engleski

Hidden face of Schmitt's concept of the political

The paper relates Schmitt’s concept of the political with his critique of liberalism. Relying on interpretations of Leo Strauss and Karl Löwith, the first part of the paper presents Schmitt’s concept of the political as liberalism in reverse. If liberalism, according to Schmitt’s understanding, attempts to avoid “decision” through endless discussion, then Schmitt’s concept of the political affirms conflict for sake of itself. However, the second part of the paper argues that the concept of the political is in the last instance only first step in Schmitt’s critique of liberalism. His ultimate aim is not to advocate for conflict or to affirm it as such, but to disclose liberal attempt of reaching an “understanding at any cost” as dangerous and political in itself. This attempt does not abolish “hostility which includes the possibility of physical killing” from the world, but aims at avoiding the question of “values” which should be realized in political life, and over which men always disagree. In other words, liberalism is not unpolitical because it erases the possibility of existential conflict, but because it conceals intentions and responsibility of those who decide and the goals for which political power is exercised.

Schmitt ; concept of the political ; liberalism

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