CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND VIOLENCE IN HANNAH ARENDT

Abstract

The analysis of violence has been a constant in the history of political thought. Arendt falls within this tradition, motivated by the context of a 20th century of wars, genocides and totalitarianism. In addition to her analysis of violence at the institutional level, she also directed her reflection towards other types of violence, those wielded by minorities and the disenfranchised, as an expression of dissidence. The tradition of the dominant political theory has established violence not only as part of the political universe, but also as the means/instrument of historical change. Arendt, however, points out the impertinence of the protagonism of violence in the public sphere and, as an example, she will highlight the dangers and limitations that this entails for political action. It remains to be seen if, in any case, violence has a role to play in the unfolding of the articulations of active life.

In two articles: On Violence and Civil Disobedience, Arendt will deal with the problem of the role of violence on some forms of disobedience –conscientious objection, civil disobedience and criminal disobedience. Coexistence systems are organized around obedience to the Law. The law constitutes the structure of the life of the community and represents the conservative and stable tendencies. Disobedience, on the other hand, is an expression of dissent, and can manifest itself to varying degrees, depending on the level of questioning of the legal system. It is possible to deduce from the analysis that Arendt makes of them, that civil disobedience –as a practice of expression of dissidence–, due to its public and collective nature, meets the conditions that can give rise to political change. It remains to be elucidated what happens with those disobediences that do incur in violence.