The Pulverization

ofMarxism-Leninism*
BY CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

The downfalloftheRomanEmpirelastedthreecenturies.Two
years have sufficed,withouttheaid of foreignbarbarians, to dislocate
irreparablytheworldwidenetwork ofpowerdirectedfromMoscow,its
ambitionsforworldhegemony, and theeconomic,politicaland social
relationships which heldit together. Searchas onemight, itis impossible
to finda historicalanalogyto thispulverization of whatseemedjust
yesterdaya steelfortress. Thegranite monolith hassuddenlyshownitself
tobe heldtogether withitssaliva,whilethehorrors, monstrosities,liesand
absurditiesbeing revealed day after day have proved to be even more
incrediblethananything themostacerbiccriticsamongus hadbeenable
to affirm.
Atthesametimeas arevanishing theseBolsheviksforwhom
"no fortressis impregnable" (Stalin),thenebula of"Marxism-Leninism,"
whichformorethana halfcentury hadalmosteverywhere playedtherole
ofdominant ideology,fascinating some,obligingotherstotakea standin
relationto it,has gone up in smoke. Whatremainsof Marxism,"the
unsurpassable philosophyofourtime"(Sartre)?Upon whatmap,with
what magnifying glass, will one nowdiscoverthe"newcontinentof

publishedas "L*Effondrement
*Originally du marxisme-léninisme**
in Le Monde,April
23-24,1990. The author*
s originaltitleand otherphrasesdroppedfromtheLe Monde
editionhavebeenrestored.
372 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

historicalmaterialism," in what antiqueshop will one purchasethe

scissorsto makethe"epistemological break"(Althusser)whichwas to
have relegatedto thestatusof worn-out metaphysical speculationsthe
reflectionon societyand history, replacing it with "the science of Capi-
tán Hardlyis itworth mentioning now thatone willsearch invain forthe
leastconnection betweenanything saidanddonetodaybyMr.Gorbachev
and,notMarxist-Leninist "ideology,"butanyidea whatsoever.
Afterthefact,thesuddenness of thecollapsemayseemas ifit
couldgo without saying.Was not thisideology,fromthefirst yearsafter
theBolsheviks'seizureofpowerinRussia,inhead-oncontradiction with
reality- andwas notthisreality, despitethecombinedefforts ofCommu-
nists,fellowtravelersandeventherespectable pressofWestern countries
(which, forthe most part, had swallowed whole the Moscow Trials),
visibleandknowableforthosewhowantedtosee andtoknow?Consid-
eredinitself, diditnotreachtheheight ofincoherence andinconsistency?
Buttheenigmaonlyis doubled.How andwhywas thishugescaffolding
capable of holdingup for so long? Claimingto be "science" and
"ideologicalcriticism," Marxism-Leninism promisedtheradicallibera-
tionof thehumanbeing,theinstauration of a "reallydemocratic"and
"rational"society - anditcameintobeingas thehitherto matchless figure
ofmassslavery,terror, "planned"poverty, absurdity, andobscurant-
lies
ism. How was thisunprecedented historical fraudable to operateforso
long?
WhereMarxism-Leninism settledintopower,theanswermay
appearsimple: thirst
forpower and self-interestforsome,Terrorforall.
Thisresponseis inadequate,forevenin thesecases theseizureofpower
has almosteverywhere beenmadepossiblebya largepopularmobiliza-
tion. Nor does thisresponsesay anythingabout its near-universal
attraction.To elucidatethatattraction wouldrequirean analysisofworld
history over thepastcentury and a half. Herewe mustlimitourselvesto
twofactors.First,Marxism-Leninism presented itselfas thecontinuation,
theradicalization oftheemancipatory, democratic, revolutionary project
oftheWest.A presentation all themorecredibleas itwasfora longtime-
as everyone todayhappilyforgets - theonlyoneseemingly opposedtothe
beautiesofcapitalism, bothinthemetropolises as wellas inthecolonies.
Behindthis,however, thereis something more,andhereliesitshistorical
 ofMarxism-Leninism
ThePulverization 373

novelty.On thesurface, thereis whatis calledan ideology:a labyrinthine

"scientifictheory" Marx's- sufficient
- to keep hordesof intellectuals
occupieduntiltheendoftheirlives;a simplified version,a vulgateofthis
theory(first formulated by Marx himself),with an explanatory force
adequate for the more faithful; a
finally, "hidden" version forthe true
firstappearingwithLenin,whichmakestheabsolutepowerof
initiates,
thePartythe supremeobjectiveand the Archimedean pointfor"the
transformation ofhistory."(I amnotspeakinghereofthesummits ofthe
apparatuses, where the and
pure simple obsession forpower,coupledwith
totalcynicism, hasreignedat leastsinceStalin.)
Holdingtogether thisedifice,however,arenot"ideas,"orrea-
sonings. It is rather a new imaginary, whichdevelopsandchangesintwo
stages. In the properly "Marxist" phase,duringtheerain whichtheold
religiousfaithwasdissolving, itwas,as weknow,theimaginary ofsecular
Salvation. The projectof emancipation, of freedomas activity, of the
people as author of its own history,was inverted into an imaginary of a
Promised Land, within reach and guaranteed bythe substitutefortranscen-
denceproducedbythatage,viz.,"scientific theory."1
In thefollowing, Leninistphase,thiselement,whileit did not
disappear, founditselfincreasingly supplantedbyanother:morethanthe
"lawsofhistory," itis theParty,itsBoss,theiractualpower,poweritself,
BruteForcethatbecamenotonlytheguarantor buttheultimate pointof
fascination andfixation forrepresentations anddesires.Atissuehereisnot
fearof force - real and immensethoughit is whereCommunismis in
power - but the positiveattraction Forceexercisesoverhumanbeings.If
we do notunderstand that,we will neverunderstand thehistory of the
twentieth century, neither Nazism,norCommunism. In thelatter
case,the
combination ofwhatpeoplewouldliketobelieveandofForcehas long
proved irresistable. Anditis onlyfromthemoment whenthisForceno
longersucceededinimposing itself-Poland,Afghanistan - onlywhenit
becameclearthatneither RussiantanksnorH-bombscould"resolve"all
problems, that the rout truly beganandthatthevariousbrooksofdecom-
position united in the Niagarawhichhas beenpouringdownin torrents
sincetheSummerof 1988 (thefirstdemonstrations inLithuania).
374 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

Marx and Marxism

Thestrongest reservations,themostradicalcriticism withregard

toMarx,cancelneither hisimportance as a thinkernorthegrandeur ofhis
effort.People will stillreflectupon Marx when they will search with
difficultyin dictionaries forthenamesofMessrs.vonHayekandFried-
man. Itis not,however, bymeansoftheeffect ofhisworkthatMarxhas
played his immense role in actual history. would have been only
He
another Hobbes,Montesquieu orTocquevilleifa dogmahadnotbeenable
-
tobe drawnfromhim andifhiswritings didnotso lendthemselves. And
iftheydo so lendthemselves, thisisbecausehistheory containsmorethan
justtheelementsof thatdogma.
The vulgate(derivedfromEngels),whichattributed toMarxas
sourcesHegel,RicardoandtheFrench"utopian"socialists, maskshalfthe
truth.Marxis equallytheinheritor of theemancipatory or democratic
movement, whence his fascination, to the very end of his life,forthe
FrenchRevolution andeven,inhisyouth, fortheGreekpolis anddemos.
This movement of emancipation, thisprojectof autonomy, had already
been in motionforcenturies in Europeand hadreacheditsculmination
withtheGreatRevolution.
But theRevolutionleftan enormous,and double,deficit. It
maintained and even accentuated, in furnishing it withnew bases, an
immenseinequalityof actualpowerin societyrootedin economicand
socialinequalities.Itmaintained andreinforced thestrength andstructure
of statebureaucracy, "checked"to a superficial degreeby a stratum of
professional "representatives" separatedfromthepeople.
FirstinEnglandandthenon theContinent, thenascentworkers'
movementrespondedto thesedeficienciesas well as to theinhuman
existencetowhichcapitalism, spreading withlightning speed,subjected
theworkingclass. The seeds of Marx's mostimportant ideas on the
transformation of society - notablythatof the self-government of the
producers - aretobe found not in thewritings ofthe Utopiansocialistsbut
in thepressandself-organizing of
activity English workers from 1810 to
1840,longbeforeMarxfirst beganwriting. The nascentworkers'move-
mentthusappearsas thelogicalcontinuation ofa democratic movement
brokenoffmidway.
 ofMarxism-Leninism
ThePulverization 375
At the same time,however,anotherproject,anothersocial-
historicalimaginary cameon thescene: thecapitalistimaginary, which
transformed social realitybeforeone's veryeyes and clearlyseemed
destinedtoruletheworld.
Contraryto a confusedprejudicestilldominanttoday- and
whichis at thebasis of thecontemporary versionof classical"liberal-
-
ism" thecapitalist imaginary standsindirectcontradiction totheproject
ofemancipation andautonomy. Backin1906 MaxWeberderidedtheidea
thatcapitalism mighthaveanything at all todo withdemocracy, andone
him
canstillsharea laughwith whenthinking of South Africa, Taiwan,or
Japanfrom1870 to 1945 and even today. Capitalismsubordinates
everything to the"development of theforcesof production"; peopleas
producers, and thenas consumers, are to be made completely subordinate
to it. The unlimited expansionofrationalmastery - pseudomastery and
pseudorationality, as is abundantly clear today - thus became the other
greatimaginary signification ofthemodernworld,powerfully embodied
in therealmsoftechniqueandorganization.
The totalitarian potentialities of thisprojectare readilyappar-
ent- and fullyvisiblein theclassical capitalistfactory.If capitalism
neither inthatepochnorlatersucceededintransforming societyintoone
hugefactory, with a single command structure and a sole logic (which,
aftertheirownfashionandina certainmanner, NazismandCommunism
latertriedtodo),thiswas duetorivalries andstruggles betweencapitalist
groupings and nations - but especially to the resistance thedemocratic
movement offered, from the veryoutset, on the societal level and the
workers'struggles on thefactory level.
The contamination oftheemancipatory projectofautonomy by
thecapitalistimaginary of technical and organizational rationality, its
with
assuranceofautomatic in
"progress" history, occurred rather earlyon (it
is alreadytobe found Saint-Simon). Marx,however, was the
in It is who
principal theoretician andartisanofthepenetration intotheworkers'and
socialistmovement of ideas whichmadetechnique, production and the
economy thecentral factors. Thus, via a retroactive projection of thespirit
ofcapitalism, Marxinterpreted thewholeofhumanhistory as theresultof
theevolutionof theforcesof production - an evolutionwhich,barring
somecatastrophic accident, was to"guarantee" ourfuture freedom.Upon
376 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

reworking, politicaleconomywasbrought intoactioninordertoshowthe

"inevitability" -
ofthepathtosocialism justas Hegelianphilosophy, "put
backon itsfeet,"was usedtounveila Reasonsecretly atworkin history,
realizedintechnique andcapableofassuringthefinalreconciliation ofall
withandofeachwithhim/herself. Millenarian andapocalypticexpecta-
tionsof immemorial originwerehenceforth givena scientific"founda-
tion"fullyconsonantwiththeimaginary of theage. As "lastclass,"the
proletariatreceivedits mission as Savior,andyetitsactionswereneces-
sarily to be dictated by its "real conditionsof existence,"themselves
tirelesslyfashionedbytheactionofeconomiclawswhichweretoforceit
to liberatehumanity as itliberated itself.

The EffectsofMarxism

One forgets all tooeasilytodaytheenormous explanatory power

theMarxistconceptualoutlook,eveninitsvulgarversions, longseemed
to possess. It revealedand denouncedthemystifications of classical
liberalism, showedthattheeconomyoperatesforcapitalandforprofit (a
factwhich,to theirbewilderment, Americansociologistshave come to
discoveroverthepasttwenty years),andpredicted theworldwide expan-
sionandconcentration ofcapitalism. Economiccriseshavesucceededone
another formorethana century withalmostnatural regularity,
producing
poverty, unemployment, and anabsurd destruction
ofwealth.Thecarnage
of theFirstWorldWar,theGreatDepressionof 1929-1933,theriseof
fascismcouldonlybe understood at thetimeas striking
confirmations of
Marxistconclusions - and theissue of theactualrigorousness of the
arguments leadingtotheseconclusionsheldlittleweightwhencompared
to thecrushing massoftherealsituation.
Nevertheless, underpressure fromtheworkers'struggle, which
continued nonstop, capitalismwas obligedto transform itself.Fromthe
end of thenineteenth century onward,theclaimthatcapitalismwould
inevitablyleadto(absoluteorrelative) pauperizationwasdisproved bythe
rise in real wages and by reductionsin worktime. Enlargement of
domesticmarkets through increasedmassconsumption graduallybecame
theconsciousstrategy of therulingstrataand, after1945, Keynesian
policiesmoreor less assuredan approximation offullemployment. An
ThePulverization
ofMarxism-Leninism 317
abysscameto separateMarxiantheory fromactualrealityin theworld's
wealthy countries. However, with the aid of theoretical acrobatics,to
whichnationalmovementsin the formercolonies of thesecountries
seemingly lentsupport, somepeopletransferred ontothecountries ofthe
ThirdWorldandontothe"wretched oftheEarth"theroleof"builderof
socialism"which Marx had imputed,withless unlikelihood,to the
industrialproletariatof theadvancedcountries.
TheMarxistdoctrine hasundoubtedly aidedpeopleenormously
to believe- therefore, to struggle.But Marxismwas notthenecessary
condition forthesestruggles whichhavechangedboththecondition ofthe
workingclass and capitalismitself,as is shownby thecountries(for
example,Anglo-Saxon)intowhichMarxismhas been able to penetrate
onlyto a slightdegree.Andtherewas a veryheavypricetobe paid.
If thisstrangealchemy,in whichare combined(economic)
"science,"a rationalist metaphysics ofhistory anda seculareschatology,
has beenable toexertforso longsucha powerful appeal,itis becauseit
responded tothethirst forcertainty and to the hope a salvationguaran-
for
teed,inthelastanalysis,bysomething muchgreater thanthefragileand
uncertain activitiesof humanbeings,viz.,the"laws ofhistory."It thus
imported intotheworkers'movement a pseudoreligious dimensionripe
withcatastrophes tocome. In thesamegesture, italso introduced intothis
movementthe monstrousnotionof orthodoxy.Here again, Marx's
exclamation(in private),"I am not Marxist,"bears littleweightin
comparison withtherealsituation.S/hewhosays"orthodoxy" saysneed
forappointedguardiansoforthodoxy, forideologicalandpoliticalfunc-
tionaries,as well as thedemonization of heretics.Joinedwithmodern
societies'irrepressibletendency towardbureaucracy, whichfromtheend
ofthenineteenth century onward penetrated into and came todominate the
workers'movement itself,orthodoxy powerfully contributed toward the
establishment ofParty-Churches. Italso led toa near-complete steriliza-
tionof thought."Revolutionary theory"becametalmudiccommentary
uponsacredtexts,andMarxismitself, facedwiththeimmensescientific,
artistic
cultural, upheavals which begantoaccumulate around1890,either
or
remainedcompletelyaphonie limiteditselfto characterizing these
changesas products ofbourgeoisdecadence.OnetextbyLukàcsanda few
phrasesfrom Trotsky andGramscido notsuffice toweakenthisdiagnosis.
378 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

Homologouswithand parallelto thesedevelopments is the

transformation Marxismenticedthemovement's participantsintomak-
ing. Duringthegreater partofthenineteenthcentury theworking class of
the industrializing countriesbroughtitselfthrougha processof self-
constitution, taughtitselftoreadandwriteandeducateditself,andgave
riseto a typeof self-reliant individualwhichwas confident in its own
forcesanditsownjudgment; whichtaughtitselfas muchas itcould;which
thought foritself;andwhichneverabandonedcritical reflection.Ingetting
a cornerontheworkers' movement, Marxism replaced this
individual with
themilitant activistwhois indoctrinated
ina Gospel;whobelievesin the
organization, in thetheoryandin thebosseswhopossessthistheory and
interpretit;who tendsto obeythem unconditionally;who identifieswith
themandwhois capable,mostofthetime,ofbreaking withthisidentifi-
cationonlybyhim/herself collapsing.

LeninistTotalitarianism

Some of theelementsof whatbecametotalitarianism thushad

alreadybeen setin place: thephantasm of totalmastery inheritedfrom
capitalism,orthodoxy, fetishismfororganization, theidea ofa "historical
necessity"capable of justifying everything in the name of ultimate
Salvation.Itwouldbe absurd,however,to makeofMarxism - stillless
-
of Marx himself thefatherof totalitarianism, as has been done with
demagogic ease forthepastsixtyyears.For as much as (and,numerically,
morethan)Leninism,Marxismhas beencontinued in theformof social
democracy, of whichone can say everything one wantsexceptthatit is
and whichhas nothad anytroublefindingin Marxall the
totalitarian,
necessaryquotations foritspolemicsagainstBolshevismin power.
The truecreatoroftotalitarianismis Lenin. The internal contra-
dictionsof thispersonagewould be of littleaccountif theydid not
onceagain,theabsurdity
illustrate, of"rational"explanations ofhistory.
A sorcerer'sapprentice who sworeonlyby "science,"inhumanand yet
without anydoubtsincereandunmotivated bypersonalinterest, extraor-
dinarilylucid about his adversariesand blindconcerning himselfas he
rebuilttheCzariststateApparatus afterhavingdestroyed itandprotesting
againstthisreconstruction, thecreatorof bureaucratic commissionsde-
ThePulverization
ofMarxism-Leninism 379

signedtostruggle againstthebureaucracy whichhe himself madeprolif-

erate,intheendheappearsbothas thenear-exclusive artisanofa fantastic
upheavalandas a pieceofstrawon thefloodofevents.Nevertheless, it
is he who createdtheinstitution without whichtotalitarianism is incon-
ceivableand whichis todayfallingintoruin: thetotalitarian party,the
Leninistparty,whichis, all rolledintoone,ideologicalChurch,militant
army,stateApparatusalreadyin nuce whenit stillis held "in a taxi
carriage,"and factory whereeach has his/her place in a stricthierarchy
witha strict divisionoflabor.Of theseelements, whichhadlongexisted,
butindispersion, Leninmadea synthesis andconferred a newsignification
uponthewholehe madeofthem.Orthodoxy anddisciplinewerecarried
tothelimit(Trotsky boastedofthecomparison oftheBolshevikpartyto
the orderof Jesuits)and extendedonto an international level.2 The
principlethat"thosewho are notwithus are to be exterminated" was
applied withoutmercy,the modernmeans of Terrorwere invented,
organizedand applieden masse. Above all, theobsessionforpower,
powerforthesake of power,poweras end in itself,by everymeans
possibleand littlematter whatfor,emergedand tookhold,no longeras
personaltrait butas social-historicaldeterminant.Itwasnolongera matter
of seizingpowerso as to introduce definite
changes,it was a matterof
the
introducing changesthatallowonetostayinpowerandtoreinforce it
nonstop.In 1917 Leninknewone thingand one thingonly: thatthe
momenttotakepowerhadcomeandthattomorrow itwouldbe toolate.
Butto do whatwithit? He did notknow,and he said so: ourteachers
unfortunately havenottoldus whattodo inordertobuildsocialism.Later
on,he willalso say: "Thisis Thermidor.Butwe shan'tletourselvesbe
guillotined.We shall make a Thermidor ourselves."3This mustbe
understood as meaning:if,in orderto retainpower,we mustturnour
orientation completely upsidedown,we shalldo so. Indeed,he did so
severaltimesover. (Lateron,Stalinbrought thisartto absoluteperfec-
tion.)A singlefixedpointwasruthlessly maintained throughout themost
incredible changes in course: the limitless
expansion of thepowerofthe
Party, thetransformation ofall institutions,
startingwith theState,intoits
mereinstrumental appendagesand,finally, thepretense, notsimplythat
thePartyis directing societyorevenspeakingin society'sname,butthat
itis in factsocietyitself.
380 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

The Failure ofTotalitarianism

UnderStalinthisprojectattained itsextreme anddemented form.

Also, beginningwithhis deathits failurebegan to become apparent.
Totalitarianismis notan immutable essence. It hasa history, one which
we willnotretracehere,butwhich,itmustbe recalled,is inthemainthat
oftheresistance bypeopleandthingstothephantasm thatsocietycanbe
and
totallyreabsorbed, history completelyshaped,by thepowerof the
party.
Returning totheoffensive todayarethosewhodeniedthevalidity
ofthenotionoftotalitarianism. Theydrawtheirargument fromthevery
factthattheregimeis collapsing(withsucha logic,no regimein history
wouldeverhaveexisted)orthatithadencountered internalresistances.4
Clearly, thesecriticismsshare in the of
phantasm totalitarianism: totali-
tarianism couldandshouldhavebeen,forbetter orworse,whatitclaimed
tobe: a faultlessmonolith.Itwasnotwhatitsaiditwas- therefore, quite
simply,itwas not
Those who,however,havediscussedtheRussianregimeseri-
ously(I am notspeakingofReader'sDigest or Ms. Kirkpatrick), have
neverfallenvictimsto thismirage.Theyhaveemphasizedandanalyzed
its internalcontradictions and antinomies.5Indifference and passive
resistanceon thepartofthepopulation; sabotageandwastageofindustrial
as well as agriculturalproduction; thedeep-seatedirrationality of the
system, from itsown pointof view, due to itsdeliriousbureaucratization;
decisionsmadeaccordingto thewhimsof theAutocrat or of theclique
whichhas succeededin imposingits will; a universalconspiracyof
deception, whichhasbecomea structural trait ofthesystem andcondition
forthesurvivalofindividuals, fromzekstoPolitburo members.Allofthis
hasbeenvividlyconfirmed bytheeventswhichbeganin 1953andbythe
information whichhas notstoppedpouringin since: zek revoltsin the
campsafter Stalin'sdeath,theEastBerlinstrikes inJune1953,Krushchev's
Report,thePolishandHungarian Revolutions in 1956,theCzechoslovak
movement in 1968 and thePolishone in 1970, thefloodof dissident
thePolishexplosionof1980whichmadethecountry
literature, ungovern-
able.
 ofMarxism-Leninism
ThePulverization 381
After thefailureofKrushchev's incoherent
reforms, thenecrosis
whichwas eatingawayat thesystemandleftitno escapebuta flightin
advance towardoverarmament and externalexpansionhad become
manifest. I wroteaboutthisin 1981,sayingthatonecouldnolongerspeak
in termsof"classical"totalitarianism.6
Certainly too,theregimecould nothave survivedforseventy
yearsifithadnotbeenabletocreateforitselflargepointsofsupport within
society, from the ultraprivileged bureaucracy down to the stratawhich
have successivelybenefitted froma degreeof "social promotion";in
particular, a typeofbehavior,and an anthropological typeof individual
ruledbyapathyandcynicism, preoccupiedsolelywithtinyandprecious
improvements which,by dintofguileand intrigues, thisindividualcan
claim.
On thislastpoint,theregimehashalfsucceeded,as is shownby
theextreme slownessofpopularreactions inRussiaevenafter1985. But
it has also halffailed,as is best seen,parodoxically, withintheparty
Apparatus itself.When the force of (impassesin Poland
circumstances
andAfghanistan, thepressureofAmericanrearmament in thefaceofits
owngrowing technological andeconomicretardation, theinabilitytobear
any longer the costs of its overextension worldwide)showed that the
evolution toward"stratocracy," dominant underBrezhnev,wasbecoming
untenablein thelongrun,withintheApparatusand aroundan uncom-
monlycapableleadera sufficiently large"reformist"groupwas able to
emerge, impose itself
and impose a seriesofchangesunimaginable shortly
beforehand - amongwhichwas theofficialdeathcertificate of single-
partyruledrawnup on March13, 1990. Whatthefuture holdsforthese
changesremainstotally obscure,buttheireffects arenowandhenceforth
irreversible.

AftertheDeluge

LikeNazism,Marxism-Leninismallowsustogaugethefollyand
monstrosityofwhich human beings capable,as wellas theirfascina-
are
tionwithBruteForce. More thanNazism,it allows us to gauge their
upsidedownthemostliberating
forturning
capacityforself-delusion,
ideas,formakingthemtheinstrumentsofunlimitedmystification.
382 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

As itcollapses,Marxism -Leninism seemstobe burying beneath

and
itsruinsboththeprojectofautonomy politics itself. The activehate
on thepartofthose,intheEast,whohavesuffered underitleadsthemto
rejectanyproject other thanthe rapidadoption of theliberal-capitalist
model.In theWest,people'sconviction thattheyliveundertheleastbad
regimepossiblewillbe reinforced, andthiswillhastentheirsinkingeven
furtherintoirresponsibility, andwithdrawal
distraction intothe"private"
less
sphere(nowobviously "private" thanever).
Notthatthesepopulations possessmanyillusions.In theUnited
States,Lee Atwater, Chairmanof theRepublicanParty,speakingof the
population's cynicism, says: "The Americanpeople thinkpoliticsand
are
politicians full
of baloney. Theythink themediaandjournalists arefull
ofbaloney.Theythinkorganizedreligionis fullofbaloney.Theythink
bigbusinessis fullofbaloney.Theythinkbiglaboris fullofbaloney."7
Everything we knowaboutFranceindicatesthatthesamestateof mind
reigns there,too. Yet actualbehaviorcarriesmuchmoreweightthan
opinions.Struggles againstthesystem, evenmerereactions, aretending
to disappear. But capitalismchangedand became somewhattolerable
onlyas a function of theeconomic,social andpoliticalstruggles which
have markedthepasttwocenturies.A capitalismtornby conflictand
obligedto confront stronginternal opposition,and a capitalismdealing
only withlobbies and corporations, capable of quietlymanipulating
people and of buyingthemwitha new gadgeteveryyear,are two
completelydifferent animals. Realityalreadyoffers
social-historical
abundantindications of this.
The monstroushistoryof Marxism-Leninism shows what a
movement foremancipation cannotandshouldnotbe. Itinnowayallows
us to concludethatthecapitalismand liberaloligarchy underwhichwe
nowliveembodythefinally resolvedsecretofhumanhistory. Theproject
of totalmastery(whichMarxism-Leninism tookfromcapitalismand
which,inbothcases,was turnedintoitscontrary) is a piece ofdelirium.
Itdoes notfollowthatwe shouldsuffer ourhistory as a fatality.The idea
ofmakinga tabularasa ofeverything thatexistsis a follyleadingtoward
crime.Itdoesnotfollowthatwe shouldrenouncethatwhichhasdefined
ourhistorysincethetimeofancientGreeceandtowhichEuropehasadded
newdimensions, viz.,thatwe makeourlawsandourinstitutions, thatwe
 ofMarxism-Leninism
ThePulverization 383
will ourindividualand collectiveautonomy, and thatwe alone can and
shouldlimitthisautonomy.Theterm"equality"hasservedas a coverfor
a regimein whichreal inequalitieswere in factworse thanthoseof
capitalism.We cannotforall thatforget thatthereis nopoliticalfreedom
without and
politicalequality thatthelatteris impossiblewhenenormous
inequalitiesof economicpower,whichtranslatedirectlyintopolitical
power,not only existbut are growing. Marx's idea thatone could
eliminatethemarket and moneyis an incoherent utopia. To understand
thatdoesnotleadonetoswallowthealmightiness ofmoney,ortobelieve
inthe"rationality" ofaneconomywhichhasnothing todo witha genuine
market andwhichis moreandmorecomingtoresemble a planetarycasino.
Justbecausethereis nosocietywithout and
production consumption does
notmeanthattheselattershouldbe erectedintoultimate endsof human
existence- whichis therealsubstance of"individualism" andfree-market
"liberalism" today.
These are some of the conclusionsto whichthe combined
experience ofthepulverization ofMarxism -Leninism andtheevolution of
contemporary capitalismshouldlead.Theyarenottheonespublicopinion
willdrawimmediately. Nevertheless,whenthedustclearsitis to these
conclusions thathumanity willhavetocome,unlessitis tocontinue onits
coursetowardan illusory"moreand more"which,sooneror later,will
shatteragainstthenaturallimitsof theplanet,if it does notcollapse
beforehand undertheweightofitsownnothingness ofmeaning.

byDavid AmesCurtis)
(Translated
384 CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS

Notes

1FatherJ.-Y.Calves [S.J.], benevolenceto helpouthis Marxist

withfullChristian
trying
insteadclobbersthemoverthehead whenhe speaksofthemessianiccomponent
friends,
ofMarxismin theApril14, 1990 issueofLe Monde,

2It is notwithout meritto recallfornewgenerations a fewofthe"twenty-one conditions'*

adoptedbytheSecondCongressoftheThirdInternational (July17 - August1, 1920): "I.
...AlltheParty'spressorgansmustbe runby reliableCommunists.The...prèss andall the
Party'spublishinginstitutions mustbe subordinated to the Partyleadership. 9. The
Communist cells [in theunions,etc.]mustbe completely subordinated to thePartyas a
whole. 12. ...InthepresentepochofacutecivilwartheCommunist Partywillonlybe able
tofulfill a manner
itsdutyifitis organizedinas centralist as possible,ifirondisciplinereigns
withinitand ifthePartycenter,sustainedby theconfidence of thePartymembership, is
endowedwiththefullestrightsand authority andthemostfar-reaching powers. 13. The
Communist Partiesof thosecountries in whichtheCommunists can carryouttheirwork
legallymustfromtimetotimeundertake ofthemembership
purges[re-registration] oftheir
Partyorganizations in orderto cleanse the Partysystematically of thepetty-bourgeois
elementswithinit. 15. As a rule,theprogram ofeveryPartybelongingtotheCommunist
International mustbe ratified bya regularCongressoftheCommunist Internationalorby
theExecutiveCommittee [myemphasis - C.C.]. 16. All decisionsoftheCongressesofthe
Communist International and decisionsofUsExecutiveCommittee [myemphasis - C.C.]
are bindingon all partiesbelongingto the Communist International." ("Theses on the
Conditionsof Admissionto the Communist International,"in Theses,Resolutionsand
ManifestosoftheFirstFour Congressesof theThirdInternational [AtlanticHighlands,
N.J.: Humanities Press,1980],pp. 93, 95, 96.)

3 Translator:This
quotationappearsin VictorSerge'sMemoirsofa Revolutionary
(New
York: Oxford,1967), p. 131.

4 See, for in Liber,March1990.

example,thereviewof S. Ingerflohn
5For
mypart,I havedoneso since1946 andhaveneverceaseddoingso since.See La Société
bureaucratique, 2 vols. (Paris: 10/18,1973; to be reprintedthis Autumnby Editions
Christian Bourgois). [Translator:The principaltextsfromthistwo-volume collectionof
publishedinCastoriadis'review,Socialismeou Barbarie,arenowavail-
articlesoriginally
2 vols.,trans.David AmesCurtis(Minneapolis:
able in hisPoliticaland Social Writings,
University ofMinnesota,1988).]

6 See Salmagundi,60 (Spring-Summer1983),

myarticle,"DestiniesofTotalitarianism,"
nowinDomainesde l'homme(Paris:Seuil,1986),pp.201-
pp. 107-122.Frenchtranslation
18.

7 See "Politics: Are U.S. Visionsand Values

DryingUp?," in theInternational
Herald
Tribune,March19, 1990,p. 5.