The Partisan vs. The Militant: The Janus-Face of Maoist Politics

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 28 Sayı: 55, 51 - 73, 28.03.2025

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https://doi.org/10.18691/kulturveiletisim.1623046

Öz

This study explores the juxtaposition of Carl Schmitt’s partisan and Alain Badiou’s militant as political subjects by revealing their foundational reliance on Mao Tse-tung’s ideas. Central to this discussion is the influence of Mao’s revolutionary praxis, which serves as an unexpected common point between these two opposing theorists. The dual events of the Chinese Revolution and the Cultural Revolution that set Mao’s role as a partisan warrior for Schmitt and a militant of mass movements for Badiou present us with a complicated picture. The study argues that the role of violence in Schmitt’s and Badiou’s theories provides the key to moving beyond a superficial comparison between the two thinkers.
To that end, the study first presents Schmitt’s reading of Mao. By focusing on Theory of the Partisan, his justification for violence is analyzed through a detailed examination of its destructive logic, militaristic form, and its ultimate purpose of reproducing the state’s power. In contrast, the examination of Badiou’s Maoist roots reveals a militant subject that embodies universalist and transformative politics by employing the subtractive logic of violence. This, the study argues, creates new political possibilities that challenge existing structures without succumbing to state-centric paradigms.
By situating Mao’s thought within the broader discourse on violence and political subjectivity, the study demonstrates how historical and theoretical legacies continue to shape contemporary debates on the nature and purpose of politics. Ultimately, it contributes to political theory by delineating the distinct yet interconnected roles of Schmitt’s partisan and Badiou’s militant, while highlighting Mao’s enduring relevance.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Alain Badiou, Carl Schmitt, Mao Tse-tung, the Cultural Revolution, the partisan, the militant.

Partizan Karşısında Militan: Maocu Siyasetin Janus Yüzü

Öz

Bu çalışma, birer siyasal özne olan Carl Schmitt’in partizanı ve Alain Badiou’nun militanını, Mao Tse-tung’un düşüncelerine dayalı temellerine işaret ederek karşılaştırmalı olarak incelemektedir. Tartışmanın merkezinde bu iki karşıt kuramcı arasında beklenmedik bir ortak nokta olarak ortaya çıkan Mao’nun devrimci pratiğinin etkisi yer almaktadır. Mao’nun rolünü Schmitt için bir partizan savaşçı, Badiou içinse bir kitlesel hareket militanı olarak şekillendiren Çin Devrimi ve Kültürel Devrim olayları bize karmaşık bir resim sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma Schmitt ve Badiou’nun kuramlarında şiddetin rolünün incelenmesinin bu iki düşünürün yüzeysel bir karşılaştırmasının ötesine geçecek bir anahtar olduğunu öne sürmektedir.
Bu amaçla, çalışma öncelikle Schmitt’in Mao okumasını sunacaktır. Partizan Teorisi’ne odaklanarak, Schmitt’in şiddeti meşrulaştırması biçimi, yıkıcı mantık, askeri biçim ve nihai hedef olan devletin iktidarının yeniden üretilmesi üzerinden detaylı olarak irdelenecektir. Öte yandan, Badiou’nun Maoist köklerinin incelenmesi şiddetin eksiltici mantığını kullanarak evrensel ve dönüştürücü bir siyaseti benimseyen bir militan özne ortaya çıkaracaktır. Çalışma, bunun, devlet-merkezli paradigmalara teslim olmadan var olan yapıları sarsacak yeni siyasal olasılıklar yarattığını tartışmaktadır.
Çalışma, Mao’nun düşüncesini şiddet ve politik özne üzerine daha geniş bir söylem içinde konumlandırarak tarihsel ve teorik mirasların, siyasetin doğası ve amacı üzerine güncel tartışmaları nasıl şekillendirmeye devam ettiğini göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, çalışma Mao’nun kalıcı geçerliliğini vurgularken, Schmitt’in partizanı ile Badiou’nun militanı arasındaki belirgin ancak birbirine bağlı rolleri tanımlayarak siyasal teoriye katkı sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Alain Badiou, Carl Schmitt, Mao Tse-tung, Kültür Devrimi, partizan, militant.

Kaynakça

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