Derrida Mandela

8/13/2019 Derrida Mandela

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6 z Heideggers Hand ( G e s c h l e c h t II)

He id e gge r re ca l ls us a nd in whic h he s itua te s the prope r p la ce of Tra kl ha sno other content and even no other language t h a n t h a t o f P l a t o n i s m a n dC h r i s t i a n i t y . I t i s s i m p l y t h a t f r o m w h i c h s o m e t h i n g l i k e m e t a p h y s i c s a n dC h r i s t i a n i t y b e c o m e p o s s i b l e a n d t h i n k a b l e . B u t w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s t h e i ra r c h i - m a t i n a l [ a r c h i - m a t i n a l e ] o r i g i n a n d t h e i r u l t r a - W e s t e r n h o r i z o n i sn o t h i n g o t h e r t h a n t h i s h o l l o w o f a r e p e t i ti o n , i n t h e s t r o n g e s t a n d s t r a n g -e s t se nse of the te rm. And the form or " logic" of this re pe tit ion is re a da b len o t o n l y i n t h i s t e x t o n T r a k l , b u t i n e v e r y t h i n g t h a t , a f t e r Sein und Zeit,a na lyz e s the s tructure s of Dasein, t h e f a l l ( Verfall), th e ca l l (Rufi, a nd ca re(Sorge), a n d r e g u l a t e s t h i s r e l a t i o n o f t h e " m o s t o r i g i n a r y " w i t h w h a t i sp r e s u m e d t o b e l e ss o r i g i n a r y , n o t a b l y C h r i s t i a n i t y . I n t h i s t e x t , t h e a r g u -m e n t ( e s p e c i al l y t h e o n e u s e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t T r a k l i s n o t a C h r i s t i a np o e t ) t a k e s s o m e p a r t i c u l a r l y l a b o r i o u s a n d a t t i m e s v e r y s i m p l i s t i c f o r m s ,w h i c h I c a n n o t r e c o n s t i t u t e i n t h i s s c h e m a . J u s t a s H e i d e g g e r r e q u i r e s au n i q u e g a t h e r i n g p l a c e f o r T r a k l ' s Gedicht, s o m u s t h e p r e s u p p o s e t h a tt h e r e i s a s i n g l e p l a c e , u n i q u e a n d u n i v o c a l , f o r M e t a p h y s i c s [LA mta-physique] a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y [LEchristianisme]. B u t d o e s t h i s g a t h e r i n g ta k ep la ce ? Ha s it a p la ce , a unity of p la ce ? Tha t is the q ue s tion I wil l le a ves u s p e n d e d t h u s , j u s t b e f o r e t h e chute. I n F r e n c h o n e s o m e t i m e s c a l l s t h ee nd of a te x t a chute. O ne a lso sa ys , in p la ce of chute, th e envoi.

Translated by John P. Leavey Jr. and Elizabeth Rottenberg

4 Th e Laws of Reflection:Nelson Mandela, in Admiration

iA d m i r a b l e M a n d e l a .P e r i o d , n o e x c l a m a t i o n . I a m n o t u s i n g t h i s p u n c t u a t i o n t o m o d e r a t e

m y e n t h u s i a s m o r t o q u e l l m y f e r v o r . I n s t e ad o f s p e a k i n g o n l y i n h o n o r o fN e l s o n M a n d e l a , I w i l l s a y s o m e t h i n g a b o u t h i s h o n o r w i t h o u t s u c c u m b -i n g , i f t h i s i s p o s s i b l e , t o l o f t i n e s s , w i t h o u t p r o c l a i m i n g o r a c c l a i m i n g .

T h e h o m a g e w i l l p e r h a p s b e m o r e j u s t , a s w i l l i ts t o n e , i f i t s e e m s t os u r r e n d e r i ts i m p a t i e n c e w i t h o u t w h i c h t h e r e w o u l d b e n o q u e s t i o n o fa d m i r i n g t o t h e c o l d n e s s o f a n a n a l y s i s. A d m i r a t i o n r e a s o n s , d e s p i t ew h a t p e o p l e s a y ; i t w o r k s t h i n g s o u t w i t h r e a s o n ; i t a s t o n i s h e s a n d i n t e r -r o g a t e s : h o w c a n o n e b e M a n d e l a ? W h y d o e s h e se e m e x e m p l a r y a n da d m i r a b l e i n w h a t h e t h i n k s a n d s a y s , i n w h a t h e d o e s o r i n w h a t h e s u f -f e r s ? A d m i r a b l e i n h i m s e l f , a s w e l l a s f o r w h a t h e c o n v e y s i n h i s testimony,a n o t h e r w o r d f o r m a r t y r d o m , n a m e l y , t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f h i s p e o p l e ?

" M y p e o p l e a n d I , " h e a l w a y s s a ys , w i t h o u t s p e a k i n g l i k e a k i n g .W h y d o e s h e a ls oforce o n e t o a d m i r e h i m ? T h i s w o r d p r e s u p p o s e s s o m e

r e s i s t a n c e , f o r h i s e n e m i e s a d m i r e h i m w i t h o u t a d m i t t i n g i t . U n l i k e t h o s ew h o l o v e h i m a m o n g h i s p e o p l e a n d a l o n g w i t h h i s i n s e p a r a b l e W i n n i e ,f r o m w h o m t h e y h a v e a l w a y s k e p t h i m s e p a r a t e d i n v a i n , t h es e e n e m i e sThis essay was first published in Pour Nelson Mandela ( " Quinz e cr iva ins sa lu-e nt Ne lson Ma nde la e t le comba t dont sa v ie porte t moigna ge [Fif te e n write rsalute Nelson Mandela and the fight to which his life bears witness]" (Paris: Gal-l ima rd, 1986) . I tha nk Antoin e G a ll ima rd for pe rmiss ion to re pr int it he re.

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64 The L aws of Rel eci on

f e a r h i m . I f h i s m o s t h a t e f u l p e r s e c u t o r s s e c r e t l y a d m i r e h i m , t h i s p r o v e st h a t , a s o n e s a y s , h e c o m p e l s a d m i r a t i o n .

S o , t h i s i s t h e q u e s t i o n : w h e r e d o e s t h i s f o r c e c o m e f r o m ? W h e r e d o e si t lead ? For w ha t i s i t u sed , o r to w hat i s i t appl ied ? O r r ather : w h at d oe si t cau se to fold W h a t f o r m i s t o b e r e c o g n i z e d i n t h i s f o l d ? W h a t l i n e ?

F i r s t o f a l l w e w i l l s e e t h e r e , a n d l e t u s s a y i t w i t h o u t f u r t h e r p r e m i s e ,th e line of a reflection. I t i s f i r s t o f a l l a f o r c e o f r e f l e c t i o n . W h a t i s o b v i -o u s r i g h t a w a y i s t h a t M a n d e l a ' s p o l i t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e o r p a s s i o n c a n n e v e rh e s e p a r a t e d f r o m a t h e o r e t i c a l r e f l e c t i o n : o n h i s t o r y , c u l t u r e , a n d a b o v ea l l , l a w . A n u n r e m i t t i n g a n a l y s i s e n l i g h t e n s t h e r a t i o n a l i t y o f h i s a c t s, h i sd e m o n s t r a t i o n s , h i s s p e e c h e s , h i s s t r a t e g y . E v e n b e f o r e b e i n g c o n s t r a i n e dt o w i t h d r a w [au rep It] b y p r i s o n a n d d u r i n g a q u a r t e r c e n t u r y o f i n c a r -c e r a t i o n , h e h a s n o t c e a s e d t o a c t a n d d i r e c t t h e s t r u g g l e M a n d e l a h a sa l w a y s b e e n a m a n o f r e f l e c t i o n . L i k e a l l gr e a t p o l i t i c i a n s .

B u t i n " f o r c e o f r e f l e c t i o n " t h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g e l s e t h a t c a n b e h e a r d ,s o m e t h i n g t h a t s i g n a l s t o w a r d t h e l i t e r a l i t y o f t h e m i r r o r a n d t h e s c e n e o fs p e c u l a t i o n . N o t s o m u c h t o w a r d t h e p h y s i c a l l a w s o f r e f l e c t i o n as t o w a r ds p e c u l a r p a r a d o x e s i n t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e la w . T h e r e i s n o l a w w i t h o u tm i r r o r . A n d i n t h i s p r o p e r l y r e v e r s i b l e s t r u c t u r e , w e w i l l n e v e r a v o i d t h em o m e n t o f a d m i r a t i o n .

A d m i r a t i o n , a s i t s n a m e i n d i c a t e s , o n e w i l l s a y , a n d s o o n . N o , n o m a t -t e r w h a t i t s n a m e o r t h e f a c t t h a t i t a l w a y s e n a b l e s u s t o see, a d m i r a t i o nd o e s n o t o n l y b e l o n g t o s i g h t . It t r a n s l a te s e m o t i o n , a s t o n i s h m e n t , s u r -p r i s e , i n t e r r o g a t i o n i n t h e f a c e o f w h a t o v e r s t e p s t h e m e a s u r e : i n t h e f a c eo f t h e " e x t r a o r d i n a r y , " s a y s D e s c a r t e s , a n d h e c o n s i d e r s i t a p a s s i o n , t h ef i r s t o f t h e s i x p r i m i t i v e p a s s i o n s , b e f o r e l o v e , h a t e , d e s i r e , j o y , a n d s a d -n e s s . I t e n a b l e s u n d e r s t a n d i n g . O u t s i d e o f i t, t h e r e is o n l y i g n o r a n c e , h em i l l s , a n d i n i t r e s id e s " a g r e a t d e a l o f f o r c e " o f " s u r p r i s e " o r o f " s u d d e nar r ival | a r r i v e m e n t s u bi i\. " T h e a d m i r i n g l o o k i s a s t o n i s h e d ; it q u e s t i o n si t s i n t u i t i o n ; i t o p e n s i t s e l f t o t h e l i g h t o f a q u e s t i o n , b u t o f a q u e s t i o nr e c e i v e d n o l e s s t h a n a s k e d . T h i s e x p e r i e n c e l e t s i t s e l f b e t r a v e r s e d b y t h er a y o f a q u e s t i o n , w h i c h i n n o w a y p r e v e n t s i t s r e f l e c t i o n . T h e r a y c o m e sf r o m t h e v e r y t h i n g t h a t f o r c e s a d m i r a t i o n ; i t t h u s s p li t s a d m i r a t i o n i n t oa s p e c u l a r m o v e m e n t t h a t s e e m s s t r a n g e l y f a s c i n a t i n g .

M a n d e l a b e c o m e s a d m i r a b l e f o r h a v i n g k n o w n h o w t o a d m i r e . A n dw h a t h e h a s l e a r n e d , h e h a s l e a r n e d i n a d m i r a t i o n . H e f a s c i n a t e s t o o , a sw c s h a l l s e e , f o r h a v i n g b e e n f a s c i n a t e d .

I n a c e r t a i n w a y t h a t w e w i l l h a v e t o u n d e r s t a n d , he says this. H e s a y s

The L aws of Re leci on 65w h a t h e d o e s a n d w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o h i m . S u c h a l i g h t , it s r e f l e c t e dp a s s a g e , e x p e r i e n c e a s t h e d e p a r t u r e - r e t u r n o f a q u e s t i o n , w o u l d t h u s a l s ob e t h e e r u p t i o n [eclat] o f a v o i c e .N e l s o n M a n d e l a ' s v o i c e w h a t d o e s it e v o k e , a s k , e n j o i n ? W h a t w o u l di t h a v e t o d o w i t h s i g h t , r e f l e c t i o n , a d m i r a t i o n , I m e a n t h e e n e r g y o f t h i sv o i c e b u t a l s o o f w h a t s i n g s i n i t s n a m e ? ( h e a r t h e c l a m o r o f h i s p e o p l ew h e n t h i s p e o p l e d e m o n s t r a t e s i n h i s n a m e : M a n - d e - l a ) .

A d m i r a t i o n o f N e l s o n M a n d e l a , a s w e m i g h t s a y t h e p a s s i o n o f N e l s o nM a n d e l a . A d m i r a t i o n o f M a n d e l a , a d o u b l e g e n i t i v e : t h e o n e h e i n s p i r e sa n d t h e o n e h e f e e l s . T h e t w o h a v e t h e s a m e f o c u s , t h e y a r e r e f l e c t e d i ni t . I h a v e a l r e a d y s t a t e d m y h y p o t h e s i s : h e b e c o m e s a d m i r a b l e f o r h a v i n ga d m i r e d , w i t h a l l h i s s t r e n g t h , a n d f o r h a v i n g m a d e a f o r c e o f h i s a d m i r a -t i o n a n i n f l e x i b l e a n d i r r e d u c i b l e f ig h ti n g p o w e r . T h e l a w i t s e l f , t h e l a wa b o v e o t h e r l a w s .

F o r i n f a c t w h a t h a s h e a d m i r e d ? I n o n e w o r d : t h e L a w .A n d w h a t i n s c r i b e s i t i n d i s c o u r s e , in h i s t o r y , i n t h e i n s t i t u t i o n , n a m e l y

R i g h t .A f i rs t q u o t a t i o n a l a w y e r i s s p e a k i n g , d u r i n g a t r i a l , h i s t r i a l, t h e o n e

w h e r e h e i s a l s o p r o s e c u t i n g , t h e o n e i n w h i c h h e p r o s e c u t e s t h o s e w h oa c c u s e h i m , i n t h e n a m e o f t h e l a w :T he basic task at the pr esent moment is the r emoval o f r ace d isc r iminat ionand the at ta inment o f d emocr at ic r ights on the basis o f the F r eed om C har -ter . . . . F r om my r ea d ing o f Mar xist l i ter atu r e and f r o m conver sat ions w ithMar xists , I have gained the impr ession that commu nists r egar d the par l ia-menta r y system o f the West as u nd emo cr at ic and r eac t ionar y. Bu t , on thecontr ar y, I am an admirer o f su ch a system.

T he Magna Carta, the Pet i t ion o f Rights , and the Bi l l o f Rights ar e d ocu -ments w hich ar e held in vener at ion by d emocr ats thr ou ghou t the w or ld .

I have great respect fo r Br i t ish po l i t ical inst i tu t ions, a nd for the cou ntr y ' ssystem o f j u st ice . I r egar d the Br i t ish Par l iament as the most d emocr at ic in -st i tu t ion in the w or ld , and the ind epend ence and impar t ia l i ty o f i t s j u d ic iar ynever fa i l to arouse my admiration.1H e a d m i r e s t h e l a w , h e s a y s it c l e a rl y , b u t i s t h i s l a w , w h i c h c o m m a n d s

c o n s t i t u t i o n s a n d d e c l a r a t i o n s , e s s e n t i a l l y a t h i n g o f t h e W e s t ? D o e s i t sf o r m a l u n i v e r s a l i t y r e t a i n s o m e i r r e d u c i b l e l i n k w i t h E u r o p e a n o r e v e nA n g l o - A m e r i c a n h i s t o r y ? I f i t w e r e s o , w e w o u l d o f c o u r s e s t i l l h a v e t oc o n s i d e r t h i s s t r a n g e p o s s i b i l i t y : t h a t i t s f o r m a l c h a r a c t e r w o u l d b e a s e s -sent ia l to the u n iver sal i ty o f the law as the event o f i t s pr esentat ion in a


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3 The L aws of Re leci on

d e t e r m i n e d m o m e n t a n d p l a c e i n h i s t o r y . H o w c o u l d w e c o n c e i v e o f s u c ha h i s t o r y ? T h e s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t apartheid, w h e r e v e r i t t a k e s p l a c e a n d s u c ha s M a n d e l a c a r r i e s it o n a n d r e f l e c t s i t , w o u l d t h i s r e m a i n a s o r t o f s p e c u -l a r o p p o s i t i o n , a n i n t e r n a l w a r t h a t t h e W e s t w o u l d m a i n t a i n i n i t s e l f , i ni t s o w n n a m e ? A n i n t e r n a l c o n t r a d i c t i o n t h a t w o u l d s u f f e r n e i t h e r r a d i c a la l t e r i t y n o r t r u e d i s s y m m e t r y ?

I n t h i s f o r m , s u c h a h y p o t h e s i s s t il l i m p l i e s t o o m a n y i n d i s t i n c t p r e s u p -p o s i t i o n s . W e w i l l t r y t o i d e n t i f y t h e m l a t e r o n . F o r t h e m o m e n t , l e t u sr e t a i n a n o b v i o u s , m o r e l i m i t e d b u t a l s o m o r e c e r t a i n f a c t : w h a t M a n d e l aa d m i r e s a n d s a y s h e a d m i r e s i s t h e t r a d i t i o n i n a u g u r a t e d b y t h e M a g n aC a r t a , t h e U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f t h e R i g h t s o f M a n i n i t s d i f f e r e n tf o r m s ( h e f r e q u e n t l y a p p e a l s t o " t h e d i g n i t y o f m a n , " t o m a n " w o r t h y o ft h e n a m e " ) ; i t i s a l s o p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y a n d , s t i l l m o r e p r e c i s e l y ,t h e d o c t r i n e o f t h e s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s , t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e o f j u s t i c e .

But i f he a dmire s this tra dit ion, doe s it me a n tha t he is its he ir , i tss i m p l e h e i r ? Y es a n d n o , d e p e n d i n g o n w h a t i s m e a n t h e r e b y i n h e r i t a n c e .O n e c a n r e c o g n i z e a n a u t h e n t i c h e i r i n t h e o n e w h o c o n s e r v e s a n d r e p r o -duce s , but a lso in the one who re spe cts the logic of the le ga cy e ve n to thep o i n t o f t u r n i n g i t o n o c c a s i o n a g a i n s t t h o s e w h o c l a i m t o b e i t s g u a r d -ia ns , to the point of re ve a ling, a ga ins t the usurpe rs , wha t ha s ne ve r be e ns e e n i n t h e i n h e r i t a n c e : t o t h e p o i n t o f g i v i n g b i r t h , b y t h e u n h e a r d - o f actof a re f le ct ion, to wha t ha d ne ve r se e n the l ight of da y .

IT h i s i n f l e x i b l e l o g i c o f r e f l e c t i o n w a s a l s o M a n d e l a ' s p r a c t i c e . H e r e a r e

a t le a s t two s igns of it .i. /'ifst sign- T h e A f r i c a n N a t i o n a l C o n g r e s s , o f w h i c h h e w a s o n e o f t h e

l e n d e r s a l t e r h a v i n g j o i n e d i t i n 1 9 4 4 , s u c c e e d e d t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n N a -t i o n a l C o n g r e s s . N o w , t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e l a t t e r a l r e a d y r e f l e c t e d t h a t o ft h e A m e r i c a n C o n g r e s s a n d t h e H o u s e o f L o r d s . I t i n c l u d e d i n p a r t i c u l a ra I l i g h C h a m b e r . T h e p a r a d i g m w a s t h u s a l r e a d y t h e p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e -m o c r a c y t h a t M a n d e l a a d m i r e d . T h e F r e e d o m C h a r t e r , w h i c h h e p r o m u l -g a t e d i n 1 9 5 5 , a l s o e n u n c i a t e s t h o s e d e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e s i n s p i r e d b y t h eU n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f t h e R i g h t s o f M a n . A n d y e t , w i t h a n e x e m p l a r yr i g o r , M a n d e l a n o n e t h e l e s s r e f u s e s a p u r e a n d s i m p l e a l l i a n c e w i t h t h el i b e r al w h i t e s w h o w a n t t o m a i n t a i n t h e s t r u g g l e w i t h i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a lf r a m e w o r k , s u c h a t l e a st a s i t w a s e s t a b l i s h e d t h e n . I n d e e d , M a n d e l a r e -

The L aws of Re leci on 65c a l l s a t r u t h : t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l a w h a d n o t o n l y , i nf a c t a n d a s a l w a y s , t a k e n t h e f o r m o f a s i n g u l a r coup deforce, t h e v i o l e n ta ct tha t both p r o d u c e s and p r e s u p p o s e s t h e u n i t y o f a n a t i o n . I n t h i s c a s e ,th e coup de force remained a coup deforce, t h u s , a b a d b l o w [coup]thefa ilure of a la w tha t is una b le to e s ta b lish itse lf . I ts a uthors a nd be ne f ic ia -r i e s w e r e o n l y t h e p a r t i c u l a r w i l l s o f a p a r t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n , a l i m i t e dn u m b e r o f p r i v a t e i n t e r e s t s , t h o s e o f t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t y . T h e l a t t e r b e -c o m e s t h e p r i v i l e g e d s u b j e c t , i n d e e d t h e o n l y s u b j e c t o f t h i s a n t i c o n s t i t u -t i o n a l c o n s t i t u t i o n . I n f a c t , o n e m i g h t s a y t h a t s u c h a coup deforce a l w a y sm a r k s t h e a d v e n t o f a n a t i o n , s t a t e , o r n a t i o n - s t a t e . T h e p r o p e r l y perfor-mative a c t o f s u c h a n i n s t i t u t i o n m u s t i n e f f e c t p r o d u c e ( p r o c l a i m ) t h a tw h i c h i t c l a i m s , d e c l a r e s , a ss u r e s i t is d e s c r i b i n g a c c o r d i n g t o a constativea c t . T h e s i m u l a c r u m o r f i c t io n t h e n c o n s i s t s i n b r i n g i n g t o t h e l i g h t o fda y , in giving birth to, tha t which one c la ims to re f le ct so a s to ta ke note ofit [en prendre acte], a s t h o u g h i t w e r e a m a t t e r o f r e c o r d i n g w h a t w i l l havebeen there, t h e u n i t y o f a n a t i o n , t h e f o u n d i n g o f a s t a t e, w h e r e a s o n e i s i nt h e a c t o f p r o d u c i n g t h a t e v e n t . B u t l e g i t i m a c y , i n d e e d l e g a l i t y , b e c o m e sp e r m a n e n t l y i n s t a l l e d ; i t r e c o v e r s i t s o r i g i n a r y v i o l e n c e , a n d i s f o r g o t t e no n l y o n c e r t a i n c o n d i t i o n s . N o t a l l p e r f o r m a t i v e s , a t h e o r e t i c i a n o f s p e e c ha c t s w o u l d s a y , a r e " f e l i c i t o u s . " T h a t d e p e n d s o n a g r e at n u m b e r o f c o n d i -t i o n s a n d c o n v e n t i o n s t h a t f o r m t h e c o n t e x t o f s u c h e v e n t s . I n t h e c a s eo f S o u t h A f r i c a , c e r t a i n " c o n v e n t i o n s " w e r e n o t r e s p e c t e d , t h e v i o l e n c ew a s t o o g r e a t , visibly too great, a t a m o m e n t w h e n t h i s v i s i b i l i t y e x t e n d e dt o a n e w i n t e r n a t i o n a l s c e n e , a n d s o o n . T h e w h i t e c o m m u n i t y w a s toom u c h i n t h e m i n o r i t y , t h e d i s p r o p o r t i o n o f w e a l t h too f la gra nt. From the no n t h i s v i o l e n c e r e m a i n s b o t h e x c e s s i v e a n d p o w e r l e s s , i n s u f f i c i e n t i n i t sr e s u l t , lo s t i n i t s o w n c o n t r a d i c t i o n . I t c a n n o t b e f o r g o t t e n , a s i n t h e c a s eo f s t a t e s f o u n d e d o n g e n o c i d e o r q u a s i - e x t e r m i n a t i o n . H e r e , t h e v i o l e n c eo f o r i g i n m u s t r e p e a t i t s e l f i n d e f i n i t e l y a n d i m i t a t e r i g h t i n a l e g i s l a t i v ea p p a r a t u s w h o s e m o n s t r o s i t y f a i l s t o a ll a y s u s p i c i o n : a p a t h o l o g i c a l p r o l i f -e r a t i o n o f j u r i d i c a l p r o s t h e s e s ( l a w s , a c t s, a m e n d m e n t s ) d e s t i n e d t o l e g a l -i z e d o w n t o t h e s m a l l e s t d e t a i l t h e m o s t e v e r y d a y e f f e c t s o f f u n d a m e n t a lra cism, of a s ta te ra cism, the only a nd la s t s ta te ra cism in the world .

T h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f s u c h a s t a t e c a n n o t , t h e n , r e f e r t o t h e p o p u l a r w i l lw i t h e n o u g h v e r i s i m i l i t u d e . A s t h e F r e e d o m C h a r t e r r e c a l l s : " S o u t h A f r i c ab e l o n g s t o a l l it s i n h a b i t a n t s , b l a c k a n d w h i t e . N o g o v e r n m e n t c a n p r e v a i lo v e r a n a u t h o r i t y t h a t i s n o t f o u n d e d o n t h e w i l l o f t h e e n t i r e n a t i o n . "R e f e r r i n g t o t h e g e n e r a l w i l l , w h i c h c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d t o t h e s u m o f t h e


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4 The L aws of Rel eci on

w i l l s o f t h e " e n t i r e n a t i o n , " M a n d e l a o f t e n r e m i n d s u s o f R o u s s e a u , e v e ni f h e n e v e r q u o t e s h i m . A n d h e t h u s c o n t e s t s t h e a u t h o r i t y , t h e l e g a l i t y ,t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n . H e r e f u s e s t h e p r o p o s a l o f a n dt h e a l l i a n c e w i t h t h e w h i t e l i b e r a l s w h o w o u l d s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t apartheida n d y e t c l a i m t o r e s p e c t t h e l e g a l f r a m e w o r k : " T h e c r e d o o f t h e l i b e r -a l s c o n s i s t s i n t h e u s e o f d e m o c r a t i c a n d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l m e a n s , r e j e c t i n gt h e d i f f e r e n t f o r m s o f t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m : f a s c i s m a n d c o m m u n i s m . ' O n l ya p e o p l e a l r e a d y e n j o y i n g d e m o c r a t i c a n d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l r i g h t s h a s a n yg r o u n d s f o r s p e a k i n g o f d e m o c r a t i c a n d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l m e a n s . T h i s m a k e sn o s e n s e f o r t h o s e w h o d o n o t b e n e f i t f r o m t h e m . " 2

W h a t d o e s M a n d e l a o p p o s e t o t h e coup de force o f t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t yt h a t h a s i n s t i t u t e d a s u p p o s e d l y d e m o c r a t i c l a w t o t h e a d v a n t a g e o f a s i n -g l e e t h n o n a t i o n a l e n t i t y ? T h e " e n t i r e n a t i o n , " t h a t i s t o s a y , a n o t h e r e t h -1 1 0 n a t i o n a l e n t i t y , a n o t h e r p o p u l a r c o l l e c t i v i t y f o r m e d o f a l l t h e g r o u p s ,i n c l u d i n g t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t y , t h a t i n h a b i t s t h e t e r r i t o r y n a m e d S o u t hA f r i c a . T h i s o t h e r e n t i t y c o u l d n o t h a v e i n s t i t u t e d n o r i n t h e f u t u r e w i l l i tbe a b le to ins t itute itse lf a s the sub je ct of the s ta te or of the cons titutiono f " S o u t h A f r i c a " e x c e p t b y a p e r f o r m a t i v e a c t . A n d t h e l a t t e r w i l l n o t a p -p e a r t o r e f e r t o a n y p r i o r , f u n d a m e n t a l l a w , b u t o n l y t o t h e " c o n v e n t i o n "o f a g e o g r a p h i c a n d d e m o g r a p h i c d i v i s i o n [ d cou p a ge ] e f f e c t e d , i n l a r g em e a s u r e , b y w h i t e c o l o n i z a t i o n . T h i s f a c t c a n n o t b e e r a s e d . T h e w i l l o fthe " e ntire na tion, " or a t le a s t the ge ne ra l wil l , should of course e x cludea l l e m p i r i c a l d e t e r m i n a t i o n . S u c h i s a t l e a s t i t s r e g u l a t i v e i d e a l . A n d i ts e e m s n o m o r e a t t a i n a b l e h e r e t h a n e l s e w h e r e . T h e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e " e n -t i r e n a t i o n " r e g i s t e r s a n d t h u s s e e m s t o r e f l e c t t h e e v e n t o f t h e coup deforce t h a t w a s w h i t e o c c u p a t i o n , f o l l o w e d b y t h e f o u n d i n g o f t h e S o u t hA f r i c a n R e p u b l i c . W i t h o u t t h i s e v e n t , h o w c o u l d w e s e e e v e n t h e s l i g h t e str e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a g e n e r a l w i l l a n d w h a t t h e F r e e d o m C h a r t e r c a l l sthe " wil l of the e ntire na tion " ? The la tte r f inds itse lf pa ra d ox ica l ly un ite db y t h e v i o l e n c e d o n e t o i t , w h i c h t e n d s t o d i s i n t e g r a t e o r t o d s t r u c t u r i tf o r e v e r , d o w n t o i t s m o s t v i r t u a l i d e n t i t y . T h i s p h e n o m e n o n m a r k s t h e e s -t a b l i s h m e n t o f a l m o s t a l l s t a te s a f t e r d e c o l o n i z a t i o n . M a n d e l a k n o w s t h a t :n o m a t t e r h o w d e m o c r a t i c i t i s , a n d e v e n i f i t s e e m s t o c o n f o r m t o t h eprincip le of the e q ua lity of a l l be fore the la w, the a bsolute e s ta b lishme nto f a s t a t e c a n n o t p r e s u p p o s e t h e p r e v i o u s l y legitimized existence of a na -t iona l e ntity . The sa me is true for a f irs t cons titution. The tota l unity of ap e o p l e c a n o n l y b e i d e n t i f i e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e b y c o n t r a c t w h e t h e r f o r -m a l o r n o t . w r i t t e n o r n o t t h a t i n s t i t u t e s s o m e f u n d a m e n t a l l a w . N o w

The L aws of Rel ecion 65t h i s c o n t r a c t i s n e v e r s i g n e d , i n f a c t , e x c e p t b y t h e s u p p o s e d r e p r e s e n -t a t i v e s o f t h e s u p p o s e d l y " e n t i r e " p e o p l e . T h i s f u n d a m e n t a l l a w c a n n o t ,e i t h e r b y r i g h t o r i n f a c t , s i m p l y p r e c e d e t h a t w h i c h a t o n c e i n s t i t u t e s i ta nd ye t pre suppo se s it : p roje cts it a nd re f le cts it I t ca n in no wa y pre c e det h i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y p e r f o r m a t i v e b y w h i c h a s i g n a t u r e a u t h o r i z e s i t s e lf t os i g n , i n a w o r d , l e g a l i z e s i t s e l f o n i t s o w n i n i t i a t i v e [de son propre chef]w i t h o u t t h e g u a r a n t e e o f a p r ee x i s t i n g l a w . T h i s a u t o g r a p h i c v i o l e n c e a n df i ct i on a r e t o b e f o u n d a t w o r k j u s t a s s u r e l y i n w h a t w e c a l l i n d i v i d u a la u t o b i o g r a p h y a s i n t h e " h i s t o r i c a l " o r i g i n o f s t a t e s . I n t h e c a s e o f S o u t hAfr ica , the f ict ion l ie s in this a nd it is fict ion a ga in s t f ict ion: the unit yo f t h e " e n t i r e n a t i o n " c o u l d n o t c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e d i v i s i o n e f f e c t e d b y t h ew h i t e m i n o r i t y . I t s h o u l d n o w c o n s t i t u t e a w h o l e ( t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t y +a l l t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f " S o u t h A f r i c a " ) w h o s e c o n f i g u r a t i o n w a s o n l y e s t a b -l i s h e d , o r i n a n y c a s e i d e n t i f i e d , o n t h e b a s i s o f m i n o r i t y v i o l e n c e . T h a ts u c h a u n i t y m i g h t t h e n o p p o s e t h i s v i o l e n c e c h a n g e s n o t h i n g a b o u t t h i si m p l a c a b l e c o n t r a d i c t i o n . T h e " e n t i r e n a t i o n , " a u n i t y o f " a l l t h e n a t i o n a lg r o u p s , " w i l l g r a n t i t s e l f e x i s t e n c e a n d l e g a l f o r c e o n l y b y t h e v e r y s a m ea c t t o w h i c h t h e F r e e d o m C h a r t e r a p p e a l s . T h i s C h a r t e r s p e a k s i n t h ep r e s e n t , a p r e s e n t t h a t o n e s u p p o s e s t o b e f o u n d e d o n t h e description ofa pa s t give n tha t should be re cogniz e d in the future ; a nd it a lso spe a ks inthe future , a future tha t ha s the va lue of a prescription.

South Afr ica be longs to a l l i ts inha b ita nts , b la ck a nd white . No gove rnme ntca n pre va il ove r a n a uthority tha t is not found e d on the wil l of the e ntire na -t ion.T he pe ople wil l gove rn.A ll the na tiona l groups wil l e njoy e q ua l r ights . . . .All wil l be e q ua l be fore the la w. 3T h e C h a r t e r d o e s n o t a n n u l t h e f o u n d i n g a c t o f t h e l a w , a n a c t t h a t i s

ne ce ssa r i ly a - le ga l in itse lf , whi ch f inally ins t itut e s South Afr ica a nd ca no n l y b e c o m e l e g a l a f t e r w a r d , i n p a r t i c u l a r i f i t i s r a t i f ie d b y t h e l a w o f t h ei n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y . N o , t h e C h a r t e r r e f o u n d s i t , o r i n a n y c a s e i n -te nds to re found it , by reflecting, a g a i n s t t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t y , t h e p r i n c i p l e sb y w h i c h i t c l a i m e d t o b e i n s p i r e d , w h e r e a s in fact it ne ve r ce a se d to be -t r a y t h e m . D e m o c r a c y , y e s , S o u t h A f r i c a y e s , b u t t h i s t i m e , sa y s t h e C h a r -t e r , t h e e n t i r e n a t i o n m u s t i n c l u d e a ll t h e n a t i o n a l g r o u p s , s u c h i s t h ev e r y l o g i c o f t h e l a w t o w h i c h t h e w h i t e m i n o r i t y c l a i m e d t o a p p e a l . O nt h e t e r r i t o r y t h u s d e l i m i t e d , a l l h u m a n b e i n g s , a l l h u m a n b e i n g s " w o r t h yof the na me , " wil l the n e f fe ctive ly be come the sub je cts of la w.


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5 The L aws of Relecion

2. Second sign. T h e d e c l a r e d " a d m i r a t i o n " f o r t h e m o d e l o f p a r l i a m e n -t a r y d e m o c r a c y o f t h e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n k i n d a n d f o r t h e s e p a r a t i o n o fp o w e r s , t h e f a i t h f u l n e s s o f t h e C h a r t e r t o a l l t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f s u c h a d e -m o c r a c y , t h e l o g i c o f a r a d i c a l i z a t i o n t h a t o p p o s e s t h e s e v e r y p r i n c i p l e st o t h e W e s t e r n d e f e n d e r s o f apartheid, a l l o f t h i s m i g h t s e e m t o r e s em b l eth e coup deforce o f a s i m p l e s p e c u l a r i n v e r s i o n : t h e s t ru g g l e o f t h e " b l a c k "c o m m u n i t y ( o f n o n - " w h i t e " c o m m u n i t i e s ) w o u l d b e u n d e r t ak e n i n t h en a m e o f a n i m p o r t e d l a w a n d m o d e l a l a w a n d m o d e l t h a t w e r e b e -tra ye d, in the f irs t p la ce , by the ir f irs t importe rs . A te rr ify ing d is symme -try . But it s e e ms to re duce itse lf , or ra the r to re f le ct itse lf to the point ofw i t h d r a w i n g f r o m e v e r y o b j e c t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n : n e i t h e r s y m m e t r y n o rd i s s y m m e t r y . T h i s i s b e c a u s e t h e r e w o u l d b e n o i m p o r t a t i o n , n o s i m p l ya s s i g n a b l e o r i g i n f o r t h e h i s t o r y o f l a w , o n l y a r e f l e c t i n g a p p a r a t u s , w i t hp r o j e c t i o n s o f i m a g e s , i n v e r s i o n s o f t r a j e c t o r i e s , mises en abme, e f fe cts ofh i s t o r y f o r a l a w w h o s e s t r u c t u r e a n d w h o s e " h i s t o r y " c o n s i s t i n c a r r y i n go ff [emporter] t h e o r i g i n . S u c h a n a p p a r a t u s a n d b y t h i s w o r d I o n l ym e a n t h a t t h i s Xis n o t n a t u r a l ( w h i c h d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y d e f i n e i t a sa n a r t i f a c t b r o u g h t f o r t h b y h u m a n h a n d s ) c a n n o t b e r e p r e s e n t e d i nob je ctive spa ce . For a t le a s t two reasons tha t I wil l re la te to the ca se tha tc o n c e r n s u s h e r e .

A . The f irs t re a son conce rns the s tructure of the la w, of the pr incip le ,o r t h e m o d e l b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d . W h a t e v e r t h e h i s t o r i c a l p l a c e o f i t s f o r m a -t i o n o r f o r m u l a t i o n , o f i t s r e v e l a t i o n o r p r e s e n t a t i o n , a s t r u c t u r e o f t h i sk i n d t e n d s t o w a r d u n i v e r s a l i t y . H e r e w e h a v e , a s i t w e r e , i t s i n t e n t i o n a lc o n t e n t : i t s m e a n i n g r e q u i r e s t h a t i t i m m e d i a t e l y e x c e e d t h e h i s t o r i c a l ,n a t i o n a l , g e o g r a p h i c a l , l i n g u i s t i c , a n d c u l t u r a l l i m i t s o f i t s p h e n o m e n a lo r i g i n . E v e r y t h i n g s h o u l d b e g i n w i t h u p r o o t i n g . T h e l i m i t s w o u l d t h e na p p e a r t o b e e m p i r i c a l c o n t i n g e n c i e s . T h e y m i g h t e v e n d i s s i m u l a t e w h a t ,i t se e m s , t h e y l et a p p e a r. T h u s o n e m i g h t t h i n k t h a t t h e " w h i t e m i n o r i t y "o f S o u t h A f r i c a o c c u l t s t h e e s s e n c e o f t h e p r i n c i p l e s t o w h i c h i t c l a i m s t oa ppe a l ; it p r iva tiz e s the m, pa rt icula r iz e s the m, a ppropria te s the m, a nd inthis wa y sub je cts the m to the inspe ction of re a son [les arraisonne] a ga ins tthe ir ve ry re a son for be ing, a ga ins t re a son itse lf . Whe re a s , in the s trugglea g a i n s t apartheid, t h e " r e f l e c t i o n " o f w h i c h w e a re s p e a k i n g h e r e m a k e sv i s i b l e w h a t w a s n o l o n g e r e v e n v i s i b l e i n t h e p o l i t i c a l p h e n o m e n a l i t yd o m i n a t e d b y w h i t e s . I t o b l i g e s u s t o s e e w h a t w a s n o l o n g e r s e e n o r w a snot ye t to be se e n. I t tr ie s to ope n the e ye s of white s ; it doe s not re pro-d u c e t h e v i s i b l e , i t p r o d u c e s i t . T h i s r e f l e c t i o n m a k e s v i s i b l e a l a w t h a t

The L aws of Rel ec ion 65i n t r u t h i t d o e s m o r e t h a n r e f l e c t , b e c a u s e t h i s l a w , i n i t s p h e n o m e n o n ,w a s i n v i s i b l e : h a d b e c o m e i n v i s i b l e o r w a s s t i l l i n v i s i b l e . B y b r i n g i n g t h ei n v i s i b l e i n t o t h e v i s i b l e , t h i s r e f l e c t i o n d o e s n o t p r o c e e d f r o m t h e v i s i b l e ;r a t h e r i t p as s e s t h r o u g h u n d e r s t a n d i n g . M o r e p r e c i s e l y , it g i v e s u s t o u n -d e r s t a n d w h a t e x c e e d s u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d a c c o r d s o n l y w i t h r e a s o n . T h i swa s a f irs t re a son, re a son itse lf .

B . T h e s e c o n d r e a s o n s e e m s m o r e p r o b l e m a t i c . I t c o n c e r n s p r e c i s e l yt h i s p h e n o m e n a l a p p a r i t i o n , t h e h i s t o r i c a l c o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e l a w , o fd e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e s , a n d o f t h e d e m o c r a t i c m o d e l . H e r e a g a i n , t h e e x -p e r i e n c e o f d e c l a r e d a d m i r a t i o n , t h i s t i m e o f a n a d m i r a t i o n t h a t i s a l s osa id to be fascinated, f o l l o w s t h e f o l d o f a r e f l e c t io n . A l w a y s a r ef l e c t i o n o nt h e l a w : M a n d e l a p e r c e i v e s , h e sees, o t h e r s m i g h t s a y t h a t h e projects andreflects without seeing, the ve ry pre se nce of this la w ins ide Afr ica n socie ty .E v e n b e f o r e " t h e a r r i v a l o f t h e w h i t e m a n . "

I n w h a t h e h i m s e l f s a y s a b o u t t h i s s u b j e c t , I w i l l u n d e r l i n e t h r e e m o -tifs :

( a ) tha t of fascination, f ixed a tte nt ion of the gaz e trans f ix e d , a s i f pe tr i-f i ed b y s o m e t h i n g t h a t , w i t h o u t b e i n g s i m p l y a v i s i b l e o b j e c t , l o o k s a ty o u , a l r e a d y c o n c e r n s y o u , u n d e r s t a n d s y o u , a n d o r d e r s y o u t o c o n t i n u et o o b s e r v e , t o r e s p o n d , t o m a k e y o u r s e l f r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e g a z e t h a tg a z e s a t y o u a n d c a l l s y o u b e y o n d t h e v i s i b l e : n e i t h e r p e r c e p t i o n n o r h a l -l u c i n a t i o n ;

(b) tha t of the seed: i t f u r n i s h e s a n i n d i s p e n s a b l e s c h e m a f o r i n t e r p r e t a -t i o n . I t is o n a c c o u n t o f i t s v i r t u a l i t y t h a t t h e d e m o c r a t i c m o d e l w o u l dha ve be e n pre se nt in the socie ty of a nce s to rs , e ve n if it wa s not to bere ve a le d , developed as s u c h f o r r e f l e c t i o n , u n t i l a f t e r w a r d , a f t e r t h e v i o l e n ti r r u p t i o n o f t h e " w h i t e m a n , " t h e b e a r e r o f t h e s a m e m o d e l ;

( c ) t h a t o f t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n homeland [patne], the b irthp la ce of a l l then a t i o n a l g r o u p s c a l l e d u p o n t o l i v e u n d e r t h e l a w o f t h e n e w S o u t h A f r i -c a n R e p u b l i c . T h i s h o m e l a n d i s n o t t o b e c o n f u s e d e i t h e r w i t h t h e s t a t eo r w i t h t h e n a t i o n :

Ma ny ye a rs a go, whe n I wa s a boy brought up in my v il la ge in the Tra nske i,I l is te ne d to the e lde rs of the tr ibe te l l ing s tor ie s a bout the good old da ys ,before the arrival of the white man. The n our pe op le l ive d pe a ce fully , unde rthe democratic rule of their kings and their amapakati, a nd move d fre e ly a ndconf ide ntly up a nd down the country without le t or hindra nce . The n thecountry wa s ours . . . . I hope d a nd vowe d the n tha t , a mong the tre a sures tha t


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6The L aws of Re leci on

l ife might offer me, would be the opportunity to serve my people and makemy own humble contribution to their freedom struggles.

The structure and organization of early African societies in this countryfascinated me very mu ch and great ly in flu enced the evo lu t ion o f my po l i t i -cal outlook. The land, then the main means of production, belonged to thewhole tribe, and there was no individual ownership whatsoever. There wereno classes, no rich or poor, and no exploitation of man by man. All men werefree and equal and this was the foundation of government. Recognition of thisgeneral principle found expression in the constitution of the council. . . .

There was much in such a society that was primitive and insecure and itcertainly could never measure up to the demands of the present epoch. Butin such a society are contained theseeds of a revolutionary democracy in whichnone will be held in slavery or servitude, and in which poverty, want, andinsecurity shall be no more. (149-50)

It is common knowledge that the conference decided that, in place of theunilateral proclamation of a republic by the white minority of South Africansonly, it would demand in the name of the African people the calling of a trulynational convention representative of all South Africans, irrespective of theircolor, black and white, to sit amicably round a table, to debate a new consti-tution for South Africa, which was in essence what the government was doingby the proclamation of a republic, and furthermore, to press on behalf of theAfrican people, that such a new constitution should differ from the consti-tu t ion o f the proposed Sou th A frican Repu bl ic by gu aranteeing democrat icrights on a basis of full equality to all South Africans of adult age. (148)W h a t f a s c i n a t i o n s e e m s t o b r i n g i n t o v i e w h e r e , w h a t m o b i l i z e s a n d

i m m o b i l i z e s M a n d e l a ' s a t t e n t i o n , i s n o t o n l y p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y ,whose princ iple presents i t se l f for example but not exemplarily in the West .It is the already virtually accom pl i she d passage, i f one can say th i s , fromp a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y t o r e v o l u t i o n a r y d e m o c r a c y : a s o c i e ty w i t h o u tc l a s s a n d w i t h o u t p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y . W e h a v e j u s t e n c o u n t e r e d , t h e n , as u p p l e m e n t a r y p a r a d o x : t h e effective a c c o m p l i s h m e n t , t h e f u l f i l l m e n t o ft h e d e m o c r a t i c f o r m , t h e real d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e f o r m a l i t y , will onlyhave taken place in the past o f th i s non-Western soc iety , in the form [ sousl'rsphr\ o f v i rtu al i t y , in other word s , o f " seeds . " Man del a l ets h imsel f befascinatedhy what he sees being refl ec ted in advance, by what i s not yet toIK seen, what he fore-sees : the properly revo lu t ionary democracy o f whicht h e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n W e s t , i n s u m , w o u l d h a v e d e l i v e r e d o n l y a n i n c o m -plete , formal , and thus also potentialimage. Potent ia l i t y against potent ia l -i t y , power against power, b 'or i f he "admires" the parl i amentary systems

The L aws of Rel ecion 65of the most Western West , he a l so dec lares h i s "admirat ion," and th i s i sst i l l h i s word, a lways the same word, for the " st ru c tu re and organizat ionof early Afri can soc iet ies in th i s cou ntry. " It i s a qu est ion o f " seed" andof preformat ion, according to the same log ic or the same rhetoric , a sorto f genopt ic s . Th e f igu res o f Afr i can soc iety prefigu re ; they g ive one to seein advance what st i l l remains invi s ible in i t s h i storical phenomenon, thati s to say, the "c lass less" soc iety and the end o f the "explo i tat ion o f manby man" : "Today I am at t rac ted by the idea o f a c l ass less soc iety , an at -t rac t ion that springs in part from Marxi st reading and, in part , from myadmiration o f the st ru c tu re and organiza t ion o f early Afr i can soc iet ies inth i s cou ntry. The l and, then the main means o f produ ct ion, belonged tothe t ribe . There were no ri ch or poor, and there was no explo i tat ion o fman by man" ( 1 50) .

In a l l the senses o f th i s t erm, Mandela remains , then, a man of law. H ehas a lways appealed to right even i f , in appearance, he had to oppose h im-sel f to th i s or that determinate l egal i t y , and even i f certain ju dges made o fh im, at certain moments , an ou t law.

A man o f l aw, he was th i s f i rs t by vocation. On the one hand, he a lwaysappeal s to the l aw. On the other hand, he was a lways at t rac ted, cal l ed bythe l aw before which he was asked to appear. He accepted moreover toappear before the l aw, even i f he was a l so forced to do so . He seized theoccas ion, not to say the chance. Wh y chance? Let u s reread h is "defe nse, "which i s in t ru th an indic tment . We wi l l f ind in i t a po l i t i cal au tobiogra-phy, h i s own and that o f h i s people , indi ssoc iably . The " I" o f th i s au to-biography fou nds i t se l f and ju st i f i es i t se l f , reasons and s igns in the nameof "we." He always says "my people , " as we have a l ready noted, espec ia l l ywhen he rai ses the qu est ion o f the su bjec t responsible before the law

I am charged wi th inc i t ing people to commit an o ffence by way o f protestagainst the law, a law that neither I nor any of my people had any say inpreparing. The law against which the protest was directed is the law whichestablished a republic in the Union of South Africa. . . . But in weighing upthe decision as to the sentence which is to be imposed for such an offence,the court must take into account the question of responsibility, whether it isI who am responsible or whether, in fact, a large measure of the responsibilitydoes not lie 011 the shoulders of the government which promulgated that law,


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knowing tha t my pe ople , who cons titute the ma jor ity of the popula tion ofthis country , we re oppose d to tha t la w, a nd knowing furthe r tha t e ve ry le ga lme a ns of de monstra ting tha t oppos it ion ha d be e n close d to the m by pr iorle gis la t ion, a nd by gove rnme nt a dm inis tra t ive a ction. ( 148)T h u s h e h i m s e l f p r e s e n t s h i m s e l f . H e p r e s e n t s h i m s e l f , h i m s e l f i n h i s

p e o p l e , before the law. B e f o r e a l a w h e i m p u g n s , c e r t a i n l y , b u t th a t h ei m p u g n s i n t h e n a m e o f a h i g h e r l a w , t h e o n e h e d e c l a r e s t o a d m i r e a n db e f o r e w h i c h h e a g r e e s to appear. In such a pre se nt a tion o f se lf , he jus t if ie sh i m s e l f b y g a t h e r i n g h i s h i s t o r y t h a t h e r e f l e c t s i n a s in g l e f o c a l p o i n t ,a s i n g l e a n d d o u b l e f o c a l p o i n t , h i s h i s t o r y a n d t h a t o f h i s p e o p l e . A p -p e a r a n c e : t h e y a p p e a r t o g e t h e r , h e g a t h e r s h i m s e l f b y a p p e a r i n g b e f o r et h e l a w t h a t h e s u m m o n s a s m u c h a s h e i s s u m m o n e d b y i t . B u t h e d o e sn o t p r e s e n t h i m s e l f in view of a j u s t i f i c a t i o n t h a t w o u l d f o l l o w . T h e s e l f -p r e s e n t a t i o n i s n o t in the service o f l a w ; i t i s n o t a m e a n s . T h e u n f o l d i n gof this his tory is a justification-, i t i s p o s s i b l e a n d h a s m e a n i n g o n l y b e f o r et h e l a w . H e o n l y i s w h a t h e i s , N e l s o n M a n d e l a , h e a n d h i s p e o p l e , h e h a sp r e s e n c e o n l y i n t h i s m o v e m e n t o f j u s t i c e .

M e m o r i e s a n d c o n f e s s i o n s o f a n a tt o r n e y - a d v o c a t e . T h e a d v o c a t e" a v o w s " a f a u l t f r o m t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f l e g a l i t y , e v e n a s h e j u s t i f i e s i t ,e v e n t o t h e p o i n t o f a s s u m i n g i t p r o u d l y . T a k i n g a s h i s w i t n e s s h u m a n i t ya s a whole , he a ddre sse s himse lf to the unive rsa l jus t ice ove r the he a ds oft h o s e w h o a r e b u t h i s j u d g e s f o r a da y . W h e n c e t h i s p a r a d o x : o n e c a n p e r -c c i v c a s o r t o f j o y o u s t r e m b l i n g i n t h e n a r r a t i v e o f t h i s m a r t y r d o m . A n da t t i m e s o n e c a n m a k e o u t t h e i n f l e x i o n o f R o u s s e a u i n t h e s e c o n f e s s i o n s ,a voice tha t ne ve r ce a se s to a ppe a l to the voice of conscience, t o t h e i m m e -dia te a nd unfa il ing fe e l ing of jus t ice , to this la w of la ws tha t spe a ks in usbe fore us be ca use it is inscr ibe d in our he a rt . In the sa me tra dit ion, it isa l s o t h e p l ac e o f a c a t e g o r i c a l i m p e r a t i v e , o f a m o r a l i t y i n c o m m e n s u r a t ewith th e hypothe se s a nd con dit io na l s tra te gie s of inte re s t , as it is with thef igure s of this or tha t c iv i l la w:

I do not be lie ve , Y our Worship , tha t this court , in inf l ict ing pe na lt ie s on melor (he cr ime s for which I a m conv icte d , should be move d by the be lie f tha tpenalties deter men from the course that they believe is right. History showsthat penalties do not deter men when their conscience is aroused. (158)Wha te ve r se nte nce Y our Worship se e s f it to impose upon m e for the cr imelor which 1 ha ve be e n conv icte d be fore this Court , ma y it re s t a s sure d tha twhen my sentence has been completed, I will still be moved, as men are al-

The L aws of Rel eci on 65wa ys move d, by the irconsciencer, I will still be mov ed by m y dislike of the rac ediscr imina tion a ga ins t my pe ople whe n I co me out f rom se rv ing my se nte nce ,to take up again, as best I can, the struggle for the removal of those injusticesuntil they are finally abolished once and for all. (159)

It was an act of defiance of the law. We were aware that it was, but, never-theless, that act had been forced on us against our wishes, and we could do noothe r tha n to choose be twe e n complia nce with the la w a nd complia nce withour consciences (151)

[We ] we re fa ce d with this conflict between the law and our conscience. In thefa ce of the comple te fa i lure of the gove rnme nt to he e d, to cons ide r , or e ve n tore spond to our se r ious ly propose d ob je ctions a nd our solutions to the forth-coming re pub lic , wha t we re we to do? We re we to a l low the la w, which s ta te stha t you sha ll not commit a n of fe nce by wa y of prote s t , to ta ke its course a ndthus be tra y our conscie nce ? . . . [ I ]n such a d ile mma , me n of hone s ty , me nof purpose , a nd me n of pub lic mora lity a nd of conscie nce ca n only ha ve onea nswe r . The y mustfollow the dictate of their conscienc e irrespective of the con-se q ue nce s which might ove rta ke the m for it . We of the Action Council , a nd Iparticularly, as Secretary, followed our conscience. ( 15 3- 5 4)C o n s c i e n c e a n d c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f t h e l a w , t h e s e t w o m a k e o n l y o n e .

P r e s e n t a t i o n o f o n e s e l f a n d p r e s e n t a t i o n o f o n e ' s p e o p l e , t h e s e t w o m a k eonly a s ingle his tory in a s ingle re f le ction. In both ca se s , a s we ha ve sa id ,a s i n g l e a n d d o u b l e f o c u s . A n d i t i s t h a t o f a d m i r a t i o n , s i n c e t h i s c o n -scie nce pre se nts itse lf , ga the rs itse lf , col le cts itse lf by re f le cting itse lf be forethe la w. Tha t is to sa y , le t us not forge t , be fore wha t is a dmira b le .

T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f a d m i r a t i o n i s a l s o doubly internal. I t re f le cts re f le c-t i o n a n d d r a w s f r o m i t a l l t h e s t r e n g t h t h a t i t t u r n s a g a i n s t i t s W e s t e r nj u d g e s . F o r i t p r o c e e d s , d r am a t i c a l l y , f r o m a d o u b l e i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n . M a n -d e l a f i r s t i n t e r n a l i z e s , h e t a k e s i n t o h i m s e l f a n i d e a l t h o u g h t o f t h e l a wt h a t m a y a p p e a r t o c o m e f r o m t h e W e s t . M a n d e l a a l s o i n t e r i o ri z e s , a t t h es a m e t i m e , the principle of inferiority in the f igure tha t the Chr is t ia n We stha s give n to it . A ll its tra its a re to be found in the philosophy , the polit ics ,t h e r i g h t a n d m o r a l i t y t h a t d o m i n a t e i n E u r o p e : t h e l a w o f l a w s r e s i d e si n t h e m o s t i n t i m a t e c o n s c i e n c e ; w e m u s t i n t h e f i n al i n s t a n c e j u d g e t h ei n t e n t i o n , g o o d w i l l , a n d s o o n . B e f o r e a n y j u r i d i c a l o r p o l i t i c a l d i s c o u r s e ,be fore the te x ts of pos it ive la w, the la w spe a ks in the voice of conscie nceor is inscr ibe d in the furthe s t re a che s of the he a rt .A m a n o f l a w by vocation, t h e n , M a n d e l a w a s a l so a m a n o f l a w b y p r o -fe s s ion. We kno w tha t he f irs t s tudie d la w on the a dv ice of Wa lt e r Sisu lu ,


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9 The L aws of Rel ec ion

ing to the l aw o f the commu nity . By scorning h i s own law, the whi te manm a k e s l a w c o n t e m p t i b l e :

Perhaps the court will say that despite our human rights to protest, to object,to make ourselves heard, we should stay within the letter of the law. I wouldsay, Sir, that it is the government, its administration of the law, which bringsthe law into such contempt and disrepute that one is no longer concerned in thiscountry to stay within the letter of the law. I will il lustrate this from my ownexperience. The Government has used the process of law to handicap me, inmy personal life, in my career, and in my political work, in a way which iscalculated, in my opinion, to bring about contempt of the law. (156)T h i s c o n t e m p t f o r t h e l a w ( t h e s y m m e t r i c a l i n v e r s e o f t h e respect for

the moral l aw, as Kant wou ld say: Achtung/Verachtung) is not his, is notMandela 's . By accu sing , by responding , by acknowledging receipt , he re-Hccts , in a sense, the contempt o f the whi tes for thei r own law. It i s a lwaysa r e f l e c t i o n . T h o s e w h o , o n e d a y , m a d e h i m a n o u t l a w s i m p l y d i d n o thave the right : they had al ready placed themselves ou ts ide the l aw. Byd e s c r i b i n g h i s o w n o u t l a w c o n d i t i o n , M a n d e l a a n a l y z e s a n d r e f l e c t s t h ebei ng-ou ts ide - the- law o f the l aw in the name o f which he wi l l have be ennot ju dged bu t persecu ted, pre ju dged, t aken for a c riminal beforehand, asif, in this endless trial, the trial had already t aken place , before the invest i -gat ion, whereas i t i s being endless ly adjou rned:

I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, butbecause of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my con-scicncc. Can it be any wonder to anybody that such conditions make a manan outlaw of society? Can it be wondered that such a man, having been(inlawed by the government, should be prepared to lead the life of an out-law, as I have led for some months, according to the evidence before thiscourt? . . . But there comes a time, as it came in my life, when a man is deniedthe right to live a normal life, when he can only live the life of an outlawbecause the government has so decreed to use the law to impose a state ofoutlawry upon him. (157)M a n d e l a t h u s a c c u s e s w h i t e g o v e r n m e n t s o f n e v e r answering, whi le at

t h e s a m e t i m e d e m a n d i n g t h a t b l a c k s b e q u i e t a n d m a k e w r i t t e n r e p -resentat ions : res ign you rsel f to correspondence and to corresponding a l la lone.T h e s i n i s te r i r o n y o f c o u n t e r p o i n t : a f t e r h i s c o n v i c t i o n , M a n d e l a i s

The L aws of Re leci on 65kept in so l i t ary confinement twenty- three hou rs a day in Pretoria CentralPri son. He i s employed in sewing mai lbags .

4A man o f l aw by vocat ion, Mandela su bmit s the l aws o f h i s pro fess ion,

the pro fess ional code o f eth ic s , i t s essence and i t s cont radic t ions , to thesame refl ec t ion . This l awy er, en jo ine d by that code o f eth ics " to observethe l aws o f th i s cou ntry and to respec t i t s t radi t ions , " how cou ld he havecondu cted a campaign and inc i ted others to st rike against the po l i t i c s o fth i s same cou ntry? He h imsel f ra i ses th i s qu est ion before h i s ju dges . Theanswe r requ i res noth ing l ess than the story o f h i s l i fe . Th e dec i s ion toconform or not to conform to a code o f eth ic s does not depend on eth ic sas such. The qu est ion o f what to do abou t the pro fess ional code o f eth ic s ," shou ld one respec t i t or not?" i s not o f a pro fess ional order. The responsei s a dec i s ion that engages one 's whole exi stence in i t s moral , po l i t i cal , andhistorical dimensions . In a way, one has to recou nt one 's l i fe to explain orrather to ju st i fy the t ransgress ion o f a pro fess ional ru le : " In order that thecou rt shal l u nderstand the frame o f mind which l eads me to ac t ion su chas th i s , i t i s necessary for me to explain the backgrou nd to my own pol i t i -cal development and to t ry to make th i s cou rt aware o f the fac tors whichinflu enced me in dec iding to ac t as I did. Many years ago , when I was ab o y b r o u g h t u p in m y v i ll a g e in t h e T r a n s k e i . . . " ( 1 4 9 ) .

Is Mandela t reat ing h i s pro fess ional obl igat ions l ight ly? No, he i s t ry ingto th ink h i s pro fess ion, which i s not ju st one pro fess ion among others . Herefl ec t s the deonto logy o f deonto logy, the deep meaning and the spi ri t o fdeonto log ical l aws. And once again , ou t o f admiring respec t , he dec idesto come down on the s ide o f a deonto logy o f deonto logy that i s a l so ad e o n t o l o g y b e y o n d [ a u - d e l ] d e o n t o l o g y , a la w b e y o n d [ par -del] legality.B u t t h e p a r a d o x o f t h i s r e f le c t i o n ( t h e d e o n t o l o g y o / d e o n t o l o g y ) , w h i c hcarries beyondvvAX. i t re fl ec t s , i s that responsibi l i t y t akes i t s meanin g aga inf r o m inside the pro fess ion al apparatu s . It i s re insc ribed wi th in i t , for Man -dela dec ides , to a l l appearances against the code, to exerc i se h i s pro fess ionexac t ly when they wan t to stop h im fro m doing so . As an "at torney w orthhis sa l t , " he set s h imsel f against the code in the code, by refl ec t ing the codea n d t h e r e b y m a k i n g v i s i b l e w h a t t h e c o d e i n f o r c e m a k e s u n r e a d a b l e .Once again h i s refl ec t ion exhibi t s what phenomenal i ty s t i l l di ss imu lates .It does not re-pr odu ce, i t produ ces the vi s ible . This prod u ct ion o f l i ght


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i s j u s t i c e m o r a l o r p o l i t i c a l . F o r p h e n o m e n a l d i s s i m u l a t i o n m u s t n o t b ec o n f u s e d w i t h a n a t u r a l p r o c e ss ; t h e r e is n o t h i n g n e u t r a l a b o u t i t , n o t h i n ginnoce nt or fa ta l . I t tra ns la te s he re the polit ica l v iole nce of the white s ; ith o l d s t o t h e i r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e l a w s , t o t h a t p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f j u r i d i -c a l p u r v i e w s w h o s e l e t t e r i s d e s t i n e d t o c o n t r a d i c t t h e s p i r i t o f t h e l a w .F o r e x a m p l e , b e c a u s e o f t h e c o l o r o f h i s s k i n a n d h i s m e m b e r s h i p i n t h eA N C , M a n d e l a c a n n o t o c c u p y a n y p r o f e s s i o n a l p r e m i s e s i n t h e c it y . H em u s t t h e r e f o r e , u n l i k e a n y w h i t e l a w y e r , h a v e a s p e c i a l a u t h o r i z a t i o n f r o mt h e g o v e r n m e n t , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e U r b a n A r e a s A c t . A u t h o r i z a t i o nr e f u s e d . A n d t h e n a w a i v e r t h a t i s n o t r e n e w e d . M a n d e l a m u s t f r o m t h e no n p r a c t i c e i n a " n a t i v e l o c a t i o n , " a c c e s s i b l e o n l y w i t h d i f f i c u l t y t o t h o s ew h o n e e d h i s c o u n s e l i n t h e c i t y :

This wa s ta nta mount to a sking us to a ba ndon our le ga l pra ctice , to give upthe le ga l se rv ice of our pe op le , for which we ha d spe nt ma ny ye a rs tra ining.No a ttorne y worth his saltWi\\ agree easily to do so. For some years, therefore,we continue d to occupy pre mise s in the c ity , i l lega lly . The thre a t of prose cu-tion a nd e je ction hung me na cingly ove r us throughout tha t pe r iod. I t wa s a na ct of defiance of the law. We we re a wa re tha t it wa s , but, ne ve rthe le s s , tha ta ct ha d be e n force d on us a ga ins t our wishe s , a nd we could do no othe r tha nto choose be twe e n complia nce with the la w a nd complia nce with our con-scie nce s I rega rde d it as a duty which I owe d, not jus t to my pe ople, butalso to my profession, to the practice of law, and tojustice for all m ankind, tocry out a ga ins t this d iscr imina tion wh ich is e s se ntia lly unjus t a nd oppo se d tothe whole basis of the attitude towards justice which is part of the tradition oflegal training in this country. (151)A m a n o f t h e l a w b y v o c a t i o n : i t w o u l d b e g r e a t l y s i m p l i f y i n g t h i n g s

to sa y tha t he p la ce s re spe ct for the la w a nd a ce rta in ca te gor ica l impe ra -t i v e a b o v e p r o f e s s i o n a l e t h i c s. T h e " p r o f e s s i o n o f a t t o r n e y " i s n o t j u s t a n yj o b . I t p r o f e s s e s , o n e m i g h t s a y , t h a t t o w h i c h w e a r e a l l b o u n d , e v e no u t s i d e t h e p r o f e s s i o n . A n a t t o r n e y i s a n e x p e r t i n r e s p e c t o r a d m i r a t i o n ;h e j u d g e s h i m s e l f o r s u b m i t s t o j u d g m e n t w i t h a d d e d r i g o r . O r i n a n yc a s e h e s h o u l d . M a n d e l a m u s t t h e n f i n d , inside p r o f e s s i o n a l d e o n t o l o g y ,the be s t re a son for fa i l ing a le gis la t ive code tha t wa s a lre a dy be tra y ing thep r i n c i p l e s o f e v e r y good p r o f e s s i o n a l d e o n t o l o g y . A s i f , t h r o u g h r e f l e c t i o n ,l i e a l s o h a d t o r e p a i r , s u p p l e m e n t , r e c o n s t r u c t , a d d s o m e t h i n g t o a d e o n -t o l o g y w h e r e t h e w h i t e s i n f a c t s h o w e d t h e m s e l v e s t o b e d e f i c i e n t .

Twice , the n, he confe s se s to a ce rta in " conte mpt for the la w" ( this is

The L aws of Re lecion 65a l w a y s h i s e x p r e s s i o n ) i n o r d e r t o h o l d o u t t o h i s a d v e r s a r i e s t h e m i r r o ri n w h i c h t h e y w i l l h a v e t o r e c o g n i z e a n d s e e t h e i r o w n s c o r n f o r t h e l a wr e f l e c t e d . B u t w i t h t h i s supplementary inversion-, o n M a n d e l a ' s s i d e , t h ea p p a r e n t c o n t e m p t s i g n i f i e s a n a d d e d r e s p e c t [un surcrot de respect] f o rthe la w.

A n d y e t h e d o e s n o t a c c u s e h i s j u d g e s , n o t i m m e d i a t e l y , a t l e a s t n o ta t t h e m o m e n t h e a p p e a r s b e f o r e t h e m . C e r t a i n l y , h e w i l l h a v e b e g u n b yc h a l l e n g i n g t h e m : o n t h e o n e h a n d , t h e r e w a s n o t a s i n g l e b l a c k o n t h ec o u r t a n d t h u s t h e c o u r t c o u l d n o t g u a r a n t e e t h e n e c e s s a r y i m p a r t i a l i t y( " T h e S o u t h A f r i c a n G o v e r n m e n t a f f i r m s t h a t t h e U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o no f t h e R i g h t s o f M a n i s a p p l i e d i n t h i s c o u n t r y b u t , i n t r u t h , e q u a l i t ybe fore the la w in no wa y e x is ts in re la t ion to the conce rns of our pe op le " ) ;o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e p r e s i d i n g j u d g e r e m a i n e d , b e t w e e n s e s s i o n s , i nc o n t a c t w i t h t h e p o l i t i c a l p o l i c e . B u t o n c e i n f r o n t o f h i s j u d g e s , t h e s eo b j e c t i o n s n o t h a v i n g b e e n s u s t a i n e d , o f c o u r s e , M a n d e l a n o l o n g e r a c -c u s e s t h e t r i b u n a l . F i r s t , h e c o n t i n u e s t o o b s e r v e h i s d e e p l y r e s p e c t f u la d m i r a t i o n f o r t h o s e w h o e x e r c i se a f u n c t i o n t h a t i s e x e m p l a r y i n h i s e y e sa n d f o r t h e d i g n i t y o f a t r i b u n a l . M o r e o v e r , t h e r e s p e c t f o r t h e r u l e s a l -l o w s h i m t o c o n f i r m t h e i d e a l l e g i t i m a c y o f a n i n s t a n c e b e f o r e w h i c h h ea l s o m u s t appear. He wa n ts to se iz e the occa s ion, a nd I da re not sa y oncea ga in the cha nce , of this tr ia l in orde r to speak, to give to his word a spa ceof public a n d v i r t u a l l y u n i v e r s a l r e s o n a n c e . H i s j u d g e s m u s t i n d e e d r e p -re se nt a unive rsa l ins ta nce . He wil l thus be a b le to spe a k to the m, whiles p e a k i n g o v e r t h e i r h e a d s . T h i s d o u b l e o p p o r t u n i t y p e r m i t s h i m t o g a t h e rt o g e t h e r t h e m e a n i n g o f h i s h i s t o r y , h i s a n d t h a t o f h i s p e o p l e , i n o r d e rt o a r t i c u l a t e i t i n a c o h e r e n t n a r r a t i v e . T h e i m a g e o f w h a t t i e s h i s s t o r yt o t h a t o f h i s p e o p l e m u s t b e f o r m e d i n t h i s d o u b l e f o c a l p o i n t , w h i c h a tt h e s a m e t i m e w e l c o m e s [accueilli i t , ta ke s it in [recueilli b y g a t h e r i n g i t,a n d p r e s e r v e s [garde] i t , ye s , p re se rve s it a bove a l l : the judg e s he re pre se n tw h o a r e l i s t e n i n g t o M a n d e l a , a n d b e h i n d t h e m , r i s i n g h i g h a n d f a r a b o v et h e m , t h e u n i v e r s a l c o u r t . A n d i n a m o m e n t w e w i l l r e d i s c o v e r t h e m a na n d t h e p h i l o s o p h e r o f t h i s t r i b u n a l . F o r o n c e , t h e n , t h e r e w i l l h a v e b e e nt h e s p o k e n d i s c o u r s e and the c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , t h e w r i t t e n t e x t o f h i s p l e a ,w h i c h i s a l s o a n i n d i c t m e n t : i t h a s c o m e d o w n t o u s , h e r e i t i s , w e a r er e a d i n g i t a t t h i s v e r y m o m e n t .


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11 The L aws of Rel ec ion

5T h i s t e x t i s b o t h u n i q u e a n d e x e m p l a r y . I s i t a testament? W h a t h a s b e -

c o m e o f i t i n t h e p as t t w e n t y y e a r s ? W h a t h a s h i s t o r y d o n e , w h a t w i l l h i s -t o r y d o w i t h i t? W h a t w i l l b e c o m e o f t h e e x a m p l e ? A n d N e l s o n M a n d e l ah i m s e l f ? H i s j a i l e r s d a r e s p e a k o f e x c h a n g i n g h i m , o f n e g o t i a t i n g f o r h i sf r e e d o m O f b a r g a i n i n g f o r h i s f r e e d o m a n d t h a t o f S a k h a r o v

T h e r e a r e a t l e a s t t w o w a y s o f r e c e i v i n g a t e s t a m e n t a n d t w o m e a n -i n g s o f t h e w o r d , t w o w a y s , i n s h o r t , o f a c k n o w l e d g i n g r e c e i p t . O n e c a ni n f l e c t i t t o w a r d w h a t hears witness o n l y t o a p a s t a n d k n o w s i t s e l f c o n -d e m n e d t o r e f l e c t i n g t h a t w h i c h w i l l n o t r e t u r n : a k i n d o f W e s t i n g e n -e ra l , the e nd of a ra ce tha t is a lso the tra je ctory from a luminous source ,t h e c l o s e o f a n e p o c h , f o r e x a m p l e t h a t o f t h e C h r i s t i a n W e s t ( M a n d e l as p e a k s i t s l a n g u a g e , h e i s a l s o a n E n g l i s h C h r i s t i a n ) . B u t , a n o t h e r i n f l e c -t i o n , i f t h e t e s t a m e n t i s a l w a y s m a d e i n f r o n t o f w i t n e s s e s , a w i t n e s s i nfront of witne sse s , it is a lso so a s to ope n a nd to e njoin, it is to conf ide inothe rs the re spons ib il ity of a future . To te s t ify , to te s t , to a tte s t , to conte s t ,t o p r e s e n t o n e s e lf b e f o r e w i t n e s s e s f o r M a n d e l a , i t w a s n o t o n l y t o s h o wh i m s e l f , t o g i v e h i m s e l f t o b e k n o w n , h i m s e l f a n d h i s p e o p l e , i t w a s a l s oto re - ins titute the la w for the future , a s i f , a t bottom, the la w ha d ne ve rta ke n p la ce . As i f , ha v ing ne ve r be e n re spe cte d, it ha d re ma ine d, this a rch-a n c i e n t t h i n g t h a t h a d n e v e r b e e n p r e s e n t , t h e f u t u r e i t s e l f s t i l l i n v i s i b l e ,' l b b e r e i n v e n t e d .

T h e s e t w o i n f l e c t i o n s o f t h e t e s t a m e n t a r e n o t o p p o s e d : t h e y m e e t i nt h e c x e m p l a r i t y o f t h e e x a m p l e w h e n i t c o n c e r n s r e s p e c t f o r t h e l a w . R e -spe ct for a pe rson, Ka nt te l ls us , is f irs t a ddre sse d to the la w of which thisp e r s o n o n l y g i v e s u s t h e e x a m p l e . S t r i c t l y s p e a k i n g , r e s p e c t i s o n l y d u ethe la w, which is its sole ca use . And ye t , it is the la w, we must re spe ct theothe r for himse lf , in his ir re p la ce a b le s ingula r ity . I t is true tha t , a s a pe r-son or a re a sona b le be ing, the othe r a lwa ys te s t if ie s , in his ve ry s ingula r ity ,to the re spe ct for the la w. He is e x e mpla r y in this se nse . An d s t i l l re f le ct-i n g - a c c o r d i n g t o t h e sa m e o p t i c , t h a t o f a d m i r a t i o n a n d r e s p e c t t h e s ef i g u r e s o f t h e g a z e . S o m e m i g h t b e t e m p t e d t o s e e i n M a n d e l a t h e w i t n e s so r t h e m a r t y r o f t h e p a s t . H e l e t h i m s e l f b e c a p t u r e d ( l i t e r a l l y , i m p r i s -one d) in the pe rspe ctive [optique] of the We st, a s in the ma ch ina ti on of itsre f le cti ng a ppa ra tus ; he not only inte rn a liz e d the la w, as we we re sa y in g,h e i n t e r n a l i z e d t h e p r i n c i p l e o f i n f e r i o r i t y i n i t s t e s t a m e n t a r y t r a d i t i o n( C h r i s t i a n , R o u s s e a u i s t , K a n t i a n , e t c . ) .

The L aws of Relecion 65B u t o n e c o u l d s a y t h e o p p o s i t e : h i s r e f l e c t i o n l e t s u s s e e i n t h e m o s t

s i n g u l a r g e o p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n , i n t h i s e x t r e m e c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f a l l h u m a nhis tory tha t a re toda y the p la ce s or the s ta ke s ca l le d " South Afr ica , " or " I s -r a e l , " f o r e x a m p l e t h e p r o m i s e o f w h a t h a s n e v e r y e t b e e n s ee n o r h e a r d ,in a la w tha t only pre se nte d itse lf in the We st, a t the We ste rn borde r , ino r d e r t o d i s a p p e a r i m m e d i a t e l y . W h a t w i l l b e d e c i d e d i n t h e s e s o - c a l l e d" p l a c e s " w h i c h a r e a l s o f o r m i d a b l e m e t o n y m i e s w o u l d d e c i d e e v e r y -t h i n g , i f t h e r e w e r e s t i ll t h a t ; t h e y w o u l d d e c i d e t h e w h o l e .

T h u s t h e e x e m p l a r y w i t n e s s e s a r e o f t e n t h o s e w h o d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e nt h e l a w a n d l a w s , b e t w e e n t h e r e s p e c t f o r t h e l a w t h a t s p e a k s i m m e d i a t e l yt o c o n s c i e n c e a n d s u b m i s s i o n t o p o s i t i v e l a w ( h i s t o r i c a l , n a t i o n a l , i n s t i -t u t e d ) . C o n s c i e n c e i s n o t o n l y m e m o r y b u t p r o m i s e . T h e e x e m p l a r y w i t -ne sse s who ma ke us think a bout the la w the y re f le ct a re those who, in ce r-t a i n s i t u a t i o n s , do not respect t h e l a w s . T h e y a r e s o m e t i m e s t o r n b e t w e e nt h e i r c o n s c i e n c e a n d t h e l a w s ; a t t i m e s t h e y l e t t h e m s e l v es b e c o n d e m n e db y t h e t r i b u n a l s o f t h e i r c o u n t r y . A n d t h e r e a r e w i t n e s s e s o f t h i s k i n d inevery country, w h i c h p r o v e s t h at t h e p l a c e o f a p p e a r a n c e o r f o r m u l a t i o ni s f o r t h e l a w a l s o t h e p l a c e o f t h e f i r s t u p r o o t i n g . In every country, thus ,f o r e x a m p l e , y e t a g a i n , i n E u r o p e , f o r e x a m p l e i n E n g l a n d , f o r e x a m p l e ,a m o n g p h i l o s o p h e r s . T h e e x a m p l e c h o s e n b y M a n d e l a , t h e m o s t e x e m -pla ry of the witne sse s he se e ms to ca l l to the ba r is a n English philosophe r ,a p e e r o f t h e r e a l m ( s t i l l t h i s a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h e m o s t e l e v a t e d f o r m s o fp a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y ) , t h e " m o s t r e s p e c t e d p h i l o s o p h e r i n t h e W e s t -e r n w o r l d " w h o k n e w h o w , i n c e r t a i n s i t u a t i o n s , n o t t o r e s p e c t t h e l a w ,h o w t o p u t " c o n s c i e n c e , " " d u t y , " " b e l i e f i n t h e m o r a l i t y o f t h e e s s e n t i a lTightne ss of the ca use " be fore the " re spe ct for the la w. " I t is out of re spe ctt h a t h e d i d n o t s h o w r e s p e c t : ( n o ) m o r e r e s p e c t . R e s p e c t f o r t h e s a k e o fr e s p e c t . C a n w e r e g u l a t e s o m e o p t i c a l m o d e l o n w h a t s u c h a p o s s i b i l i t yp r o m i s e s ? A d m i r a t i o n o f M a n d e l a f o r B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l :

Y our Worship , I would sa y tha t the whole l i fe of a ny thinking Afr ica n inthis country dr ive s him continuous ly to a conf l ict be twe e n his conscie nce onthe one ha nd a nd the la w on the othe r . This is not a conf l ict pe culia r to thiscountry . The conf l ict a r ise s for me n of conscie nce , for me n who think a ndwho fe e l de e p ly in e ve ry country . R e ce ntly in Br ita in, a pe e r of the re a lm, Ea r lR usse l l , p roba b ly the most respected philosophe r of the We ste rn world , wa sse nte nce d, conv icte d for pre cise ly the type of a ct iv it ies for which I s ta nd be -fore you today, for following his conscience in defiance of the law, as a protesta ga ins t a nucle a r-we a pons policy be ing fol low e d by his own gove rnme nt. For


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12 The L aws of Re lecion

him, his duty to the public, his belief in the morality of the essential Tightnessof the ca use for which he s tood, rose supe r ior to his high respect or the law. Hecould not do othe r tha n to oppose the la w a nd to su f fe r the conse q ue nce s forit . Nor ca n I . No r ca n ma n y Afr ica ns in this country . The la w a s it is a pp lied ,the law as it has been developed over a long period of history, and especiallythe la w a s it is writte n a nd de s igne d by the Na tiona lis t g ove rnme nt, is a la wwhich, in our v ie w, is immora l , unjus t , a nd intole ra b le . Our conscie nce s d ic-ta te tha t we must prote s t a ga ins t it , tha t we must oppose it , a nd tha t we mustattempt to alter it. (152)T o o p p o s e t h e l a w , t o t h e n t r y a n d t r a n s f o r m i t : o n c e t h e d e c i s i o n i s

m a d e , t h e r e c o u r s e t o v i o l e n c e s h o u l d n o t t a k e p l a c e w i t h o u t m e a s u r e a n dw i t h o u t r u l e . M a n d e l a e x p l a i n s i n m i n u t e d e t a i l t h e s t r a t e g y , t h e l i m i t s ,t h e p r o g r e s s r e f l e c t e d u p o n a n d o b s e r v e d . F i r s t , t h e r e w a s a p h a s e d u r i n gt h e c o u r s e o f w h i c h , a l l l e g a l o p p o s i t i o n b e i n g f o r b i d d e n , t h e i n f r a c t i o nh a d n e v e r t h e l e s s t o r e m a i n n o n v i o l e n t : " A l l l a w f u l m o d e s o f e x p r e s s i n go p p o s i t i o n t o t h i s p r i n c i p l e h a d b e e n c l o s e d b y l e g i s l a t i o n , a n d w e w e r ep l a c e d i n a p o s i t i o n i n w h i c h w e h a d e i t h e r t o a c c e p t a p e r m a n e n t s t a t e o fi n f e r i o r i t y o r t o d e f y t h e g o v e r n m e n t . W e c h o s e t o d e f y t h e l a w . W e f i r s tb r o k e t h e l a w i n a w a y w h i c h a v o i d e d a n y r e c o u r s e t o v i o l e n c e " ( 1 6 2 ) .T h e i n f r a c t i o n s t i l l m a n i f e s t s t h e a b s o l u t e r e s p e c t f o r t h e s u p p o s e ds p i r i t o f t h e l aw . B u t i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e t o s t o p t h e r e . F o r t h e g o v e r n m e n ti n v e n t e d n e w l e g a l d e v i c e s t o r e p r e s s th e s e n o n v i o l e n t c h a l l e n g e s . T o t h i sv i o l e n t r e s p o n s e , w h i c h w a s a l s o a n o n r e s p o n s e , t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o v i o l e n c ew a s i n i t s t u r n t h e o n l y p o s s i b l e r e s p o n s e . R e s p o n s e t o t h e n o n r e s p o n s e :" W h e n t h i s f o r m w a s l e g i sl a t e d a g a i n s t, a n d t h e n t h e g o v e r n m e n t r e s o r t e dt o a s h o w o f f o r c e t o c r u s h o p p o s i t i o n t o i t s p o l i c i e s , o n l y t h e n d i d w ed c e i d e t o a n s w e r v i o l e n c e w i t h v i o l e n c e " ( 1 6 2 ) .

l i n t t h e r e a g a i n , t h e v i o l e n c e r e m a i n s s u b j e c t t o a r i g o r o u s l a w , " as t r i c t l y c o n t r o l l e d v i o l e n c e . " M a n d e l a i n s i s t s , h e u n d e r l i n e s t h e s e w o r d sa t t h e p o i n t w h e r e h e e x p l a i n s t h e g e n e s i s o f U m k o n t o w e S i z w e ( S p e a ro f t h e N a t i o n ) i n N o v e m b e r 1 9 6 1 . I n f o u n d i n g t h a t c o m b a t o r g a n i z a t i o n ,l i e i n t e n d s t o s u b m i t i t t o t h e p o l i t i c a l d i r ec t i v e s o f t h e A N C , w h o s e s t a t -u t e s p r e s c r i b e n o n v i o l e n c e . I n f r o n t o f h i s j u d g e s , M a n d e l a d e s c r i b e s i nde ta il the rule s of a ct ion, the s tra te gy , the ta ctics , a nd a bove a l l the l imitsi m p o s e d 0 1 1 t h e m i l i t a n t s c h a r g e d w i t h s a b o t a g e : t o w o u n d o r k i l l n o o n e ,c i t h e r i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n o r t h e e x e c u t i o n o f t h e o p e r a t i o n s . T h e m i l i t a n t smust not be a r a rms . I f he re cogniz e s " ha v ing pre pa re d a p la n of sa bota ge , "

The L aws of Rel ecion 65i t w a s n e i t h e r t h r o u g h " a d v e n t u r i s m " n o r t h r o u g h a n y " l o v e o f v i o l e n c ei n i t s e l f . " O n t h e c o n t r a r y , h e w a n t e d t o i n t e r r u p t w h a t i s s o o d d l y c a l l e dthe cycle of v iole nce , one e nta il ing the othe r be ca use f irs t of a l l i t a nswe rs ,re f le cts , s e nds it ba ck its ima ge . Ma nde la me a nt to l imit the r isks of e x p lo-s i o n b y c o n t r o l l i n g t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e m i l i t a n t s a n d b y c o n s t a n t l y d e v o t i n ghimse lf to wha t he ca l ls a " re f le ctive " a na lys is of the s itua tion.

H e w a s a r r e s t e d f o u r m o n t h s a f t e r t h e c r e a t i o n o f U m k o n t o , i n A u g u s t1 9 6 2 . I n M a y 1 9 6 4 , a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e R i v o n i a T r i a l , h e w a s s e n -t e n c e d t o l i f e i m p r i s o n m e n t .

P . S . T h e p o s t s c r i p t i s f o r t h e f u t u r e i n w h a t i s m o s t u n d e c i d e d a b o u ti t t o d a y . I w a n t e d t o s p e a k , o f c o u r s e , o f N e l s o n M a n d e l a ' s f u t u r e , o f w h a td o e s n o t a l l o w i t s e l f t o b e a n t i c i p a t e d , c a u g h t , c a p t u r e d b y a n y m i r r o r .W h o i s N e l s o n M a n d e l a ?

W e w i l l n e v e r s t o p a d m i r i n g h i m , h i m a n d h i s a d m i r a t i o n . B u t w e d on o t y e t k n o w w h o m t o a d m i r e i n h i m , t h e o n e w h o , i n t h e p a s t , w i l l h a v eb e e n t h e c a p t i v e o f h i s a d m i r a t i o n o r t h e o n e w h o , i n a f u t u r e a n t e r i o r ,wil l a lwa ys ha ve be e n fre e ( the fre e s t ma n in the world , le t us not sa y tha tl i g h t l y ) f o r h a v i n g h a d t h e p a t i e n c e o f h i s a d m i r a t i o n a n d h a v i n g k n o w n ,p a s s i o n a t e l y , w h a t h e h a d t o a d m i r e . G o i n g s o f a r a s t o r e f u s e , a g a i n y e s -t e r d a y , a c o n d i t i o n a l f r e e d o m .

W o u l d t h e y t h u s h a v e i m p r i s o n e d h i m , f o r a l m o s t a q u a r t e r c e n t u r yn o w , i n h i s v e r y a d m i r a t i o n ? W a s t h a t n o t t h e v e r y objectivel m e a nt h a t i n t h e s e n s e o f p h o t o g r a p h y a n d o f t h e o p t i c a l m a c h i n e t h e r i g h tto ove rse e [le droit de regard^. D i d he let h i m s e l f b e i m p r i s o n e d ? D i d h eget h i m s e l f i m p r i s o n e d ? W a s i t a n a c c i d e n t ? P e r h a p s w e m u s t p l a c e o u r -s e l v e s a t a p o i n t w h e r e t h e s e a l t e r n a t i v e s l o s e t h e i r m e a n i n g a n d b e c o m et h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n a n d t h e s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r n e w q u e s t i o n s . T h e n w e m u s tl e a v e t h es e q u e s t i o n s o p e n , l i k e d o o r s . A n d w h a t r e m a i n s t o c o m e i n t h e s eq u e s t i o n s , w h i c h a r e n o t o n l y t h e o r e t i c a l o r p h i l o s o p h i c a l , i s a l s o t h e f i g -u r e o f M a n d e l a . W h o i s i t? W h o i s c o m i n g t h e r e ?

W e h a v e l o o k e d a t h i m t h r o u g h w o r d s t h a t a r e s o m e t i m e s t h e d e v i c e sf o r o b s e r v a t i o n , o r c a n i n a n y c a s e b e c o m e t h a t i f w e a r e n o t c a r e f u l .W h a t w e h a v e d e s c r i b e d , w h i l e t r y i n g p r e c i s e l y t o e s c a p e s p e c u l a t i o n , i s ak i n d o f g r e a t h i s t o r i c al m i r a d o r o r w a t c h t o w e r . B u t t h e r e i s n o t h i n g t h a tpe rmits us to re s t a s sure d of the unity , s t i l l le s s of the le git ima cy of thisoptic of re f le ct ion, of its s ingula r la ws , of the L a w, of its p la ce of ins t itu-


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8 The Laws of Reflectiont i o n , o f p r e s e n t a t i o n o r o f r e v e l a t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e , o f w h a t w e g a t h e r t o oq u i c k l y u n d e r t h e n a m e o f t h e W e s t . B u t d o e s t h i s p r e s u m p t i o n o f u n i t yn o t p r o d u c e s o m e t h i n g l i k e a n e f f e c t (I a m n o t a t t a c h e d t o t h i s w o r d ) t h a ts o m a n y f o r c e s , a l w a y s , t r y t o a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h e m s e l v e s ? A n e f f e c t v i s i b l ea nd inv is ib le , l ike a mirror , ha rd a lso, l ike the wa lls of a pr ison.

E v e r y t h i n g t h a t s t i l l h i d e s N e l s o n M a n d e l a f r o m o u r s i g h t .Translated by Mary Ann C aws and Isabelle Lorenz

5 No (Point o f ) MadnessMaintaining Architecture

1. Maintenant, t h i s F r e n c h w o r d w i l l n o t b e t r a n s l a t e d . W h y ? F o r r e a -s o n s , a w h o l e s e r i e s o f r e a s o n s , t h a t w i l l p e r h a p s a p p e a r a l o n g t h e w a y ,or e ve n a t the e nd of the roa d. For I a m se tt ing out on a roa d, or ra the rc o u r s e , a m o n g o t h e r p o s s i b l e a n d c o n c u r r e n t o n e s : a s e ri e s o f c u r s i v e n o -t a t i o n s t h r o u g h t h e Folies o f B e r n a r d T s c h u m i , f r o m p o i n t t o p o i n t , n o t a -t i o n s t h a t a r e h a z a r d o u s , d i s c o n t i n u o u s , a l e a t o r y .

W h y n o w , w h y m a i n t a in i n g , w h y maintenant? I put a wa y or p la ce inre se rve , I s e t aside t h e r e a s o n f o r m a i n t a i n i n g t h e s e a l o r s t a m p o f t h i si d i o m : i t r ec a l l s t h e P a r c d e l a V i l l e t t e i n F r a n c e a n d t h a t a p r et e x t t h e r ega ve r ise to the se Folies. O n l y

Derrida Mandela

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