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    Adorno Reflections on Class Theory

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    37 views11 pages

    Adorno Reflections On Class Theory

    Uploaded by

    Ricardo Arribas

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 11
    1 I According to theo! history is the hiscory of cass struggles. Bur che con Ccyof css ound up wah eae rl sen en ‘ssi oolong ting se concept of cs to prison he denounces sit he ‘urs hos edo, wh tr seco and eso, repens thewadion ofthe olin ao um age pchiry ‘Sides gna gol mated parchy hata een Sted by peso flowing iy fio pa cae ‘hm The venenble uniyofaonal uct, te mata ight hi “rach ins ace hat ass shang ow ong aed | Qian ccs had oes eens cive ogsnization dei forthe appropriation ofthe labor of others ling. pital economy became the ctgue of history a8 a whole, whose ed | By exposing he Berea necsiy hat had Brough cape “oFinjustice tha i 0s, the latent injustice contained in ir exchange ‘fears spy to deni i with the pchistry tha i destroyed Hall he ‘preson shat man has ever indicted on man cubits in the modern serie the cold inhumanity of re wage labor. hn the paste eee in Te tkions and thinge-—the romantic contrast fo indus eson— the Mace of vmee suffering, The archaic silence of pyramids and ruins be- onc concious of tel in materi shoughe ic she echo af factory tobe inthe landscape ofthe inmusable. Jacob Burchard hard the aston ha the parable of he cave in Plato’ Republi wih it sublime bolo ofthe doctrine of eel ess, derived from the horrendous iage ofthe Athenian iver rine iS ide of etna uth had sprung, trom the contemplation of presi ‘nent, Al history she story oF ‘same thing. namely prchisory. Ww Fee cea nm fini, sted gh rele back on story 38 wee st on a Nn daba poee efineeale'Thieprate ofthc consoucive sy aap arses ord ‘kth dmc i Drum ment ome ot Pte peek preci ae dele ial, Bena conmant ge bot the indfiigable “can-do atte, besaase constant chang sway to conceal she old nce Se ab Barba, Gril Kauri vb ath (Sea Kring 8 p65 fun Teck Be coi wad eine Bobloe (Tubingen CB | Refestons on Cla Theory 95 “se pop apes of it statis. The sel imovement of he concep the concepion of history 36 slg iis tobe Fond in Hes pilot. sno deelopmenta doc. «= rN The aw ta according to he Hagen dete, overs he ree de saci unfolding of the se-new conins neo smc the eee rab the ld hing oe at han These dessa Seite BUCrensneMCRIMI GSE. hour of sec. Tea aan a aah ffl. ‘on indipesabl confonation with she vena nthe olds Proportion Thais the stor enence ofthe metaphysical doctrine of the ieyofsabjec and objet nthe Absolae!The sytem of history, ‘he cevtion ofthe empora 0 he lly of meaning aula ine ard tees 10a aac eatin. Asa ohloaahy Marz cemaincd sre co hit confnns greta eines GES THESE shack ons fey wna oD ith eel uy becomes te feed ded of he aan br ing who are merely related by the concep: The eeconcabe omer ihe negate thats bor wlan the pone of wha expos ‘dooce victims. Ava shackle binding ne geerton ro he nes ince NAMED 5 scr of Teor, wich suppad io ge mening wo edviuasfleing or Cae demote i ws on high ea he vl of sceeing fits he por ‘toca asain fhe bina which mem ave ied this = the tome of sei ‘Within the pre ff of teste, the new prope ° ke: Sa REED ing he new docs ‘tc mean adapting oneself the norerment of story, mets "sting ify and conccvng ofthe onward match of he ata: sf wold ory making tne, They knew of BBD only of one tha igh up the contours of «burned pre «ory wih che glow ofthe ae dein onder prev the purl ha GUGetER AER The bres ching i avs the offer, te myth ‘bid consi sha ind conn of mesa conn eas sel wih pet stupidly omniacent mai, slike Ono at. 96 ADaLINISTERED WORLD ets the rope fs 3 he in LA ETE the same ol thing wil be of service to whatever s diferent. ut “Theat pas of lan soi i dominated by mnopoi tends ‘rl ch frm of patel orgenaron worthy ie prere en c e sere powcr and exten imponc dey confronting one ‘utr in xl contin makes ool get he cual exec {fi dace The monopele weasel ch oe by uch org Mu tse by he sty tht hve meant come so tered thy der ws ae ihc ow ipo sey ely ae. Te oo onprason of oc bY Sigh and aiuto eal halen uc ter poseion “GRRE and the imaging sat even vo conceive ofthe idea hat ‘hing might be other all for aalns epee clr. The abl mae ay ni he dnc ee Gold ich hye hel aca only gi sch power ver pol. ‘Mndhcawsethe en hth ppd he wore eo might soll alee So St the pent dnibuton power and inpotenes Br leing of ras sie tha so Bel nmened by cau consonant sole enehmen in rath thing Bathe det man ofan om the eno demas The She ee ee ie robin abut ting by miatng themed se in he hope cing pane thi ol gst shy hy can prone heme worhy. Th be ha hy igh le sha ogre cs and con va culate mid Shine daponteed slong with ber sins This no very feet fom hey th anc upon time the either Ahan ap sane cull tr undrnined by che mock fle chonul ere ec Clas sages iid nd sen 0 8 {Ac tan oF ial where a to make do with gas about lect Si humans he specs oF SMU 1 ee veo 9° Mend deters Fs ney he pst scheme ns ama ae wold ounaton fr Reetonon Clas Theory 97 “The omnipotence of repression ad ics invisibly ae the same thing. ‘The daslss society of ear diver, cinema goers, and comrades makes 4 rocker nat oay of tose who donot belong but evn of ote who do he objects of domination who dare not admit as mach to others or even ‘co themscss because simply knowing ones such an objct ispunised by faving festooned joband ones li. So ert has the epson become Terween the pols that ever mcr tht it har cessed ocx tunable presute of domination has so fragmented the masse hat i his cen dsiated the naive unity of beng oppressed that forged them nto Alissa the nineteenth cent tn exchange, they nd hoy have been di rex absorbed ino the unity ofthe sytem thai oppresing cher ‘alesse 10 survive the anonymous, objective Form of he clas, wv This makes ic essential wo sertnize the concepe of cls lsey enough for usto rake hod of ian simultaneously change i. Take old of, becaue ‘basis the dsson of society int exploiters and exploit, no only con ‘inues unabated bu: SCRE ESBAA GAIA Ching be “ase the oppressed who today, as predicted by the theory, constitute the Dnerwhelming major of mankind are unable c experince themschss 36 2 cls/ Those among them who claim the name mean by i for che most. _ partir on paccularincresi the exiting state of airs, much athe leaders of industey make use ofthe word “peolacton.~ The distinction berwees exploiters and exploited ie nots visible as 1 make i obvious co the exploited that solidarity should be che lia | CGE AGT TLGAD Membership in the sie ‘hss by no means ransates sto equality of interests and action The con ‘raiciory nature ofthe concept of elas tht i wreaking sch havoc today Is to be sought ss among the aborarsocracy han iD GRREGTNEBOURGRIE he cig of pliccl economy meas the ERD chic nature of the mas party + by sfsing to acknowledge tha the ‘theory ely had become ideology inthe mouths oft fis 1s. ‘nthac vay would @gipanpoRsagespineetapologis ino HEREORE ‘uans which the apologst af te bourgsoti Fike aad spun their we ‘Nothing lps but to tun the truth of the volo concepts aginst the uncuth sha produced them. What weiology can adeance pins te ality of cases i 01hing bu ESAS “nivel of soialiatin isthe form in which domination has histo CGllpBeen able eta abcrace ny has been asembled from bln! fats an rom these sociology imagines it has ben able vo perfect, ics mirage ofacasless society. Bur i rai this uy can ED GRENIER 2 Jemocion brought about bythe stem ‘of domination and adopis by the css hermes ods) OD (ESRI NEESER 2 che blind ass hae once thse the runs uo which the word has boca duced by anor ‘lted system with which the sociologists get on famous. “The general laws ate argument against the les acre because {heir nivel isthe logical form of the epesion that musc be abolsied if mankind ie ort relapse nc che state of barbarism fom which it as sae cmap tie dmenaryi peeys Ue ed asl lamas ings who, according tothe opinion and the interes of chee mature leaders, {are not mature enough for democracy, bu ofthe inhumanity hat inscibes Gilpin hi objective neces OPHIR ict char te alctic of lass ends ina naked clique syste pelle he cr of sco. which always Incaded hac sory iy, A ERO RTOSE SC uielavseaeainend9 1 chorychat learns how ro en he Alerent gangs within the cases day i parody ofthe formal sociology that denis the existence of cls in ole to make those gangs permanent. vil The aspect of the Maris theory of caus thats most suscepeble ro an apologist cgue sens obs (ESSERE hed poverty ‘ens proearan int. cls. This power fll rom their place in the Refeons on Clase Theory 103 ction proses ofthe capitalise esonomy and develops with that Sa over Becomes afore the evolution that ims amp ou pov ‘The prlearia has nothing to lose bur is chains ands everyhing > {sin the choice will no be fea, and bourgeois democracy progres "ve enough o give scope forthe formation of ls ganizations hat will bring abou she reoltion by weight of umber Against thie agua che sais canbe marbled ROD iF oeeNe re RTAREAGHTENAD. Meare agus orions in England century ago a they were evident the authors of he Com Sone Mamie dir anda of living has oe deteriorated BUF ist FABRE torr working hours: beer ood, housing, and coting: pote tion for Family members and for the worker in his old ages an average increase in if expectancr—al hse things have come othe workers with the development ofthe echnical frees of production. Tle wa se a "estan of thee being diver by hunger to joi forces and make a eel tion, This puts the posbiity of organization and mass revolution in “Wolo. The invida hrves heer ina ganization of special ners than in one oppored to her the concentration af echnical and wilt revoures on the se ofthe employers so formidable as to consign oa ve uprising to the tolerated ran of heraie memory. Mrsvet 5 "ite improbable thr bourgeos democracy, where ts facade sill exis, ‘would permit the emergence of 2 mass party tha eeallycootemplats the evolution ial about. Ths the raditonalanamen about pauper ion callapes. To try ane shor ip with 2 makeshift concep of "eative uperination.” war atmpeed atthe time of he rvions debate, ould ‘cc ony 0 scil-democritie counteraologiss whose ear have heen 50 ‘cafe by cei en shouts that she could ot even hear the rice thac the rem “relative pauperizaion” would bring down om their hea What ie esentlhere SESE SNSEABORD, a0 SGPHSIGGURRIRERMD. Howcvc, is air concep fom economics, Sefned > CERSDSS CEREIAR he indus serve army. ‘overpopulation, and pauperism grow in proportion co “anctoning epi 1," 1 ST OAESRE Pa upriacion ithe Fp side Kael Mars, Capital ol. Fidich Engel ol + (Landon Lawrence & idan. 961.9648 ‘of the ice play of econonefoces in the liberal stem, whose theory i reduced ad abnardarn by the Marsst analysis with the growth in socal ‘wealth there is abo, ade capitals reacons of production with their im _manent systemic compulsions, a corresponding growth in socal power Preupposed here the undiscurbed autonomous euning of te mechs nisms she economy posculated by liberal theo in ater words, the co Nene ct st table donomigue ve analyzed in each eas. All other rmodifjng fctors re comsigned to che various “ircumtaness” “the analy eee re enemies Tre he aD perizaton thesis itself dependent upon the dual nature of elas the dis finction beowsen dec and indirect repression that it coneepe contains Puperization does exis co the depres tha he bourgenss las realy a0 anonymous ad unconscious cls, and that both it and the proeearia are dominated bythe seem, ‘Ava purely economic neces the proces of pauperiation is ab- solute: if bean were the Hberalsm for which Mars takes i, eee ‘vould be the ame pauperis even in times of peace tha isto he Fue yin he counts defeated in war. But che raling cls isnot just gow ‘red bythe system ees hough the system and imately dominates jt The further modifying factor lie ouside che sytem of polities exon fry but are central the history of domination, In he proces of iui ating the economy, chy are not madifping factors bt the exsence To his exten che alec paupeato Sa SE BTN GARNER AAAs Binds te yer is dynamic snd ‘eeumulaes poverty, but the sl preservation it rings about through ts “ynamism alo peers out vieseis poset in 4 sae contin that hat tlvay ben the peal point ofthe prehistoric amis TERRES _quisiion of lin abor under monopoly conditions is carted out through fae cee reyacatel eet «whole The paupeization theory implies the drt application of marke “atgores in the shape of compesion among che workers leading ail inthe price of he commod'oflaboe power, wheses in realty this com pion with llc ntilshas become as questionable as compection be- fveen apc. The dynamics of poverty are brought hale by the proces of c- umnulation. The improvement o sabiaation ofthe economic sation Refetonson Clas Theory 105 ofthe lower clases is exteaeconomic: the higher standard of ving ie pid fr oat of income or monopoly profits, nec ou of ELSA OD employment Benefit 7 Ics ealled by some other name, ve indeed ‘even the semblance of work and wages is maiataina in dhe minds ofthe uleeinieasieMadow Goodwill nd psychology have nothing ro do svt The tational of such progres the systems consciousness of the ‘conditions that enable tobe perpetuated, no the unconscious mathe mates ofthe proeses concerned: Thus Mar’ prognosis finds il veri- fed in an unsuspected way: the ruling cls isso wel ed by alien labor tht it resolutely adopts as ies own caus che ida chat is fate to feed the workers and 10 “secur forthe saves ther existence within saver" nor ecseeaellctoes taste meee aca [gi Seno SRD FBR ol consceiion o pore sinlued nal cements he eletaton Te xf lr. eae aM Mp aeons ew adminisrne oof he monocaisaed hicesou at CaaS SES ee a SED aR eS SD Js contr gg incdenal expec of he porer punts prob avert he ac es eae CaS eset rate Toe Tne ieee rer ey rae es ae renee ee, eeieSacnne vin SERA ENCTESMSRBINNN ech cum express in the form ofa maxim a principle shar defines the etal practice of clas - ey I bcomesa maxim only aginst ee ideology of lve in a wold fll of ace. Niewsche belongs the dion of bourgeois hiner since he Renaisance whose indignation wih the untruth of society drives them 06 ADatiKISTERED woRLD vical ALAR ou his ccc ial force of confrontation they eome fo te ad of tha other truth that they ercly deride ay the una into which cha ben tasformed by ae ara teers Hono he maria gy pv oun hale E Dt onion cot on falas 1251 steway ro the age of competition The objective tendency of the sytem 8 aways duplened, stamped and lgtmate by the conscious wil of thos who conto it Foe 3 mife sevies ofthe ruling clases ety co their knowledge ofthis and rotor the meaning of the system whenever ici concealed by the objective characte of the hs toric proces is ia train of fce bourgeois 3c: tions, fom the Gunpowder Plor—and perhaps exe the mulation of the Staues of Hermes in Aen (in 8 qis—dowr othe Reichseag fre, and ofintigus sucha the bring ofthe Hindenburg andthe meeting with Schroeder, the banker upon which the connoisseur of the objective rn dene looks down with disdain. He cvdently regu such episodes as mere coincidences shat che word anispiriesetes upon inorder to bring aout its own tiuimph. However, sich actions ae perhaps not as cine ‘eal a al shat they ate ats of fcedom esting tar dhe objective his torical tenis deason uns harmonincs withthe subjective interests cof hose who use history to ower history abou. TRenson iva good del more cunning even than Hegel believed. se ret isles thar of the passions han of Fcedom ial. prehistory redom isthe powerof the cigue ove the atonymous catastrophes tha goby he art of REPT igus Hiacry i progress in the conscousnes of thelr wn Fresdom pasng right chrough historical object. and ths redo Fs moching but he fp side of the unfeedom of xhers- That is thee in ii a res the inner identity ia GW, E Hegel The Sim of Lag sae A.V. Miler Landon: Allen 8 asin 969). p90 efestons on Clas Theory 107 Ideals, which i rightly accuse of tramsiguing way, i atthe same ime the mist ele trath abou the world even i ie moments of postive assertion, its doctrine of Freedom, it tunsparenty contains the Coveing image of opposite, and wher i cans men have escaped, that. is precisely the point in prehistory where they have succumbed to thet fue Not, ined, i he Prsian sate bu the mases re reluctant vo listen vo any mee tall of fsedom, this sao simply heeft, nora reflection ofthe way he word has been abused, They suspect thatthe So coi ast sds he att af nan sm GHB y thing teu ierne has no name, and what sands in fori ae 1x his impotence into the frst endeney goes hand in hand wish usando vino gysal mutton \eknas, and deformation. ic ako inex ‘theory explicy mentions the bration of the workers who comput sively do 0 the who are dependent upon chest what has been done 10 them, 26 well as their growing alication from the mechanized labor proces tha they can no longer comprehen ur the theory does no inguite how peopl so affected could he ome capable of action tha als or jst fr eevee, an oveview, nd presence of mind, but sof The danger of py ‘hologism was averted at dhe outset fn eincdence that the author ‘of Phyl of Socialis filly became es jt ike the songs of political partes‘ be r bourgcois philosophy doggy set out to of ADMINISTERED WoRLD defend is bjetve nature: Marx refi co be dren nto the prychology Sora wnrhing las Suh a psyeology presupposes indvidaaisy and» kind of autarchic view of motivation inthe individual Suc inividualcy ists socially constructed concepe, which comes under the rubric ot polsal seonoMy. Even among che competing members of the bour 00s, the individual iin great measure ideology, and those ac the bot tom ofthe heap are deni individu by the property ster ER “onlybe called dehumanization, The dichotomy berwcen bourgeoisie and proletariat negates the bourgeois conception af nana well he conceps ofthe bourgeois con ‘omy, That conepton is esi only otha its contradictory nature ean be expose it not tetera be confzmed by Maoist “ancropologs” “The disappearance of the auconomy ofthe maker economy andthe bow sis individuality forte by cao splls che disappearance oft oppo- ‘ite, the bloodsained dehumanization of those rejected by society. 1. figure of the worker who comes home drunk at night and beats fs ile al hile spd ight ino the background is wife has more wo ear fiom the social worker who coutsls he than from him [Nor ae we confronted bythe stulifcation ofthe worker allegedly unable comprshend the work proces in which hei involved. The reat Jnersifcaton of he division labor docs ndecd distance the worker fr ther and usher fom the end produc with which che crafsman ws hor ‘oughly convert, Bu at the sie time, the individu] work process ae increasingly undiferentiaed, so thatthe man who can pesform one can perform vil all and can understand he whole operation, The man 08 the production line 2 Ford who always has to perform the sme ation ows ery well how the finished car works, singe ie contains no sere thar cannot be imagined on the ode ofthat action, Even the dsintion Theowcen the worker and she engines, whose work i self increasingly rmechanived is gradually turing inc a question of privilege. The demand for technical specialists doting the war showed how flexible she dfferenc technicians wore and how the ditneions between specializations have heen eroded “oss none af this does any more to mitigate dhe impotence of the workers, ily a lea, than, previously, stark poverty had curred ine revolution eis no easier forthe ler mechanies of tday o Become individual han i was forte dulled inmates ofthe workhouse a century ia Refestons on Cla Theory 109 ago. ofcourse is unlikely tha ee ndiduaiy wil acelerate dhe eG the meanime, the work procs tha they understand shapes ‘thes: even more thoroughly than the proces they didnot undetstand shaped them itm past it becomes 4 "echnologic el” The workers ‘ne shir chor of che dl hatter oF ashe ae have called _thaleto the proces of dehumanization tha jeopardizes che suing cass. ‘anal the later ake it over inthe service of thie own inhumanity. st ‘turn Mere: igh “hethesparem produces she polaris KW fille om a scale hat was absolutely unforeseeable. By irae of thir nok A RR ASAT ETRACAREUNERGRETHOgUe under he monopoly system the ‘proces of dehumanization perfected on the backs ofthe clues a all-encompassing rifton GGRRBSIRRERREAD dc, his deb ‘manization is what that cviation i, The oaliing character of sity proves isl in the face that it does poe just rake utter possesion of ‘ners GRAS TRGORIAEE iss imacly the poinc of ‘har poavization int power snd impotence. The monopolistic power con fers the eewards on which che stability ofthe sytem depend today only upon thos people who resemble i This proces of ein, cvlzing, and slowing consumes all he energy tha ight he used to do things differ culo the point wher GG nN TV NS ED the barbus shat in ates By reproducing the lie oF oie a planned way the ruling cases reprudice the impotence of those that ae planned. Ths domination be ‘comes a integral part of human beings. They do not need eo be “int “enc a beri with thir idea of che marke ate won to magn RD

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