History and the victors Björn Þorsteinsson Lecture in Heimspekileg forspjallsvísindi, Humanities Dept., University of Iceland, 29 March 2006

2 Today’s programme A few remarks on Walter Benjamin Some concepts History – the story of the victors? Angelus Novus

3 Walter Benjamin ( ) Born in Berlin, of Jewish descent A major figure in German intellectual life in the early 20th century Widely read today Left Germany in 1933, settled in Paris Committed suicide trying to escape from the Nazis

4 Historical materialism A part of the Marxist world-view Implies that economic factors determine the development of society Historical and social factors depend on economic development See Benjamin’s reference to “the crude and material things without which no refined and spiritual things could exist” (IV)

5 Historicism Benjamin’s critique is directed towards the following key points of historicism: –that the historian’s role is (simply) to describe the past the way it was –and that this description should be complete and exhaustive: everything is equally important –... but in practice, historicist historiography turned out to be the story of the ruling classes

6 Critique of historicism Is it really possible to adopt/achieve an absolutely objective perspective? Is it possible to describe everything that happened in an exhaustive way? Rather, isn’t the historian condemned to choose – and to exclude? And what criteria does he apply when he chooses and exludes?

7 Fukuyama’s “end of history” Francis Fukuyama in 1989: –history has ended –the war of ideologies is over –liberal democracy is the winner! Samuel Huntington in 1993: –the clash of civilisations is imminent Fukuyama + Huntington (= Bush?): –the last and decisive battle is underway...

8 Benjamin on historicism The historian’s sadness when trying to capture “the genuine historical image” (VII) Who is it that the adherents of historicism “empathize with”? “The answer is inevitable: with the victor.” (VII) “Historical materialists know what that means.” (VII)

9 The task according to Benjamin “To brush history against the grain” (VII) To apply the “weak Messianic power” (II) To respond to the demand of the past and to show, thereby, that “our coming was expected on earth” (II) To “constantly call into question every victory, past and present, of the rulers” (IV)

10 The task – more formulations “Fanning the spark of hope in the past” (VI) To make anew the “attempt [...] to wrest tradition away from a conformism that is about to overcome it” (VI) Attaining “a conception of history” that keeps account of the fact that “the ‘state of emergency’ in which we live is not the exception but the rule” (VIII) Making “the continuum of history explode” (XV, XVI)

11 Redemption On the moment of redemption – when the Messiah/justice/revolution arrives – the meaning of history will become clear Then it will appear who the true victors are/were... Compare a man dying: “my life flashed before my eyes” – “so, in the end, this is who I was”

12 The danger That “the content of the tradition and its receivers” become “a tool of the ruling classes” (VI) “[...] even the dead will not be safe from the enemy if he wins” (VI)

13 Critique of the idea of progress Those who are possessed by the idea of progress find themselves without resources in the present They find themselves stripped of a “theoretical armature”, just like historicism (XVII) They end up becoming adherents of conformism An example: social democratic theory (and practice)

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