Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Πολιτική ΦιλοσοφίαLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Chamilothoris Dimitris
Supervisors info:
Βίκυ Ιακώβου: Μόνιμη επίκουρη καθηγήτρια, Κοινωνικής ανθρωπολογίας και ιστορίας, Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου
Γιωργος Φαράκλας: Καθηγητής, Πολιτικής επιστήμης και ιστορίας, Πανεπιστημιο Παντείου
Νίκος Φούφας: Μεταδιδακτορικός ερευνητής, Πολιτικής επιστήμης και ιστορίας, Πανεπιστήμιο Παντείου
Original Title:
«Ο καπιταλισμός ως θρησκεία: Μια συστηματική ανάγνωση της κριτικής του Walter Benjamin στη θρησκευτική δομή του καπιταλισμού»
Translated title:
"Capitalism as a religion: A systematic commentary on Walter Benjamin’s critique towards Capitalism’s religious structure"
Summary:
Among Walter Benjamin’s political texts which have recently exerted a strong influence in contemporary social and political philosophy, is the small fragment with the title “Capitalism as a religion”, written at the end of 1919. Benjamin’s text is a criticism of Weber’s claim, that Capitalism after 18th century managed to be emancipated itself from Christianity, which was the ideological basis for its development of the unique features that define the capitalistic system and ethos. Benjamin’s criticism of Weber lies in the conviction that capitalism not only didn’t manage to liberate himself from his religious roots, but in a parasitic way transformed itself into a kind of religious sect. Through a systematic reading on this small text, this essay aims to accomplish two goals. Firstly, to explicate an analysis and a commentary on the three characteristics of the sect of capitalism that provide capitalism its religious and metaphysical dimension. In so doing, it will explicate the criticism that Benjamin makes on the “priesthood” of the sect by which he means Nietzsche, Marx and Freud. The critical analysis of Capitalism is not limited to this small fragment, but borrows components from the wider context of Benjamin’s earlier period of writings, like “Fate and character” and “Critique of violence”. Moreover the analysis includes an extended presentation of Marx and Weber’s theoretical approach on the elective affinities between Christianity and Capitalism. The second goal of this essay is to present the way that Benjamin’s critique of Capitalism has inspired and influenced a group of contemporary scholars, contributing to the creation of an alternative critical approach on capitalism, deviating from the marxistic or postmodern tradition.
Main subject category:
Philosophy - Psychology
Keywords:
Walter Benjamin, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Capitalism, Friedrich Nietzsche, Economic theology, Debt-Guilt
