Carl Schmitt Today: Terrorism, ‘Just’ War, and the State of Emergency by Alain de Benoist offers a compelling and thought-provoking examination of how Carl Schmitt’s political theories remain highly relevant for understanding key issues in contemporary global politics. De Benoist, a leading French political philosopher, provides an insightful analysis of how Schmitt’s ideas on concepts like the state of exception, friend-enemy distinctions, and critiques of liberalism can shed light on phenomena like the War on Terror, humanitarian interventions, and the erosion of state sovereignty in an era of globalization.
One of the great strengths of this book is how de Benoist demonstrates the enduring value of Schmitt’s political thought while also critically engaging with it and highlighting its limitations. He shows how Schmitt’s theories can offer penetrating insights into current geopolitical dynamics, while also acknowledging where Schmitt’s views were shaped by the particular historical context in which he was writing. This nuanced approach allows de Benoist to extract what is most valuable from Schmitt’s work for illuminating present-day issues, without falling into an uncritical embrace of all of Schmitt’s ideas.
The book’s analysis of how Schmitt’s concept of the “state of exception” relates to post-9/11 counterterrorism policies is particularly incisive. De Benoist persuasively argues that the open-ended War on Terror and expansion of executive powers in the name of security bear similarities to Schmitt’s notion of sovereign power manifesting in the ability to declare exceptions to normal legal and constitutional constraints. However, he also notes key differences, such as how the “state of exception” has become normalized and indefinite in the contemporary context, in contrast to Schmitt’s view of it as inherently temporary.
De Benoist’s discussion of how Schmitt’s friend-enemy distinction applies to the framing of terrorism as an absolute enemy is similarly illuminating. He shows how the moralistic rhetoric used to describe terrorists as “evil” resonates with Schmitt’s warnings about how the concept of humanity can be weaponized to dehumanize enemies. At the same time, de Benoist points out that the deterritorialized nature of global terrorism presents challenges to Schmitt’s more state-centric conceptions of political enmity.
The book’s examination of how Schmitt’s critique of liberal universalism relates to debates over humanitarian intervention and the concept of “just war” is also insightful. De Benoist convincingly demonstrates how Schmitt’s warnings about the dangers of waging war in the name of humanity and universal values remain highly pertinent for understanding the pitfalls of military interventions justified on humanitarian grounds. His analysis highlights the continued relevance of Schmitt’s concerns about how appeals to universal morality can paradoxically lead to more extreme and unrestrained forms of warfare.
One of the most thought-provoking sections of the book deals with how Schmitt’s ideas about land and sea power can inform our understanding of contemporary geopolitics and globalization. De Benoist makes a compelling case that Schmitt’s distinction between land-based and maritime modes of political organization offers a useful framework for analyzing tensions between state sovereignty and deterritorialized global flows. His discussion of how Schmitt’s concept of Großraum (large space) could apply to debates over the political future of the European Union is particularly intriguing.
Throughout the book, de Benoist’s deep knowledge of Schmitt’s work is evident, allowing him to draw connections between different aspects of Schmitt’s thought and trace the development of key ideas across his writings. At the same time, de Benoist’s own erudition in political theory and philosophy allows him to situate Schmitt’s ideas in a broader intellectual context and engage in fruitful comparisons with other thinkers.
The book’s clear and accessible prose makes Schmitt’s often dense theoretical concepts more approachable for readers who may not be experts in political theory. De Benoist has a talent for lucidly explaining complex ideas and illustrating abstract concepts with concrete contemporary examples. This allows the book to serve as both an introduction to key aspects of Schmitt’s thought for newcomers and a source of novel insights for those already familiar with his work.
While the book is relatively short, it covers an impressive amount of ground, touching on a wide range of important issues in contemporary global politics through the lens of Schmitt’s theories. De Benoist’s ability to draw out the continued relevance of Schmitt’s ideas across such a variety of topics testifies to the enduring power and flexibility of Schmitt’s core concepts.
Carl Schmitt Today makes a persuasive case for the ongoing importance of engaging with Schmitt’s political thought, even (or especially) for those who may disagree with aspects of his worldview. De Benoist shows how Schmitt’s penetrating critiques of liberalism and probing investigations into the nature of politics and sovereignty can offer valuable perspectives for analyzing our current geopolitical moment, even if one does not fully embrace Schmitt’s conclusions.
Overall, this book represents an important contribution to contemporary Schmitt scholarship and political theory more broadly. It offers a sophisticated yet accessible exploration of how one of the 20th century’s most controversial political thinkers can help us understand some of the 21st century’s most pressing political challenges. For anyone interested in critical perspectives on liberalism, the changing nature of sovereignty and political community, or the ethical and legal dilemmas posed by the War on Terror, Carl Schmitt Today is essential reading.
This review was originally published here.
