Poverty's Emergency

Abstract

Exception and PovertyIn his eighth thesis on philosophy of Walter Benjamin draws famous lesson from what he calls the tradition of oppressed, namely that the 'state of emergency' in which we live not exception but rule.1 If we conceive of history on basis of insight, then we shall clearly realize that it our task bring about state of emergency- and he concludes, in 1940, that this will improve our position in struggle against Fascism.2 What state of emergency which Benjamin refers? Presumably, it would be state of emergency that would end fake state of emergency that has become rule: tradition (rule) of oppressed (those living in emergency conditions). But how, exactly, would be accomplished?Benjamin's seventh thesis anticipates point about tradition of oppressed with claim that no document of civilization which not at same time document of barbarism;3 in ninth thesis, Benjamin's call for state of emergency becomes associated with the angel of history, who wants whole what has been smashed but can't because his wings have become caught in storm of progress.4 What we call progress barbaric. It furthers tradition of oppression-the rule of state of emergency-that needs be stopped. It's time set free wings of angel of history and bring about state of emergency. story-if indeed there one-mobilizes familiar Benjaminian themes, from messianic angel of history of civilization and progress that permeates almost all of his work (even if he also enthusiastic about developments that modernity brings).I propose consider here an example of state of oppression that Benjamin writing about, namely state of which he has discussed elsewhere. I would like show-taking my cue from an argument that Alexander Garcia Duttmann develops in text titled Making Poverty Visible-Three Theses5- that poverty key site investigate not only fake state of emergency that Benjamin mentions (poverty and its relation tradition of oppressed) but also real state of emergency that Benjamin calls for in his struggle against fascism (poverty and angel of if I can put it way). In his article, Duttmann considers that in as in concentration camp, life reache[s] limit that teaches us something about human being.6 I think I agree, even if comparison of poverty the camps may raise some heckles. I'd like pursue further politics of that consideration. This will help me make sense of Benjamin's state of emergency and its operation.Benjamin writes about poverty in text that Duttmann also discusses, Experience and Poverty. It begins with of civilization and progress: With tremendous development of technology, Benjamin writes, a completely new poverty has descended on mankind.7 This new poverty what he calls the poverty of experience.8 Developing theme that readers perhaps know best from his essay The Storyteller: Reflections on Works of Nikolai Leskov,9 Benjamin diagnoses poverty in people's loss of ability communicate experiences-their withdrawal into silence. The reverse side of poverty, he notes, is progressive wealth of ideas that has been spread among people, which he characterizes as kind of carnival of deathly superficiality. It marks, Benjamin concludes, a new kind of barbarism.10But which barbarism? Whereas in seventh thesis on philosophy of history refers negatively tradition of oppressed that he writes about in 1940, in 1933 he uses term to introduce new, positive concept of barbarism that captures how poverty of experience forces barbarian to start from scratch.11 It from state of emergency that technological development has brought about that new human being born. …