Philosophy of Law

Law and violence in Hannah Arendt and Walter Benjamin

Karla Pinhel Ribeiro Brazil University of So Paulo karlapinhel@usp.br

Abstract:

The paper investi ates !on!epts of law an" violen!e in #annah $ren"t an" %alter Ben&a'in( espe!ially in their works On violence an" Critique of violence. The 'ain ob&e!tive of the resear!h is to fin" si'ilarities an" "ifferen!es between the "efinitions of these !on!epts in the thou ht of these philosophers. The 'ain thesis of the resear!h is the un"erstan"in that !on!epts of law an"

violen!e for #annah $ren"t are very "ifferent an" the other han"( !on!epts of law an" violen!e for %alter Ben&a'in apparently are the sa'e.

Keywords: Law Violence Philosophy

Law and violence in Hannah Arendt and Walter Benjamin

Karla Pinhel Ribeiro University of So Paulo karlapinhel@usp.br

The paper investi ates !on!epts of law an" violen!e in #annah $ren"t an" %alter Ben&a'in( espe!ially in their works On violence an" Critique of violence. The 'ain ob&e!tive of the resear!h is to look for si'ilarities an" "ifferen!es between the "efinitions of these !on!epts in the thou ht of these philosophers. %hy #annah $ren"t an" why %alter Ben&a'in) The reason for this !hoi!e is be!ause both in !on"ition of *er'an+,ewish !rosse" an" intera!te" with politi!al an" &uri"i!al !atastrophes( with 'oral "isasters an" surprisin "evelop'ent of the s!ien!es an" arts of the last !entury( !reatin by testi'ony this events an own perspe!tive of bein an" seein . -n this way( in On violence #annah $ren"t "es!ribes that the pheno'enon of violen!e is the !o''on "eno'inator of the twentieth !entury. .iolen!e( bein "ifferent of power( for!e an" stren th nee"s i'ple'ents. .iolen!e for #annah $ren"t always rule a hu e position in hu'an affairs( but rarely is ob&e!t of spe!ial !onsi"eration. $n e/a'ple of it is in the e"ition of 0121 of 3n!y!lope"ia of So!ial S!ien!es that there is no 'ention of the ter' 4violen!e5. This is an in"i!ation( for #annah $ren"t( that violen!e is !onsi"ere" a pheno'enon of every"ay an" is ne le!t. She says6 47obo"y interro ate or e/a'ine what is obvious for everybo"y.5 8$ren"t( 9:00( p. 9;< $!!or"in ly to #annah $ren"t( violen!e in the re isters of the past was !onsi"ere" a 'ar inal pheno'enon. =or her( all the an!ient truths about the relation between war an" politi!s( or in respe!t of violen!e an" power be!a'e inappli!able6 4To the Se!on" %orl" %ar was not followe" by pea!e( but by a >ol" %ar( an" the establish'ent of a !o'ple/ of in"ustrial+'ilitary work5. 4Pea!e is the !ontinuation of war with other 'eans.5 -n her stu"y( the philosopher #annah $ren"t !o'pares the violen!e of bla!k stu"ents with the violen!e of the US$ workers. -n the !on!lusion of

the ?ffi!ial Report about .iolen!e in the US$( she fin"s that6 4=or!e an" violen!e probably will be te!hni@ues of so!ial !ontrol an" persuasion well su!!ee" when they have popular support.5 8$ren"t( 9:00( p. ;A< %hat #annah $ren"t wants is to analyze the @uestion of violen!e in the real' of politi!s. -n the stu"ies that was 'a"e she foun" that in reat 'a&orities violen!e is &ust the 'ore fla rant for' of power. -n this way( #annah $ren"t @uestione" about if violen!e "isappeare" in the relations of states 'eans the en" of power. #owever( #annah $ren"t tries to 'ake "ifferen!e between power an" violen!e. =or her( power an" violen!e are not the sa'e. The "ifferen!e between power an" violen!e is that power always nee"s nu'bers an" violen!e notB violen!e nee"s i'ple'ents( like te!hnolo ies. She says6 4The e/tre'e for' of power is $ll a ainst ?neB the e/tre'e for' of violen!e is ?ne a ainst $ll.5 8$ren"t( 9:00( p. AC< #annah $ren"t "es!ribes that the "ifferen!es between violen!e( power( authority an" for!e are not lo i!al an" ra''ati!al but histori!al. She "es!ribes also "ifferen!es of violen!e between the 'eans of people an" 'eans of State. =or her6 47ever e/ists overn'ent e/!lusively base" in the 'eans of violen!e.5 8$ren"t( 9:00( p. 2D< =or the philosopher #annah $ren"t( power is in fa!t the essen!e of all overn'ent( not violen!e. Power an" violen!e( althou h are "ifferent pheno'enon( usually appear to ether. #annah $ren"t has the !o'prehension of overn'ent as the "o'ination of 'an by 'an by the 'eans of violen!e. =or her violen!e always !an "estroy power. The "o'ination of pure violen!e !o'es fro' where power is bein lost. =or resu'e6 politi!ally speakin is insuffi!ient to tell that power an" violen!e are not the sa'e. =or #annah $ren"t( power an" violen!e are the oppositeB where one "o'inates absolutely( the other is absent.

-n the other han"( for %alter Ben&a'in the task of a !riti@ue of violen!e is in the real's of the relation between law an" &usti!e. =or hi'( a !ause only is transfor'e" in violen!e when refers to ethi!al @uestions( whi!h are "esi nate" by the !on!epts of law an" &usti!e. =or %alter Ben&a'in( violen!e only is foun"e" in the sphere of 'eans. #is @uestion is that to know if violen!e in "eter'ine" !ases are 'eans for &ust or un&ust en"s -f is ethi!al( even when is a 'ean for un&ust en"s.

%ithout !onsi"eration for the en"s that they serve"( a "ifferen!e between the sphere of 'eans !hara!terize a ten"en!y in philosophy of law6 natural law. -n a!!or" with this !on!eption( violen!e is a pro"u!t of nature that its use it is not a proble'( e/!ept on its use for un&ust en"s. %alter Ben&a'in @uestione" the "ifferentiation to essen!e of violen!e6 a!!or"in to law an" not a!!or"in to law. -n the le al relations with respe!t to in"ivi"uals( ten"s not to a"'it natural en"s a!hieve" by violen!e. ?nly is a"'itte" to the le al syste'( le al purposes that power law E*ewaltF rea!hes throu h 'eans of violen!e E*ewaltF. =or %alter Ben&a'in( the law !onsi"ers violen!e "an erous at the han"s of in"ivi"uals able to un"er'ine the ri ht of or"ination. The interests of the ri ht to 'onopolize violen!e towar"s in"ivi"uals not e/plain by the intention of se!urin the en"s of the law but by the intention of ensurin the law itself. Thus( violen!e( when it is not in the han"s of establishe" law( whatever the threat so "an erous( not be!ause of the purpose you want to a!hieve( but by its 'ere e/isten!e outsi"e the law. -n the last war( !riti!is' of 'ilitary violen!e be!a'e a passionate !riti@ue of violen!e in eneral( so that tau ht that violen!e !an no lon er be e/er!ise" or tolerate" so inno!ent( an" be!a'e the ob&e!t of !riti!is' the fun!tion of violen!e that is !hara!teristi! of 'ilitaris'. GHilitaris' is the i'position of the universal use of violen!e as a 'eans for the purposes of State.G

".iolen!e shows up in a !o'pletely "ifferent fun!tion fro' that

of its si'ple appli!ation to natural en"s. The "uty is the appli!ation of violen!e as a 'eans for le al purposes. =or the subor"ination of !itizens to the laws + in this !ase( the law of !ons!ription + is an en" of law. G 8Ben&a'in( 9:00( p. 0;0+0;9<

=or Ben&a'in( if in"ee" violen!e E*ewaltF is the ori in of the ri ht( then one !an assu'e that in power E*ewaltF supre'e power over life an" "eath( when it enters the le al syste' of that or"er( stan" out representative in e/istin an" 'anifestin it terribly. The two types of violen!e( 8establishin the ri ht an" to retain

the ri ht<( are present in the poli!e( an institution of the 'o"ern state. The poli!e is violen!e for purposes of law 8ri ht of use<( but also is !o'petent si'ultaneously to e/pan" the rea!h of those purposes ri ht 8ri ht to or"er 'easures<. The infa'y of su!h an institution( a!!or"in to Ben&a'in( is the fa!t that it is the suspension of the separation of intro"u!in violen!e an" violen!e that keeps the law. -t is !reator of law when its fun!tion of issuin "e!rees an" all sorts( whi!h 'akes the !lai' of ri ht( an" is the sponsor of the law( sin!e it 'akes available for su!h purposes. Thus( the assertion that the purpose of poli!e violen!e woul" always be i"enti!al to the rest of the ri ht of the law( or at least have relationship with the'( is entirely false. Rather(

"The ri ht of poli!e 'arks the point where the state is as

i'poten!e( is "ue to inherent !onne!tions to any or"er of law( no lon er able to ensure( throu h this or"er( the e'piri!al en"s that he wants to a!hieve at any pri!e.G 8Ben&a'in( 9:00( p. 0;A<

=or this reason6 "The poli!e intervenes for Ise!urity reasonsI in !ountless !ases
in whi!h there is no !lear le al situation( not to 'ention where unrelate" le al purposes( it follows the !itizen as a presen!e that bothers brutally alon a life re ulate" by law( or si'ply the lookout. G8Ben&a'in( 9:00( p. 0;2<

%alter Ben&a'in also asks if there were no other 'eans( not violent( for the re ulation of hu'an interests in !onfli!t. The answer "oes not result in a !ontra!t ri ht now( for this( even hel" in a pea!eful 'anner( ives the parties the ri ht to resort to violen!e sooner or later. -s it possible the non+violent resolution of !onfli!ts) 7o "oubt. The spe!ial relationship between people presents 'any e/a'ples. =or %alter Ben&a'in( the a ree'ent is non+violent !ulture where the heart assu'ptions are sub&e!tive. -n every fiel" of for!es E*ewaltenF taken into !onsi"eration by natural law an" positive law( is not to es!ape the serious proble' of violen!e law. ives to 'ankin" the 'eans for un"erstan"in pure !ourtesy( love of pea!e an" trust your

Re erencies $R37JT( #annah. !obre a viol"ncia. Rio "e ,aneiro6 3"itora >ivilizaKo Brasileira( 9:00. __________. #n violence. 7ew Lork an" Lon"on6 #arvest M #B, Book #ar!ourt Bra!e ,ovanovi!h( 0121. __________. $ichmann in %er&salem: $ report on the banality of evil. 7ew Lork6 The .ikin Press( 012A. __________. #n violence' 7ew Lork an" Lon"on6 #arvestM#B, Book #ar!ourt Bra!e ,ovanovi!h( 0121. __________. (he h&man condition' >hi!a o6 The University of >hi!a o Press( 011C. __________. # )&e * pol+tica, Rio "e ,aneiro6 Bertran" Brasil( 9::9.

B37,$H-7( %alter. $scritos sobre mito e lin-&a-em' So Paulo6 Livraria Juas >i"a"eB 3"itora ;N( 9:00. __________. >riti@ue of violen!e5. !elected Writin-s( .olu'e 0 + Refle!tions. >a'bri" e6 #arvar" University Press( 0111. ___________. ''Our Kritik "er *ewalt.II 8019:+90<. Walter Benjamin .esammelte !chri ten( Vol&me //( 0. =rankfurt a' Hain6 Suhrka'p( 0112. __________. Para &na cr+tica de la violencia' Buenos $ires6 3"itorial LeviatPn( 011A. __________. 3/periQn!ia e pobreza5. #bras escolhidas' .ol. 0. Ha ia e tR!ni!a( arte e polSti!a. So Paulo6 Brasiliense( 01CD. __________. Sobre el pro ra'a "e la filosofSa veni"era.5 8010C<. !elecci0n de te1tos de Walter Benjamin. Ha"ri6 3"itora Taurus( 0110. __________. =ranz Kafka5. 801;N<. /l&minaciones' Ha"ri"6 Taurus 3"i!iones( 0110. __________. Para una !rSti!a "e la violen!ia y otros ensayos(5 /l&minaciones /V' Ha"ri"6 Taurus 3"i!iones( 9::0. __________. .esammelten !chri ten' =rankfurt a' Hain6 Suhrka'p .erla ( 01C1. __________. 2&r Kriti3 der .ewalt &nd andere A& s4t5e . =rankfurt a' Hain6 Suhrka'p .erla ( 012A.