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The New Despotism

The Revival of an Old Monster
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Ours is a post-political society that cannot imagine radical change; a 'one dimensional' society in which politics is reduced to economic concerns. Paradoxically, however, everybody today is subjected to the imperative of regular radical change. Populations have grown accustomed to the idea that one constantly needs to adapt to radical transformations, modify one's life strategy in tune with the demands of the market on the one hand and the politics of security on the other. Indeed, the idea that there are unquestionable authorities, the idea of 'despotism', no longer refers to exceptional circumstances in which politics is suspended but rather seems to have become normalized as part of daily life. This book aims to articulate the genealogy of the despotism-economy-voluntary servitude nexus focusing on their different constellations in the prism of social theory and political philosophy. As it traces the genealogy of this nexus its concern is the field of formation, intervention and intelligibility that arises when and as the three concepts encounter one another.
Bulent Diken is reader in social and cultural theory at Lancaster University. His previous publications include Nihilism; Revolt, Revolution, Critique: The Paradox of Society; and God, Politics, Economy: Paradoxes of Religion.
Introduction CHASING THE SKIN Chapter 1 THE ANCIENT: DESPOTISM OF THE OIKOS Excursus I Anabasis: The Best Way of Being a Locust Chapter 2 THE EARLY MODERN: DESPOTISM OF THE POLIS Chapter 3 THE UNTIMELY: ANTI-DESPOTISM OF FREE USE Excursus II Don Quixote: A Useless Book for Idle Readers Chapter 4 THE LATE MODERN: NEO-DESPOTISM OF THE EXCEPTION Excursus III The Circle: Despotism as Anti-Despotism Conclusion NEO-DESPOTISM, USE AND DISSENT
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