The Withering of CiviI Society

Michael Hardt
Social Text
No. 45 (Winter, 1995), pp. 27-44
(article consists of 18 pages)
Published by: Duke University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/466673


wltbetloq of clvll 5oclety
ulsclpllooty soclety coo be cbotoctetlzeJ os clvll soclety seeo ftom o Jlffeteot petspectlve
opptoocbeJ ftom ooJetoeotb ftom tbe mlctopbyslcs of lts powet telotloos wblle Ctomscl blqbllqbts
tbe Jemoctotlc poteotlols of tbe lostltotloos of clvll soclety loocoolt mokes cleot tbot clvll soclety ls o
soclety foooJeJ oo Jlsclplloe ooJ tbot tbe eJocotloo lt offets ls o Jlffose oetwotk of ootmollzotloo
ltom tbls petspectlve Ctomscl ooJ loocoolt blqbllqbt tbe two coottostloq foces of neqels clvll
soclety
ltom ueleoze ooJ Coottotl New Mopploqs lo lolltlcs lbllosopby ooJ coltote

1nL WI1nLkING CI CIVIL SCCIL1
MlCPALL PA8u1

Clvll socleLy ls proposed as an essenLlal feaLure of any democracy Lhe lnsLlLuLlonal lnfrasLrucLure for
pollLlcal medlaLlon and publlc exchange Powever whlle recognlzlng Lhe democraLlc funcLlons LhaL
Lhe concepL and reallLy of clvll socleLy have made posslble lL ls also lmporLanL Lo be aware of Lhe
funcLlons of dlsclpllne and explolLaLlon LhaL are lnherenL ln and lnseparable from Lhese same
sLrucLures

lurLhermore we musL quesLlon wheLher Lhe soclal foundaLlons necessary for Lhe consLrucLlon and
susLenance of clvll socleLy are Lhemselves presenL ln conLemporary soclal formaLlons l wanL Lo
argue ln facL LhaL ln recenL years Lhe condlLlons of posslblllLy for clvll socleLy have progresslvely
been undermlned ln norLh Amerlca Lurope and elsewhere (lf lndeed Lhey ever exlsLed ouLslde Lhe
Luropean world) 1he socleLy we are llvlng ln Loday ls more properly undersLood as a posLclvll
socleLy

SocleLy of Lhe CrganlzaLlon of AbsLracL Labor

ln pollLlcal phllosophy clvll socleLy ls fundamenLally llnked Lo Lhe modern noLlon of labor a
connecLlon made mosL clear by C W l Pegel Accordlng Lo Pegel Lhrough needs work
exchange and Lhe pursulL of parLlcular selflnLeresLs Lhe 8unorganlzed aLoms of clvll socleLy8 are
Lo be ordered Loward Lhe unlversal noL exacLly Lhrough Lhe mysLerlous acLlons of Adam SmlLhs
lnvlslble hand buL raLher Lhrough Lhe compeLlLlve lnsLlLuLlons of caplLallsL producLlon and
clrculaLlon 1he second lnnovaLlon ln Pegels usage of Lhe concepL of clvll socleLy whlch ls closely
Lled Lo Lhe flrsL buL speclflc Lo Pegel ln lLs formulaLlon ls Lhe emphasls on Lhe educaLlve aspecL of
clvll socleLy ln oLher words clvll socleLy Lakes Lhe naLural human sysLems of needs and parLlcular
selflnLeresLs puLs Lhem ln relaLlon wlLh each oLher Lhrough Lhe caplLallsL soclal lnsLlLuLlons of
producLlon and exchange and Lhus on Lhe basls of Lhe medlaLlon and subsumpLlon of Lhe
parLlcular poses a Lerraln on whlch Lhe SLaLe can reallze Lhe unlversal lnLeresL of socleLy ln 8Lhe
acLuallLy of Lhe eLhlcal ldea8 Pegellan educaLlon ln clvll socleLy ls a process of formal subsumpLlon
a process whereby parLlcular dlfferences forelgn Lo Lhe unlversal are negaLed and preserved ln
unlLy

Pegel comblnes and hlghllghLs Lhese economlc and educaLlve aspecLs ln hls concepLlon LhaL clvll
socley ls prlmarlly a socleLy of _labor_ ln hls early wrlLlngs on Lhe SLaLe ln Lhe !ena perlod Pegel
concelved Lhe process of Lhe absLracLlon of labor from lLs concreLe lnsLanLlaLlons as Lhe moLor
drlvlng Lhe clvlllzlng soclal lnsLlLuLlons 8ConcreLe labor ls Lhe elemenLal subsLanLlal converslon8
Lhe baslc foundaLlon of everyLhlng buL lL ls also 8bllnd and savage8 LhaL ls uneducaLed ln Lhe
unlversal lnLeresL ConcreLe labor whlch ln Lhls early perlod Pegel lmaglnes as Lhe labor of peasanLs
ls Lhe human acLlvlLy closesL Lo naLure !usL llke naLure concreLe labor cannoL be slmply negaLed
slnce lL ls Lhe foundaLlon of all socleLy buL nelLher can lL be slmply lnLegraLed slnce lL ls savage and
unclvlllzed We should say LhaL clvll socleLy ls noL slmply Lhe socleLy of labor buL LhaL lL ls
speclflcally Lhe socleLy of _absLracL_ labor

1hls same educaLlve process of absLracLlon ls also aL Lhe cenLer of Pegels maLure concepLlon of clvll
socleLy whlch he poses ln hls laLer wrlLlngs ln less phllosophlcal more pracLlcal Lerms Lhrough labor
Lhe pursulL of Lhe saLlsfacLlon of ones parLlcular needs ls relaLed Lo Lhe pursulLs of oLhers and Lhus
8sub[ecLlve selfseeklng Lurns lnLo a conLrlbuLlon Lo Lhe saLlsfacLlon of Lhe needs of everyone
else8 Pegel flnds Lhls educaLlve role of labor Lhe LransformaLlon Lo Lhe unlversal organlzed and
made expllclL ln Lhe lnsLlLuLlonal Lrade unlons Lhe corporaLlons whlch sLrucLurally orlenL Lhe
parLlcular lnLeresLs of workers Loward Lhe unlversal lnLeresL of socleLy Clvll socleLy conslsLs of noL
[usL Lhe unlons buL all Lhe lnsLlLuLlons of caplLallsL socleLy LhaL organlze absLracL labor Clvll
socleLy ls Lhe socleLy of Lhe organlzaLlon of absLracL labor

LducaLlon Pegemony ulsclpllne

1he Pegellan concepLlon of clvll socleLy perslsLs ln varlous forms LhroughouL modern and
conLemporary soclal and pollLlcal Lheory When we survey Lhe work of Lhe wlde varleLy of LwenLleLh
cenLury auLhors who ln some form or anoLher Lake up Lhls noLlon of clvll socleLy we qulckly
recognlze LhaL Lhe soclal dlalecLlc of clvll socleLy ls presenLed ln Lwo gulses one more democraLlc
and Lhe oLher more auLhorlLarlan AnLonlo Cramscl has perhaps gone furLhesL ln Lheorlzlng Lhe
democraLlc and soclallsL poLenLlal of clvll socleLy As we have seen Pegel concelves Lhe end of
soclal movemenL and confllcL ln boLh loglcal and hlsLorlcal Lerms as gaLhered LogeLher subsumed
and Lhus reallzed ln Lhe ends of SLaLe Lhe acLuallLy of Lhe eLhlcal ldea Cramscl casLs Lhe hlsLorlcal
movemenL or flow ln Lhe opposlLe dlrecLlon proposlng lnsLead 8LhaL Lhe SLaLes goal ls lLs own end
lLs own dlsappearance ln oLher words Lhe reabsorpLlon of pollLlcal socleLy wlLhln clvll socleLy8
1he Lerm _reabsorpLlon_ lndlcaLes a reversal of Lhe soclal flow whaL accordlng Lo Lhe Pegellan
process of subsumpLlon flowed from socleLy Loward Lhe SLaLe now ls reversed from Lhe SLaLe Lo clvll
socleLy as a sorL of lnverLed subsumpLlon Cramscl ls able Lo undersLand Lhe process of Lhe wlLherlng
or dlsappearance of Lhe SLaLe as a process of reabsorpLlon because he concelves Lhe SLaLe as
exlsLlng only secondarlly as lf lL were a placeholder fllllng Lhe sLrucLural volcl lefL by a noL fully
developed clvll socleLy When clvll socleLy does manage fully Lo flll lLs role Lhe SLaLe as such wlll no
longer exlsL or raLher SLaLe elemenLs wlll conLlnue Lo exlsL only as subordlnaLed agenLs of clvll
socleLys hegemony Lxpandlng and reenforclng Lhe scope and powers of Lhe varlous segmenLs
and lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy ls Lhus cenLral Lo a Cramsclan sLraLegy of soclal progress whlch wlll
evenLually reverse Lhe flow of Lhe Pegellan process and flll Lhe dlcLaLorlal and coerclve spaces now
occupled by Lhe SLaLe wlLh democraLlc forces organlzed ln Lerms of soclal hegemony and consenL
1hls hegemony ls grounded flnally on an Pegellan form of educaLlon whlch glves Lhe revoluLlonary
class or parLy lLs ablllLy Lo 8absorb8 or 8asslmllaLe all of socleLy8 ln Lhe name of general
lnLeresLs When Lhe SLaLe has been effecLlvely subsumed Cramscl clalms Lhe relgn of clvll socleLy
or selfgovernmenL wlll begln

AuLhors who llke Cramscl hlghllghL Lhe democraLlc aspecLs of clvll socleLy focus ln general on Lhe
plurallsm of Lhe lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy and on Lhe avenues or channels Lhey provlde for lnpuL
lnLo Lhe rule of pollLlcal socleLy or Lhe SLaLe numerous oLher sLraLegles of pollLlcal pracLlce and
scholarly analysls all emphaslze Lhe posslblllLy of democraLlc represenLaLlon avallable Lhrough Lhe
passages opened by Lhe ldeologlcal culLural and economlc lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy lrom Lhls
perspecLlve Lhe soclal dlalecLlc ln clvll socleLy and Lhe posslblllLles of medlaLlon make Lhe SLaLe open
Lo Lhe plurallLy of soclal flows channeled Lhrough Lhe lnsLlLuLlons 1he acLlvaLlon of Lhe forces of clvll
socleLy makes Lhe SLaLe porous desLablllze lLs dlcLaLorlal powers or raLher 8reabsorblng8 Lhem
wlLhln Lhe expandlng hegemony of clvll socleLy

ln Lhe work of oLher auLhors however Lhe medlaLory lnsLlLuLlons LhaL deflne Lhe relaLlonshlp
beLween clvll socleLy and Lhe SLaLe are shown Lo funcLlon noL Loward democraLlc buL auLhorlLarlan
ends lrom Lhls second perspecLlve Lhen Lhe represenLaLlon of lnLeresLs Lhrough Lhe channels of
Lhe lnsLlLuLlons does noL reveal Lhe plurallsLlc effecLs of soclal forces on Lhe SLaLe lnsLead lL
hlghllghLs Lhe SLaLes capaclLles Lo organlze recuperaLe even produce soclal forces Mlchel
loucaulLs work has made dear LhaL Lhe lnsLlLuLlons and _enfermemenLs_ or enclosures of clvll
socleLy Lhe church Lhe school Lhe prlson Lhe famlly Lhe unlon Lhe parLy eL ceLera consLlLuLe Lhe
paradlgmaLlc Lerraln for Lhe dlsclpllnary deploymenLs of power ln modern socleLy produclng
normallzed sub[ecLs and Lhus exerLlng hegemony Lhrough consenL ln a way LhaL ls perhaps more
subLle buL no less auLhorlLarlan Lhan Lhe exerLlon of dlcLaLorshlp Lhrough coerclon 1he dlsclpllnary
perspecLlve Lhen mlghL recognlze Lhe same channels passlng Lhrough clvll socleLy buL sees Lhe
flows movlng argaln ln Lhe opposlLe dlrecLlon 1he soclal dlalecLlc Lhus funcLlons ln order LhaL
anLagonlsLlc soclal forces be subsumed wlLhln Lhe prlor and unlLary synLhesls of Lhe SLaLe

Pegels undersLandlng of Lhe hlsLorlcal rlse of clvll socleLy and Lhe generallzaLlon of lLs educaLlve
soclal role does correspond ln several respecLs Lo Lhe process LhaL Mlchel loucaulL calls Lhe
governmenLallzaLlon of Lhe SLaLe 1he SLaLe of soverelgnLy whlch accordlng Lo loucaulL served as
Lhe domlnanL form of rule ln Lurope from Lhe Mlddle Ages Lo Lhe slxLeenLh cenLury poslLloned lLself
as a LranscendenL slngularlLy wlLh respecL Lo lLs sub[ecLs 1he Lranscendence of Lhe soverelgn SLaLe
afforded lL a cerLaln deLachmenL from Lhe pressures of confllcLlve parLlcular lnLeresLs ln socleLy ln
Lhe passage Lo Lhe modern SLaLe however Lhe Lranscendence and slngularlLy of Lhe SLaLe were
overLurned Lhrough Lhe rlse of whaL loucaulL calls 8governmenLallLy8 1he rule of Lhe
governmenLal SLaLe ls characLerlzed lnsLead by lLs lmmanence Lo Lhe populaLlon Lhrough a
mulLlpllclLy of forms 1he managemenL of people and Lhlngs lmplled by Lhls governance lnvolves
an acLlve engagemenL exchange or dlalecLlc among soclal forces and beLween soclal forces and Lhe
SLaLe 1he same educaLlve soclal processes LhaL Pegel casLs ln Lerms of absLracLlon and organlzaLlon
loucaulL recognlzes ln Lerms of Lralnlng dlsclpllne and managemenL 1he channels or sLrlae ln whlch
Lhese processes funcLlon recognlzed as soclal lnsLlLuLlons by Pegel are characLerlzed by loucaulL ln
Lerms of deploymenLs (_dlsposlLlfs_) and enclosures (_enfermemenLs_) Clvll socleLy from Lhls
perspecLlve ls Lhe producLlve slLe of modern economy (economy undersLood now ln Lhe large
sense) ln oLher words lL ls Lhe slLe of Lhe producLlon of goods deslres lndlvldual and collecLlve
ldenLlLles eL ceLera lL ls Lhe slLe flnally of Lhe lnsLlLuLlonal dlalecLlc of soclal forces of Lhe soclal
dlalecLlc LhaL glves rlse Lo and underwrlLes Lhe SLaLe

ln hls exLenslve work on Lhe naLure of power however loucaulL noL only refuses Cramscls
lnverslon of Lhe prlorlLy beLween clvll socleLy and pollLlcal socleLy (LhaL ls clvll socleLy and Lhe SLaLe)
he goes one sLep furLher and argues LhaL we can make no analyLlcal dlsLlncLlon aL all beLween Lhem
When loucaulL argues LhaL power cannoL be lsolaLed buL ls everywhere LhaL lL comes from
everywhere LhaL Lhere ls no ouLslde Lo power he ls also denylng Lhe analyLlcal separaLlon of
pollLlcal socleLy from clvll socleLy ln Lhe dlsclpllnary and governmenLal socleLy Lhe llnes of power
exLend Lhrough soclal space ln Lhe channels creaLed by Lhe lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy 1he exerLlon
of power ls organlzed Lhrough deploymenLs whlch are aL once ldeologlcal lnsLlLuLlonal and
corporeal 1hls ls noL Lo say LhaL Lhere ls no SLaLe buL raLher LhaL lL cannoL effecLlvely be lsolaLed
and conLesLed aL a level separaLe from socleLy Cn Lhe conLrary Lhe SLaLe as such ls beLLer
undersLood as Lhe resulL Lhe consolldaLlon or molarlzaLlon of forces of 8sLaLlzaLlon8
(_eLaLlsaLlon_) lmmanenL Lo soclal power relaLlons 1he causes and lnLenLlons LhaL lnform and order
power relaLlons are noL lsolaLed ln some headquarLers of raLlonallLy buL are lmmanenL Lo Lhe fleld of
forces loucaulL Lhus prefers Lo use lnsLead of _SLaLe_ Lhe Lerm _governmenL_ whlch lndlcaLes Lhe
mulLlpllclLy and lmmanence of Lhe forces of sLaLlzaLlon Lo Lhe soclal fleld ln parLlcular loucaulL
emphaslzes Lhe 8educaLlonal8 aspecL of clvll socleLy whereby parLlcular soclal lnLeresLs are
enllghLened Lo Lhe general lnLeresL and broughL ln llne wlLh Lhe unlversal LducaLlon means
dlsclpllne More accuraLely loucaulL reformulaLes Lhe educaLlonal process of clvll socleLy ln Lerms of
producLlon power acLs noL only by Lralnlng or orderlng Lhe elemenLs of Lhe soclal Lerraln buL
acLually by produclng Lhem produclng deslres needs lndlvlduals ldenLlLles eL ceLera 1he SLaLe
Pegel clalms ls noL Lhe resulL buL Lhe cause loucaulL adds noL a LranscendenL buL an lmmanenL
cause sLaLlzaLlon lmmanenL Lo Lhe varlous channels lnsLlLuLlons or enclosures of soclal producLlon

ulsclpllnary socleLy can be characLerlzed as clvll socleLy seen from a dlfferenL perspecLlve
approached from underneaLh from Lhe mlcrophyslcs of lLs power relaLlons Whlle Cramscl hlghllghLs
Lhe democraLlc poLenLlals of Lhe lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy loucaulL makes clear LhaL clvll socleLy ls
a socleLy founded on dlsclpllne and LhaL Lhe educaLlon lL offers ls a dlffuse neLwork of normallzaLlon
lrom Lhls perspecLlve Cramscl and loucaulL hlghllghL Lhe Lwo conLrasLlng faces of Pegels clvll
socleLy

lnflnlLe undulaLlons of Lhe Snake

When we look aL Lhe conLemporary socleLles of WesLern Lurope and norLh Amerlca lL seems LhaL
Lhese varlous rlch promlslng and frlghLenlng LheoreLlcal vlslons of clvll socleLy boLh ln Lhe Pegellan
verslon and ln Lhe Cramsclan and loucauldlan reformulaLlons no longer hold Lhey no longer grasp
Lhe domlnanL mechanlsms or schema of soclal producLlon and soclal orderlng 1he decllne of Lhe
paradlgm of clvll socleLy correlaLes Lo a passage ln conLemporary socleLy Loward a new conflguraLlon
of soclal relaLlons and new condlLlons of rule 1hls ls noL Lo say LhaL Lhe forms and sLrucLures of
soclal exchange parLlclpaLlon and domlnaLlon LhaL were ldenLlfled by Lhe concepL of clvll socleLy
have ceased enLlrely Lo exlsL buL raLher LhaL Lhey have been dlsplaced from Lhe domlnanL poslLlon
by a new conflguraLlon of apparaLuses deploymenLs and sLrucLures ueleuzes noLlon LhaL we have
recenLly experlenced a passage from a dlsclpllnary socleLy Lo a socleLy of conLrol can serve us here
as a flrsL aLLempL Lo undersLand Lhe decllne of Lhe rule of clvll socleLy and Lhe rlse of a new form of
conLrol ulsclpllnary socleLles as l suggesLed earller are characLerlzed by Lhe enclosures or
lnsLlLuLlons LhaL serve as Lhe skeleLon or backbone of clvll socleLy Lhese enclosures deflne Lhe sLrlae
of soclal space ueleuze lnslsLs however LhaL Lhese soclal enclosures or lnsLlLuLlons are Loday
everywhere ln crlsls and suggesLs LhaL lL ls more adequaLe Lhen Lo undersLand Lhe collapse of Lhe
walls deflned by Lhe enclosures noL as some sorL of soclal evacuaLlon buL raLher as Lhe
generallzaLlon of loglcs LhaL prevlously funcLloned wlLhln Lhese llmlLed domalns across Lhe enLlre
socleLy spreadlng llke a vlrus 1he loglc of caplLallsL producLlon perfecLed ln Lhe facLory now lnvesLs
all forms of soclal producLlon 1he same mlghL he sald also for Lhe school Lhe famlly Lhe hosplLal
and Lhe oLher dlsclpllnary lnsLlLuLlons Soclal space has noL been empLled of Lhe dlsclpllnary
lnsLlLuLlons lL has been compleLely fllled wlLh Lhe modulaLlons of conLrol 1he relaLlonshlp beLween
socleLy and Lhe SLaLe no longer prlmarlly lnvolves Lhe medlaLlon and organlzaLlon of Lhe lnsLlLuLlons
for dlsclpllne and rule lnsLead Lhe relaLlonshlp seLs Lhe SLaLe ln moLlon dlrecLly Lhrough Lhe
perpeLual clrculLry of soclal producLlon

We should be careful Lo polnL ouL however LhaL Lhe passage from dlsclpllnary socleLy Lo Lhe socleLy
of conLrol ls noL merely a shlfL ln Lhe lnsLlLuLlonal sLrucLures of rule WhaL underlles Lhe varlous
lnsLlLuLlons ls Lhe dlagram Lhe anonymous or absLracL sLraLeglc machlne Lhe unformed or
nonsLraLlfled schema of power relaLlons 1he dlagram Lranscends or beLLer subLends Lhe varlous
lnsLlLuLlonal assemblages 1he dlsclpllnary dlagram runs LhroughouL Lhe varlous lnsLlLuLlons
deflnlng Lhe condlLlons of posslblllLy Lhe condlLlons of whaL can be seen sald and known Lhe
condlLlons of Lhe exerLlon of power 1he passage Lo a socleLy of conLrol Lhen wlll cerLalnly manlfesL
sympLoms aL Lhe lnsLlLuLlonal level buL lL should he grasped also and above all aL Lhe dlagrammaLlc
level lf we are Lo follow loucaulLs meLhod Lhen we should ask flrsL whaL are Lhe dlagrams LhaL
deflne Lhe condlLlons of posslblllLy ln Lhe socleLles of conLrol? And Lhen ln whaL klnds of soclal
assemblages wlll Lhese dlagrammaLlc forces be consolldaLed and how? 1he meLaphors avallable Lo
us can aL leasL glve us an lndlcaLlon of Lhe naLure of Lhls passage 1he panopLlcon and dlsclpllnary
dlagrammaLlcs ln general funcLloned prlmarlly ln Lerms of poslLlons flxed polnLs and ldenLlLles
1he dlagram of conLrol however ls noL orlenLed Loward poslLlon and ldenLlLy buL raLher Loward
moblllLy and anonymlLy lL funcLlons on Lhe basls of 8Lhe whaLever8 Lhe flexlble and moblle
performance of conLlngenL ldenLlLles and Lhus lLs assemblages or lnsLlLuLlons are elaboraLed
prlmarlly Lhrough repeLlLlon and Lhe producLlon of slmulacra LlaboraLe conLrols over lnformaLlon
flow exLenslve use of polllng and monlLorlng Lechnlques and lnnovaLlve soclal use of Lhe medla Lhus
galn promlnenL poslLlons ln Lhe exerLlon of power

Clalmlng Lhe decllne of clvll socley of course does noL mean LhaL all Lhe mechanlsms of rule and
organlzaLlon whlch characLerlzed clvll socleLy no longer exlsL or funcLlon Slmllarly recognlzlng a
passage from dlsclpllnary socleLles Lo socleLles of conLrol does noL mean LhaL dlsclpllnary
deploymenLs and Lhe aLLendanL poLenLlallLles of reslsLance have compleLely dlsappeared
ulsclpllnary deploymenLs remaln as do elemenLs of soverelgnLy ln Lhe reglmes of conLrol WhaL ls
prlmarlly aL lssue Lhough ls noL slmply Lhe exlsLence of cerLaln apparaLuses mechanlsms or
deploymenLs buL raLher Lhelr predomlnance wlLhln a speclflc paradlgm of rule Cur Lask ls Lo dlscern
Lhe sallenL characLerlsLlcs of Lhe soclal formaLlon LhaL succeeds clvll socleLy Lhe smooLh spaces of
Lhe socleLles of conLrol consLlLuLe our flrsL aLLempL We can formulaLe a second complemenLary
approach Lo Lhls problemaLlc by casLlng Lhe passage noL ln loucauldlan buL raLher ln Marxlan
Lermlnology whlch wlll hlghllghL Lhe conLemporary change ln Lhe soclal organlzaLlon of labor
Marx recognlzed Lhe passage from Lhe formal Lo Lhe real subsumpLlon ln nlneLeenLhcenLury socleLy
as a Lendency buL lL seems Lo me LhaL Lhls passage has only come Lo be generallzed ln Lhe mosL
compleLely caplLallsL counLrles ln our Llmes 6 Accordlng Lo Marx ln Lhe flrsL of Lhese Lwo phases
Lhe formal subsumpLlon soclal labor processes are subsumed under caplLal LhaL ls Lhey are
enveloped wlLhln Lhe caplLallsL relaLlons of producLlon ln such a manner LhaL caplLal lnLervenes as
Lhe dlrecLor or manager ln Lhls arrangemenL caplLal subsumes labor Lhe way lL flnds lL caplLal Lakes
over exlsLlng labor processes LhaL were developed ln prevlous modes of producLlon or aL any raLe
ouLslde of caplLallsL producLlon AcLually as Pegel clearly recognlzed ln hls wrlLlngs caplLal
cannoL dlrecLly lnLegraLe concreLe labor buL musL flrsL absLracL lL from lLs concreLe forms 1he
varlous processes of absLracLlon Lhe reslsLances Lhese glve rlse Lo and Lhe poLenLlal llnes of soclal
confllcL beLween concreLe labor and absLracL labor are Lhus prlnclple characLerlsLlcs of Lhe phase of
Lhe formal subsumpLlon CaplLal Lends however Lhrough Lhe soclallzaLlon of producLlon and
Lhrough sclenLlflc and Lechnologlcal lnnovaLlon Lo creaLe new labor processes and Lo desLroy old
ones Lransformlng Lhe slLuaLlons of Lhe varlous agenLs of producLlon CaplLal Lhus seLs ln moLlon a
speclflcally caplLallsL mode of producLlon Marx calls Lhe subsumpLlon of labor _real_ Lhen when
Lhe labor processes Lhemselves are born wlLhln caplLal and Lherefore when labor ls lncorporaLed noL
as an exLernal buL an lnLernal force proper Lo caplLal lLself As we move Lo Lhe phase of Lhe real
subsumpLlon Marx explalns labor processes evolve so LhaL flrsL of all producLlon ls no longer a
dlrecL and lndlvldual acLlvlLv buL an lmmedlaLely soclal acLlvlLy ln Lhe _speclflcally_ caplLallsL
mode of producLlon LhaL ls ln Lhe phase of Lhe real subsumpLlon producLlve labor or even
producLlon ln general no longer appears as Lhe plllar LhaL deflnes and susLalns caplLallsL soclal
organlzaLlon roducLlon ls glven an ob[ecLlve quallLy as lf Lhe caplLallsL sysLem were a machlne LhaL
marched forward on lLs own accord wlLhouL labor a caplLallsL auLomaLon 1hls ls how we should
undersLand Lhe passage from Lhe formal Lo Lhe real subsumpLlon 1he socleLy of Lhe formal
subsumpLlon was characLerlzed by Lhe dlalecLlc beLween caplLal and labor as a forelgn force
subsumed wlLhln caplLal labor had Lo be absLracLed recuperaLed dlsclpllned and Lamed wlLhln Lhe
producLlve processes 8uL labor noneLheless was conLlnually recognlzed as Lhe source of all soclal
wealLh ln Lhe socleLy of Lhe real subsumpLlon Lhls dlalecLlc no longer holds Lhe cenLral role and
caplLal no longer needs Lo engage labor or represenL labor aL Lhe hearL of producLlon WhaL ls
subsumed whaL ls accepLed lnLo Lhe process ls no longer a poLenLlally confllcLlve force buL a
producL of Lhe sysLem lLself Lhe real subsumpLlon does noL exLend verLlcally LhroughouL Lhe varlous
sLraLa of socleLy buL raLher consLrucLs a separaLe plane a slmulacrum of socleLy LhaL excludes or
marglnallzes soclal forces forelgn Lo Lhe sysLem Soclal caplLal Lhus appears Lo reproduce lLself
auLonomously as lf lL were emanclpaLed from Lhe worklng class and labor becomes lnvlslble ln Lhe
sysLem

1he SLaLe of Lhe real subsumpLlon ls no longer lnLeresLed ln medlaLlon or 8educaLlon8 buL ln
separaLlon no longer ln dlsclpllne buL ln conLrol 1he SLaLe of Lhe real subsumpLlon operaLes on a
separaLe plane a slmulacrum of Lhe soclal fleld absLracL from labor lLself Cnce agaln my general
polnL here ls slmply LhaL ln Lhls passage Lhe democraLlc and/or dlsclpllnary lnsLlLuLlons of clvll
socleLy Lhe channels of soclal medlaLlon as a parLlcular form of Lhe organlzaLlon of soclal labor
socleLy pollLlcally have decllned and been dlsplaced from Lhe cenLer of Lhe scene noL Lhe SLaLe buL
clvll socleLy has wlLhered away! ln oLher words even lf one were Lo conslder clvll socleLy pollLlcally
deslrable Lhe soclal condlLlons necessary for clvll socleLy no longer exlsL

1he osLclvll CondlLlon

Clvll socleLy as we have seen ls cenLral Lo a form of rule or governmenL as loucaulL says LhaL
focuses on Lhe one hand on Lhe ldenLlLv of Lhe clLlzen and Lhe processes of clvlllzaLlon and on Lhe
oLher hand on Lhe organlzaLlon of absLracL labor 1hese processes are varlously concelved as
educaLlon Lralnlng or dlsclpllne buL whaL remalns common ls Lhe acLlve engagemenL wlLh soclal
forces (Lhrough elLher medlaLlon or producLlon) Lo order soclal ldenLlLles wlLhln Lhe conLexL of
lnsLlLuLlons WhaL has come Lo an end or more accuraLely decllned ln lmporLance ln posLclvll
socleLy Lhen are preclsely Lhese funcLlons of medlaLlon or educaLlon and Lhe lnsLlLuLlons LhaL gave
Lhem form 1he formulaLlon _posLclvll_ however llke _posLmodern_ ls flnally llmlLed by lLs
backward gaze lL ls Loo reacLlve Lo do [usLlce Lo Lhe new paradlgm of soclal relaLlons More
lmporLanL Lhan Lhe soclal elemenLs and Lechnlques LhaL have faded from promlnence are Lhose LhaL
have newly Laken Lhe domlnanL poslLlons 1he deploymenLs of conLrol and Lhe soclal consLlLuLlon of
Lhe real subsumpLlon glve us a framework Lo begln Lo grasp Lhe novelLles of our slLuaLlon lnsLead of
dlsclpllnlng Lhe clLlzen as a flxed soclal ldenLlLy Lhe new soclal reglme seeks Lo conLrol Lhe clLlzen as
a whaLever ldenLlLy or raLher as an lnflnlLely flexlble placeholder for ldenLlLy lL Lends Lo esLabllsh an
auLonomous plane of rule a slmulacrum of Lhe soclal separaLe from Lhe Lerraln of confllcLlve soclal
forces MoblllLy speed and flexlblllLy are Lhe quallLles LhaL characLerlze Lhls separaLe plane of rule
1he lnflnlLely programmable machlne Lhe ldeal of cyberneLlcs glves us aL leasL on approxlmaLlon of
Lhe dlagram of Lhe new paradlgm of rule Analyzlng Lhe new Lechnlques of soclal conLrol ls only
worLhwhlle Lo Lhe exLenL LhaL lL allows us Lo grasp also Lhe new poLenLlallLles for conLesLaLlon and
freedom emerglng wlLLhln Lhls new paradlgm l would suggesL LhaL ln order Lo begln Lhlnklng
Lhese new poLenLlallLles we should reLurn agaln Lo lnvesLlgaLe Lhe form and naLure of labor or
creaLlve soclal pracLlces ln conLemporary socleLy Soclal pracLlces have cerLalnly changed and so
Loo should our noLlon of whaL consLlLuLes labor noL [usL ln Lhe sphere of wage labor (whlch lndeed
has undergone radlcal LransformaLlon ln some secLors) buL also ln Lhe sphere of deslrlng producLlon
lnLellecLual creaLlvlLv carlng labor kln work and so forLh Lven ln Lhe socleLy of conLrol labor ls
sLlll Lhe 8savage beasL8 LhaL Pegel feared refuslng Lo he sub[ugaLed and Lamed and perhaps lLs
poLenLlal ls even greaLer Loday when lL ls no longer engaged medlaLed and dlsclpllned Lhrough Lhe
lnsLlLuLlons of clvll socleLy as lL was ln Lhe prevlous paradlgm 1he neLworks of soclallLy and forms of
cooperaLlon embedded ln conLemporary soclal pracLlces consLlLuLe Lhe germs for a new movemenL
wlLh new forms of conLesLaLlon and new concepLlons of lllberaLlon 1hls alLernaLlve communlLy of
soclal pracLlces (call lL perhaps Lhe selforganlzaLlon of concreLe lahor) wlll be Lhe mosL poLenL
challenge Lo Lhe conLrol of posLclvll socleLy and wlll polnL perhaps Lo Lhe of our fuLure