Introduction: “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
“A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek, first appeared in the Critical Inquiry journal in the Summer of 1998, critiques the reactionary dismissal of Eurocentrism by leftist intellectuals, positing that a nuanced leftist appropriation of Europe’s political and philosophical legacy is possible. Žižek explores the emergence of politics proper in ancient Greece, where the excluded demos claimed universal representation, challenging hierarchical social orders. This tension between universality and particularity, central to political struggles from the French Revolution to Eastern European socialism’s collapse, is contrasted with postmodern identity politics, which depoliticize demands for justice by situating them within predefined social categories. The essay underscores the importance of universalism, arguing that authentic political engagement involves reasserting universal truths against the depoliticized forces of globalization and multiculturalism. By revisiting Europe’s philosophical legacy, Žižek calls for a reinvigoration of political theory and praxis, situating the critique within broader discourses of democracy, ideology, and literary theory.
Summary of “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
Politics Proper and Its Origins
- Politics, as a phenomenon, first emerged in ancient Greece, characterized by the tension between the structured social body and the “part of no-part” (the excluded groups demanding universal equality).
- This is seen in democratic events such as the French Revolution, where the Third Estate identified itself with the nation as a whole (Žižek, p. 988).
- True politics involves universalizing a particular demand that destabilizes hierarchical structures and asserts equality (Balibar, p. 988).
Four Modes of Depoliticization
- Arche-politics: Communitarianism that avoids political conflict by insisting on a harmonious, organic social order.
- Parapolitics: Reduces politics to a competition of interests within agreed-upon rules (e.g., social contract theories).
- Metapolitics: Views political conflict as a shadow of deeper economic processes, ultimately aiming to abolish politics.
- Ultrapolitics: Radicalizes conflicts into an “us versus them” warlike stance (Žižek, pp. 992–993).
Postpolitics and Its Dangers
- Postpolitics replaces ideological conflict with technocratic governance and consensus-building, sidelining the excluded and depoliticizing their grievances.
- The excluded, now positioned as apolitical entities like immigrants or minorities, face racist violence as the political returns in the form of ethnic and religious conflicts (Rancière, p. 998).
Universalism vs. Globalization
- Globalization serves capital’s interests and is mistaken for universalism. True universalism emerges through political struggle, giving voice to the excluded (Žižek, p. 1002).
- The U.S. represents a model of multicultural coexistence, while French republicanism embodies universalist ideals. The clash between globalization and universalism defines modern political tensions (Žižek, p. 1008).
Excessive Violence and Multiculturalism
- Excessive violence, such as racism or xenophobia, arises as a response to the depoliticized, multiculturalist framework. It reflects the foreclosed political dimension returning in distorted forms (Balibar, p. 999).
- Racist violence exemplifies “id-evil,” where resentment against the Other masks deeper frustrations with symbolic exclusion (Žižek, p. 1000).
Eurocentrism and Political Legacy
- Žižek advocates a leftist appropriation of the European legacy, reclaiming the emancipatory potential of universalist politics from ancient Greece to the Enlightenment.
- Unlike postmodern identity politics, which fragments demands into particularistic struggles, true politics requires universalizing the excluded’s grievances (Žižek, pp. 1006–1007).
- The task for the left is to reinvigorate this European tradition of politicization to challenge global capitalism and resist the depoliticizing tendencies of postpolitics.
Challenges of Repoliticization
- The return to political antagonism is necessary to confront both right-wing fundamentalism and the global capitalist order. This requires breaking the cycle of neoliberal globalization and asserting universal justice (Žižek, p. 1009).
- Žižek underscores the need for a new mode of repoliticization that interrogates global capitalism’s dominance, continuing the European tradition of universalism as a transformative force.
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
| Theoretical Term/Concept | Definition | Explanation/Example |
| Politics Proper | The emergence of universal equality through the demands of excluded groups (“part of no-part”) challenging hierarchy. | Seen in events like the French Revolution, where marginalized groups claimed to represent society as a whole. |
| Part of No-Part | Groups excluded or marginalized within the social hierarchy that claim universality. | Example: The Greek demos, which represented universal interests despite being politically excluded. |
| Singulier Universel | A singular group that identifies with universal principles, disrupting social hierarchy. | Example: French Third Estate declaring itself the nation during the French Revolution. |
| Arche-politics | Attempts to sustain a harmonious, closed social order by avoiding political conflict. | Seen in traditional communitarian societies that suppress dissent to maintain stability. |
| Parapolitics | Reducing politics to regulated competition within existing frameworks. | Example: Electoral politics framed as a contest of interests under fixed democratic rules. |
| Metapolitics | The view that political struggles are merely expressions of underlying economic contradictions. | Example: Marxist interpretation of class struggle as driven by economic processes. |
| Ultrapolitics | Radicalizing political conflict into warfare or absolute antagonism. | Example: Carl Schmitt’s notion of politics as a friend-enemy distinction. |
| Postpolitics | The foreclosure of political antagonism, replaced by technocratic management and consensus-building. | Example: Global governance through negotiations without addressing structural inequalities. |
| Depoliticization | Efforts to suppress or neutralize political antagonism through consensus or technocracy. | Example: Viewing demands for justice as technical issues to be managed, not conflicts to be resolved. |
| Igaliberté | Balibar’s concept combining equality (égalité) and liberty (liberté) as the foundation of politics proper. | Politics proper emerges when the excluded claim equality and liberty as universal rights. |
| Globalization vs. Universalism | Globalization refers to capitalist integration; universalism refers to political struggles that assert universal equality. | Example: Global trade’s expansion vs. movements for workers’ rights worldwide. |
| Symbolic Efficiency | The capacity of symbolic fictions (e.g., human rights) to influence and reorganize socio-political relations. | Example: The French Revolution’s demand for “liberty, equality, fraternity” transforming political structures. |
| Id-evil | Violence driven by irrational resentment, not ideological or utilitarian motivations. | Example: Xenophobic attacks by skinheads as expressions of disturbed pleasure dynamics. |
| Appearance vs. Simulacrum | Appearance is symbolic and meaningful; simulacrum is an indistinguishable copy of reality. | Example: Democratic rights (appearance) inspiring action vs. superficial performative politics (simulacrum). |
| Foreclosure of the Political | Complete suppression of political antagonism, leading to irrational, excessive returns of the repressed. | Example: Ethnic violence arising in depoliticized societies. |
| Multiculturalism | Liberal acceptance of diverse identities without addressing structural injustices. | Example: Affirmative action that acknowledges difference but does not politicize systemic inequality. |
| The Knave and the Fool | The knave is a cynical realist; the fool is a utopian who exposes the lie of the existing order. | The knave: Free-market advocate; the fool: Multiculturalist critic of the system. |
| Vanishing Mediator | A transitional event or state that disrupts the old order but disappears in the establishment of the new. | Example: Democratic protests in Eastern Europe, which dissolved into neoliberal regimes. |
| Truth-Event | A transformative moment that universalizes a demand, challenging the existing order. | Example: The declaration of universal rights during revolutions. |
| Ressentiment | Resentment expressed by asserting victimhood and demanding compensation from the dominant order. | Example: Postmodern identity politics seeking reparations for historical injustices. |
Contribution of “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek to Literary Theory/Theories
Postmodernism and Deconstruction
- Critique of Postmodern Multiculturalism
Žižek critiques the depoliticizing tendencies of postmodern multiculturalism, which prioritizes identity recognition over structural change. This insight challenges literary theories that celebrate multiplicity without addressing underlying power dynamics. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1007) - Simulacrum vs. Symbolic Appearance
Differentiating symbolic appearance (political fiction) from the simulacrum (surface without depth), Žižek illuminates postmodernism’s failure to sustain the political dimensions of meaning. This critique impacts readings of texts that deal with authenticity and representation. (Žižek, 1998, p. 996)
- Class Struggle as Political Universalism
The essay asserts that class struggle transcends particularity to represent universal justice. This aligns with Marxist approaches that interpret literature as a site of class antagonism and universal emancipatory potential. (Žižek, 1998, p. 993) - Critique of Metapolitics
Žižek’s critique of Marxist metapolitics—reducing political conflict to economic determinism—invites a reevaluation of literary texts that foreground the autonomy of political struggle. (Žižek, 1998, p. 994)
Psychoanalytic Literary Theory
- Concept of Id-Evil
The notion of “id-evil,” where irrational violence expresses libidinal disturbances, contributes to psychoanalytic readings of literature, especially in analyzing characters’ unconscious drives and societal projections. (Žižek, 1998, p. 999) - Political Symbolic and Sublimation
Žižek’s exploration of symbolic appearance connects to Lacanian theories of sublimation, enriching interpretations of symbolic structures in narratives and their disruptions. (Žižek, 1998, p. 996)
Cultural Studies and Identity Politics
- Critique of Identity Politics
Žižek argues that postmodern identity politics, focused on particularities, undermines universal struggles for justice. This critique offers a framework for analyzing cultural texts that prioritize identity over solidarity. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1007) - Ressentiment and Victimhood
The essay’s critique of ressentiment—a politics of victimhood—provides a lens for examining narratives that center on grievance and reparation rather than transformative justice. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1007)
Political Theory and Literature
- Concept of Politics Proper
Žižek’s definition of politics proper as the assertion of universal equality by excluded groups applies to literary texts portraying marginalized voices claiming their space in dominant discourses. (Žižek, 1998, p. 989) - Foreclosure of the Political
The idea that postpolitical societies suppress political antagonisms resonates with literary theories examining the absence or erasure of conflict in neoliberal cultural production. (Žižek, 1998, p. 998)
European Legacy in Literary Studies
- Defense of Eurocentrism
Žižek’s reappropriation of the European legacy as the birthplace of political universality encourages critical literary theory to reassess European narratives and their universalist claims in literature. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1008) - Universalism vs. Globalization in Texts
The distinction between universalism (political struggle) and globalization (economic integration) shapes interpretations of literature that critique neoliberal globalization. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1009)
Examples of Critiques Through “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
| Literary Work | Žižek’s Theoretical Lens | Example of Critique |
| George Orwell’s 1984 | Foreclosure of the Political: Postpolitical societies suppress antagonisms. | The Party in 1984 represents the total depoliticization of dissent, where all resistance is foreclosed and any opposition is repressed, turning subjects into docile citizens. (Žižek, 1998, p. 998) |
| Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart | Universalism vs. Identity Politics: Universal struggle vs. particular identities. | Achebe’s portrayal of Igbo society reflects resistance to colonial globalization, but the focus on local identity risks being co-opted by postmodern narratives of victimhood. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1007) |
| Toni Morrison’s Beloved | Ressentiment and Victimhood: The cycle of grievance versus universal justice. | Sethe’s traumatic past symbolizes a ressentiment-driven response to slavery; Žižek’s critique would explore how this cycle challenges or reinforces universal emancipation. (Žižek, 1998, p. 1007) |
| F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby | Simulacrum vs. Symbolic Appearance: Differentiating depth from superficiality. | Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy represents the simulacrum—a mere surface projection of desire—while Žižek would argue for the lost symbolic efficiency of the American Dream. (Žižek, 1998, p. 996) |
Criticism Against “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
- Reinforcement of Eurocentrism
Žižek’s argument for a leftist appropriation of Eurocentrism has been critiqued as inadvertently reinforcing the very Eurocentric hierarchies he seeks to challenge. His valorization of European philosophical traditions risks marginalizing non-European modes of thought. - Neglect of Postcolonial Perspectives
Critics argue that Žižek overlooks the contributions of postcolonial theorists, whose emphasis on the violence and exclusion inherent in Eurocentrism contradicts his portrayal of the European legacy as universally emancipatory. - Reduction of Identity Politics
Žižek’s critique of identity politics as a depoliticizing force is seen by some as dismissive of the legitimate struggles of marginalized groups. Critics suggest that he unfairly positions identity-based movements as antithetical to universalist politics. - Ambiguity in Universalism
While Žižek advocates for universalism, critics highlight a lack of clarity in how this universalism can be practically achieved without replicating existing power imbalances inherent in global structures. - Overemphasis on the Political
His insistence on the primacy of the political as the site of universal struggle has been critiqued for neglecting cultural, social, and economic dimensions, which are equally vital for understanding modern power dynamics. - Limited Engagement with Multiculturalism
Žižek’s harsh critique of liberal multiculturalism is considered overly cynical, dismissing it as purely a mechanism of global capitalism without acknowledging its potential for fostering mutual understanding and coexistence. - Romanticization of European Political Traditions
By emphasizing ancient Greek democracy and other European political milestones, Žižek has been accused of romanticizing European history while downplaying its complicity in colonialism and systemic oppression.
Representative Quotations from “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “What is politics proper? It is a phenomenon that appeared for the first time in ancient Greece…” | Highlights Žižek’s assertion that the concept of politics, rooted in universal equality, is a distinctively European legacy, emphasizing its historical emergence. |
| “Politics proper thus always involves a kind of short circuit between the universal and the particular…” | Describes the tension in politics where marginalized groups (the “part of no-part”) claim to represent universal values, challenging established hierarchies. |
| “The basic aim of antidemocratic politics always and by definition is depoliticization…” | Critiques antidemocratic politics for reducing politics to administrative order, thus suppressing the space for genuine democratic struggle and universality. |
| “Globalization is precisely the name for the emerging postpolitical logic…” | Žižek critiques globalization as erasing political universality by replacing it with the economic logic of global capitalism. |
| “Postmodern identity politics… fits perfectly the depoliticized notion of society…” | Criticizes identity politics for reinforcing particularism and avoiding the broader universal struggle against systemic injustices. |
| “The ultimate goal of true politics is thus its self-cancellation…” | Reflects on Marxist metapolitics, where the aim is to transcend political conflict and achieve a rational, universal society. |
| “True universalists are not those who preach global tolerance…but those who engage in a passionate fight…” | Argues that genuine universalism arises from active engagement in divisive political struggles, not from passive multicultural tolerance. |
| “We are entering a new medieval society in the guise of the new world order…” | Uses a historical analogy to critique the global capitalist order as fostering a fragmented, non-universal social structure similar to medieval feudalism. |
| “Multiculturalist openness versus a new fundamentalism is thus a false dilemma…” | Rejects the binary opposition of multiculturalism and fundamentalism, seeing both as outcomes of the depoliticized global capitalist order. |
| “The only way for universality to come into existence… is in the guise of its very opposite…” | Posits that universal truths often emerge through antagonistic struggles that appear irrational or excessive within existing social frameworks. |
Suggested Readings: “A Leftist Plea for “Eurocenterism” by Slavoj Žižek
- Žižek, Slavoj. “A leftist plea for” Eurocentrism”.” Critical Inquiry 24.4 (1998): 988-1009.
- Žižek, Slavoj. “A Leftist Plea for ‘Eurocentrism.'” Critical Inquiry, vol. 24, no. 4, 1998, pp. 988–1009. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1344115. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
- Žižek, Slavoj. “Melancholy and the Act.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 26, no. 4, 2000, pp. 657–81. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1344326. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
- Ciftci, Mehmet. “Saint Augustine and the Theological Critique of Ideology.” New Blackfriars, vol. 99, no. 1079, 2018, pp. 20–29. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/45095793. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.