Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 21:35:37 +0200
Subject: Re: HAB: Knowledge and Human Interest. 


In a message dated 9/28/98 rouge-AT-post9.tele.dk writes:
"Whar I find most disturbing is that the analyses of the society has
shifted from a critical theory of society to a theory which more or less
tries to legitimize the existing societies."

I agree with Fred Welfare's ( Blue862-AT-aol.com Wed, 30 Sept 1998 )
arguments. I believe that Habermas' arguments about legitimity are even
of high importance for a critical theory of existing societies.
Socialism, Democracy and workers movement in Europe as well as populism
in the US have lived from the remindering of pre-industrialist ways of
live. European workers movement were based on the tradition of artisanal
work and tried to take serious the classical humanist culture of the
bourgeoisie. US populism was based on a pre-industrial vision of
democracy ( Jeffersonianism ) or the ethics of Christianism.

It is not capitalism which has disappeared. The remembering of those
pre-capitalist ways of live and cultures have disappeared. Capitalism
has destroyed most of these traditions. There is much pessimism in the
work of Adorno. I believe that Habermas just shows us with the
dialectics of rationalization of "Systemwelt" and "Lebenswelt", that
modernity itself can produce new visions of justice and solidarity.
Habermas' "Ideale Sprechsituation" and his newer ideas on Legitimation
are the heirs of the democratic and socialist utopias. 

That's it. Habermas these days has just brought out a new book with
different articles dealing with the issue of multiculturalism and the
national state in Europe. It is called "Die postnationale Konstellation.
Politische Essays" ( edition suhrkamp. Frankfurt a. Main 1998 ISBN
3-518-12095-6. ). 

Ueli G=E4hler, Basel / Switzerland


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