaity that lie ithe imle iwade of itetio oit i the old matteoffataihilatio of thi exitet ef fom whih othig ele a be takeaway but it mee beig (Ph 35 960

The pad feoioue extemiate the itetio without egad fothe fat It ufe to be i ode to be udged ueluou. Hee it ifutie to tudy teo baed o the diviibe obetivity of at. To the oay we mut tat fom axiety iaaity to effetuate the diviio

Fom Hege imeable text (whih moeove efue to udge teoi a obligatoy momet i the beomig of efoioue) let uetai that teo i a heomeo that belog to the ubet ad otto the S tate. The 'govemet i oly the mode of beig of the uiveal(that i fo u of the uiveality of the exe ditibuted thoughoutthe etie dead emie of lae) . Thi mea that teo i a modality of

293

THRY TH SUBdT

poiic ad o he echaica reu of he oder Sae. If you eeko uderad ad forid he Guag ake a your arge Sai poiic ii raioa ujecive deeriaio. he oppoie idea hich eek odeerie S ai poiic or eve Mari poiic i geera o he aio he Guag ead oy o vugar orai

No he fudaea icoveiece of vugar orai ie i iipoece. Whoever eek o pu a ed o eror ad o he Guag ufoo he Mari road of he poiica ujec of hich error i a diaecica codiio a propery reoraioi gure. Mora proe i reaiyprepare he ay for he piin of error.

he eece of error i poiica. We u udead he errori Sae

o he ai of he ujecive coiecy of a ode of poiic referredack o i roo: he ujeciviaio he Sovie aiey he aiey of civiar ad of he NEP. We u hik he Sae o he ai of error ado error o he ai of he Sae.

he deuciaio of he repreive ad oody chaacer of a ode ofi i d h i i i f hi i i d i

TPIS THIS

oger i i i pace ecoe he e a hich ake ife ou of deahief.

Aiey i deee aed upo he uiig pace for a ockeda

ourage i ideee aed upo he ece uder a pi a.Do you a a ipe rue for he aiey i eaig aay a you? o ok

for he courageou ac efoe hich you ho reucace he rea hayou eieve o e ipoie ad hich i rea for hi very reao. ookfor your curre idececy. I preciio i urprie you ad aiey ihere ha hich guide you oard he ruh.

A hi i upery pu i Sephe rae ove Th Rd Badg f

Cuag A rue aua of aoyou ujecivizaio i hich he uiyof oppoie eee aiey ad courage ieray prod uce he ujec ihe doue ee of he oo k hero ad i ujec aer:

e foud ha he coud ook ack upo he ra ad oa of hiearier gope ad ee he ruy. e a geefu he he dicovered



poiic doe n aou o he rea criici of hi poiic or doe i evereae oe o e doe ih i.

We Mari are he oy coie ad effecive aiS aii ecau ee are he oy oe ho fuy grapi order o recaSai poiic.We dread he vugar aiSaii o ecaue hey crea agai he

cap ad agai orurehey are righ o do ou ecaue hroughhe ioperaive hee of he ae ojeciviy or of oaiaria ideoogy hey orgaie he pree eake i he face of he ujeciveogic of error. Ye e dread heir poiica eake heir ivouaryacuiecece eve he ivered io reoraioi aiey o he cor-reaio ihou deigaig he aer i i ujecive iherece iprofoud poiica force.

3. Cuag i iuaed a he ae poi a aiey i ha hich iover io he ece. Bu i d uppor i he diviio of he a i aager o he rea i uch a ay ha i effecuae he diorder a he

orde of eaig. he epire of courage i he ife of ece. reacivecorreae i he dead order of hich aiey ake charge.

ourage effecuae he ierrupio of he dead a i favour of heece hu dividig he pecripio of he pace y cmplly iveigi eighourhood. A courage aou o paig hrough hee herepreviouy i a o viie ha ayoe coud fd a paage.

o go pa he hrea of deah hich oy ever ea ha hich o

294

g p y gha he o depied he.

Wih hi covicio cae a ore of aurace e fe a uieahood oaerive u of urdy ad rog ood e ke hahe oud o ore uai efore hi guide herever hey houd poi.e had ee o ouch he grea deah ad foud ha afer a i a

u he gea deah. e a a a. [ . . .]e he youh ied for he a ha he ord a a ord for hi

hough ay dicovered i o e ade of oah ad akig ick. ehad rid hief of he red icke of ae. he ury ighare ai he pa. e had ee a aia iered ad eaig i he heaad pai of ar. e ured o ih a over hir o iage of ra-ui kie freh eado coo rooka eiece of of ad eerapeace.

Over he river a gode ray of u cae hrough he ho of eaderai coud.

Ipoie o give a eer epreio o he ay i hich couped ooaiey couragea pracica reach i haeve i uappareopeou o he eree diipaio of he a io juice.

ourage ae he ae caue oruced y he rea y eaiga diviio of he pace. hi diviio pu he a o he e iead ofcaig for i reoraio.

29

TEORY OF TE SUBd ECT

4. Justie te conitency or te ate o te caue aount to relativiin te la erea te upereo ake it abolute Ti tie te eecto recopoition obey te axi: Aay ore o te real and e ote a I in te upereo te nonla i only te univeral barbari ote la ten in utice it i te corroion o te a ite It i te ubective principe o te iterin aay o rit

Te active ource o utice inverely to tat o te upereo i tetopooiation o alebra Here te neibourood ubordinate te eleentary to ite Jutice i te burring of the paes, te oppoite tereoreo te rit place

Jutice i retroactivecorrelation by ay o te approximatie eiti-

iation o courae erea te upereocorrelation deinatete rigours o anxiety

Te diviion o te ubective proce appen accordin to te ditribu-tion o te exce eiter on te ide o order itin eac place or on teide o it iterin aay a an onoin proce

T d id bl li i t t t t ti it

Dagonals of the imagi nary

May 11 979

Horiontal vertical diaonal?Te iainary a aturation ote tatic o te ubectExaple o diaonaDoati and

ceptici Mearene o te iainary Recollection recollection



Te undecidable lie in te act tat ti eiter or or aninterlacin and not an alternation or a iple coexitence

e upereo i te retorationit ace o recopoition (ic doe notean repetitive: Stalin i not te Tar nor i Robepierre oui XI uticei it intitutin ace

But every intitution retoreAdit tat ere you ave a peain penoenooical direionobine it I be you it te cold atee tat ive you it teory

Tou aay blind a deciion aay alo one ater te act or aprsoup to tate te eence o it undecidability

296

cepticiMearene o te iainaryRecollection recollectionWat do you ant ro e?

Let u pend oe ore tie oin over te tatic o te ubectWe ave etablied te horizonta correlation: anxietycourae i te

ubectiviin ciion; and upereoutice te contradiction o te ub-ective proce

We ave alo etablied te ertia correation anxietyupereodene te trand o te torion couraeutice it trand

We ave poited te blockininterruption o tee to link: te bodyeneral hpokeimenon o te ubecteect an d bearer o t e undecidabe

Are tere diagona correlation? Wat i te eanin o te paircouraeupereo and anxietyutice?

A tatic copried o all te yte o linkae il be caed aturatedI ti te cae o te cea o te ubect?

I iediatey aner Ye Wat saturates the stati of the subjet is nothingbut the imagina

Te diaona ive ape to te to reat iainary unctionicao contitute te oral concept o ideoloy: te doatic and teceptic

297


The idea that the diagonal aturation i the very denition of the iagi

nary i fully in keeping with acan teaching jut a it i part of the legitiate line of decent fro the Marxit theory of ideology

When Thoa Mntzer re up the Geran countryide with a counit egalitarian dicoure he courageouly ubjectivize againt thebackdrop of death and appeal to jutice.

When he nae hi courage baed on the abolute conviction thahrit eek the fullent of thi deign he propoe the iaginaryarticulation of the bravery of revolt baed on the uperego whoe allegoryi 'the Kingdo of God

When the Red Guard in Beijing attack he new bureaucratic bour

geoiie in order to put into effect a counit prograe they arecontitued by he trand except that by invoking he guarantee of the'abolue authority of Mao Zedong thought they becoe ideoogicallyutured to

When the intitution of a deocracy a the iediate actuality ofpolitical couni i accopanied by terrorit proopopeia againt

TOPICS OF ETHCS

the uperego) or to jutice (by way of anxiety) through a xed principle

of identitywhether it i a uetion of God law the cult of Mao orutopian ania.

The diagonal produce the function of the 'ego; they produce theiilar the fertile cion of a union of and by which the ubecthrink fro he diviion that bring it into being.

acan rightly congratulate hielf for 'he wedge that drive in here byputting back in it pace the decepive trui that identicalne to oneelfwhich i preued to exit in the ego uual ene [of itelf ha oething to do with a uppoed intance of reality [rel]' 69/.

Thi 'wedge i nothing ele than the tatic ditinction between the horizontal (conceptua) connecion and the verical (real) connection on onehand and the diagonal (iaginary) connection on the other.

The iaginary induced by the witching of he doinant between lackand exce in the ubjective twit fallaciouly repreent the undecidablea alway already having been decided.

Either (dogati) becaue there i an unbreached legal control over



p p y p p p gthe 'pie and 'traitor hi i becaue the law precarioune uch athe proce of the juticetype intitute it iediaely entail the e xpo-ure of anxiety the reedy for which i an iaginary ination of rika he xation of a real whoe blurred place provoke the experience oftoopenty.

When the utopian counit ideal gure of the nonlaw are acco-panied a we ee in the cae of Fourier by an innite detail of precrip-tion and duie etting up a cobinatoy of rule for the toaity of thepaion and in fact leaving no roo or leiure for any neighbourhoodhi i becaue it i convenient to top the breach uppoed to be generalized of the rue via the trict deducion of all of he real.

The iaginary i thu what provide the connection beween he trand and , naing a it doe in the regier of he ideal the endle practicainverion of their repective doinance. The iaginary i what produceiiliude and eblance between the lack and the exce.

By way of the iaginary courage eokes the uperego while at the aetie conoking jutice. The iaginary ward off anxiety fro the pointfro which jutice can be inferred and courage i induced.

Becaue it enable the diagonal uturing of the two trand of heubject the iaginay reckon with the inexitent that i the identicalneto oneelf. Go back to y exaple and in each cae you will ee that thetronghold of the iaginary ie in giving cofort o courage (by way of

28

courage or (ceptici) becaue the nonlaw of jutice repreen only theeernal undecidability of he law.

The iaginary coprie two axi 'Guaranteed by the other Ican and I ut everything and 'ince there i no other I can and I utnothing

n every cae thi ean the reign of orality which i the exact oppo-ite of ethic.

Ala we are all extreely oral. Nobody can ecape aturation.

2

ourage in the regiter of the iaginary upport itef with a xed pointby which the recopoition (into jutice) j up ahead to it oppoite inthe uperego. The aebly of the inurrection realize an evaive ciion

of the law but iediately there are only traitor to be executed artre ha een thi very well in hi Criiue of ialecical Reason when onthe bai of the group in fuion (a notion which oreover woud ratherhave to be regitered on the ide of the anxiou ubjectivization in ) hegenerate the pledged group where fraternityterror reign upree. Hidrawback lie in having preented a two ucceive gure of the aephenoenon what in fact i the coexitence of it vertical and diagona

2

TEORY O TE SUBJECT

lkges d thus hvg ssed the pot where the gr s ds-

joed fro the rel. Ths s becuse rtre hods o to smple coceptoof the subject. He euertes ts strds wthout beg ble to thk therterlcg.

Actul the pheoel roe of terror t work ss deocrcs wht llows the gr bsoluteess of covcto to lgebrcecourge whose essece s topologcl. Eve though ou drtclchged ccordg to objectve but ukow eghbourhoods d followed the et resources of excess ou post Ch tht everthg results fro chr Mos ltest drectve to whch obedeces edtel due or ou Ir tht God proceeds b w of our

odest terveto to expel t the hhThs evtble dgo dogtes courge The correte of xetthereb ds tself edted b the show dsp of superegoc tc-pto whch cse s wht t lws clls upo. Axet requresthe excess n the same place of terror d ths reureet s the pot ofthe rel the correlto Courge rgues fro del dogtct

TOPICS O ETICS

poltcl subjectvt. We eed l the rgour of Lc order ever to

rgue o the bss of cse of helg

3

Arrved t ths pot cofess to hvg lttle or o desre to cotue.I spte of ts leged there s othg ore structur d the lststce othg ore povershed th the gr. It s true theres lso othg ore obvous ecessr. I uderstd the tepttoto exhust the coplete trjector of ts rchetpes whch re those of

good d bd fortue dored wth the etphors of ture. O the oehd the regster of ts et spedour whch serves to cor thtthere s (but there st) soe Alght O the other tht of ts rchcdfferece order to estbsh tht we re put o erth wthout hoed wthout herth (but there s ws Plce d Hlderl ss re).



the gr dgol whch t the se pot gurtees tht courgeexposes tself to the re wthout destrog the destructo

etrc the process of justce whch es the wekeg ofthe lw to the beet of the rel geertes esset ucertt wthregrd to the subjectve pceet Precrous delt to courgeous

subjectvto j ustce s proper tht whch provokes xet s to therues stregth to wrd off the re. ustce b o es s the procedureof seret. Rther t duces Eccesstes oto tht ll the rvers ruto the se the chotc gr of desese.

ustce s escorted b vcllto of certtes whch the blurgof the plces s buttressed the gr b ts ow etert. There hsever bee rule: such s the tgog dgol cto b whchjustce wrds off the restortost drves tht re polred b xet.

Everoe grees to overcode justce wth des to subject the futureow to soe rue to e detel fro tes eorl wht

wl be the cse whe ll the kow pces of oto wll hve beerued oe fter other Ths s becuse everoe essentally doubts therel utoo of justce. Everoe cobes the dogtc dgo of thexed pot gurtee to coe fro the future wth the sceptcl dgoof dsorder gurtee hded dow fro the pst.

We eed ll the cosstet brver of Mrx d Mo order torefuse to legste cous otherwse th fro the rel pot of

300

)Pscl hs exhusted ths uesto wth ts ser d ts grdeur.

Good dectc tht he s he ooks for the dvsble pot fro whereths tertg represetto dsppers fvour of the pure rel of thesubject (Chrst s the e of such subject) Ths pot turs out tonexst n God (for to be cotet lke Descrtes wth Gods exstece s oldolt) d to exceed tself n the Text (for t s ol through topoogclredg of the Testets dssovg the letter of the text to the gurestht overlow t tht oe c dscover tht these crptures re excep-to to the world).

The Hol ble s the excessve trce for the God who s ckg.t s prtcurl es to estbsh for Pscls Chrst the kot of

xet (thk of The Myste of esus He suffers ths ficto d thsbdoet the horror of the ght) of the superego ( God uues-tobl s terror) of justce (t he dut of Love dssolves to grce l theworldl rules of the plce) d of courge (we ust wger gst ere

dverso) .Mser d grdeur re the dgols whch Psc recoges pre

csel the sceptc gr d the stoc to. Hece t s ttg tocoverse wth Moseur de c bout Epctetus d Motge To dss-pte the gr oesded ess of orlt s the egtve troductoto the dlectc of the subject.

The Mrxst theor of deolog suffers fro the ustoppble egreess

30

THEORY OF HE SUBJECT

of the diagonals. What oe is thee to add except the evident viscosity

of thei entwning to the sepaate foulations of the 'huan condition'dogatically exalted in its powe as asolute at and egion o scepticay educed to its deciency and to the inexoaility of death? To showthat all this sticks to ou skin in the fo of a tanscendent denial of theclass stuggle goes no futhe than the ceted epot of soe ateialistailiff

The wold 'tuned upside down only feeds into y passion fo settngit staght.

t the sae tie confess that the pessue of the iaginay once weecognze its pnciple y no eans deands that we ecoe scandalized

Even the faous 'cut of pesonaty' in its anifest coeation to theolique anxieties of just avey sees to e to ste fo the inevtaepesuption of the One uch oe so than fo the dictatoial infaieswhich pass fo ea and which if needed ae copatile with the ostedioce of iages. Noody has eve needed the cult of Guy Molets pesonality n ode to give the assive consent duing the lgeian wa

TOPICS OF ETHICS

conside the less the vctis of a devastatng iusion as they petend

today than caied away eyond theselves y hstoy fo whencethey dew cetan ages unifyng consequences and not ony the illusoycause of thei deteination. he aginay thus coes in to consolidatethe eal and not in ode to instal the seant

Is this o say that we should sing the paise of the poety of the iaginay? Of couse not. It is easy to see that honou it as the senselessdiagonal of desense o as the deeliction of asense in the place of ndesense only on the gounds of what suppots t in the suect as effectivepocess.

Even poety contay to whateve acadeic explanatons tail ehind

it feeds on the topoogical diension of language and not on the aginay. This s one of Malla's diectives

We dwel in those tue goves whee havng aked ou wayWith lage and hule gestue the pue poet ustStand guad against the dea as eney to hs tust. I I



to the assace of a illion lgeians including totue and the caps sopposed to the Stalinist endeavou fo which at least a gigantic Russiaeeged these hoos ae all the oe tanspaent insofa as they onlyseved to delay the nevitale ndependence y six o seven yeas andthus people wee assaced igoousy speaking fo nothing.

cetainly paticipated in the 'cult of Mao' y eans of which likeillions oe gued the xed point with which to gauge the adcatunaout of couage and the coplete tansfoaton of oth y pactical existence and y convctions duing the second half of the 1 960s andthe ealy 70syeas of gandeu if eve thee wee any. n etospect have coe to know its idiculous aspects the unealities of the sujectvetaectoy y which this cult taced an iagnay diagona and whichexposed to the eal can now designate with claity. ut confess that feel no eose whatsoeve fo having tavesed this expeience noteven fo nouishing an uncontollale nostalgia when eee those

yeas fte a socalled leftist intellectuas wee othewse vigoous andinnovative unde Stalin than they ae today in the povincial deaseentof thei petty sentients and thei ana haits. uy neithe the posthuous evenge of Caus ove Sate no the excessive paise fo Rayondon ecause he woud have een ' ess istaken' which is easy enoughto accoplish when one does not take any isks othe than to followthe pedagogy of the wold as it is. s fo the leftsts of the post'68 ea

302

et us not stand guad o pohit ut su up

nxity

prg

bzSC

��!�tiSG�

bc c

rg

I

ti

Now that it is satuated the suecs static awaits only its oentu.This is God's faous nge ick to put the echans in otion God

thats e. s oden as anyone can eve e will content yself withthe wod of an enginee.

303

Schma

May 8, 979

UnfeasibleThe formal sbjecivePncaliyAxis of aboliionrajecoriesAcion reacio n sabiiaionThe escargo

TOPICS OF EHICS

How shold we gre he noccpyable place? We wi show i in an

obiqe way by a hole.We hs ake as or poin of deparre a plane sho hrogh wih a hoe

whereby a once we miss o on he essenial fac ha he hole is a pacean empy place and hs a poin like he ohers disappeared among heohers if i is no ackinginispace.

how shold we represen he fac ha he sbjec in a posiion ofinernal exclsion vacilaes 'arond he empy place ha i n occpies?This will ony give s a vlgar approximaion In order o indicae hahe occpaion of he empy pace is a srcra movemen namely hevacillaing or he eclipsing we need o have a way o schemaie ha

'somehing of he splace occpies and does no occpy ls and does nol he hoe in he plane.

I decide on h e solion of a vecor wiho origin oriened oward heempy pace. his polariaion of he vecor aken a is exreme limimakes he occpaion (i is he hole ha conros he orienaion and heinoccpaion (he vecor does no ll he void) ino one.



Any aemp o gre he sbjec as ndecidabe ms face he impossibiliy of is schema. he ask before s is herefore impossible. The

drawing ha I am abo o skech o ms be inerpreed in ligh ofis projecions and is limi poins. I srcres a few sympoms for henschemaiable

Neiher he qaliaive break whose operaion is enirey pracical norhe conradicion whose erms do no share a nied plane can be pino an image

There exiss no geomery of he diaecicLacan fnishes his discorse as he drafsman of an impossible schema

He shows wiho speaking he poin where he rea canno make apoin.

2

Firs hen he splace as he pace of he sbjecs becoming oofplace.he lim of he disribion of places is xed herein by he empy place henoccpyable place which is he srcra anchorage of he oplace.

304

Or second ask consiss in enering he opoogy by schemaiing heexcess by visaliing he opace. Here we need somehing ha neiherprely belongs o he splace nor simply occpies he void b ha bringso he viciniy beween he wo and hs fasens isef ono he sbecssrcral aspec.

I secre his wih an anglar represenaion ha by inrodcingno only he pane b also he space symboies whaever he excessholds in erms of a desrcive earingaway from he niy of he panewhile a he same ime sanding as i does direcy above he vecori remains srcred by he oscillaion whose vacillaing laness iinerrps

his framing device deserves he name of fomal subjeie

hole

place

305

THERY F THE SUBJECT

Th forl ubjtiv obin into uniqu pro both th vtor

polrizd ovnt towrd th void nd th ngulr rprntton thtubtrt it fro th pl.

A subjectie position i point whih in qul ur i ught n thvtorliton (pld onqunty t th t it xludddu to th t tht it i with rgrd to th pty pl tht t ovnd upport difrntil gp n ngl in ptil vinity to (nd thutnding in th x o intrruption ovr th oilltion tht rri ittowrd th inouption of th hol .

Thi pont I i ubjtviing in ntur bng th inl unity o thoition nd th intrrupton of gbr bonging nd th gp of

topologi dhrn.Th ft of t truturl ttrtion i digntd nxity A, whrby

tht whih in th x rik depiing it of its ack xpin why it pplto th pl. Th ft tht n fft it i both xiv rpulon nd prvtion of th polrty of lk nrbd ourg C

onidrd in th doubl ontrint of th vtor nd th ngl t

TICS F ETICS

th rt vtorilition yboz t th lvl of forl fring tht

th ubt i pro of dtrutonropotion.n ordr to pl th uprgo nd juti w giv ourlv vrti

x rfrn point rk th it o ll onvbl dtrution.Thi xi ptly nd xi of bolition nlud th innt puhing bko th pty p. It th xi ording to whih thr woud b noor lw nd only th rl would xit; th xi of uprhun ourgof intolrbl nxity of intgrl juti nd of th dd uprgo:

J

}r(

Se

ctn rectn tblztn



on nd th point i pt into A nd C on ohow towrd thbotto nd th othr towrd th top.

3

ow hould w gur th ubjtiv pro? Th id ply toprodu th trtory of n intgr for xp by puhng fro llth wy up to th ngur lin tht i uppod to rk th boundry oth for ubjtv (in tr of th x. Lt u th pont I Thubjtiv pro woud b th journy fro to

Th gro iplition o thi nry hypoth onit n th ftht nithr th dtrution nor bov ll th ropoton pprlrly.

ow hould w k up or thi dltil hortoing?

Ropotion n nw p. To k n ig out of th ttht th r opotion prod fro th ubjtiv pro w wipotion n xi of r opoition oplt wth it own pty pldirtly bov th prviou on th trjtory forl futur ndthu bd on th y opltion. Th x o th rt ngl hld tork th xu x will thn b prntd th xi o dtru-tion. Th duity o th x unid by thir oon nhorg in

30

sple

Th onptul pping of th ubtiv pro bginning ro thpty pl will prod by wy of projting ubtiv poition ontoth xi of bolition. Th point of projtion ohow giv u urrltiv to th trjtoy. r gin it i doubly dind by th pldorgin of th projtion whh it uprgoi dinion; nd by th xiof botion itlf whih upport it dinion of juti.

4

Wht ubjtpro? Lt u follow it tion.Th dtrutv ipul gvn in th diffrntil A/C rri th x

of ll th wy to nd tuly byond in th rgnt o th urvht w will ll the excess oe the excess btwn nd Th lttr in

307


soe way is the inevitabe letst instance of any sbective interlacing

the oent when destrction raises the bd and goes beyond ts ownstrctral for beyond its angar assignation to the space as caght ina vertgo of abolitionwhose anxos theatic deands that one throwonesel head rst into the worlds nerno.

At the pont which is the extree it of what corage is able to bearof the exposre to the rea and the axi heght for the proection /Se there begins a 'descent that can be apped in S J ' based on the factthat anxiety here gains precedence over corage attraction over repson hs is what we can call the oent of regressve sbectviationIn strict correlation the proections provide s with a easre of the fact

that the speregoic nstance gains precedence over the 'rse of stce toright the wrongsIn S nally there s a stoppng point on a re coposing vectorialaton

deterined by ac fro S we trace that whch connects it to p the point of axal

excess and to S the stoppng point n which the real dissolves itself in the

Ethics as th dissipation of th paradoxs ofpartisanshp

May 25, 199

Antigone once orethics s the reainder o poiticsogc of thencalcab le decisiono give in or t o behe Moscow trashe

partsan indset



anence o parts then we can carve ot three ones in the rght angleof abolition and conservation On the left the one of acion, governed bythe pracy o corage and the growing vectoraliaton of the proectonJ/Se In the iddle correlated to the regressive sbectviaton there isreaion, in which A gains the pper hand over C an d where the pont J/Se declnes once again On the right sabilizaion. Yo will nderstand thatthese are three sltaneos oents gven n any sbectprocess Spacen ts sperority over te s telling wth regard to ths coexstence

We cod obviosy contne

here yo have ready for disasseby the coplete escargot operodaton.

308

Fro Hegel to Lacan the reerence point or ethics is Sophocean Who isAntigone? hat s the qestion.

Yo can iagne that I a not gong to te yo that or sMarxists Antgone s the expresson o archac soca relatons Aganstthe rght o the city whose despots s secar, these forces call ponthe od nwritten rght o blood and faly ow that wold do yoa lot of good! Yo wold obtain the ind of Marxists trthsbecaset is trethans to whch we have alen behind the hstorcal ntel-ligence o the borgeose withot ovng an nch toward an energeticbrea.

Another way to forlate ths sae pont s the followng there exists

no Marxist ethics. At best there s an ethics of Marxs which we candesignate retroactivey as the practical prncipe behnd the ratona cal-cations o potics.

thics falls on the sde o that which n the priacy o practice fnc-tions as a reainder for the possble exhastion of theory. ae theadvances and shortcoings of the protagonists o the Cone or ofthe Red Gards once they have passed throgh theoretical relection n

309

HERY F HE SUBJEC

view of he nex ge wh rein i he f h he inrne he

unondiion virue of n hiori oun h i he unforgeedeiion

We n nd uppor for hi in wo xio fro ege:

' f ] he ehi order eeni oni in hi iedie rneof deiion (Ph 280) 'Coneuen he oue righ of he ehi onioune i hhe deed he shape n whih i atualizes ief h e nohing ee uwh i knows' (Ph 28

Ehi onern he deiion in i pri ouene whih nno

e inferred fro nhing ee u fro i onepornei o he know-edge vie he ie Ehi ke dioure ou of h whih nneiher wi nor e poponed I ke do wih wh i given

ere we reenouner he ujeive funion of he fored inege ex

Ehi eeni ouhe upon he undeidii of he uje Thi i

TPICS ETHCS

n ofer of he ouping fore proeed nien onvenon nd

reen piuionEhi i on he gend whenever he ujeive enion oin univer

i on in he priur forking of n wi ow o inveige heopee e of ffir

n i erin righ in reduing ehi o he queion heuje given in Wh he ver o give in Beue wh i ke in deiion i no he u of he uje u pure nd ip i eing

To give in en o dipper Nohing wi hen hve ken pe uhe pe

The whoe queion of oneporr poii oe down o hi: i he

inernion proeri of Frne going o exi A rion poii hno oher go u o ue he exiing ujeivizion in order o uinin opoog he ouni proe of hi exienehe onien ofh whih exi

f we ke ehi ino he reinder of poii we n o foruehe proe foow: i i neer o oninue giving in o he undeni



rue even when for of wido i o do i rgue fro he poinof view h hi undeidii oe down o pure epne of f

The noion h ehi Sittlichkeit i he ogi of he inue dei-ion expin wh for ege i i inferior o ori MIWit whoere eong o reeion

In hi regrd we wi revere ege Mori i indeed ueine i i ugh in h whih fro he pe govern he dppering of he ujeive proe i reduion o he e of re Wihourguing for uperiori our inere wi e in ehi For we know heo of wh ring Viier de eAd nd Riud hough he reprofound poii o e on he ide of he Coune or wh ringhi or h reionr pen fro Bourgogne o e up n undergroundreine oveen pure on he ground h he 'we udo oehing

Wihou uh deiion here woud no even e n er for

poiiThoe who in hee irune wi for he 'oue refeion hve

he ie in he word e he uer or Gide o give erene evuion of he wrong oied oh prie nd o e heeve hMier Thier or Pin hough in dipue w ojeive proeerin need where he oher dreer no dou re exggerewhen he exeue nie ihop or when he hee ugher

30

e dvnge o f he unioniprienr pingThe exiene of he uje ge diiped ino he nonene of he w

oon he xi i o give in n hi forefu Deire whi ed deire ufe o ke ife eninge if i urn oeone ino owrd (E 782/660)

B inverion hi oun o dening ourge he ore of heueion

One w give in for he ke of oe good one own or h ofoher n hi he ervie of good Noie h o give in for heke of oher i no worh uh ore hn o give in for one own ke The oppoie of he ehi deiion i no he eh deiion fr fro iThe proper oppoie of ehi i er he eene of whih oni inering oneef in inexiing in he ervie of good

propoe four heore

1 One give up on ujeivizion in he ne of he od ujeveproe

2 The ground for he onepu frework of ehi i he ujeiveinering of nd

3 I i neer o give in for n ue inude he proe Ehii poie for n uje inude he proe

4 The funden onep of he ehi of Mrxi i ondene

3

THEORY OF THE UBJEC

2

f he poical bjec i wha he pay a body i able o bear n er ofhe ndecdabe, and if beraya he prope oppoe of ehc, can we noeae ehic and parianhp? The recognizable gre of he one whogve n wold hen be he renegae Th i oehing ha, ince Jda, an old epaon of any appaa in whch poiical bjec nd heirhypokeimenon

In hi logc, in which he Sae laenly dene he adeae fo ofha which no longer exi a parybjec excep a i eblance, abolely neceary ha he polcal eney, or even j he nvera

pec, be voleny kep n he nnaeable and nll pace of he raiorand he py.

We can nd eiony of he fac ha hi place nnaeable in heincredibe ix of eaphor by which he 'ocal proecor Vyhinkywan o pa i off a a pre nohngne:

Or whoe conry, fro yong o old, awang and deanding one

OPIC O ETHIC

Vyhinky wan abolely ha khain declare helf a rh or

Geran py, fo ha wold exclde he acced fro any pace whaoeve n he pace of he Sae, which i he only hng ha inolerabe fro he poin of vew of ehic and legize he deah penaly.khain, bjec o al knd of violence and deprived of an afravebjeciviy a polcal rean, defend hielf on hi precie poinwh a rae bbonne, going o far o a o ea h denonce aprovocae:

Vyhinky: I a akng yo abo connecion wih oe poiceahoy

kharin had no connecon wh any polce ahorewhaoever

Vyhinky: Then why wa o eay for yo o jon a boc whch waengaged n eponage wok?

kharn: Concernng epionage know abolely nohing.Vyhnky: Wha do yo ean, yo don kow?kharn: ha.



y, y g , g ghng: he raio and pie who wee elling or conry o he eney be ho lke diy dog

Or people are deandng one hing: crh he accred reple!Tie wil pa. The grave of he haefl raio will gow over wih

weed and hie, hey w be covered wih he eenal conep ofhone Sovie czen, of he enire Sovie people. over , over orhappy conry, o n wll hine wih i lino ay a bigh anda joyo a befoe Ove he road cleared of he a c and lh ofhe pa, we, o people, wih or beoved leader and eacher, he greaSaln, a o r head w arch a before onward and onwad, owardConi!

n he Mocow rial, whch ae he hearca agng of he pay ahe conno poce of prgng and bloody elfdevoring, he Sae ihe Law fearng neiher God nor an ha proca o be he ola and

negral ealzaon of con jce and, caing he raior o ofplace no he anonyiy of a vanihed ob, dolve ehic prely andipy ino eror.

When one of he degnaed renegade, khain, re o op he woby rayng fro hi obligaory cip, look how he epace he ehicalprinciple, whch alone i capabe of jfyng he errori perego, wihhe placed princple of calclaon, error, and, h, polic.

312

Vyhnky: And wha wa he bloc engaged in?kharn: Two people eed hee abo epionage, Sharangovich

and vanov, ha o ay, wo agenpovo·caer. ( 3 8 3

When a eclaraon exored fro Khodjayev enion a conveaion abo ac of epionage, kharn eek ppor in hi deny a annelecal in order no o give nj a he in a way will do in hi naldeclaaon wh he fa o heory of doble concone, whch allowhi o rrender polically who annlling hielf ua bjec:

Vyhinky Dd yo cary on a converaion [wih Khodjayev a hconry place] ?

kharn: carried on a converaion and kep y head on yholder al he ie, b doe no foow fro hi ha I deawih he hing of which Khodjayev j poke h wa he r

converaon . . . .Vyhinky: I i of no coneence whehe wa he or no he

r Do yo conr ha here wa ch a conveaon?kharin No ch a conveaion, b a differen one, and alo

ecreVyhinky: I a no aking yo abo converaion in general, b

abo hi conveaon.

313

THORY OF THE SUBJECT

Bukhrin n egel Logic he word hi i conidered o be he

mo difcul word . . . .Vyhinky k he Cour o explin o he ccued Bukhrin h

he i here no in he cpciy of philoopher bu criminl ndhe would do beer o refrin from lking here bou egelphiloophy i would be beer r of ll for egel philoophy . .

Bukhrin A philoopher my be criminl.Vyhinky: Ye h i o y hoe who imgine hemelve o be

philoopher urn ou o be pie. Philoophy i ou of plce here. m king you bou h converion of which Khodyev jupoke do you conrm i or do you deny i?

Bukhrin do no undernd he word h. We hd converion he counry houe. (2 )

The ympomic impornce of hi poin where ehic nd poliic inhei conrdicory riculion deermine he bjec u of he ubjeci ch h Vyhinky end up explicily oppoing he wo erm:

h k h h

TOPICS OF HICS

In ll hee ce i doe no uf ce o overpower he dverry on he

ole ground h he w h e obec o be combed. Bu underneh hediviion of he pry beryl of h which nd for i oul i i lonecery o evok e he unnmeble ehicl filure And if i doe no exihen here i cue o inven i.

Wh hee f nd heir fuure h hownenirely empy hororwrn u bou i h he forml recogniion of ehic he only poiblepriniple of elfcondemnion (hence he inier here in Mocowreuire he confeion nd he bjecion chnge ino i oppoie if hepoliicl conen of which ehic i uppoed o be he reminder hppeno be reduced o he objeciviy of he prye.

n order ruly o rrive ehic we mu le no give up on poliic ubecive proce on communi polii. Thi i impoible if onechooe the wong pa, in ll he ene of he expreion.

The prin minde cn cerinly involve bnegion nd obedienceor lin y conciou ubmiion nd uniy of will. Ehiclcourge moun o he foce o rvere nxiey ince hi men nohingele bu he cpciy o conider oneelf null Who will y wheher we



Vyhinky will be compelled o cu he inerrogion hor becueY pprenly re following denie cic nd do no wn oell he ruh hiding behind flood of word peifogging mkingdigreion ino he phere of poliic of philoophy heory nd

o forhwhich you migh well forge bou once nd for llbecue you re chrged wih epionge nd ccording o llhe meril of he inveigion you re obviouly py o f ninelligence ervice. (23)

Thu in order o diulify Bukhrin in hi cpciy ubjec i iboluely key o mke him foget politis

The prioriizing of ofcil djecive ched o Liu hoi nme he emblemic rge during he orm of he Culurl revoluion ccord-ing o which he he o. Pry peron in power king he cpilirod i renegde hidden rior nd cb who h conceled himelf in

he Pry nd i crimeeeped lckey of imperilim modern reviion-im nd he Kuominng recionrie (GPCR 83 8) weve ogeherwih preciion h which perin o poliic in he hinkble frme of heruggle beween wo ph (modern reviionim he cpili rod uli-mely beryl of he working cl nd h which drw vigour fromhe purely ehicl reminder (ecre gen imperilim py for Formocriminl)

314

ele bu he cpciy o conider oneelf null. Who will y wheher wecn coninuouly do wihou hi kind of nnulling ubjecivizion?

Bu he prin piri i lo he revere. When i i ubordined opoliic nd no o orgnizion i demnd bolue pricipion in hemovemen of he rel he deecion of he brech from where o ip over

ino vngrdiic derucion. Look he direcive of he CulurlRevoluion wih regrd o he cdre:

i herefore imperive o perevere in he line of from he meo he me. Be pupil of he me before becoming heir echer.Dre o mke revoluion nd be good mking revoluion. Don befrid of diurbnce Oppoe he king of he bourgeoi nd hehieling of Righi ck on he Lef nd repreion of he greProlerin Culurl Revoluion Oppoe he creion of lo of reric-ion o ie he hnd of he me. Don be overlord or nd bovehe me blindly ordering hem bou 1 5

n uch circumnce no corporel hierrchy cn exemp you from hee of courge f he pry preend o proec you from i you houldbecome he pry ll by yourelf You mu in urn know how o coniderhe pry null ol ely o h i coninue o exi he body of ubjechi cpre he complee mening of he mxim Dre o go gine ide bou which Wng ongwen (ody in prion . . ) he 0h

315

HEORY O HE SUBJEC

ongre of the hinee ommunit Pary, in he puret tyle of Antigone,

indicae to ha exent e mut ee in it he complete oppoie of he'erice of good

When confronted ith iue hat concern the correct poliical line andthe oeral ituation, a true ommunit mut act ithou any elhconideration and dare to go againt the tide, ithout fear of beingremoed from hi pot, excluded from the Party, thron in ail, forcedo diorce, or put in fron of the ring quad

t i clear tha here it i the ery exitence of he party itelf that i atiue, ince by giing in, one ould ga in ony it tat it deubjectiization,

it counerreolutionary erminaionThe ethic of Marxim conit in reoling he paradoxe of partianhip on he olid terrain of the theory of the ubjec.

Thi olution i accompihed in he diiion of one concep, con-dence, hich depending on it point of application, conain the need fordicipline and the ineiabiity of rebellion.

Cassca detour

June

Neither the un nor deahApogee and decadencehe four kindof ethicWha happened not o long agDicoureondent or

belieing?



316

You can neay ditinguih, ince alay, to genre of ethic. Either you

infer an ethic from the order of the orld, to hich he ubject mutcorrepond, ihou excuding he need for he contortion of the con-ered or you infer i from he ubect i, by no mean dependen onhe orld poibilitie, ihout excluding hat the orld may order th erepetition of thi iing

Thi ay a much a that the quetion i broached according to theplace or according to the outplace; according o ubjectiization oraccording o the ubjectie proce; according to the poibe or accordingto the impoible

Let me add in paing tha a maxim that i ery much in ogue among

parliamenary politician, epecialy 'from the eft, i the one hat declare'Poitic i he art of the poibe Nohere doe the ca nature of ruthappear ith uch nakedne. Thi maxim for ure i rue, and i may eenbe excellen, for them A far a am concerned, I poit explicity that politisis the art of the impossible

The ouer border of the irt ethical tendency afrm hat an integralmatery of the knoledge of the orld i acceibe o that the righ

317


place of the subect is representable therein as its Good From an absolute

knowledge olows a complete reconciiation Once past the cognitiveconversion, the subjective process o wisdom is eternal Herein we can

recogni the seriousness of the axis of verticalization, in which the real

and the law are reciprocatable without remainder

Certain variants of the communist idea resembe this theme of harmony,

by whch justice unmoored from the subject becomes a category o being

If any reserve of the ecess dries up, it is actually its structural anchor-

ng that is struck by annument or the essence of all forms of wisdom

lies in positing that one can eliminate the lack Their doctrine is one o a

full space

At the other extreme of the ethical eld, we nd the thesis that nothing

is to be expected from being in terms of the subjects will The world only

ever ofers you the temptation to give in This is the story told in all the

nineteenthcentury novels of ormation the innite, ethical or amorous

subjectivity of the young man must learn its radical inadaptation to all

objectivity n order to become a welplaced and respectable character,

he must take it down a notch The novelist i s the ironic historiographer of

TOPCS OF ETHICS

'Neither the sun nor death can be looked at steadily La Rochefoucauld

observed, thereby dismiing both extreme orms o ethics7 This isbecause he opted or the nihilist version, rom whose vantage point the

other three can be observed with a particuar sharpness

Besides, a Rocheoucauld is right in shortcircuiting the two meta-

phors Day and night belong to the same eras All orms o wisdom, ust as

all existential dissidences, refer to times of height and to times of crisis or

if a vigorous ascending class is abl e to model histo ry and the concepts of its

speculation upon its force, this obviously is due to the fact that it hyposta-

ties its will into the integral afrmation of the wisdom of the world, and

to dissenters it leaves only the place o the general denial of radica dis-

cordance And if inversey, we are in a ruinous and thoughtless epoch, inthe putrefaction of the selfsame place where we remain and from which

no new political subect is the internal excluded o r the paced excess, then

the opposite temptationsresigning onesel to the course of the world,

supposed to be necessary, or withdrawing rom it completeybegin to

communicate rom all sides When the Greek city fell in ruins, to the sole

beneit of the military, rst the Macedonians and then the Romans, this is



g p

the betrayal of oneself

This gure can thus uphold the ethical process only in the tragedy of

renouncing the word in the unaltered process of pure subjectiviation

This time we can recognie the intrinsic vaorization of the excess over the

excess, wherein it is a matter of maintaining oneself (most oten in death)without ever etting oneself slide back into regressive subectiviation and

recomposition

Typically, the metaphors of the rst kind of ethics are diurnal and solar,

as we see in Plato Upon eting the cave of shadows, one is blinded, the

day appears in excess over its own light The metaphors of the second

kind are nocturnal and lunar Consider Wagner, the second act of Trisan,

where one is convesing on the bench o desire about the metaphysical

advantages of death and the night at least, that is, as long as the noble

cuckold does not come and interrupt this obscene philosophical reunion

by introducing the symboic principle of the embarrassing third, to whichin the opera, between the guilty tenor and soprano, so many excelent

basses devote themselves

The fact that in this night al cows are black, as Hege objected against

Schelling, is precisely a virtue for those who, in transgressng the pre-

scribed place and in deerring ony to its local differential want to have

nothing to do with an eact discriminaton of bovines

318

beneit of the military, rst the Macedonians and then the Romans, this is

what the opposite and yet similar schools of Epicurus and the S toics busied

themselves with

There remains the case when, essentialy neither good nor bad, the

world is what the subject recomposes rom a point where the subective

undecidable does not demand that one give up The fact of discordance

then is recognied as the outofplace condition of subjectiviation; that

discordance is also taken up in a process of appropriation designates the

subjective process of recomposition and that there is discordance in this

process connotes the regressive subjectiviation insofar and whatever it

induces in terms of repetition in the subjective process

Between day and night, the metaphor would be that o he carrier ofre,

which Malarms star xes without excess Aeschylus made a tragedy out

o it: Prometheus.

2

There are four kinds of ethics:

1 . The ethics of praise, where one has a place of ones own within a

world open to evaluation

319

HEOY OF HE SUBJEC

2 Th this of rsigatio, whr o kps to os pla i a dvalu

atd world.3 Th this of disorda, whr o stads th outpla of a pla

that is itrisially dvaluatd.

4. Th Promha this, whr o posits that h pla is yt o

om i a world op to rvaluatio, whih th r of just xss

romposs.

Th rst two kids of hs rfr to h whol; th last two, to th ot-

all This is a dialtial divisio of th rtagl

Aohr o immdialy jumps off th pag: h this of prais s

optimisi (aordig to big), as is th Promtha (aordig to th

pross) . Rsgatio ad disorda ar pssimisti.t is lar that ths two attiuds rfr to th primitiv artiulatios of

th subjt, with a historial sttig that puts thm to th tst

You will hav o difulty arguig th followig:

pras oots justi, isofar as it follows th axis of h laws ral

dissipatio but its magiary limit is th thm of a absolu pla of

TOPICS O ETHICS

opts Ethis is a positio i th omplt d of its four pols (prais,

disorda rsigatio, Promthus), whrby o of thm is vraythig ls ha th way to gai ass to h othr hr

Thus, th Gisardia outurlt his b th am for th politi

al dsarray tha followd th disarray of th itlltuals aftr 1 976 a

th latstwitsss how th thal dbat of tims of risis maks a

ombak. Dos this ma that rsgatio suddly imposs islf all by

itslf? No First w must raliz tha, as h rsult of th yars 1 9667 3,

thr rmais a Promha rfr whos dal is osttutiv of th

outur i qustio. Th 'ritiqu of militatism, h rfutatios of

Marxism, ad th attak agas th 'mastr disourss, ar th s-

sary passagways, ad oft th oly substa, for th rstablishig ofmorals ad righs Sodly, w obsrv that th philosophis of dsir, by

rlyig o th hap uts of th prvious uphavalhat is, th bourgois

lbratio of morshav sprad a disordat ihilsm that is orrosiv

powr dsigad as th ivitabl ritial ally of rsgatios o th ris

Fially, i appars tha th illtuals ost for Frh impralist

soity (parliamary librts, huma rghts, uioism, otmpt for



dissipatio, but its magiary limit is th thm of a absolu pla, of

a ral spla, a limi whih morovr is saturatd with axitylook

at th diagoals

rsigatio sigls out th suprgo, h trrorizig ordr that has o

d for disguisig itslf as valu i ordr to asrib th subjt to th

law qua olaw

disorda ouhs upo axity, whih kows that it touhs upo

th ral oly through th iosolabl loss of th dad world

Promthus is th harar who, i da of th gods kps h

bomig of ourag ruig o mpty

O this basis w will posit that th rst two kids sutur this to h

subjtiv pross, a d th othr two to subjvizaio; ad that th dis

tiio btw optimism ad pssimism gos o furthr tha o rpat

th itrtwiig of th srad ad th stradV.

Th oly itrst of this approah would b to orm that hisgivs us a am for th subjt as hsorially ralizd i th form of

disours

t would b a fallay to olud that thr xsts a this of ourag,

aothr of th suprgo, ad so o t is misladig to follow th slop of

th strutur

A subjt xists oly through a hstoriizd likag of th four

320

soity (parliamary librts , huma rghts, uioism, otmpt for

h Thrd World, ad so o) , v though it is limid a rst to a ths of

prsoal bhaviour, aot do wihou th olltiv prais that is lat

his kid of world ordr, prais that wll hav xplodd (his futur

arior is addd July 1 98 ) durig th fstiviis i hoour of th

ros, whr th illtual plbs rallid e masse to th Sat, as soo as

it rivd h doraio of h provial mblms of alm for

A thial framwork thus always ariss wthi a omplx saturatd

totalty Th hial dba subsums ay partiular this For, if this

is that whih a subjt maks ito h rul rms of is oisty, t

a obtai this sytht positio oly by h ssary omiatio of th

ohr possibiliis.

Byod h dsriptiv atgors that I hav usd, thrfor, w must

idiat h subjectve formatios of this, whih do ot oiid with th

subjts opts.

Ths formatios ostiut disourss. Thri lis thir diffrfrom th subjts prosss. A this dsigats xplitly a gral

artiulatio of th subt, whih trs ito its osisty ad futios

aordig to th rgm of h aftrmath or aprs-coup

t is ot par of th ordr of th imagiary ithr, si it tras o diago-

al btw th srads of ad V. Still, it is of ours tru that dogmatism

ad spism ifect ths as muh as thy satura th subjt.

321


A ethi i the urae of a eitig ubeteffet

To ure you, give you two of it uraeBl i the ioure of the ethi of praie cndnc, that of

ProetheaBut the affar beoe ore opliate whe ay iot a reae

that belief ea oee i the plae, wherea oee i beiefi the outpae

Betwee Proetheu a praie, it ee the ifferee i oy that ofthe iretio of a vetor

If it i fro the poit of oee that Mari touhe upoethi , a beleve i the ae, the it houl ot urprie u that

it tur bak ito beief Coee i thi prepoltia arrageet,thi reaier of auabe atio, without whih Mari ha everbegu or rebegu

To fa ea othig, a it alway happe o fail i a ategory ofpoliti. It i oy to give i that beog to ethi Certaiy thoe who givei argue o the bai of falure But thoe are oly ioure. The truth that what otitute faiure a aue i the fat of havig gve i

OPCS OF ETHICS

of a ieabe popular oveet, y oee begi to vailate ev

erthee o ot eae to believe i the, kowig full well that to vaillate ee the truture of the ubet hi leave u it hitory, whihorrepo to what have oee i



that what otitute faiure a aue i the fat of havig gve i pot, it to otey that the faure iorporate iteff after 973 oe witee the 'failure of the rebelliou a ove

et of Mayue 968 it wa oly fro the poit of a potal proethe party to oe a oitey of the la ubetthat it beaepoibe to eaure the etet to whih the a oveet, require foray ubetiviatio, i a aue oy iofar a it iappear.

o argue bae o thi iappearae i orer to ette ow for a life oforer atuay ea to abiate the ubet itelf. Far fro beg abe toevoke the 'oveet faiure a the aue for thi abiatio, we utbe hoet a rigorou eough to ait that oe ha faie nslto hoteay i a a that thu uhige, the toriopurely by ea ofioatg o oger ha a ubetive vaee a put you purely aipy back int yur plac

I atter of Mart politi a the ubet of la, there i oy oe

way of givg i, whh i by l oig oeeFro 976 owar, our iteetua have ot oee n mass

arguig iteawithout beig totay wrog about thithat they haever bee ore tha belever Doe oe alway have to beeve orerto have oee? A far a I a oere, I have oee thepeope a i the workig la i iret proportio to y lak of beiefi the. ofar a I beeve i the, whih alway iue the pctatin

322 323

ove what you w ll neve beeve twice

June

Belief and condenceow Yuong moved the mountainFomyeteday to todayNihilim and fatalimhe diviion of condence

And yet thi i the eve

OPICS OF EHICS

the pinciple to each accoding to hei need tipped to it bae bone

thi cetainty entail that at he end of the deveopment of poducivefoce we encounte the witheing away of he tate And uch a cetainyi a the moe acceptable when one conide hat an entie cienicappaatu confe upon it the dignity of a moden belie

But the aw of ageba ae impeciptibe and i i indeed a Maxitalgeba tha i at wo in politica economy Fom the tandpoint o theubec if it exit the cientic eenity of economim neceaily iueino the following ind of lyical decaation

Oh ou fatheland! You ae ou poweful anchoIn ode o defend you dignity we fatWhen e ae gipped by hungeWe hin of youAnd all ou pain vaniheOh Peident Mao! You ae he ed un that light up ou heatFollowing you teaching we ght a ontal battle againt he enemy

When we uffe teibe totue



beief i wha enable the poibiliy o alvation and conequeny he

ubect poential eenity in a placemen which i nally eal condence i concentated in he delity to couage conceived a the diffeential of a ecompoition which i moe poou to the eal le expoedo the law

At the wo exemiie of Maxim you will nd the following hee

It i no the concioune of men that detemine thei being but onthe contay thei ocial being that detemine thei conciouneMax Peface to Cnibuin h Ciiqu f Pliical Ecnmy) .

Maxim implie manifold pinciple but in the nal analyi they can

all be educed to a ingle entence t i ight to evolt againt the eactionaie Mao ubiquitou quotation duing the Cultual evolution) 8

The t thei may utain you in the belief that communit concioune will neceaily emege ince the ucceion eguaed by hecontadicoy becoming of a mode of poduction mae it o that beyondcapitalim thee i only the aociation of ee woe and the eign of

324

When we uffe teibe totueWe hin of youAnd ou body op aching

Why? Becaue o conde the becoming ofuice to being mean i n tun

that the ut i n man Only he upeegoic humbling o oneel can pua top to the imminen cetitude o he objective end of the aw

The belief in poductive atalim and he cut of peonality ae twoide o he ame hitoical ehic alin give u it fuional veion:veyea plan and the itle Fahe of the people mae the ame xedpoin of belief and oganie he one and only panetay paie TheCultual Revoution i hi ehic in it dijoined tae n the name oMao one thunde againt iu haoqi theoy of poductive foce Yetnohing le than the aboutene of a thought wa needed in ode toight he aboluene of poductive capial Belief againt belief It wa

even equied to ee out the adveay on hi own teain by howinghow a compete ubmiion to Mao thought multiplied the poductionof tomato a in a maeiali enewal of the miaculou catch of ho made it poible to build a ten houand on eighte baehandedin a hipyad hadly equipped fo the aembling of imple boa eefo inance Slcd Philsphical Essays by Wks Fams and ldisBeijing 97).

325



HEORY OF HE SUBJE

u bjectie pocess beief

cnfdence

subjetivizatio

has no r ooring for the ipasse an aceration This tie belongs tothe beaties of the sperego an, seen fro afar an with the eyes of thefatalist it vagely resebles stice It is not right to espair of the fatalist

OIS OF EHIS

yiel the way to the fascination of terror The transitive action of passive

nihilis rests fro the fact that it is aways a efeate belief a beiefthat has coe none Alas the traectory which beginning with beliefeas to fatalis by way of passive nihiis has been the traectory of aconsierable part of y generation The nal axi of this process is Weare right to be satise with littefor instance, with ranois MitterranThis eans that, initially, the 't is right to revolt was phel exclsivelythrogh the ction of a praise The passive nihilist is ore alien to s thanthe fatalist since he has fatalis ahad of hm

Conversely, active nihilis is at the ost obscre point of its argen-tation poarie by an inapplicabe conence. One wil say that this is acrisis of conence that precees its obect, while the crisis of belief withinpassive nihiis follows it

Toay the yong are glay nihilist. Bt passive nihilists can enlistthe ony by eans of a teporary isnerstaning n vain they wishto convey to the yong the iea that the essence of iscorance consistsin the efeat of beiefs the crisis of ieologies the crash of Marxis. Forvigoros active nihilis is in search of a for of conence an if we areno ore abe to convey one to it irecty than the passive nihilists we can



iscorse. t is necessary to ght against it targeting its weak point: theoscilation between belief an conence

n the factories the fatalistic iscorse is very wel iplante Workerswi be workers We will aways be fcke over Here noboy wantsto o anything an so on. efeatis is the spontaneos phiosophyof proetarians Althogh the coarseness an stpiity of this iscorseare iscoraging for those who are enightene by the theory of thesbect it is nevertheless a ivisible an precarios historical proction.An organize icroconence (a conist workers grop locallyisrpts its rle.

The qestion that we st be able to anticipate concerns rather thesen teptation of belief It is less iportant to istrst the glooy iscorse of resignation than its ioerate ftre of praise. The party thatwhich is calle the party, cannot rest content with the fact it is believe

in We o not proise anything, hence thee is no reason to folow s Weean an organize the partitioning of a conence. The fatalist is thsan acceptable an risky interloctor

As for nihilis it knows two oes of eergenceAs a gre of crisis an critical issoltion, it is passive if it oes nothing

bt arrange into a iscorse the call of anxiety to the sperego We aknow these introverte an ravage stances that ieiately give in an

328

no ore abe to convey one to it irecty than the passive nihilists, we canwait with . . conence.

Active nihilis valorizes only itsef This is always better than to enp tolerating the worl The passive nihiist is alreay a realist packing

his bags for the posts an places of social fate. The active nihilist inheritsnothing H nv bvd an therein ies a his strength. Unless he oinsreligios sects, throgh which he wil eap to the ost ranci proctsof beief he is a traveller withot ggage whose only ftre is coragean it is towar this corage that his anxiety gies hi by the srenessof the real

The active nihilist is particlary oios an particarly proisingEvery ay, he sqaners the existential capacity of which he lolyeclares hisef the bearer. Talking to hi has too any conseqencesfor hi to assent to it easily He is inifferent to the recoposition of

the wor as ong as it has not been seize by a colective reckoning ortoche by the restricte action of the avantgare.The palinroe that serves as a title in Gy ebors sitationist

a cineatic balancesheet of the achieveents of twenty years ( 9 o f active nihilis speaks abot the active nihiist In gum mus nott consummu gn' Whirling we walk at night an we are conse byre

329



HEOY OF THE SUBJEC

iscourse of confience whispers to us 'Yet this is the eve et us al accept

new strength, an real teneness An at awn, arme with gowingpatience we will enter the cites of gloy.If the splenou of cities is often nothing but the effect of an inispensa

ble an reamy belief, it is nonetheless sufcient for us always to be ableto say, in conence as in truth 'hs is the eve.

ranslaor's Endnoes and Refeences

Translato's Introduction

Alain Badiou, ant Pau: he oundaton of Unversasm trans. ay Brassier(Stanfod: Stanfod niversity ress, 200 3) , 26.

2 eter Halward, Badou A ubjet to ruth (Minneapois University ofMinnesota ress 2003) 30



332

Minnesota ress, 2003), 30.3 Aside from the obigatory but general ly short chapters devoted to hore du

sujet in the available introductions to Badiou' s philosophy, two eary discussions in particular stand out for thei depth and detal Natacha Michels

intervew, in two parts, with Badiou on the occason of the books originalpublication in rench, enaissance de la philosophie: hore du sujet.Entreien avec Alain Badiou , Le Perroquet: unzomadare dopnon 6 ( 982) : , 9- and hore du sujet ntetien avec Alain Badiou, 2 Le Perroquet 3- 4 ( 982) , 0- 3; and laudine Haroche and sabele MichotVodoz,Autour de hore du sujet dAlain Badiou, La ronde des sujets special issueof RLAV Revue de Lngustque 30 (984): 2744. At the time, there werealso four short boo reviews published by acques ancire (in Buetndes Rvotes Logques) atherine lment (in Le atn) Giles Anquetil (inLes Nouvees Lttrares) and an<ois egnault, e Mahme migUnsujet poitique L Ane 7 ( 982 ) 3 3-4 n nglsh, see Bruno Bosteels, Alain

Badiou s heory of the Subject: art he ecommencement of Dia lecticalMateialism? PLI he Warw Joua of Phosophy 2 (200) 200229and Aan Badious heoy of the Subect: he ecommencement ofDialectica Mateialism? art ' PLI: he Warw Journa of Phosophy 3(2002) 73-208. Among the general introductions in English, see thesections devoted to heo of the ubjet in ason Baker Aan Badou Arta Introduton (ondon luto ess, 2002) 4043; Hallward Badou

333

HEORY OF HE SUBEC

31-41; and lve Feltha lin Bdiu iv Th (LondonNew Yok:

ontnuu 2008) 3283. Moe ecenty the book has attacted theattenton o those who I a tepted to cal Young Lacanans n analogywth the Young Hegelans n nneteenthcentuy Geany See n patcula Ed Pluth and Donek Hoens What the the s Stupd? adouand Lacan on "Logcal Te· Think gin: lin Bdiu nd th Futur Philsphy ed Pete Hallwad (London-New Yok ontnuu 2004)18290; Ed Pluth adou and Zek on Acts and Subjects' Signirs ndcts: Frdm in cn s Th th Subjct (Albany: State Unvesty o NewYok Pess 20 07) 1 1 537; and Adan Johnston Bdiu Zik nd PliticlTrnsrmtins Th Cdnc Chng (Evanston Nothwesten UnvestyPess 2009 ). y contast despte the book's obvous nteest o LacanansTh th Subjct

eceves no enton whatsoeve n Slavo Zek's ownwellknown analyss o adou n Th Ticklish Subjct Th bsnt Cntr Pliticl Ontlgy (LondonNew Yok Veso 1999) 12770; no n YannsStavakaks Excusus on adou· Th cnin t: Psychnlysis ThPlitics (Albany State Unvesty o New Yok Pess 2007) 150-60. Zekdoes espond to (y suay o) the book n the Peace to the newedton o Fr Thy Kn Nt Wht Thy D: njymnt s Pliticl Fctr(London-New Yok Veso 2002) xxx-xxxv ack n Fance on theth h d l d l d t hl h ' t h l t '

ENDNOES AND REERENCES

Alan adou nst r Philsphy tans Noan Madaasz (Abany

State Unvesty o New Yok Pess 1 999) 61 -7.7 adou nist r Philsphy 108 (tanslaton oded).8 Th th Subjct n ths sense stands as a gand phlosophca sua

and the ost systeatc conceptual oalzaton o adou's ac tvs nthe sal Maost oganzaton (Goupe pou la ondaton de) l'Unon desounstes de Fance axstelnnste (UML) ounded betweenthe all o 1969 and ealy 1 970 and ntegatng exebes splt o othe Uned Socalst Paty (P SU) n whch adou had been actve and theexGauche Poltaenne wth whch Sylvan Lazaus and Natacha Mchewee alated Rght beoe the oaton o the UFML adou had tedn van to gve shape to a paty o a new type' o wthn the anks othe PSU. See Alan adou t l• Cntributin u prbm d l cnstructin

dun prt mrxistninist d p nuvu (Pas Maspeo 1969). Fo anovevew o the ole o Maos n ad ou's phlosophy see uno osteelsPostMaos adou and Potcs' lin Bdiu nd Culturl Rvlutin aspecal ssue o psitins: st si culturs critiqu 33 2005): 57 5634. Thesae specal ssue aso contans sevea tansatons and a coplete bblogaphy o docuents petanng to the peod o adou's ltants nthe UFML. A wealth o noaton can also be ound n the ootnotes tothe tansaton o adou's he Flux and the Paty n the Magns o nti



334

othe hand a goup o seldeclaed antphlosophes' o antscholastcs'on the nges o acadea takes Thri du sujt at least as seously asadou's l ate woks ollowng 'tr t vnmnt See Mhd eaj Kacevnmnt t rptitin (Auch: Tsta 2004 ); Faben Taby philsphi

dlin Bdiu (Pas: L·Haattan 2005); and Ry ac sustrctin dtr: qustin ntlgiqu d l vrit d Hidggr a Bdiu (Pas: Le GandSoule 2008) .

4 Alan adou Bing nd vnt tans. lve Feltha (London ontnuu2005 ) 4 (tanslaton sghtly oded).

5 Alan adou Thri du sujt (Pas dtons du Seul 1 982) 46/28 (al lsubsequent eeences wl nclude the page nube o the Fench ognalollowed by the page nube n the pesent Englsh tanslaton sepaatedby a slash) . Late n the book adou suggests that pehaps thee woud beno oe than two os o the subject one poltcal and the othe psychoanalytcal whose topology we owe to Max and Feud See Thri du sujt

301285.6 Aan adou Cnditins (Pas dtons du Seu 199 2) 234 n. 41 Thenoton o sutue' whch s the pocess wheeby phlosophy abdcatests autonoous task and delegates the pusut o tuth to a snge one othe ou tuth pocedues that seve as ts condtons (e .g. to poltcs nthe Maxst sutue o phlosophy to scence n postvs to poety ateNetsche and Hedegge and pehaps to love ate Levnas) s dscussed n

the tansaton o adou s he Flux and the Paty n the Magns o ntiOdipus tans Laua alladu and Son Kysl Plygrph 15-6 2004) 75-92.

9 Unsgned Su le XXe scle et la poltque· Distnc Plitiqu 35 2001 ) :

34. The ctque o the patyo was paty esponsble o the oaton o gansaton Poltque (P) ounded n 985 as a scsson o theUML. o oe noaton about the P see the theses o the goup nthe bochue Qu 'st qu ' Orgnistin plitiqu? (Pas Le Peoquet 200 The best ovevew s stll Halwad Potcs: Equal ty and Justce' Bdiu: Subjct t Truth 223-42. adou also dscusses soe o the actvtes o thsgoup n hs ntervew wth Hallwad epnted as an Appendx: Potcsand Phlosophy n Alan adou thics: n ssy n th Undrstnding viltans. Pete Hallwad (London-New Yok Veso 200 1 ) 9 5 44

10 adou Sint Pul 2 .1 1 adou Thri du sujt 143-4126 See also Alan adou Putn pnsr

l plitiqu?

(Pas: dtons du Seu 1 985 ) 2 Poltca oganzaton sequed o the nteventon by way o the wage to ake a pocess out othe gap between an nteupton and a dety n ths sense, oganzaton snothng othe than the consstency o poltcs

2 adou Bing nd vnt 407.1 3 adou thi 80-87 and Alan adou Th Cntu tans. Albeto Toscano

(abdge: Poty Pess 2007) 65 The othe path that the centuy

335



THEORY O THE SUBECT

1996 See Bado's commets o Racre's Malarm gs f Wds

624.21 Bado he du suet 1 1 1 33 ad 14 136 .22 bd. 49 1 3 2 3 Ibd 1 6 138 .24 Ibd. 1 78 16 1 S ee aso dth Bter Antgnes m Knshp between fe

nd Deth (New York: olma Uversty Press 2000 7 GeorgeSteer's stdy o the hstorcal appropratos o Antgne he poses acotroversal qesto he does ot prse Wha wold happe psychoaalyss were to have take tgoe rather tha Oedps as ts pot odepartre?'

2 Bado he du suet 182/ 16 .

26 See acqes Derrda. Force o aw The "Mystcal Fodato o thoty,tras Mary Qatace Ats f Regn ed. G dar (New York: Rotledge2002 , 2 3098 . Both Bado ad Derrda se the expresso orce o lawad reate t to a elemet o heret olaw' (respectvely nn adnndt Frech). Derrda does so a close readg o Water Beam'srtqe o Volece' Reetns: Essys Aphsms Autbgph Wtngsed Peter Demetz (New York Schocke 1 978 , 277-300. ek cotrtesto ths deate terms o the Beama dstcto etwee mythc add l h l V (N Y k P d 2008

ENDNOTES AND REERENCES

Event 2 -6 1, wth acoeaarthe's aswers to the oto o the age o

he poets' that Bado proposes 'ge des potes' part o a semar edtedy acqes Racre ptque des ptes uqu des ptes en temps dedtesse (Pars: Mche 1 992 , 2 1-63 Severa texts ths poemc areow compled ad trasated acoeaarthe Hedegge nd the tsf et tras. e Port (Uraa : Uversty o llos Press 2007 see asothe Traslator's trodcto ttled he orage o hoght' x-xv Foracoeaarthe's ow depedet approach to Hlderl's theatre geeral ad tgoe partclar see De l 'thqe: propos 'Antgne'n ve es phsphes (Pars l Mche 1 99 1 , 1 9-36 ad Mtphsesuv de e thte de H"den (Pars : PUF 1 998 . Gve the mportace orBado o Hlderl's oto o reversal (Umkeh Germa etuement

Frech), the reader may aso wat to cotrast Bado's commetary wthathere lmet The Owl ad the Nghtgale Hegel ad Hlderl',Synpe: he hsphy f Rptue tras. Sally O'Drscoll ad Derdre MMahoey (Meapols Uversty o Mesota Press 1994, 62-72ad Fraose Dastr's Hden: e etuement nt (a Versae cremare 997

3 1 Bado he du suet 296/280.32 Ibd 6244. The oto o reeretalty' whch Bado adopts eutn

t d l h M l



dve volece amog other places Vene (New York: Pcador, 2008 , t the reerece to some orm o oaw as the oscee sppemet oeoymet ehd al plc law s a costa al o ek's work For amore detaled dscsso o ths strkg theoretcal coctre, atcpated he f the Subet see Bro Bosteels Force o Nolaw a Bado' sheory o stce' dz w Revew 29. 2008 90-26

27 Bado he du suet 204187828 Ibd 209193.29 Ibd 2101940 Wth hs commetary o Hlderl Bado s clearly aswerg ot

mmckg Hedegger whose poetc strg' o phlosophy ca e sadto orgate the Germa poet. . Mart Hedegger Eudtns fHden s et tras. Keth Hoeller (mherst Hmaty Books 2000.See Bado's ow party apologetc explaato Beng nd Event Wekow what role the poets play rom Parmedes to Re har passg y

Hlderl ad Trak the Hedeggerea exegess. attempted to ollow hs ootstepswth etrely deret stakes he du suet whe covoked eschyls ad Sophoces Mallarm Hlderl ad Rmad to thetrcacy o the aalyss' 1 0 . the cotext o Frech phlosophy o theother had Bad o's readg o Hder oers a trgg coterpotto that o the late Phlppe acoeaarthe. To apprecate ths polemc thereader may wat to compare Bado's medtato o Hderl Beng nd

338

pense ptque order to expla the roe o Marxsm as a actve poltcal reeret sccessvely the workers' movemet the ostrcto osocast States ad the atoal wars o erato s orrowed rom hsred ad ellowmltat Sylva aars wrtg der the psedoymPal Sadevce, a des rreces' e equet 42 1984: 10Marxsm s crss Bado wl age smarly eut-n pense ptqueecase ths system o reeretalty has ee exhasted.

33 Bado he du suet 146128. lerto Toscao has doe mch toretreve ths aspect o hstorca ad poltcal perodzato Bado'swork See or stace Marxsm xpatrated' em unf Imges ndts 8 2006 1 469.

34 Bado bd. 198 182 3 Ibd36 Bado Beng nd Event 1 (traslato moded) . he extet to whch ths

postartesa doctre o the sect may volve a phlosophcal athro

pology ot o tde t o the te ad the geerc the tradto odwg Feerach s dscssed Na Power owards a thropoogyo tde Bado ad the Poltcal Sect' he xs fAn Bdu edPa shto Bartlett ad st lemes (Meore repress 2006 ,30938.

37 Bado he du suet 14 27 38 Bado he du suet 98182 eutn pense ptque Bado

339



HEORY OF THE SUBJECT

te opposition between belonging nd incusion I ve trnsted du

ou s 'beonging to wole. Anoter nslion for u ou could be totlity, nd e relexve s'y ilu could lso be rendered s incudes itself n i.

Te Frenc expression pu d a li (scnt relity) is often invoked byBdiou in wys simlr to Lcns usge As Bruce Fink nnotes in sTrnsltors Endnoes to Lcns is, it ws Andr Beton wo inroducede expression in is 9 Inroduction u iscours sur e peu de r lit,oi duou (Pis Glimrd, 190).

6 In Fenc: au i hos liu Oer tnsltions coud be 'We must syou of plce or It is necessy to old off plce.

pino, hics, ed. nd trns G H R Pkinson (Oford Oxford UvesityPress 000) , Pr I, Prop. 1 0, col.

8 In Fenc, pass oc is srict omonym for pas sas oc, not witoufoce. ass oc refes o te violent movement of 'pusing toug w or decision of 'opening pssge or imposing ones wy by force. Cqui pass oc could tus be rnsted s wt puses troug by forcebut tis would ve ment losing out on te wordply between impassnd pass tt Bdiou s deveoping ere s prt of s ttempt to go sepbeyond Lcn.

9 Lenins pse in cul fct sttes t poitcs s concentrted epression oft B di tl t b l T ti f i

ENNOES AN REFERENCES

n enormousy lexible verb n Frenc nd, s I will ndice for number

of insnces below, tis is ll te more true in ho oh ubc For Fus s iffeent redngs of te line from te Gospel ccording

Jon, In te beginning ws e Word, ll te wy to te conclusion Inte begnning ws e Deed, see Goete aus a O, rns Dvd Luke(Oford Oxford University Press, 1998 verses 1 41 3 In Germn, mag wa d a ecoes te lines fom Hegels Scic o ogic bout andigkiust quoted by Bdiou.

1 3 In Frenc, te expression pass oc, commented upon bove, is ereppled to sa plac, te plce of e subject Alterntve trnsltons mig be'puses troug (pst) its plce, psses its plce s force or even 'mkes itsplce pss ino force

14 ee Josep tlin, 'Foundtions of Lennism (1 94) Liism, rns Eden& Ced Pul (London: Geoge Alen & Unwin, 198), 13.

In tis prgrp nd e pevous one, B diou s plying usss, 'rigness or 'coectness, nd usic, justice In Englis, rigt or 'just idesrnsles ds ids uss.

16 In Frenc, ai pai lierlly mens mkes (up) prty or mkes for prty, constitutes pty, but lso plys or performs te roe of prty

1 In Frenc, a ass picks up on te sentence commented upon bove( ) i i i b i i i



te economy, s Bdiou correctly quotes below Te suggestion of expressivism, no doubt, mkes is less pltble to te Altusserin in Bdiou insofrs Atusser in is cnonicl work dmnty opposes suc expessive linksbetween te diffeen instnces of socil totlity nd tis otliy isef eeVldimi Lenin, Once Agin on te Trde Unions, te Current itution,nd te Mistkes of Totsky nd Bukrin, Collcd Woks (Moscow ProgressPublsers 1 96 vol 3, 01 0 'I sid gin in my speec t politics is concented expression of economics, becuse I d erlier erd my poliic ppoc rebuked in mnner wic is inconssent nd indmissble fo Mrxist Poltics must tke precedence over economics To gue oterwiseis o forget te ABC of Mrism. Am I wrong in my poticl ppris? If youtnk so sy t nd prove it But you forget te ABC of Mrxsm wen yousy (or imply) t te politicl pproc is equivlent to te "economic, ndtt you cn tke "e one nd te oer

10 Lcn introduced tis expression n is 9 1 emin XIX: ou pi ee

Aus is (Pris itions du eui 00 )

- Literlly, te expressonmens 'ees one or eres some one . Bruce Fin n is trnsltion ofLcns emin XX co fom te followng yer proposes 'Tees suc ting s One ( XX, 8)

Heges igki, tnslted s 'ct in Engis, is rendered s l ai in teFenc tnsltion used by Bdiou. Fo tis eson I ve ept bot expressons, 'ct nd 'mking, in tnslting Bdious prprse of Hegel ai s

42

(note ), wit a gin ving bot common mening s in ny i orsomeing wtsoever nd tecnic mening s e equivlent of teFreudin id ai, oo, is notoriously lexible nd involves bot n ctivemkng or 'doing (s in e ct or deed from Goetes aus) nd n inrnsive 'becoming or coming into being (s in Freuds dcum Wo s wa, solh wd, 'Were it ws I sl come ino being)

1 8 Te tem rnslted s 'proestng is vdicaivs in Frenc Ts reers tote trde unionist gue of poliics, bsed on 'demnds, 'clims or 'vndictions s protesttions gins injustice nd exploittion, usully imed te tte F or Bdiou, te term for ts reson is mostly pejortive

9 In tis senence nd te previous one te verb used in Frenc is once ginai, mking prctising, forming, constituting nd so on: la bougoisiai d la poliiqu nd la bougoisi ai su

0 'Were tere s oppression, tee is esistnce is prse commony ttributed to Mo edong Lur Blldur nd imon Kys in teir creful trns

ltion of Bdous 'Te Prty nd te Flux, nnotte is prse s followsFor ll its futue resonnce, te "origin of te pse is elusive: someCinese sources suggest is source my not be n Mos wriings t ll Moused te pse in is interview wit Edgr now ( 9 96 ) it continuedto recur during te Culur Revoluton nd ws forcedof ll plcesintote Joint Communqu from Rrd xons 19 visit o Cin

1 acis Maxis poliics trnsles te Frenc ai d la poliiqu maxis.

343

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

Oter possble trnsltions incue mke or o or pu into prtie

Mrist politcs. e empsis of ir is on te ctve, mlint, orgnenture of Mrism qu polis

Pat h bjt nd th ignis f th Exptin

In Frenc, l dtrution d'un qulit dor cn be re s bot n objetiven subjetive gentive, t is, s te esruon of o b ertn quliof fore

Anote lfolloqui lfgnomic sentene u rl a or d l tordr ilno u donnnt l u n w fore b torsion erts ll te uie fomte rel

3 e senene ps on plui d tr rn of fllng strs, n dtr is

se 4 Mllm, Igitur, uvr omplt (Pris Gllimr, 19 1 , 44 In Fren, l pur ur pl d l or evokes te gure of te pur o

psser witin te Lcnin proeure of l p For Biou, te empsiss on te t of pssing n element of foe onto sstem of pes n su w tt is element not onl remns in e sme spot but lso mkes teoigin foe ispper.

6 ee, in nutsell, we re given log of te mk, wic wll be moe

Quel spulcrl nufge (uLe ss, cume, mis bves)uprme un enre es pvesAbolt le mt vtu

Ou cel que furibon futeDe quelque pertion uteout bme vin plo

Dns e si bn eveu qu trneAvrement ur noLe ln enfn une sirne

ED OES AD REERECES

o voi mprecision n e trnsion, goo srteg s to compe n

ombne te vilble Englis renerings. us, in wt folows, I seeivel rel on trnsltions n prprses of Mllrms poer from botOfor Universit Pess n te Universit of Clforni Pess. One erorcommon to bot eitons is e filure to unerstn a mm s meningus wt or rgt up to, referring to te proimit of te b d bltt d lv to l ho v

14 e epression te lk of being n tis se is trnsltion of l dut dl'tr folowng te moel of l mnqu a €r ut cn lso men efe,soromng filing or fult



fmilir to reers of Derri mrqu emrcte, n lso menmrke own or isounte, s wit mercnise on sle

e sentene is structure roun e pun on te omonmous point rl,

rel point or point of te rel, n point rll not t ll rel.8 In Fen, te sentene pls on te nternl rme beween ont l'hitoir

mke istor, n ont lhitoir e istor9 In Fren, tis onelner bings togeter te wor p on ont/ont n di

prtr/pour tr Ell ont qu ll ont mi n diprint pour r1 0 Bou is lluing to Mlrms sonnets Victorieusemen fu le suiie

beu (e ne sucie e vicoiousl CP 69 n out Orgue fumetilu soi (Does ever Prie n te evening smoke CP 3.

1 e epression prouces movement trnsles e Frenc it moumnt1 In Fren, n pronn n lso men n no one or n nobo, wi is

onsstent wit Mllrms ie (menone below) of logc s impersonie reson.

1 3 e reer m wis to turn to Mlrms poem in Fren, quote fomis uvr omplt

344

A l nue blne tuBsse e bste e e vesA mme es os esvesP une trompe sns veru

soromng , filing or fult 1 e epression to put t fut ere rnses mttr n dut Anoer

trnsltion oul be to use o efut, c in te present contetwoul men to revel te ple were soe s sown to be wnting orlckng

16 Mlrm, ltd ttr o tphn Mllrm e n trns Rosemr Lo(Ccgo e Univesit of Ccgo Pess, 19 88, .

1 In tion to mening, n oul so be rnsle s sense or ireton, w woul be onssent wit e lep provoke b te poetoperon of nnulment in Mllrms cse.

1 8 A pl on oup d or n oup d l or19 Mlm, uvr omplt 48.0 Anoter rnslon for it thori du ujt woul be mkes teor ou of

te sube 1 Biou ere is entertining te opon of ng noter ee ( entrel of

is own nventon) to Mlls poem

More es qu fu son ntinon qunnule e s ineLe m cume nufgent

On te notion of te prt s vne etmen of te working people(ctul quoe fom Lenin), see Josep ln, Concerning Questions

34



HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

in te slogan 'One divides into two, suggested by te acanian qud u fit

deux3 Te Fenc ee is quite convolut ed l thoie ltique tiet ette quivoque

d 'itutio du di d'o 'pphede le ujet wic coud as o be tanslated as 'te teoy of psycoanaysis olds ts equivocation to be instuctive about te way te subject can be appeended on te basis of desie

4 Te eade sould keep n mind tat tis simplication of te wold aso

efes to Mallams denition of te act, aluded to above 'Te one available act, foeve and aone, is to undestand te elations, in te meantime,few o many accoding to some inteo state tat one wses to etend, node to simplify te wod ('Music and ettes, D 187.

An allusion to Mallams 'Pose (fo des Esseintes),

6 enn, Mteilim d EmpiioCitiim n vol 14 of is Colleted Woktans. Abaam Fnebeg: 'Fankly and bluntly did Bisop Bekeley agueIn ou time tese vey same tougts on te "economical elimination of"matte fom pilosopy ae enveloped in a muc moe atful fom, andconfused by te use of a "new temnology, so tat tese tougts may betaken by nave peope fo "ecent pilosopy! (28

7 A efeence to Xavie (bote of Josep) de Maistes Voge utou de mmbe (1790 tansated as A oue oud m Room foewod Alain deBotton, tans Andew Bown (ondon: Hespeus Pess, 2004


1 3 Befoe quoting acan, Badiou uses te following epessions: l'te--t

('beingtoteside), l'te-p ('paabeing), du pte ('paappeaing).Buce Finks eplanation is usefu n ts contet: 'Te neologsm acanceates ee, p-te is ponounced eactly like pte wic means'to appea o 'appeaing'. Two sentences fute on, acan intends botmeanings wen e says tat 'being pesents tsef always pesents itself, byp-te ie. , by appeaing and being beside (o aongside) ( XX, 44 n.1 9

4 In Fenc, pvet ('smokesceen o 'sceen') adds a fute pun to teacanian neologisms based on pte

In Fenc Nou e omme ie p-oo le out' wic is a clea allusionto anote famous line fom 'Te Intenationale: Nou e omme ie ootout' Te effect of intoducing acan's neoogism of p-te into tis ineconsists in slanting te view away fom te dogmatic totalty towad watlies beside o alongside te wole

1 6 Te Fenc eu ('seal') coud also be tansated as 'mak, 'stamp o'stamping n te discussion of Maam above, I used 'seal to tansateppe and 'stampings fo timbge

1 7 ee enin, 'Once Again on te Tade Unions, te Cuent ituation, and teMistakes of Totsky and Bukain, Colleted Wok vol. 32, 70107

18 Fo acan, te best tat tis biedie o 'wellsaying can amount to s a



8 'Halfsaying ee tansates acans m idie tat is, te noton tat tutcan only be 'alfsad o 'alfspoken, weeby midit is an obvious,Mallamansounding omonym fo midi 'noon o 'midday In is

unpublised semina on acans antipilosopy, Badiou discusses at lengtte diffeences and simiaities between acans 'alfsaid' and Mallams'mdday, compaed to ietzsces 'noon as te time of te 'sotestsadow.

9 Te Fenc ee, mi-dit combnes into a sngle wod te otewiseomonymous midit ('alfsad) and midi ('noonday o 'midday)

1 0 Badou may be tinkng of ous Altusses dscussion of te unvesal andte specic, in Fo Mx tans Ben Bewste (ondonew Yok: eso,200 , 183.

1 1 'Discepancy ee tanslates dlge a tem especially dea to Badiousfome teace Altusse (notably n is ealy eading of JeanJacques

Rousseau) wic can also mean 'inteva lag, o 'gap ee Altusse'Rousseau: Te oca Contact (Te Dscepancies), Politi d Hitotans Ben Bewste (ondon: ew eft Books, 1 972 , 1 1 3-60.

12 Te Fenc ue mie e bii ('slanting') could also be tanslated as a puttngaskew', 'a sideways glance, o a 'ookng awy, as in te eponymous bookby avoj Ziek 'Twsted ee tanslates todu as in tat wic undewenta tosion, not staigt

348

y gmi-die 'afsaying o 'afstating

1 9 ee enin, 'Maism and Insuection, Colleted Wok vol 26, 227: 'Ofcouse, tis is all y way of eample, ony to illustate te fact tat at te

pesent moment t is impossible to emain oya to Maism, to emain loyalto te evolution unless insuection is teated as an at

20 Te suggestion s tat acan, te enin of psycoanaysis, can also be itsMao, insofa as acan I and acan I would be ike a king succeeding mself.Also mplied s te notion tat JacquesAlain Mlle, toug a Maoistaound 1968 is ot te Mao of psycoanalysis.

2 Te Fenc ee, efeing to acan's doitue tei u l toio ('is steadyupigtness about tosion), contnues te seies of puns on staigtness,igtness, steadiness, and tosion.

22 In Fenc, te wod tanslated as 'pactice in Englis is not ptique butexpiee ust as in te pevious sentence Maism is dened as le popo

expimet de outei ldveue ubetive d'ue politique Expiee andexpimet in tis contet, sould not be ead wit te eistential patosof epeience but in te sense of a foma and pactical epeiment, similato wat appens in inventve science o in atistic innovation.

23 An allusio wit inveted gende, to Dtuie ditelle te title of a famousnove and m by Magueite Duas ( 969 ostensiby inspied by May 68Beyond tis efeence, t e epession, even in te masculine fom Dtuie

349

THEORY O THE SUBJCT

dit-i a ed b Bado, ha taken on a lfe of t own and freqentl

nvoked n lterar and att rle.24 An allon to Fedrh Nethe wellknown remark, n a etter toBande from Deember 1 I pepare an event that n al lkehood,wl break htor n two, to the pont where a new alendar wll be needed,and n whh 1 wl be the ear In rejetng th vew, horie duuet lear antpate Bado onon, n a onerene rom 1992 onNethe abot the antphloophal nate o th bea qua arhpotal at of grand polt. See Bado aer en deux lhitoire du monde?(Par Le Confrene d Peroqet, 1992

25 The Frenh eau wa prevol tanlated a eal b here a tamp oa to retan ehoe of the pn on the homonmo aut jmp

26 JaqeAlan Mler Matrx, ran Danel G. Coln, laanian ink 2

(1997 49 (tran moded27 The Frenh here, De l qu il fait uet od alo be tranlated a Whene

t qat a bjet From th t follow that t make (for a bet orh expan wh t onttte a bet The e of an ndente arten Englh, however mght wrong gget tha there ae everalr ateat twobjet the proletarat and the borgeoe wherea Bado orretng hmelf preel on th pont o a to afm, a he dd n thepevo eon of h emnar There onl one poltal bjet for an

h

ENDNOTES AND REERENCES

33 Bado n peonal onveraton wth the tranlator, gget that me

tortillon old refe to the twted elbaton n aan bran, bt I havethe mpreon that Laan rather eferrng to h tdent and dpe

and their mental ebraon M tranaton te to keep the ambgtalve.

34 Jam p hee tanlate the Frenh oine a noton Bado wll dbeow n the ontext of Laan topologe Othe tranlaton old bewedge or trap

35 Blok here tranlate the Frenhfait oinement36 The Frenh here, hanger lhomme dan e qu il a de plu profond orepond

to the t enene of the famo Sxteen Pont deon, adopted b theCentral Commttee of the Chnee Commnt Pat on Agt , 966markng the begnnng of the Chnee Ctal Revoton n Engh, the

fll lne read a folow: The great Proletaran Clra Revolton nownfoldng a great revoton that tohe people to the ver oln he hinee ultural Revolution: Seleted Doument ed and wth note bK . Fan (New orkLondon Monthl Revew Pe, 196, 162 See aloBado omment n The Cltral Revolton The Lat Revoltonran Brno Boteel poition: eat aia ulture ritique 1 3 (2005 4990

37 In Frenh, th whoe entene a bt onvolted: enon la prie puttdun bifae ubeti dont lartiulation nou donnera de la peine pour y ointer lad i d l b h d Th f l b h



gven htorzaton2 n Frenh, the expetve ne that a aompane negaton abent le

uet aboutit rien (whh have rendered a the bjet ead to nothng

a oppoed to le uet n aboutit rien (whh old be tranlated a thebjet doe no lead to anthng

29 n Frenh, e fait and effet wth the latter beng a neologm on Badopart, are homonmo The whoe entene, thogh, qte obre: lapolitique proltarienne . . . et e qu elle e fait effet ne pa tre effet qui anom ommunime. The ba nderlng dea that the proetaat lkethe nono, brng nto beng ome element of nonbeng Or, ather,throgh the nono and the proletarat the ontologal oppoton ofbeng and nonbeng tef bverted.

30 The Frenh, la botte n et la botte refer to a peal op for example nfenng, o a eret weapon, nreognzed b the adverar Porter une botte quelqu un th an mean to attak or nterpellate omeone n an nforeeenwa

3 1 The Frenh expreon, adoe a u (here tanlated a ean p agantbeatfl onve an mage of tth wth t do (bak p agant theeal.

32 In Frenh, une plaie (a ore here alo mean a pan (n the nek or'nuisance.

30

detrution ondante et le bonheur dy manquer. The referene to le bonheurdy manquer onter Laan menton of the happne to be alve, qotedabove.

3 n Frenh, morgue an mean both morge or morar and aoganemgne, perlone have tred to keep hnt of both meanngb ng deadl arrogane a a tranaton

39 n Frenh, audel ou en dea (beond or h of alo ed b Laan, S XX,44

40 The Frenh hee mie en dfaillane tranlated a the atve alre.Another pobe renderng wod be the pttng nto falre .

4 n Frenh, droit. Th extend the pn, ed earer, on rght dea andtwted path to trth. ere, n addton the oppoton betweentraght and ontorted

42 ape bak hee tanlate retombe whh prevol, n Pat eveda the Frenh tanlaton of egel Rkfall relape, n the daletalprocess.

43 In the notaton o the matheme o anxet the perego orage, andjte have ed lo for lieu wherea elewhere pae erve o tranlate both lieu and plae The matheme are one of the few ntane n horiedu uet where thee two Frenh term are kept eparate

44 Th an allon to a famo ang whh the od Mao reqent ed to

31



THEOR OF THE SUBJECT

184 saw the eggs of the dukbl n Manhester and wth arrogant nar

rowmndedness moked at suh stupdtas f a mamma ould la eggsand now t has been proved! So do not behave to the oneptons of vaue nthe wa had ater to beg the dukblls pardon for (trans moded

16 n Fenh: Qui tro au miroir see 'oithoque e de1 7 The Frenh here e soist erdu pas on the dstane between the rst

sois) and the thrd person soi) ntrodued nto the subet not unlkeRmbauds famous e est u autre

18 he Frenh here s slgh more rpt La robmatisatio est troue du reour a vri Alternatve translatons nlude Problematzaton means thebreakthrough of the real toward the truth or Problematzaton s how thereal peres through for the truth.

Fredrh Enges AtiDhri ibid2 aan Smnare R. S. riar (75 15 Englsh translaton:Semnar of 2 1 Januar 1 75 Femiie Sexuai Jaques La a ad t he oeeudiee ed. Julet Mthell and Jaquene Rose trans aquene Rose(ew ork W. W. orton 1 8 164

2 1 ttr ndates that shix a t one tme was a femnne noun n Frenh nonformt wth Greek where the sphn s femnne hs s what seems tobe mpled n the use of shie

22 n Frenh: D'iorer e reste e ait ui rester

ENNOES N REFERENCES

n the orgnal Frenh as Badou onrmed n personal orrespondene

wh the transaor La erte et erdue ontans a tpo for La erte est erdue 1 Ths quote s from the famous ruar of Steen Ponts that marked the

onset of the Great Proletaran Cultural Revoluton. n Engsh see ThePart Deson he hiese utura Revoutio pont ttled CulturalRevolutonar roups Commttees and Congresses

Pat V. Sbjetivization a nd Sbjetive Poess

aan R S anne 74-75 iar? 4 (1 75 78 Smnare du 1 vrer 1 75

2 bid

n Frenh aimeide du arti oiique omme o aime e qui osiste e sujetd'avoir t are qu 'ue ois erdu e dirieat a veir de sa rsiitatio

4 Ths headng s a quote from SantJohn Perses poem Vets (Pars:Flammaron 68 seond song. n Frenh Se hter! Se hter! aroe devivat!

5 For further nformaton about ths famous quotaton attrbuted to Mao seethe Translators endnote 44 to Part above

6 Ths s most lkel a referene to enns 1 2 pamphet LeWi ommuism:A atie Disorder n vol 1 of hs oeted Works The fundamental aw of



2 n Frenh: D 'iorer e miroir e met ui e mirroir du mode24 The Frenh here e qui est du tout exie a ositio de 'autre qui 'est as du

tout, s qute ambguous n hat 'est as du tout an be understood both aswhh s not of the whole or whh does not not beong to the whole an dwhh s not at all

25 The Frenh e eet de bord sur ee-mme, oud also be translated as wthan effet of beng ts own border or to the effet of onsttutng ts ownborder.

26 aan R S . anne 7475 iar (175: 7-8 (Smnare du 14janver 175

27 n Frenh e dot ue ouure historique ait reotre Ths s one nstanewhere ouure asde rom ut (as n aans topologes oud also betranslated as break (as n a Bahelardan epstemoogal break.

28 The Frenh here e qui s 'vaouit e re ould also be translated a s that

whh vanshes n the real or that whh real vanshes2 On August 1 66 Ma o addresses the rowd n a statement on meetng

the masses Conern ourself wth affars o the state hs dretve sreported to have been sometmes translated as ou should pa attentonto state affars and arr the Great Proletaran Cultural Revoluton throughto the end See Dretves Regardng Cultural Revoluton Seeted Worksvol.

354

revoluton whh has been onrmed b all revolutons and espeal b athree Russan revolutons n the twenteth entur s as follows: for a revoluton to take plae t s not enough for the eploted and oppressed masses to

realse the mpossblt of lvng n the old wa and demand hanges for arevoluton to take plae t s essental that the eploters should not be able tolve and rle n the od wa. s onl when the "lower asses do not wantto lve n the old wa and the "upper lasses annot arr on n the old wathat the revouton an trumph (7 1

7 Ths quotaton Tiaxia da ua da dao tiaxia da zhi n whh Mao oneagan reles on the lassal Chnese notons of allunderheaven tiaxiaand dsorder ua but ths tme to aheve great order under heaven smost famousl found n a letter to hs wfe Jang ng from Ju 8 66. AnEnglsh translaton of ths letter appeared as Mao Tsetungs Pr vate etterto Chang Chng ssues ad Studies 4 (June 17: 46 Unfortunatel

n ths translaton the sang n queston s glossed over and ombned wththe followng sentene nto he stuaton hanges from a great upheaval a great peae one ever seven or eght ears ( 4 t s not an estngproverb as Badou suggests so muh as an orgnal reaton based on ananent epresson whh Maos lar for quotable oneners not unlkeBadous own taste for suh gnom ormulatons turned nto a popuarquasap horst sentene.

35 5

HEORY O HE SUBJEC

n Fen te exesson nn-ieu as te jdal sense of no gond fo

tal In te esent ontext asde fom evokng te toology of lae andotlae not o menton te etymology of e Geek utpia as nonaete tem old also be tanslated as nonevent

9 In Fen a femme evoes a qasaetyal ndestandng of Womano nvesal womanood w s esely wat s t nde ease obaed n Laans fomas of sexaton a femme en effet ineiste au tutDese te awkwadness of e tanslaton I ave endeed ts n Engsas e woman. In te next sentene a aaase of Hegels famoseadng of Antgone n te Phenmeny f Spirit I se Woman wt alage aal to tanslate a femme

See Tomas Je Set he New Yok: Aadem Pess 97 33

Pa J. Coen Set he and the Cntinuum ypthesis New YokAmstedam:W A Benjamn 9 2 2 Ibid 3 bid ave moded te Engls n aodane wt te anges tat

Bado noded n s Fen tanslatonal anges meant o makete ext moe aessbe.

4 In tese nal lnes Bado s qotng fom Mallams n o de dsdans ces paraes du aue / en qui tute ra it se dissut all te way to temage of te anceur o de towe.


Elesastes 7

9 See Blase Pasal Penses ed. and tans Roge Aew Indanaols: akett2 273 S749L99

In te Fen ogna te las lnes of ts sentene ae mssng In esonaloesondene wt te tanslao Bado ooses to make fo tsga as follows et nn cause iusire de eur dterminatin imainaire ientainsi cnsider e re et nn instaer e sembant

Ts s fom te last stana of Mallams Toast fnbe Fneeal Toast .In Fen te nes ead

Cest de nos vas boqets dj tot le sjoO le oe a o geste mble et ageDe lntede a ve ennem de sa age.

2 A Y. Vysnsky Poato of e S SR State Poseto n Reprt f theCurt Prceedins in the Case f the Anti-Siet Bc fRihts and rtskyites heardbefre the Miita Ceium fthe Supreme Curt fthe SSR Mosow: PeolesCommssaat of ste of te SSR 93 97. Sbseqent age nmbesn te body of te ext efe to ts same edon

3 Te Fen ee parti as bot a sttly olal meanng aty and amoe geneal sense deson stane oson sandont Te sentene ts talks abot e sk of takng te wong deson as m as of



356

Pa V. opics o Etics

Jlen Gaq ettrines Pas Jos Co 97 7-72 See Mao Talk at te Fst Plenm of te Nnt Cental Comm tee of te

Cnese Commnst Paty Al 2 99 Seected Wrks vo. 9 avalableonne at tt:www.maxstsog.

3 Mao as eoed n Te Geat Clta Revolton Wll Sne Fo EvePekin Reiew 9 May 2 97: .

4 In Fen te neologsm d-sens w evokes nsense o dssense somonymos wt dcence deeny Anote moe mbesome anslaon to kee te neologsm old be dssensey.

In Fen in-dsens a omonym fo indcence ndeeny fte extendste neologst n on a w ns onte to ommon sense and

deeny Steen Cane he Red Bade f Curae ed. Sley Badley Rmond

Coom Beaty E dson Long evsed by Donald Pe New Yok: W. W.Noton 97 9.

7 On te fsed go and te ledged go see JeanPa Sate CritiquefDiaectica Reasn tans Alan SedanSmt foewod Fed amesonNew YokLondon: Veso 24 3434 and 433-9

oosng te wong aty.4 Staln Leninism 7 See Te Paty Deson n he Chinese Cutura Reutin 7-7

See Wang ongwen Reot o n te Revson of te Paty ConstttonDeveed at te Tent Natonal Congess of te Commnst Paty of Cnaon Agst 24 and Adoted on Agst 2 973 he enth Natina Cnressf the Cmmunist Par f China Dcuments Bejng: Foegn Langages Pess 9 7 3 4 .

7 See Fan<os D d e L a Roefoald Maxims tans. Leonad TanokNew Yok: Pengn 99 23 maxm 2

One as eason to evolt aganst te eatonaes o It s jsted to ebeaganst te eaonaes s a ase oned n a see by Mao made n 939 to elebate Stalns t btday: Tee ae nnmeable nesof Maxsm bt n te last analyss tey an all be smmed n one

sentene: "To ebel s jsed. Fo tosands of yeas eveyone sad"Oesson s jsted exloaton s sted ebellon s no jsted.Fom e tme wen Maxsm aeaed on te sene ts old jdgmen wastned sde down and s s a geat ontbon n Sa R. Samhe Pitica huht fMa eun New Yok: Paege 99 427. Foa detaled analyss of te dffeent meanngs of s ase see Cate fom Bados hrie de a cntradictin Pas: Fanos Maseo 97

357

HEORY OF HE SUBJEC

tanlatd a An ntal Phloohal Th " Rgt to Rbl agan

th Ratona tan Albto Toano posions: eas asia ulures rique13 (2005 66977

9 S orOne Red ears are wh Chairman Mao orever (Bjng Fognangag P 96 18-9

20 Saml Bktt ow i Is (Nw Yok Gov P 988 124.2 1 S On he Queson o Arulural Co-operaion ( J l 3 1 9 55 n Quoaons

om Mao Tse Tun (Bjng Fogn Langag P 1972 3 (tan modd to nd Bado ntn on ondn.

22 Th qot fom th nd of Rmbad A Saon n l Complee orks2 1 3 (tan. modd

Thmaic Rproir

Th epetoe i obviouy icopete ad utheoe it cotaievea biae etie.

t dea oy ateay wth what i eeta. Thu the wod 'Maoii ot poouced i it ad the cocept of the ubject ae aot abetfo t. t aage fo a few srvi nrns.



ART AND TERATRE

A and th owd 658.Pot a th annmn of xhang 73Exlanaton of th onnt A la n aablant t 7483Stl a hloohal qmnt 75That of o n 84-7; oato of Soholm 1 61 2Bf xlanaton of A Die Throw . . . 92-4Th od fnton of oaon 957Exanaon of th onnt S ong t ha ( nal on hgh

10010Pot a toolog of angag 1 59 3 03 .

Exlanaton of th ndng o f Ah Eumenides 64-5.thal manng of th novl of fomaton 333Th ond at of Wagn Trisan 31 8 333

S alo S Bktt J Conad S. Can J Gaq La Rofoad PaalRmbad Sohol Ah.

359

THEORY OF THE UBJECT

. ISTORA RUMSTANES

a h Eci Unira

June 1848: 172 204 283 anxiety 292.he ais Commune xl 20 nexhaustible analyse: xi; its double assessment:

45-6 the people and destuction: 723 wedging of a double mode of being:230 anticipation and etoaction 25

Octobe 1 91 7: 20 as assessment of the Commune 47-9 the insuection asviolation of politcs: 170 as peiodzaton of Maxism: 204.

he Cultual Revolution 42 identity of position with the Commune 47Mallaman atistic functon 67 as signie of exception: 88 st commu

nist evolution: 1 85 focing the empty pace of Leninism 20 5 epeating theCommune so as to make it into the eal 23 its dogmatic diagonal: 314-15and ethics 3 51 6 and the supeego 325-6

Naional Daa

he Revoution of 178993: 38 natue of its mateialism: 185 he eo:293-4.

Wold Wa : xl

THEMATIC REPERTOIRE

Apoias of the Ceation 45.heoy of ncanation 5-1 6Logic of heesies 1 617

God

heates essential catholcity 84-5.Saint aul and the second foundation of Chistianity 25.he stakes fo the st matealism: 1 86he Chistan wo: 1901.In the imaginay diagonal couagesupeego 298.Islamic 300hat He inexists in the wold and exceeds the ext: 301

See also: Malebanche, ascal Saint aul

V OG AND MATEMAT S

Modus Operndi: the tansmission of mathematics 3940 of the dialecticalusage 1 48-9 science of the eal: 1 54 in the aoblade of the Maxist babe2 10 quick glance at the golden ages 2 16

b Logic nd Set Theo extaodinay sets and the axom of egulaity (o of



Wold Wa II: xlResistance xl.

Colonial was xl 260 May-June 1 968 x l 1 292 obective and subjectve 41-2 the geat sixties:

302 movement, o subject ) : 322

c Scard Rfrnc

easant was n Gemany: 298

he hid ntenational 20 126 as domain of the possibe 204 masculine262

he otuguese Revoluton of 1 974-5 7 1 .

Council of icea 1 5.Renaissance: 38.

360

d Ohr

b Logic nd Set Theo extaodinay sets and the axom of egulaity (o offoundation) 90-1 Cantos theoem: 2 1 517 quanties: 272 aithmeticsof cadinals: 2667 the continuum hyothesis: 266 consstency of the con

tinuum hypothesis with constuctible sets 267-70 Rowbottoms theoemage cadinals 269-71

c Algebr nd Number Theo 2 1 920 tosion goups: 149-54 the extension othe countable o denumeable 202-5 denition of algeba: 2 1 0 denition obelongng 2 1 1 axioms o eano: 226.

d Topology: 21920 Mbius stip: 35 globa and local: 120-1 denition oftopology 21 01 1 commentay on the axioms of neighbouhoods 221 -3Boomean knot: 226-8.

V TRADIIONAL PIOSOPY

Ancient atomism: 536 Cassication of philosophies 1 1 6-2 1 Histoy of mateaisms: 1879.Stuctual tajectoy of idealisms 1 902An old theme 2346.Classical theoies of the subect 278-80.

36

THEORY O THE SUBECT

Eha dsouses 3 19

See aso: Astote Desates edegge ato Kat

V. PSYCHOANALYSS STRCTO SENS

Amea psyhoaayss: 30 44 198oe feudee de as 401.he asmsso o f psyhoaayss 40.s shpwek o the eet of eths: 1 36 he psyhoaayta ue ad pota eeduato: 14-4 a osstet totaty wth Masm 80

Does ot ague fom a ase of heag 30See aso: Feud

V POTCA THEORY

Poii nd Hio

stoy: t does ot es 9; who ae ts atos: 180-; the fou fudameta

THEMTIC REERTORE

ommusm 78 96 as aumet of the State 889; faaous hag pot108 ; deto 1 34 juse: 1 59; oete: 1 84 ad the dtatoshp of thepoetaat: 188 evouto 056; opooga 35 the evouto s tsasta momet 44; oe of the fou oepts: 84; utopa 98; s otegsatae eep dagoay 300

M nd C

Masses mass movemet: ame: 58-9; vashg em of hstoy 63-4; t sght o ee 1 06, 34; ame of the ea 1 36; s ot mped ut foed: 73;odee the masses 330.

okg ass poedue of ts ssso: 9; t makes a oda pot of the two

detos of aptasm: 6; as soa ass ad as pota ass: 188; s theeeves of ossey: 36-8; spotaeous fatasm 38oetaat toso 1 930 wha a evouto pesets to aothe evouo

34 ame of the tuh as ota : 1 73 ; makes the wokg ass dsappea: 38;whee s t?: 804; pota estee etha esee: 3 30-

d. Th Nw ourgoii

Mode evsosm F: deemes the ass: 9; two ougeoses two evo



stoy: t does ot es 9; who ae ts atos: 180 ; the fou fudametaoadtos of the otempoay wod: 7

ots as stutue of to: 85-6 eteat 856; ampeag: 108; tea

tve ad eakup of the Oe: 1 41 5; tea euso to ts ojet: 1 30ts effat of ot eg 1 34 opposed to tade uosm 41 ; equvoty ofhe oept o eato of foe 1 70; fom the Oe to the Oe Oe: 1 3-14;wthout pope ame: 19; the pot of vew o ass o the Stae themasses: 9; the eset pope to he State 6 e ad ogazato:86 ad ehs 30916; to fa ad to gve : 3

Th Four Fundmn Conp of Mrxim

ass stugge otado ougeosepoetaat: stuue: 7 stugge � otadto: 4; shema 43; see y Maam: 98-100; the eato of ass as

mposse 1 67; ass pot of vew ad tuth: 1 73 oe of the fou oepts:84

evouto: ase tme to oude 96; pope ame of the mposse of Masm1 8; othe of he Othe: 1 56; aety ad ouage 1 7; ommusm 05-6;agea 9; the ass sezes the mass: 46 teupto 5 67

Datoshp of the poeaat: epoaae wth ommusm: 88; oe of thefou oepts 8-4

362

gutos: 8-3; supea que of 1968 1967; statst kot of the paty:9-30; USS: 74 83 t ess: 83; demostatg the otadto est

payommusm: 06; s ovety 46 SoSovet spt 5Guag oataasm totaaasm does o es 1 faseess of the

hess A amp s a amp: 14; the pos of eo 934; Mosow tas3 1 - 1 5 .

Soasm t does ot est 7-8 mmoe move: 35.he State: evesa of the stats ak: 8; ad evot 106; t eve poves the

estee of the poetaa: 1 34 supeego: 146 1 59; ad the dvso of theaw: 1 84; ojet of esm 0 5-6; a Boomea kot wth the masses adthe asses 8-30 eve a guaatee o ommusm 35.

Conjunur

Impeast soety 7, 14 1 63Mutatoa peope: ; he mmgat poetaa as empy pae (equaty of

ghts) ad eess (teatoa poeaat of Fae) 6-4.ade uosm uost wodvew: 9 67; astat eemet of the sujetve:

37 makes osstey out o he aptast ause: 38 ad the aoState:6670

363

HEORY O HE SUBdEC

Youth atve hilm: 32.

The elleual xl greater drig the Sali era 302 ad the ethal debaeaer 321-2

The ubjet he Par

Oe doe ot ove oe aoher i them 40 Leim for he iverity 4relatio to he mae 9 bjetive poit o polii 1 1 5 a ommit 823 a hemam: 1 12 aympto: 1 8 i the oradto revolutoommum 205 a Oe Oe 2 1 3 tyig together the kot 22; thrdlevel of oitey 2 3-8 pport he for diore i the Laaia ee24 body of poli: 20 ehial meaig of the parta mde: 312

odee i the pary 330

dex of Proper Names

ecall hat absent fom the enmeation below ae Engels egellein acan enin Maam Mao Zeong Max

When i is a qestion of a simple mention b wa of ilstaon hepage nmbe is italcie

eschls 1 6 1 8, 6 1 3, Comte xxxvii



364

1668, 39

lain 81

lthsse 2, 187 224istotle , 22 1 9 2 3 on R 302

Beckett 280 330Bekele G 178Bensten E 2BeveM 292Becht B Behnev . Bkhan N 3 124

Cams 2C anto G 21 7 , 261

26 6Chateabian R 2Cohen 2 7 4

Cona . 1 9Cane . 29

De aci 3 0 1Debo G 329Delee G 22 207 287Democits 960 6Descates R 8 7, 3 0 Devlin K 2 678Das M Epictets 301

Epcs 319Eoxs 203 2Epies 66emat . labe G ocalt M 187 88

365

THEORY OF HE SUBJEC

Fourir Ch 298

Frud A 209Frud , 1 24, 1 258, ,

, , 1 6 6, 1 7 4, 1 9 7, ,27980, 284

Galoi E 216Gau C F Gid A Glucmann A 1 82Gd K 267, 2689, 2701, ,

28 6Goth, J W von 3 5Grac J i 280

brt J 86idggr M , , 2345ilbrt D 216ugo V

Malbranch 37

Marchai G Mrnn M Millr JA 1 325Milnr J C 2623Mittrrand F , , 35 1Molt G 3 02Monaign 301Mntr T 298

wton

Paca B , , 301Ptain Ph Pl at o 8 4, 1 9 , 1 9 3 , 3 1 8Pol Pot 81Poitzr G 179Pomidou G 42Pythagora 2025

talin J xl, 20, 38, 81, 91, ,

, , 20 5 , , 2256 , 23 2 ,2 946, 3 02 , , 3 1 5 , 3 2 5

Thir A 3 0

VilGrifn F 97Villir d ll Adam A

INDEX OF PROPER NAES

Voltair 186

Vyhiny A 31214

Wagnr R , , 07, , 31 8,33 3

Wang ongwn 3 51 6

Zoa E

Th licit nomnation ar unfair r mut a of GardnrDavi luminou analyt o Maarm and of Fan<o Rgnault whotach m th thatr



Jch T 365Jon E Jung C G

Kant . , 1 1 71 9, , 1 9 1 , 1 94,20 1 , 278,

Kauty K 9Kruhchv 1 80,

a Mttri J 121a Rochfoucauld F

3 9

aal F 209ibni G W , 69vitrau 20 7in Bao , 80iu haoi , 3 14, oui X ucrti

366

Rich W 208Rimbaud A , 68 , 2 6 , , Robirr M , Rouau JJ 4 1Rowbottom F 26970

aint u aint Paul 25, 191aint Pt aint Thoma aintJohn Pr andvinc P i liv

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Alain Badiou Theory of the Subject

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