André Glucksmann
Encyclopedia
André Glucksmann is a French philosopher and writer, and member of the French new philosophers
.
, the son of Ashkenazi Jewish parents from Romania
and Czechoslovakia
. He studied in Lyon, and later enrolled at École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud
. His first book, Le Discours de Ia Guerre, was published in 1968. In 1975 he published the anti-Marxist book La Cuisinière le Mangeur d'Hommes, in which he argued that Marxism
leads inevitably to totalitarianism
, tracing parallels between the crimes of Nazism
and Communism. In his next book Les maitres penseurs, published in 1977 and translated into English as "Master Thinkers" (Harper & Row, 1980), he traced the intellectual justification for totalitarianism back to the ideas articulated by various German philosophers i.e. Fichte, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche.
“My style of thinking is to compare what happens on the TV, in the news and so on, and then extract what I can from books of philosophers to understand it. Philosophy for me is like subtitles. The problem comes from [current events] but the answer is supplied by philosophy.”
Glucksmann criticises the notion that Islamist terrorism is a product of the clash of civilizations between Islam and the West, arguing that the first victims of Islamic terrorism are Muslims:
"Why do the 200,000 slaughtered Muslims of Darfur not arouse even half a quarter of the fury caused by 200-times fewer dead in Lebanon? Must we deduce that Muslims killed by other Muslims don’t count – whether in the eyes of Muslim authorities or viewed through the bad conscience of the west?"
independence. He, however, is against the Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence from Georgia, arguing that Georgia is essential to maintaining European Union "energy independence," vis-a-vis Russia, through access to oil and gas reserves in the former Soviet republics: "If Tbilisi falls, there will be no way to get around Gazprom
and guarantee autonomous access to the gas and petroleum wealth
of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan" . As proof of Russia's plans to use energy blackmail, Glucksmann references a biting anti-Gazprom
satirical song performed at the annual satirical award show "Silver Rubber Boot", which makes jokes like: If the Eurovision Song Contest denies victory to Russia again, we are going to drive to their concert and block their gas with our bodies!. Glucksmann describes this song as proof that the Russian people want to cut off gas to Ukraine and Europe.
He writes: Consider a popular song performed by a military choir in Moscow. Its chorus depicts the “radiant future” that Gazprom is preparing: “Europe has a problem with us? We will cut off its gas... The Russian public loves the song.".
Glucksmann supported Nicolas Sarkozy
for the April–May 2007 presidential election
. In August 2008 he co-signed an open letter with Václav Havel, Desmond Tutu, and Wei Jingsheng calling upon the Chinese authorities to respect human rights both during and after the Beijing Olympic Games.
He is a signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
.
New Philosophers
The New Philosophers is a term which refers to a generation of French philosophers who broke with Marxism in the early 1970s. They include André Glucksmann, Alain Finkielkraut, Pascal Bruckner, Bernard-Henri Lévy, Jean-Marie Benoist, Christian Jambet, Guy Lardreau and Jean-Paul Dollé...
.
Early years
André Glucksmann was born in 1937, in Boulogne-BillancourtBoulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, the son of Ashkenazi Jewish parents from Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. He studied in Lyon, and later enrolled at École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud
École normale supérieure lettres et sciences humaines
The École Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines, or ENS LSH, was an elite French grande école specialising in the arts, humanities and social sciences...
. His first book, Le Discours de Ia Guerre, was published in 1968. In 1975 he published the anti-Marxist book La Cuisinière le Mangeur d'Hommes, in which he argued that Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
leads inevitably to totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
, tracing parallels between the crimes of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and Communism. In his next book Les maitres penseurs, published in 1977 and translated into English as "Master Thinkers" (Harper & Row, 1980), he traced the intellectual justification for totalitarianism back to the ideas articulated by various German philosophers i.e. Fichte, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche.
Philosophy
In "The Brothers Karamazov" and other works, Dostoevsky asserts that if God doesn't exist, then everything is permitted. In his book, "Dostoyevsky in Manhattan" André Glucksmann applies this critique of godless nihilism to 9/11. His most recent book, “Une rage d’enfant” (2006) is an autobiography which talks about how his experiences as a youth as a Jew in occupied France led to his interest in philosophy and his belief in the importance of intervention:“My style of thinking is to compare what happens on the TV, in the news and so on, and then extract what I can from books of philosophers to understand it. Philosophy for me is like subtitles. The problem comes from [current events] but the answer is supplied by philosophy.”
Glucksmann criticises the notion that Islamist terrorism is a product of the clash of civilizations between Islam and the West, arguing that the first victims of Islamic terrorism are Muslims:
"Why do the 200,000 slaughtered Muslims of Darfur not arouse even half a quarter of the fury caused by 200-times fewer dead in Lebanon? Must we deduce that Muslims killed by other Muslims don’t count – whether in the eyes of Muslim authorities or viewed through the bad conscience of the west?"
Activism
Glucksmann supports military action by the West in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is highly critical of Russian foreign policy, supporting for example ChechenChechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
independence. He, however, is against the Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence from Georgia, arguing that Georgia is essential to maintaining European Union "energy independence," vis-a-vis Russia, through access to oil and gas reserves in the former Soviet republics: "If Tbilisi falls, there will be no way to get around Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
and guarantee autonomous access to the gas and petroleum wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan" . As proof of Russia's plans to use energy blackmail, Glucksmann references a biting anti-Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
satirical song performed at the annual satirical award show "Silver Rubber Boot", which makes jokes like: If the Eurovision Song Contest denies victory to Russia again, we are going to drive to their concert and block their gas with our bodies!. Glucksmann describes this song as proof that the Russian people want to cut off gas to Ukraine and Europe.
He writes: Consider a popular song performed by a military choir in Moscow. Its chorus depicts the “radiant future” that Gazprom is preparing: “Europe has a problem with us? We will cut off its gas... The Russian public loves the song.".
Glucksmann supported Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
for the April–May 2007 presidential election
French presidential election, 2007
The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France for a five-year term.The winner, decided on 5 and 6 May 2007, was Nicolas Sarkozy...
. In August 2008 he co-signed an open letter with Václav Havel, Desmond Tutu, and Wei Jingsheng calling upon the Chinese authorities to respect human rights both during and after the Beijing Olympic Games.
He is a signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
The Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism , which was signed on 3 June 2008, was a declaration signed by prominent European politicians, former political prisoners and historians, including past signatories of Charter 77 such as Václav Havel, which called for condemnation of and...
.
Works
- A Child's Rage (Une rage d'enfant) (2006)
- The Discourse of Hate (Le Discours de la haine) (2004)
- West Versus West (Ouest contre Ouest) (2003)
- Dostoevsky in Manhattan (Dostoïevski à Manhattan) (2002)
- The Third Death of God (La Troisième Mort de Dieu) (2000)
- Stupidity (La Bêtise) (1985)
- Cynicism and Passion (Cynisme et passion) (1981/1999)
- The Force of Vertigo (La Force du vertige) (1983).
- The Master Thinkers (Les Maîtres penseurs) (1977)
Interviews
- "An Interview with Andre Glucksman". TELOSTELOS (journal)Telos is an academic journal published in the United States. It was founded in May 1968 to provide the New Left with a coherent theoretical perspective. It sought to expand the Husserlian diagnosis of "the crisis of European sciences" to prefigure a particular program of social reconstruction...
33 (Fall 1977). New York: Telos Press
External links
- The André Glucksmann File
- The French malady, article by Andre Glucksmann on the Clearstream Affair
- Separating truth and belief, article by Andre Glucksmann on the Danish Muhammad cartoons
- The victory of Euro-nihilism, article by Andre Glucksmann on the French "non" to the European constitution