“Presentedwiththealternativeofloveoragarbagedisposalunit, youngpeopleofallcountrieshavechosenthegarbagedisposalunit.”
IS#1
Introduction
TheSituationistInternational(1957–1972)wasarelativelysmallyetinfluential Paris-basedgroupthathaditsoriginsintheavantgardeartistictradition.The situationistsarebestknownfortheirradicalpoliticaltheoryandtheirinfluenceontheMay1968studentandworkerrevoltsinFrance.TheSituationist International(SI)publishedajournalcalled InternationaleSituationniste(IS). Selectionsfromthejournal’stwelveissueshavebeentranslatedandpublished byKenKnabbasthe SituationistInternationalAnthology.Thetwoothertexts thatareessentialtoanunderstandingoftheSI’stheoryare TheSocietyofthe Spectacle byGuyDebord(theSI’sleadingtheoristthroughoutitsexistence) and TheRevolutionofEverydayLife byRaoulVaneigem.Debordsaidof The SocietyoftheSpectacle:“therehavedoubtlessnotbeenthreebooksofsocial criticismofsuchimportanceinthelasthundredyears.”Debordwasperhaps thinkingofMarx’s Capital,thefirstvolumeofwhichwaspublishedin1867, exactly100yearspriortothepublicationof TheSocietyoftheSpectacle.While Debordwascertainlynotknownforhismodesty,manywhoarefamiliarwith hisbook,includingmyself,aretemptedtoagreewithhim.TheBritishantistatecommunistjournal Aufheben,forexample,feelsthatwhileitmaynotbe thiscentury’s Capital,itisoneofthefewbooksthatcouldmakesuchaclaim. Anothersituationistclaim,madein1964in IS#9,isinmanywaysfargrander: “Oursisthebestefforttoward gettingoutofthetwentiethcentury.”Thisessay willinevitablypresentsomeofthegroundsonwhichtojudgethevalidityof thislatterclaim.
TheSI’sinfluenceintheUnitedStatesismostnoticeableintheanarchist milieu.Thesituationists,however,werenotanarchists.“Allkindsofrecent experienceshaveshowntherecuperatedconfusionismoftheterm‘anarchist,’ anditseemstomethatwemustopposeiteverywhere,”wroteDebordin1968. Thesituationistscouldbetermedanti-statecommunists:theywereheavilyinfluencedbyMarxanddidnotidentifywiththeanarchisttradition,yetshared theanarchistoppositiontothestate.(Thesituationists,however,didnotcall themselvescommunistsduetoitspopularassociationwithCommunistParties.) AnarchistsintheUnitedStatesoftenhaveanumberofmisconceptionsregardingtheSI.Onemisconceptionisthatthesituationistswereincomprehensible Marxistintellectualsandthereforehavenothingtoofferthemassesofpeople waitingforthesimpleandpracticalideasoftheanarchists.Thismisconceptionappealstothegrowingnumberofanarchistswhohaveaknee-jerkreaction toanythingthatsounds“Marxist”or“theoretical,”andthegrowingnumber ofanarchistswhocareneitherforMarxisttheorynoranarchistprinciplesbut preferidentitypoliticsorleftistmoralizing.Othermisconceptionsresultfrom divorcingtheconceptofthespectaclefromDebord’scritiqueofcapitalism,or fromfocusingonlyonthelifestyleoraestheticaspectsoftheSI.
ItisimportanttounderstandtheSIinrelationtoMarx,toseehowtheysaw theirownprojectasacontinuationofMarx’scritiqueofcapitalism(andthis essaywillcertainlyfocusonthis).“Thephilosophershaveonly interpreted the
world,invariousways;thepointisto change it,”wroteMarx.“Sofarphilosophersandartistshaveonlyinterpretedsituations;thepointnowistotransform them,”wrotetheSI.Inmanywaysthesituationistideaoftherealizationand suppressionofartissimilartothetheoreticalrealizationandsuppressionofphilosophyundertakenbyMarx.InkeepingMarx’stheoryalive,thesituationists, likeMarx,drewinspirationfromHegel.“TheowlofMinerva[Romangoddessof wisdom]spreadsitswingsonlywiththefallingofthedusk,”wroteHegel,meaningthatphilosophypresupposesashapeoflifegrownold,adetachmentfrom life,andajudgement postfestum.EchoingHegel,butwithafundamentally differentapproach,Debordwrote,“[t]hegreatnessofartonlyemergesatthe duskoflife.”TheSIwerenomereartists,andtheyproclaimedtheirgreatness ratherearlyon.
FoundingandHistoryoftheSI
Inhisbook, GuyDebord,AnselmJappewrites,“GuyDebordfeltcertainthat thedisorderthatovertooktheworldin1968haditssourceatafewcafétables, where,in1952,ahandfulofsomewhatstrayedyoungpeoplecallingthemselves theLetteristInternationalusedtodrinktoomuchandplansystematicrambles theycalled derives.” TheLetteristswereoriginallyagroupofavante-garde artistsfollowinginthetraditionoftheDadaistsandSurrealistsclusteredaround IsadoreIsou,whosedesiretoreducepoetrytothelettergavethemthename Letterists.In1951,theyoungDebordwenttotheCannesFilmFestivaland wasparticularlyimpressed(unliketherestoftheaudience)byafilmshown byIsouandtheLetteristsentitled“TreatiseonSlobberandEternity,”which hadnoimagesandonomatopoeicpoetryandmonologuesforasoundtrack. SubsequentlyDebordwastoplayanimportantroleamongtheLetterists.In 1952Debordmadethefilm HowlinginfavorofSade.Thefilm,likeallof Debord’sfilms,sendsamessagewhilecritiquingthemedium:“Cinemaisdead. Filmsarenolongerpossible.Ifyouwant,let’shaveadiscussion”isDebord’s messagenearthebeginningofthefilm.Thefilmhadablackorwhitescreen throughout.Variousquotations,observationsontheLetterists,andtheoretical propositionsarespokeninthefilm,butthereisalsomuchsilence.Thelatter partofthefilmconsistsof24minutesofsilenceanddarkness.
TheLetteristswereinterestedinDada-typeculturalsabotage,inventing anewactivitytoreplaceart,andaestheticsandartinitself.In1950,the LetteristssabotagedEasterhighmassatNotreDame.Theygagged,stripped, andboundapriest.Anex-CatholicLetteristtookhisvestments,wentup tothepulpitandsaid,“freres,Dieuestmort”andstartedtalkingaboutthe implicationsofthedeathofGod.Thecongregationtriedtolynchhimandhe hadtosurrendertothepoliceinordertosavehislife.Anotherstuntsome LetteristspulledwassabotagingCharlieChaplin’spressconference.Thiswas toomuchforIsou,however,andhedenouncedit.Thisledtoasplitamongthe Letterists.
DebordandthefactionthatbrokewithIsoufoundedtheLetteristInternational(LI)inNovember,1952.Theysetupajournalcalled Potlach.The Letteristsdrankalot,diddrugs,andgenerallytriedtoavoidwork.Within theirsocialgrouptherewasmorethanoneattemptedmurderandseveralsuicides.DuringthistimeFrancewasundergoingarapidmodernization,andthe
Letteristsrailedagainstthebanalityoftheconsumersociety.TheLIhadacertainorganizationalseriousnessthatwouldbecomeevenmoreapparentinthe SI.Memberswereexpectedtolivetheirtheoryandcompletelyrejectbourgeois society.Ina1961film,Debordcapturedthespiritofuncompromisingradicalismthatwasbeingformedintheseyears:“Ihavescarcelybeguntomakeyou understandthatIdon’tintendtoplaythegame.”
In1957theSIwasfoundedatCosiod’ArrosciainNorthernItaly,principally outoftheunionoftwoprioravant-gardegroups,theLIandTheMovement foranImaginistBauhaus.“TheSIisthefirstartisticorganizationtobase itselfontheradicalinadequacyofallpermissibleworks,”theyproclaimedin 1960.(Itwouldseemthattheylaterceasedtoconsiderthemselvesan“artistic organization”atall.)TheSIhadmembersfromAlgeria,Belgium,England, France,Germany,Holland,Italy,andSweden.Organizationallythenational sectionswereheldtogetherthroughannualconferencesandthejournal,which waspublishedonceortwiceayearinParis.Thejournalwasdirtcheap,had glossypaperandgoldmetal-boardcovers,andhadnocopyright.
TheearlySIwasconcernedwithbreakingoutofeverydaycapitalistroutines androlesandcreating“situations”ofasuperiorpassionalquality.Theywere interestedinurbanplanningandarchitecture.Theywentonderives,orwanderingsthroughoutthecity,experiencingtheurbanenvironmentinanewway, andrecordingtheirfindingsandexperiences.Theytookto“[t]hestudyofthe specificeffectsofthegeographicalenvironment(whetherconsciouslyorganized ornot)ontheemotionsandbehaviorofindividuals,”whichtheytermed“psychogeography.”Theybelievedinthenecessityoftherealizationandsuppression ofart,ortheabolitionofartasaseparatesphereoflifeandtherealizationor integrationofthepassionandbeautyofartintoeverydaylife.
In1962therewasasplitbetweenpoliticaltheoristsandartistsintheSI. Debordinsistedthatartmustbedissolvedintoaunitaryrevolutionarypraxis. Fromthenon,theSInolongerfocusedonsupersedingartthroughfinding anactivitytoreplaceit.In1967Debord’s TheSocietyoftheSpectacle and Vaneigem’s TheRevolutionofEverydayLife werepublished,bothproviding brilliantcritiquesofmoderncapitalismfromasituationistperspective.
Throughoutitsexistence,theSIhadanaveragemembershipofaround10 or20.Inall,63menand7womenfrom16differentcountriesweremembers atonetimeoranother.Overhalfwereexcludedatonetimeoranother,and mostoftheothersresigned. IS#1–5 weredonecollectively,issues6–9were donemostlybythreepeople,andissues10–12weredonemostlybyDebord(he calledtheseissues“thebestones”).TheSI’slastconferencewasheldin1969. After1968,theSIwasunabletodealwiththenewperiodofstruggle.When theyformallydissolvedin1972,therewereonlytwomembersleft,GuyDebord andGianfrancoSanguinetti.
TheSI’sTheory
TheSI’spoliticaltheorywasinfluencedbyMarx,Hegel,Lukacs,theFrench groupSocialismorBarbarism(fromwhichtheygottheircouncilismandcritique oftheSovietUnion),thehumanistMarxistHenriLefebvre(whoformulateda critiqueofeverydaylife),andtoalesserextentpeopleasdiverseasWilhelm ReichandNietzsche.TheSIalwaysusedwhattheyfoundrelevantinvarious
writersanddiscardedtherest.Atvarioustimestheydenouncedpeoplelike Lukacs,HenriLefebvre,andSartrequitestrongly.TheSIwasalwaysquite convincingintheirdenunciationsofvariousleftistacademicsorartistsandtheir fashionableideas.
IamnowgoingtopresentsomeoftheSI’skeytheoreticalconcepts:
1. RecuperationandDetournement
Recuperationisthechannelingofsocialrevoltinawaythatperpetuates capitalism.Tounderstandrecuperationistounderstandhowworkingclass strugglesarekeptundercontrolandhowworkingclassdemandsbecomeintegratedintocapital’sstrategy.Tounderstandrecuperationistounderstand thatitisacentralfunctionofthemediaandofmodernunions.Punkrock culturebeingsoldinboutiquestoresisaninstanceofrecuperation.Ofcourse, itistheinabilityofpunkrockculturetoeffectivelychallengeanythingthat opensitupsocompletelytorecuperation.Theleft,ascapital’sloyalopposition,istheembodimentofpoliticalrecuperation—orkeepingthingswithin therealmofpoliticsandrepresentation.Detournementissomethinglikethe oppositeofrecuperation.Itistheappropriationofimagesorideasandthe changingoftheirintendedmeaninginawaythatchallengesthedominant culture.Agoodexampleofthisisthedetournedcomicsthatthesituationistspopularized,inwhichrevolutionaryideasandslogansaresubstitutedfor whatthecomiccharactersaresupposedtobesaying.
2. AlienationandSeparations
Inthe 1844Manuscripts,Marxputforwardhiscritiqueofalienation.He observedthatthecapitalistrelationshipofwage-laborputstheworkerinthe positionofbeingforcedtosellhislabor-power(histimeandenergy)tothe capitalistinordertosurvive.Hisworkingactivityisthereforenotanexpressionofhisdesiresandcreativecapacity,butaforcedlaborthatconfrontsthe workerasan alien impositiondictatedbysomeoneelse.Theworker alienates hislabor-powerinordertoreceiveawage.Thiscircumstance,Marx observed,alienates1)thelaborerfromtheproductofhislabor(sincehe doesnotdetermineitsfate),2)thelaborerfromtheactoflabor(sincethe laborprocessisdictatedbythecapitalist),3)manfromhisspecies-being(his natureandintellectualspecies-powers,determinedbythecourseofhuman development),and4)manfromman(workersdonotdeterminetheiractivity togetherandthecapitaliststandsabovethemasatyrant).
UnlikeMarxist-Leninists,thesituationistsmadefulluseofMarx’stheory ofalienationandbuiltmuchoftheiranalysisofmoderncapitalismonthis conceptualbasis.TheSIemphasizedthat“therevolutionaryorganization mustlearnthatitcannolongercombatalienationwithalienatedmeans.” Organizationalformsthatdonotallowforpeopletofreelydeterminetheir activitiestogether(hierarchy)arealienatedmeans.Theyencouragepeople toworkforaliencausesorideals.LikeSocialismorBarbarism,theSIwanted todestroythedivisionbetweenorder-giversandorder-takers.Theircritique ofalienationledtheSItostronglyrejectthestateasaperfectexampleof an“alienatedmeans.”
TheSIalsocharacterizedspectacularsociety(moreonthespectaclelater) asasystemofseparations.Asthesituationist-influenced AgainstSleepAnd
Nightmare writes,“Asthemarketexpands,itneedstosellmorecommodities.Tosellthecommodities,acapitalisthastomakepeoplenotjust wantthecommoditybutneedthecommodity.Byfragmentingmoreareasofpreviouslyundifferentiatedsociallifeintoquantifiableunits,thecapitalistsforcedatomizedworkerstomeettheirneedsexternallyratherthan throughcommunity-directnon-marketrelations.”Astheeconomyasaseparatesphereoflifeexpandstoencompassmoreandmoreofouractivities,our separationfromeachotherandfromourowndesiresandpowersbecomes moreacute.TheSIhadatheoreticalbasisforunderstandingthealienated conditionofmodernmanasdepictedinartandliterature.Onlythedestructionofcapitalismcanendthedominationoftheeconomyoverallof life.
3. SpecializationandMilitantism
AsMarxpointedout,classsocietydependsonthedivisionoflaborinauguratedthroughthedivisionofmentalandphysicallabor.Capitalismfurther expandsthisdivisionoflaborbycreatingtheneedforthemanagementand controlofevergreaterdomainsofsociallife.Capitalismproducesawhole arrayofspecialists(psychologists,professors,scientists,etc.)whoworkto perpetuatecapitalism.Weusuallydon’tchoosetobedependentonspecialists,itisjustthewaythesystemissetup.Agoodexampleofthisis theruleofspecialistscalledpoliticianswhorepresentpeoplewhetherornot theywishtoberepresented.Thesituationistsunderstoodhowthisfeature ofcapitalismismirroredbyitsleftistopposition.Theleftistroleofmilitant fitsperfectlywithintheworldofseparationsthatthesituationistshated:the militantisadevoutbelieverinacausetowhichothersmustbeconverted, andintheserviceofthiscausethemilitantfeelsobligedtospeakfor“the people”andsaywhatisgoodfor“thepeople.”Theleftistmilitantisan aspiringbureaucrat.TheSIunderstoodthecritiqueofspecializationtobe fundamentallyacritiqueofclasssocietyandanaffirmationofcommunism. “Inacommunistsocietytherearenopaintersbutatmostpeoplewhoengage inpaintingamongotheractivities,”wroteMarx.
4. Subjectivity
IncontrasttotheobjectivistdialecticsofMarxism-Leninismandthecoldobjectivityofcorporatecapitalism,theSIemphasizedthesubjectivityofrevolt, theproletariat’scapacitybetheconscioussubjectsofhistoryandnotthepassiveobjectsofbureaucraticdesign.Despitetheobjectivebuild-upofgreat amountsofwealthandtheabilityofworkersintheindustrializedworldto buyvariousnewcommodities,thereisanincreasingsubjectivepovertyofeverydaylife.TheSIrailedagainstboredomandthebanalityofthespectacular commoditysociety.Theyspokeofthesubjectivefeelingsofoppressionand passivitythatcharacterizedeverydaylifeincapitalistsociety,insteadofonly focusingoneconomicstrugglesorpoliticalconflicts.Vaneigemepitomized theSI’stendencytofocusonthesubjective,ondesireanditsfrustration.
5. Survival
TheSI,observingwhattheysawasthe“proletarianizationoftheworld,” feltitnecessarytoemphasizethatthesurvivalthatcanbeguaranteedby capitalismisnotthesamethingasactuallyliving.Wereitnotfortheir
emphasisonthesubjective,theywouldnothaveseenthisasveryimportant. Marxstronglycriticizedthedegradationofhumanactivityinherentinthe wage-laborrelationship:“[labor]isthereforenotthesatisfactionofaneed butonlyameanstosatisfyneedsoutsideitself.”Theworkergetsawage withwhichhecanbuycommoditiessoldbycapitalists,buthehasnocontrol overproduction.ThisisperhapsthefundamentalbasisfortheSI’scounterposingoflifetosurvival.Lifeisanaffirmationofone’sdesiresandcreative capacities,whereassurvivalisworking,consuming,watchingtelevision,etc. OftentheSIexpandeduponmanyofMarx’sideas,whichiscompletelynecessarygiventhedevelopmentofcapitalismthatoccurredoverthecourseof acentury.
6. Ideology
“Revolutionarytheoryisnowtheswornenemyofallrevolutionaryideology, andknowsit,”wroteDebordin TheSocietyoftheSpectacle. TheSIonce proudlyremindedtheirreadersthatMarxhadacritiqueofideology,that thiswasinherentinhis method.Theywereright,ofcourse.AlthoughMarx didnotreallyfleshoutthiscritiquetoomuch,itisimplicitinmuchofhis work,and TheGermanIdeology wasmeanttobeacritiqueoftheideological thinkingofGermanphilosophers.Ideologyisthefalseconsciousnessthat isreproducedbythedominantsocialorderforthepurposeofitscontinued dominance.Thedivinerightofkingswouldbeanexampleofsuchfalse consciousness.Racism,SocialDarwinism,Liberalism,andProgressareall ideologiesthathavebeenusedbycapitalismforvariousreasons.Incapitalism,ideologyappearsasthereificationofthought,ortheseveranceoftheory frompractice(inwhichcasethe theory couldbestbetermed ideology).The SIwaskeenlyawareoftheseparationofthetheoryofworker’scontrolfrom itsapplicationinpractice,asexemplifiedbyBolshevikideology.ThecontinueddominanceoftheSovietBureaucracynecessitatedtheuseofthemythof worker’scontrol,themythofa“worker’sstate,”tohidethefactofcontinued exploitationoflabor.Theworkerswerenotbeingexploited,themythgoes, becauseeverythingtheydidwasforthegoodoftheworker’sstate,which includesthem.Soifworkersriseupinrevoltagainstthisstate,theymust becounter-revolutionaries,sincetheyarefightingagainsttheworker’sstate, thepoliticalembodimentofrevolution.Thereisareligiousaspecttoallideology.Onasubjectivelevel,ideologyappearsasthedominationofideas— peopleactingforthegreatergloryoftheirideology(God)insteadofacting onthebasisoftheirdesires.
NowIwillgointoanoverviewofsomeoftheMarxistideasthataremost importantforthesituationistsandthenintoabrieflookattheconceptofthe “spectacle.”Marxhasbeenviewedbysomeasatheoristofpoliticaleconomy,by othersasatheoristofacritiqueofpoliticaleconomy;bysomeasaproponentof somesortofplannedeconomy,byothersasaclearproponentofthedestruction oftheeconomy.Theoretically,thelatterviewsaremoredefensible.However, MarxdidleavehimselfopentotheLeninistinterpretationwhichseesstate management(ofcapital)astheessenceofsocialisminthathedidnottakea stanceagainstpoliticalparticipationandtheseizureofstatepowerasBakunin did.Bakunin’sgreatmeritwasinpredictingthattheseizureofstatepower byaMarxistpartywouldleadtothecreationofanewrulingclass.Towhat
extentdoesMarxism-LeninismdepartfromMarx’srevolutionaryproject?This isundoubtedlyarathercomplexdebate,butImentionthatitexiststomake clearthatanti-statecommunistsgenerallyrejectthestate onthebasis ofMarx’s theory,assurprisingasthatmaysoundtothosewhohaven’treadMarx(but whoreally,reallydon’tlikehim).
Theideaofdialecticscomesupagainandagainwiththesituationists,and atfirstseemsrathermystifying.Ananarchistwriteroncecalleddialectics“a Marxists’excusewhenyoucatchhimlying.”Andwhileitcancertainlybe that,itisalsootherthings.Lookingitupinadictionarywillnotsolvethe dilemma.TheGreek‘dia’meanssplitintwo,opposed,clashing,and‘logos’ meansreason.Dialecticsisamodeofreasoningthatdoesnotseethingsmerely assplitintwo,butseesthingsasmoving,interacting,andturningintotheir opposites.Dialecticsisanunderstandingofthingsinmotion.Sinceanobject inmotionistheunityofwhereitwasandwhereitisgoing,dialecticsimplies anunderstandingofcontradiction.Themomentsofadialecticalprocesscanbe describedasaffirmation,negation,andnegationofthenegation,wherethetwo oppositesof“negation”aredistinctanddifferent—the“negationofthenegation”representinganewsortofaffirmation.Thisispossible,inasense,because dialecticsreasonsinthreedimensions.AsLukacspointedout,thepremiseof thedialecticisthat“thingsshouldbeshowntobeaspectsofprocesses.”“The student’s becoming isthetruthofhisbeing,”observedDebord.Dialecticscan alsobeunderstoodasawayofreasoningthatlooksbeyondthemereappearanceofthingsinordertograsptheunderlyingrelationsorprocessestaking placebehindimmediateappearance.Engelsdidnotsay“theproof’sinthe pudding,”butrather,“theproofofthepudding’sintheeating,”whichismore dialecticalbecauseitgraspstheobjective(thepudding)andthesubjective(the eating)aspectsofanyjudgementofpudding.Marxnotonlywroteoftheclass conflictthathastakenplacethroughouthistory,healsounderstoodthatthose whowriteaboutthisconflictarenotseparatefromitsmovement.Itishisunderstandingofthedialecticalrelationbetweentheoryandpracticethatmakes histheoryrevolutionary(seeespeciallyhis ThesesonFeuerbach).Marxonce wrotethat“[i]tisnotenoughthatthoughtshouldstrivetorealizeitself;realityitselfmuststrivetowardthought.”MustaphaKhayatioftheSIimproved onMarx’sformulation:“Itisnotenoughfortheorytoseekitsrealizationin practice;practicemustseekitstheory.”
Relatedtotheideaofdialecticsisthecategoryoftotality,presentinthe writingsofHegelandMarx,emphasizedbyLukacs,andusedoftenbytheSI. Totalitymeanspartlywhatitsoundslikeitmeans,butalsoimpliesadialecticalunderstandingofawholeandthepartsofwhichitiscomposed.ForHegel thetotalitywasGod,whileforMarxitwastherelationsofproductionina givensociety.Lukacshadthefollowingtosayonthesubject:“Theinteraction wehaveinmindmustbemorethantheinteractionof otherwiseunchanging objects...Thustheobjectiveformsofallsocialphenomenachangeconstantly inthecourseoftheirceaselessdialecticalinteractionswitheachother.The intelligibilityofobjectsdevelopsinproportionaswegrasptheirfunctioninthe totalitytowhichtheybelong.Thisiswhyonlythedialecticalconceptionof totalitycanenableustounderstand realityasasocialprocess.Foronlythis conceptiondissolvesthefetishisticformsnecessarilyproducedbythecapitalist modeofproductionandenablesustoseethemasmereillusionswhicharenot lessillusoryforbeingseentobenecessary.”The“fetishisticforms”Lukacsmen-
tionsarearesultof reification (anothertermthattheSIused),ortheprocess inwhichcapitalismpersonifiesrelationshipsbetweenthingsand“thingifies,”or reifiesrelationshipsbetweenpeople.Allofthisshouldmakeclearthatdialecticalthinkingaimsataknowledgeofreality,asdistinctfromasimpleknowledge offacts.
AnimportantaspectofMarx’smethodishismaterialism.Marxheldthat existencedeterminesconsciousness,whereasconsciousnessdoesnotdetermine existence.Inotherwords,ideasdonotexistinarealmoftheirownandcome downtomanifestthemselvesinthematerialworld.Ideasareproducedthrough ourexperiencesintheworld,andtheyremainacomponentofthatsameworld. ThisistheessenceofMarx’scritiqueofidealistphilosophy,asrepresentedby Hegel.Attheageof19,MarxwroteapoemaboutHegelinwhichhesaidthat Hegelmixesupwordsintoa“devilishmuddle.”Partofthereasonforthisis thatHegel’sdialecticsisultimatelytheworkofimmaterialforces,whereasMarx placesmaninhismaterialrelationsatthecenterofhisthinking.Marx’scritique ofidealismwasintimatelylinkedtohiscritiqueofideology,sinceideological thinking,whetheritadmitsitornot,isbasedontheassumptionofsomecorrect consciousnessthatwilltransformsocialreality.Hegelwrotethat“[h]istoryis mindclothingitselfwiththeformofeventsortheimmediateactualityofnature.” Incontrast,Lukacs,representingaMarxistviewpoint,wrote:“...historyisthe historyoftheunceasingoverthrowoftheobjectiveformsthatshapethelifeof man.”
Anunderstandingofcapitaliscentraltoanyunderstandingofcapitalism andMarxisttheory.So,whatiscapital?FredyPerlmandefinedcapitalas, “...atonceanameforasocialrelationbetweenworkersandcapitalists,forthe instrumentsofproductionownedbyacapitalist,andforthemoney-equivalent ofhisinstrumentsand‘intangibles,’...”Capitalisasocialrelationthatnecessitatestheuseofthingsinaspecificway,anditisthosethingsinsofarasthey aredirectlyreproducingthissocialrelationintheprocessofvalueaccumulation.AsMarxemphasizedinthe Grundrisse,capitalmustbeunderstoodas aprocess.Marxdefinedcapitalvariouslyas“asocialrelationofproduction,” “valueinprocess,”“aMoloch,”“accumulatedlabor,”andmostpoeticallyas “deadlabourwhich,vampirelike,livesbysuckinglivinglabour,andlivesthe more,themorelabouritsucks.” Aufheben definedcapitalas“theself-expansion ofalienatedlabour.”Thisalienatedlaborappearsasacommodity(C)inMarx’s basicformulaforcapital(whereMismoney):M-C-M.Moneyisexchangedfor thecommodity(labor-power)thatyieldsagreateramountofmoney.Tosimplify,wehaveM-M,moneythatyieldsmoremoney(whichsoundslikenonsense initself),orcapital,“self-expandingvalue,”asMarxwrote.
ItisoffundamentalimportancetounderstandthatMarxhadacritiqueof value-producinglabor(andmanyMarxistsdonotunderstandthis).Incapitalistsociety,laborhasatwofoldcharacter:itisanactivitythatproduces use-values,orusefulproducts,anditisauniquecommoditythatproduces value,the“appearance-form”ofwhichisexchange-value.Valueexistsbyvirtue oftheprocessofexchangeandisnotsimplya“property”ofacommodity.In capitalism,peoplerelatetoeachothereconomicallyonlyinsofarastheother personpossessesthings(labor-powerorothercommodities)thattheyfinduseful.Socialrelationsarenotestablisheddirectly,butthroughthings.Inthis way,valuemakesitsappearanceandbecomesmeasurablebythequantityof abstractsociallynecessarylabor-timeembodiedintheproductoflabor,the
commodity.Valueisregulatedthroughthemarket,butnotbyanyindividual.Capitalistsocialrelationsnotonlyappeartobebutactuallyare“material relationsbetweenpersonsandsocialrelationsbetweenthings.”Marxtermed thischaracteristicofcapitalism“thefetishismofcommodities.”Marxtriedto explainthefetishismofcommoditiesbylikeningittoreligion,inwhich“the productionsofthehumanmindappearasindependentbeingsendowedwith life,enteringintorelationshipswitheachotherandwithhumans.”
Debord’sconceptofthespectacleisaformofcommodityfetishism.Debordemphasizedthatthespectacleisnotacollectionofimages,butrather, “asocialrelationshipbetweenpeoplemediatedbyimages.”Similarly,Marx hadwrittenthatcapitalisasocialrelationshipbetweenpeoplemediatedby things.Thespectacleis“theconcreteinversionoflife”andthe“autonomous movementofnon-life.”Theprincipleofthespectacleis“non-intervention.”For Marx,moneyaccumulatedbeyondacertainthresholdistransformedintocapital.ForDebord,capitalaccumulatedbeyondacertainthresholdistransformed intoimages.DebordupdatedandexpandeduponMarx’stheoryofcommodity fetishism,applyingtheideaofreificationtoallareasofsociallife.Tobetter understandallofthis,onemustread TheSocietyoftheSpectacle
May1968
NowIwillpresentabriefoverviewoftherevolutionarymovementandevents ofMay1968.FromthestandpointoftheSI,itisimportanttomention Onthe PovertyofStudentLife,asituationistcritiqueofstudentlifeandcapitalistsociety,andanexcellentintroductiontosituationistideas.In1966,somestudents sympathetictotheSIgotthemselveselectedtotheUniversityofStrasbourgstudentunion.Theyintendedondissolvingthestudentunionaftergainingtheir positions,butfirsttheywantedtocauseabitofascandal.Theycontactedthe SI,seekingtocollaborateonsomeformofpropagandadenouncingtheuniversity andputtingforwardarevolutionarycritiqueofcapitalism.Theresultwasthat OnthePovertyofStudentLife waswrittenmainlybytheSImemberMustapha Khayati,10,000copiesweremadeusinguniversityfunds,andthepamphlets weredistributedallovercampusonthefirstdayofclasses.Thisledtoacourt caseinwhichthejudgedenouncedtheanarchisticthreattotheuniversity.(See http://library.nothingness.org/articles/SI/en/display/4)
WithinthecontextofradicalideaslikethoseoftheSIgainingsomedegree ofpopularity,growingagitationagainsttheVietnamwar,anddisgustwithuniversityregulationsandanti-sexualstatutes,thestudentsofFrancebegantostir thingsupabit.AtNanterreuniversity,forexample,meninvadedthewomen’s dormitoriesandthewomeninvadedthemen’sdormitories.Thesituationist ReneVienet,inhisbookaboutMay‘68,writesthatatNanterre,about4or5 radicalswhowere‘campusbums’ofsortswhoagreedwiththeSIstartedtheagitationinDecember1967thatwouldleadtotherevolutionarycrisisofMay‘68. DuringastruggleagainstpolicepresenceatNanterre,theseyoungradicalsbegancallingthemselvestheenrages,or“theenraged,”asthiswasthenamegiven tothemostradicalelementsduringtheFrenchRevolution.Theyphotographed plain-clothedpolicemenandpublicizedblown-upphotographsofthemoncampus.Theyalsobeganinterruptingthecoursesofsociologistsandthrowingfruit attheprofessors,whoweresometimesprotectedbyleftiststudents.
OnMarch22therewasastudenttake-overofanadministrationbuildingat Nanterre,andonMarch29Nanterrewasclosedfor2days.ThenonMay2, theuniversitywasclosedindefinitely.OnMay3therewasalargemeetingat theSorbonnetoprotesttheclosureofNanterreandthethreatenedexpulsion ofstudents.Afterthepoliceshowedup,peopleendedupgettingbeatenup andarrested.Atthispoint,thestudentswereextremelyangryandoneofthe policevansnevermadeitbacktothestation.Battleseruptedinthenearby LatinQuarterbetweenstudentsandpolice.Afterthisinitialbattle,aweekof studentdemonstrationsandriotingensued.
ByMay6theriotshadgrowntoincludemanyworkers,unemployed,high schoolstudents,andyounghoods(juveniledelinquents)andbyMay10most oftherioterswerenotstudents.Residentsoftheareagavefoodandwaterto therioterseventhoughsomeoftheircarswereperhapsbeingburnedinthe streets.Policehadbeengivenorderstoclearthestreetsandtherewasstreetfightingthroughoutthenight.Rioterserectedbarricades,madelotsofgraffiti, andthrewmanycobblestonesandmolotovcocktailsatpolice.
OnMay11thepolicewereorderedtowithdrawfromtheLatinQuarterand onMay13ththefacultieswerereopened.SoonMay13th,immediatelyafter theriotpoliceleft,theSorbonnewasoccupiedbythestudents.Thestudents beganmeetinginageneralassemblyandforminganOccupationCommittee tocoordinatethestruggle.TheOccupationCommitteeconsistedof15memberswhowereelectedandrevocableonadailybasisbythegeneralassembly (oneofwhichwastheenrageReneRiesel).Thereweremanydifferentpolitical tendenciesvisibleattheoccupiedSorbonne.Therewerethosewhowanteduniversityreform,thosewhowantedthefallofGaullism(deGaullewaspresident ofFrance),andthosewhowantedtoseetheendofclasssociety.
AlsoonMay13,themaintradeunions,theCGT(CommunistPartycontrolledunion),CFDT,andFO,calledaonedaygeneralstrikeprotestingpolice violenceandforlong-neglectedclaimshavingtodowithwages,hours,retirement,andunionrights.ManyworkersassembledattheRenaultworksplantat BoulogneBillancourt(thelargestfactoryinFrance).AlreadytheCommunist Party(CP)isdistributingaleafletcallingfor“resolution,calm,vigilance,and unity”andwarningagainst“provacateurs.”Theunion(CGT)loudspeakercalls formodernizationandwarnsabout“disruptiveelements,alientotheworking class.”
Intheafternoon,ahugemarchassemblesworkers,students,andteachers. TheCPhasthousandsofstewardsencirclingthemarchers,preventingcontact betweenstudentsandworkers,andthentryingtodispersepeoplewhenthey saythemarchissupposedtobeover.Manyofthestudentswantedtoassemble withworkersdownanotherstreet,andwhensomeofthemproposethis,they areassaultedbyCPstewards.Atonepointduringthemarch,apolicecar wentdownoneofthestreetswherepeopleweremarching(perhapstheydid notexpectpeopletobeonthisstreetortheythoughtthemarchwasover). Withnowheretogo,thecopaccelerates,injuringpeople.Oneofthetwocops inthecarisdraggedoutandbeaten,buthislifeissavedbytheCPstewards. Thecrowdstartedrockingthepolicecarandtheothercopfiredintothecrowd, luckilynothittinganyone.Hewasimmediatelysetuponbythecrowd,butthe CPstewardshelpedthiscopgetawayaswell.
OnMay14,theSudAviationplantatNantesisoccupiedbyworkers.It becomesclearthattheunionsarenotincontrolofthemovement,andtheone
daygeneralstriketurnsouttobeamassivewildcatstrike.OnMay16,the RenaultfactoriesatCleonandFlinsareoccupiedbytheworkers.ByMay17, millionsofFrenchworkersareonwildcatstrike.Manystudentsmarchtothe Renaultworksfactorytoshowtheirsolidaritywiththestrikingworkersand communicatewiththem.Thestudentsaregreetedbyclosedfactorygatesand aCGTloudspeakertellingthemitwouldbebestiftheywenthome.Someof thestudentsareabletotalktotheworkersthroughthegatesandlaterthat night,buttheydonotchargethefactorygates,thuslegitimizingtheauthority oftheCGT.TheCGTtriedtoclaimresponsibilityforthestrikemovementand reduceageneralstriketoaseriesofindividualenterprisestrikes.Atthispoint, theywerenotverysuccessful.Theworkerswhoweretakingcontroloftheir ownliveshadlittleintentionofgoingbacktowork.AsReneVienetobserved, “[f]ortheunionstheonlyuseofalltherevolutionarystrengthoftheproletariat wastomakethemselvespresentableintheeyesofaneffectivelydispossessed managementandpracticallynonexistentgovernment.”
Bythistime,backattheSorbonnetherehasbeenallsortsofdiscussions ofsocialissuesandtherevolutionarystruggleinthelecturehalls,andworkerstudentactioncommitteeswereformedbystudentsandwhoeverelsewanted tojointhem.TheoccupieduniversitiessuchastheSorbonneandCensierhave invitedworkersandthegeneralpublictoparticipateintheiractivities.The worker-studentactioncommitteeswereespeciallyprevalentatCensier.These committeesestablishedlinkswithrevolutionaryworkers,withwhomtheywould draftanddistributeleaflets,calledforworker-controlledstrikecommittees,and generallyencourageddiscussionofimmediateproblemsamongworkersandstudents.Thereismuchgraffitiappearingallovertheplace,muchofitsituationistinspired.GuyDebord’s1953slogan,“neverwork,”appearsagain,thistime withanobviouslymoreexpansivemeaning.OneparticularlytouchinginscriptionfromtheSorbonnereads:“Since1936Ihavefoughtforwageincreases. NowIhaveatelly,afridge,andaVolkswagen.Yetallinall,mylifehasalways beenadog’slife.Don’tdiscusswiththebosses.Eliminatethem.”
TheOccupationCommitteeattheSorbonnewaseventuallysquashedbyleftistsectsandconservativesandthegeneralassemblywasdeteriorating.Many ofthemoreradicalpeoplearounddecidedtoleavetheSorbonne.Thusthe CouncilfortheMaintenanceoftheOccupations(CMDO)wasfounded.On May19theCMDOmovedintotheNationalPedagogicalInstitute.TheCMDO containedSituationistssuchasDebord,Khayati,Riesel,andVaneigem.They hadaprintingcommittee,aliaisoncommittee,andarequisitionscommittee. Theyaimedtoencouragethespreadoftheoccupationsandtheautonomous organizationoftheworkersapartfromtheStalinistunionhacks,withtheultimategoalofcreatingasocietywherethepoweroftheworker’scouncilswould betheonlypowerintheland.
AgoodexampleoftheexperienceofMay‘68andofaworker-studentaction committeeisgivenbyFredyPerlman,whowasactiveinoneofthesecommitteesatthetime.AtaCitroenfactory,astrikecommitteecalledforastrike andoccupation,whichtheworker-studentactioncommitteehelpedpublicize. Onthedayofthestriketheactioncommitteewaspreventedfromenteringthe factorygatesbytheCGT.TheCGTactedasiftheyhadcalledthestrike,soas tolimitittowageandworkingconditiondemands.ManyforeignCitroenworkers,alreadysegregatedinmanywaysfromtheFrenchworkers,livedinhousing projectsandwereunabletomakeittothefactoryduringthestrike.Members
oftheactioncommitteehelpedorganizeFrenchcoursesfortheseworkersand foundtrucksandarrangedforfoodtobetransportedfrompeasantswhowere supportiveofstrikers.Perlman’sactioncommitteeencouragedrankandfile organizationamongworkersbysupportingthestrikeandtryingtobreakdown thebarriersthatdividethepotentiallyrevolutionaryelementsofsociety.
OnMay24,therewasademonstrationthatturnedintoriotinginwhichpart ofthestockexchangewasburnedandtwopolicestationsweretrashed.The governmentandbureaucraticorganizationscalledforabanondemonstrations andimmediatenegotiations(withbosses).Francehadbeenmoreorlessshut downbystrikes.BanksinFrancewereclosed.Therewassomeamountoffree fooddistributionfrompeasants,butnotasmuchlootingastherecouldhave been.
OnMay30,afterreturningtoFrance(hehadleft),presidentDeGaulle announcedthatheintendedtostayinpower.Hescheduledupcomingelections, thealternativesbeingelectionsorcivilwar.Therightwingmadeanappearance demonstratinginfavorofDeGaulle.Theworkersweregivenanofferforhigher wagesnationallycalledtheGrenelleagreement,whichwasrejected.Thestrike hadtobebrokenfactorybyfactory.AndtowardtheendofMay,theFrench revolutionarymovementseemedtobelosingsteam.OnJune6thepolicedrove workersoutoftheRenaultfactoryatFlins.Theunionswereinstrumentalin limitingtherevolutionarymovementandwereabletobringabouttheresumptionofworkalmosteverywhere.Theunionswouldsometimestellworkersthat otherfactorieshadreturnedtoworkwhentheyhadn’t.Throughthefailureof therevolutionarymovement,thegovernmentgainedbackthepowerandrelevanceithadlost.Manyleftistorganizationsweredisbanded.OnJune16 theoccupationoftheSorbonneended—thepoliceforcedeveryoneout.After DeGaullewontheelectionsonJune23,alloccupiedbuildingswereevacuated.Thewildcatstrikehadinvolved10millionworkers,or2/3oftheFrench workforce.Theyhadparalyzedamodernindustrializednationandcreateda near-revolution.
SupersedingtheSI
“TheSImustbesuperseded,”theywrote.Theyfeltthatrevolutionariestocome afterthemmustimproveupontheirtheorywhileincorporatingitsstrengths. HereIwillraiseafewquestionsastowhatthesupersessionoftheSI’stheory mightlooklike.In1919,LukacswroteofthesituationintheSovietUnion: “[t]heclassstruggleisnowbeingfoughtfromabove.”Thisisaridiculousideologicalassertion.ButwhatisitinLukacs’theory,orinMarx’s,thatmight leadonetosaysomethinglikethis?In1969theSIbemoaneda“lackoftheoreticalknowledgeoftheautonomousgoalsoftheproletarianclassstruggle.”
I’mnotsure exactly whatwasmeantbythis.Butdoesthe“proletarianclass struggle”havegoals?HowwereRussiananarchistsabletocalltheBolshevik regimestate-capitalistasearlyas1918,ayearbeforeLukacsgavehisMarxist opinionontheissue?
AnarchistoppositiontothestatecanseemrathercrudefromaMarxist standpoint,evenpurelyideological.ButiftheMarxistseestheclassstruggle ashavinggoalsthatflowthroughhistoryandhoversomewhereabovereality, isthisnotideological?DeterminismdidindeedappearintheSI’stheory.The
SIoftenwroteabouttherapiddevelopmentoftechnologyassomethingthat helpedenablethebirthofcommunistsociety.Thebasisforthiswayofseeing thingsistheMarxistnotionofagrowingcontradictionbetweentheforcesof productionandthepropertyrelationsofcapitalistsociety.TheSI,likeMarx, hadaratheroptimisticattitudetowardtechnology.Now,itseems,thisattitude couldonlybenaivete.
OtheraspectsoftheSIthatseemratherquestionabletodayincludetheir councilismandformoforganization.TheSI’senthusiasmforworker’scouncils astheformthattherevolutionarystruggleshouldtakeneglectstolookatthe natureofsuchcouncils.Communismisnotanyparticularformoforganization, andfocusingontheformthatworker’sstrugglestakewithoutdealingcritically withtheircontentisanobviousdanger.(Isadirectlydemocraticformnecessarilyarevolutionaryone?)TheSIcreatedaformalorganizationinwhich Debordwasverymuchtheleadingpersonality.JacquesCamatte’sessay,“On Organization”presentsaninterestingcritiqueofhowsuchorganizationscan functionasracketsthatreproducecapitalistforms.
JeanBarrot,inanessaycritiquingtheSI,writesofVaneigem’s TheRevolutionofEverydayLife:“Vaneigem’sbookwasadifficultworktoproducebecause itcannotbelived,threatenedwithfallingontheonehandintoamarginalpossibilismandontheotherintoanimperative,whichisunrealizableandthusmoral. Eitheronehuddlesinthecrevicesofbourgeoissociety,oroneceaselesslyopposes toitadifferentlife,whichisimpotentbecauseonlytherevolutioncanmake itareality.TheS.I.puttheworstofitselfintoitsworsttext.Vaneigemwas theweakestsideoftheS.I.,theonewhichrevealsallitsweaknesses.”Onlythe revolution?VaneigemrepresentsthepartoftheSIthatdidnotrelytooheavily onMarx.Butisn’tBarrot(probablywithoutknowingit)presentingarather undialecticalconceptofrevolution?Aninsurrectionaryanarchistapproach,for example,issomewhatdifferent.AstheItalian Anarchismo wrote,inreference totherelativemeritofsucha“differentlife”,“[i]tisthisanti-authoritarian illegalbehaviorwhichindicatedwhatisdefinedthepre-revolutionaryphase, ratherthan,assomemaintain,thatitisthisphasewhichrenderssuchbehavior rational.”
HowdidVaneigem,andDebordaswell,pointbeyondsomeoftheweaknesses oftheirtheory?AndhowhasthepassageoftimesinceMay‘68changedhow theirtheoryistobeputintopractice?Itseemsacontinualquestioningofthese topicsisnecessary,butsomewhatbeyondthescopeofthisessay.
SuggestedReading
“AllthetalkabouttheFrenchSituationistsbeingassociatedwith punkisbollocks.It’snonsense!...Thesituationists...weretoo structuredformyliking,wordgamesandnowork.Plustheywere French,sofuckthem.”
—JohnLyden(JohnnyRottenoftheSexPistols)
• Debord,Guy. TheSocietyoftheSpectacle:Remarkableanalysisofmoderncapitalism.Oneofthemostimportantbooksofthe20thcentury.
• Debord,Guy. CommentsontheSocietyoftheSpectacle:Furtherdevelopmentof TheSocietyoftheSpectacle’s ideas.Focusesonspectacular
politicsinawaythatisrelevanttothepost-9–11world.
• Debord,GuyandGianfrancoSanguinetti. TheRealSplitintheInternational:WrittenwhentheSIwasdissolving.Interesting,butnotasgood asDebord’sotherbooks.
• Debord,Guy. Panegyric:Verywellwrittenautobiographythatisn’tmuch ofanautobiographyatall.
• Debord,Guy. CompleteCinematicWorks:Scripts,Stills,Documents: Excellent.
• Vaneigem,Raoul. TheRevolutionofEverydayLife:Brilliantandapleasuretoread.Mostinfluentialformanyanarchists.
• Vienet,Rene. EnragesandSituationistsintheOccupationMovement, France,May’68 :Situationistaccountofwhatthetitlesays.
• Perlman,FredyandRogerGregoire. Worker-StudentActionCommittees,France,May’68 :Informativeandself-criticalaccountfrompeople involved.
• Gray,Christopher,ed. Leavingthe20thCentury:Aestheticallypleasing andagoodshortintroductiontotheSituationists.
• DarkStar. SituationistsandtheBeach:Alsoadecentintroductiontothe Situationiststhatisaestheticallypleasing.
• Knabb,Ken,ed. SituationistInternationalAnthology:ThebestoftheSI journals.Quitealargebook,butwellworththetime.
• Jappe,Anselm. GuyDebord:ExcellentlookatDebord’stheory.
• Black,Bob.“TherealizationandsuppressionofSituationism”:introduces theSI.Availableat http://www.inspiracy.com/black/rants.html
• AgainstSleepandNightmare.“Go‘BeyondtheSI’inTenSimpleSteps”: laysoutasummaryoftheSI’stheoryandanalyzesitabit.Availableat http://www.againstsleepandnightmare.com/ASAN/ASAN5/si_ criti.html
• Barrot,Jean.“CritiqueoftheSI”:critiquefromananti-statecommunistperspective.Availableat http://www.geocities.com/~johngray/ barsit.htm#toc
• Jappe,Anselm.“GuyDebord’sConceptoftheSpectacle”:fromtheJappe book.Availableunder“pamphlets”at http://treason.metadns.cx/
• Brinton,Maurice.“Paris:May1968”:eye-witnessaccountoftheevents. Availableat http://www.prole.info/pamphletsrecent.html
• AllsortsofSitiuationisttexts: http://www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline/and http://library.nothingness.org/articles/SI/all/
• May,’68graffiti: http://www.bopsecrets.org/CF/graffiti.htm (from KenKnabb’swebsite)
TheAnarchistLibrary
October17,2009
Anti-Copyright.
http://theanarchistlibrary.org
Author:JanD.Matthews
Title:AnIntroductiontotheSituationists
Publicationdate:2005
RetrievedonMay7,2009fromhttp://anti-politics.net/distro/download/sits8.6.rtf