File spoon-archives/heidegger.archive/heidegger_2003/heidegger.0311, message 480


From: "John Foster" <borealis-AT-mercuryspeed.com>
Subject: Re: Liberal vs. social democracy - Gestell/Gewinnst
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 11:23:53 -0800



----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Crifasi" <crifasi-AT-hotmail.com>
To: <heidegger-AT-lists.village.Virginia.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 9:00 AM
Subject: RE: Liberal vs. social democracy - Gestell/Gewinnst


> Rene de Bakker wrote:
>
> >rather: things MUST get out of control, in order for there to be
> >an urge to control them.
> >But things CANNOT be under control, basically. So Gestell is
> >the obligation to do the impossible.
> >
> >Denying this means: saying: I, or we, CAN do it. If you have
> >means (power), the less powerful pay in order to sustain your
> >illusion.
> >
> >We're trying to understand why free democracies, with moral self-
> >esteem, ARE aggressive, even independent of whether politicians
> >and parties wish to be or not.

Anthony:
> But with regard to "technological frenzy," Heidegger criticized both
America
> (a free democracy) AND Russia:
>
> "From a metaphysical point of view, Russia and America are the same; the
> same dreary technological frenzy, the same unrestricted organization of
the
> average man." (Intro. to Met.)

At this time in the US there was a law which prohibited corporations from
being large. I cannot recall what the law set as the maximize size, but it
was substantially smaller than what is often the case now. Therefore in
terms of the metaphysics the statement is largely correct. The impact of the
Russian revolution was primarily the industrial modernization of Russia and
rapid introduction of Russian society into the modern world of technology,
much like Japan during the 1870's to the 1920's. Prior to the
industrialization of Japan there was no private ownership of land since the
Emporer of Japan owned everything, just as the Tzar owned everything prior
to 1917 in Russia. The Russian revolution actually 're-distributed' land and
ownership to the 'commune' which did not exist prior to the revolution, and
the same feature took place in colonial China after the British lost
control.

On the surface the various revolutionary practices  appeared to be
'undemocractic' the reality is that the common people had land and resources
restored to their control and ownership. For example in Communist China, all
farmers after the revolution became owners of their homes and immediate
lands around their homes.

One should recall that the British owned most of the US at one time. The
American Revolution was initiated in part by colonists who wanted access to
timber and fish. The oppressive 'broad arrow' policy of the British
government precipitated the rebellion in the New England states. The British
policy prevented colonists from cutting down any oak trees within the forest
land where the 'broad arrow' was grafted onto oak trees. The American,
Chinese, Russian revolution were essentially motivated by the same needs of
the majority. The industrialization of Japan also resulted in the same
reforms politically and economically.

chao

john foster



     --- from list heidegger-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005