amale
19th March 2008, 22:03
If you are very familiar with Bataille, does the end of my little explanation (the end in blue bold) seem to be accurate? And why is Bataille critical of the Soviet state? Lol, one more question-- should the "state" in Soviet state be capitalized?
In The Accursed Share, Georgres Bataille expresses a deep admiration for the qualities exhibited by the people of the Soviet Union. Throughout the duration of the two five year plans that enforced industrialization and collectivization, the Soviet people demonstrated their ability to endure immense degrees of suffering, and tremendous levels of self denial. Bataille admired their continued self-sacrifice and their continued renunciation in the absence of any promise of gratification in the future. Bataille admired these qualities because he believed that they signified a form of self-mastery, or negative sovereignty. He believed that the Russian people held an admirable heroic quality that was independent of the Soviet Union. Bataille was critical of the Soviet state within the perception that the Soviet Union was in the position to conquer the entire world. He felt that this was an inevitable outcome in the consideration of the Soviet Union’s unprecedented speed, efficiency and magnitude of industrialization, as well as their international military and economic power. Bataille ultimately expresses optimism and dread in the face of Soviet world domination. He purports that if the threatening, great and sudden catastrophes looming on the horizon “come to pass, only the methods of the USSR would – in a wondrous silence of the individual voice! Would be equal to a ruined immensity.” (P. 167) In other words, the Soviet Union may be the only system capable of cleaning up the mess caused by the failing of the world economic situation. Bataille finally asserts that there is no point in exhausting oneself in fighting inevitable change in an increasingly ever-changing world.
One more question:
Would it be accurate to say that Bataille believed that-- The USSR, perhaps, while being the only present system capable of cleaning up the mess, that however, doesn't make it the best or even a good way to do it?
In The Accursed Share, Georgres Bataille expresses a deep admiration for the qualities exhibited by the people of the Soviet Union. Throughout the duration of the two five year plans that enforced industrialization and collectivization, the Soviet people demonstrated their ability to endure immense degrees of suffering, and tremendous levels of self denial. Bataille admired their continued self-sacrifice and their continued renunciation in the absence of any promise of gratification in the future. Bataille admired these qualities because he believed that they signified a form of self-mastery, or negative sovereignty. He believed that the Russian people held an admirable heroic quality that was independent of the Soviet Union. Bataille was critical of the Soviet state within the perception that the Soviet Union was in the position to conquer the entire world. He felt that this was an inevitable outcome in the consideration of the Soviet Union’s unprecedented speed, efficiency and magnitude of industrialization, as well as their international military and economic power. Bataille ultimately expresses optimism and dread in the face of Soviet world domination. He purports that if the threatening, great and sudden catastrophes looming on the horizon “come to pass, only the methods of the USSR would – in a wondrous silence of the individual voice! Would be equal to a ruined immensity.” (P. 167) In other words, the Soviet Union may be the only system capable of cleaning up the mess caused by the failing of the world economic situation. Bataille finally asserts that there is no point in exhausting oneself in fighting inevitable change in an increasingly ever-changing world.
One more question:
Would it be accurate to say that Bataille believed that-- The USSR, perhaps, while being the only present system capable of cleaning up the mess, that however, doesn't make it the best or even a good way to do it?