CORNELIUS CASTORIADIS
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exist with democratic elements which struggling peoples have suc–
ceeded in imposing on the institution of society. They are, rigorously
speaking, liberal oligarchies. But the project of autonomy continues
to vex them and has already changed them substantially. Institutions
and laws allow individuals to lead their lives, more or less, as they
please and to act politically if they desire; the very existence of cer–
tain individuals constitutes an answer to authority - to oppose the
powers that be, to fight against injustice even if it does not affect one
personally is not merely a matter of form or ritual. And it does make
a profound difference with regard to the very texture of society. Now
all this did not simply spring from the earth, nor was it granted by
God; and it certainly was not produced by capitalism.
It
was the
product of what in many cases were age-long struggles, the price
paid with mountains of victims and oceans of blood.
It
did not trans–
form "European" societies into ideal or autonomous societies, but it
did create an extremely precious (because it was improbable and
fragile) historical foundation on which something else could be built.
What in today's world is mortally threatened is not United States
imperialism or the governments of torturers that depend on the
United States. The replacement of America by Russia, the replace–
ment of Argentine policemen by some of Chernenko's colleagues
would do nothing but raise the system of domination to a greater de–
gree of perfection. What is being menaced is the democratic element
in "European" nations and what that element contains as a memory,
as a source of inspiration, the source of hope for all the peoples of the
world.
That element is menaced first, militarily as well as politically,
by the Russian system whose internal dynamics propel it toward
world domination and which views as a mortal danger the mere exis–
tence of societies where genuine rights and liberties exist. (That is,
by the way, the lesson taught by
J
aruzelski.)
That element is secondly menaced by a Third World with three
times as many people as the "European" nations. Of course, Euro–
pean creations have penetrated there as well, but that penetration is
strongly unbalanced. The use of jeeps, automatic rifles, advanced
methods of torture, and the brutal manipulation of the media has
been assimilated everywhere with a speed and facility infinitely
greater than the assimilation of democratic attitudes and critical
spirit. From our vantage point, it would seem that Amindadaization
(or Qadhafyization, or Khomenyization, or Galtierization) repre–
sents for the countries of the Third World the fastest way downhill.