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fInequality of

nteGoa Economy Global the On iclrFlow Circular

Circular Flow—Onthe Global Economy of Inequality Reader

HitoSteyerl AndreasSiekmann FelwineSarr LisaRave StephanLessenich SybilleKrämer JanPeterHammer SørenGrammel[Ed.] SimonDenny ColinCrouch AliceCreischer Bureaud’Études CircularFlow OntheGlobal Economyof Inequality

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Realizedwiththefinancialsupportof:

StiftungfürdasKunstmuseumBasel

FondsfürkünstlerischeAktivitäten imMuseumfürGegenwartskunstder EmanuelHoffmann-Stiftungundder ChristophMerianStiftung 5–13 67–90 139–157 185–195 OntheGlobal Duty-FreeArt AmazonWorker Europium Economyof HitoSteyerl Cage LisaRave Inequality SimonDenny SørenGrammel 93–115 197–211 WorkingProposal: 159–171 TheQuestion 15–24 6Issuesabout TheAnarchist oftheEconomy InsideVersus UnitedFood Banker FelwineSarr Outside Company JanPeterHammer StephanLessenich Inconstancyof — Memories,Rainy 175–183 27–59 Seasonsand MoneyandZero: 60–65,116–119, TheEconomy Post-Development Quantification 132–137,172–173 ColinCrouch AndreasSiekmann andVisualization Poemsby oftheInvisible AliceCreischer 121–131 inEarlyModern Petrocosmos Cultural Bureaud’Études Techniques SybilleKrämer 5–13

OntheGlobal Economyof Inequality

SørenGrammel 6S øren Grammel OntheGlobalEconomy 7 ofInequality

“To the extent that Theever-wideninggulfbetweenrichandpoor, theunequaldistributionofwealthnowaffecting transnational capital is no eventhemiddlegroundofmostEuropeansoci- eties,precariouswork,risingcompetitive longer centered in a single pressurecoupledwithshrinkingincomesand metropol, as industrial pensions,privatizationandeconomizationof formerlypublicservices,thethreatsofclimate capital in the 1840s was changeandenvironmentalpollution,growing […], there is no longer numbersofregionalwarsandwar-likedistribu- tionalconflictsaroundtheworld,thereturnof ‘a city’ at the center nationalismandreligiousfanaticism:facedwith alltheseproblems,whichdividesocietiesand of the system, but rather forcemillionstobecomemigrants,moreandmore a fluctuating web of people,eveninthemainstreamofsociety,are nowaskingquestionsaboutthesocial,ecolog- connections between ical,andpoliticalconsequencesofthecomplex metropolitan regions and processgenerallyreferredtoas“globalization.” CircularFlow bringstogethercontributions exploitable peripheries.” thatreflectoneconomicprinciplesinthelight ofthefieldsofconflictlistedabove.The projectcallsintoquestionneithertheideanor Allan Sekula therealityofanincreasinglynetworkedworld, arguinginsteadfor astrengtheningofthose Fish Story (1995) withinsocietywhocallfor asociallyjustand ecologicalshapingoftheprocess.Althoughthis discussioncentersoncritiquesofthecapi- talistsystemthathasturnedtheworldinto acommodity,globalizationmeansfarmorethan justinternationalflowsofgoodsandcapital, extendingtothemobilityofpeople,ideas,and culture. Ontheonehand,theprojectaimstoreflect onthecurrentpostcolonialeraofglobaliza- tion,doingsoinconnectionwithitscolonial pastandagainstthebackdropoftheimperial dynamicdevelopedbyEuropebetweenthefifteenth andseventeenthcenturies.Thismakesitvery clearthatglobalizationisnot anewphenomenon. From aEuropeanviewpoint,itbeganintheearly sixteenthcenturywithPortugal’screationofthe EstadodaÍndiaandtheSpanish-Portugueserace 8SørenGrammel OntheGlobalEconomy 9 ofInequality totheso-calledSpiceIslands,leadingtothe countries,China,withitslackofworkersrights firstcircumnavigationoftheglobebyFerdinand andenvironmentalregulations,initiallydevel- Magellan(1519–1522).AntonioPigafetta’sfirst- opedinto alow-wageMecca,evenjoiningthe handaccount, TheFirstVoyageAroundTheWorld , WTOin2001.Thebasiccharacteristicsofthe containsdescriptionsofmanyactivitiesthat economicarchitectureofglobalizationsince1989 stillcharacterizeglobalizationtoday:thesale, aredescribedinthisreaderbyColinCrouch purchase,andtransportofgoodsaroundthe (p.27–59).Thedismantlingoffurthertrade world;theforgingoffar-reachingalliancesthat barriersandtheongoingderegulationofthe guaranteetheirmembersduty-freetradeandan bankingsector,whichbeganinthe1980s,created easingofothertradebarriers;thefoundingof thepreconditionsfortoday’soverheatedglobal tradingposts,economiczones,andglobalcommu- economy. nicationssystems;theexportingofproduction Theyieldsofacceleratedeconomicgrowth farfromtheclient’sactuallocation;voluntary remainasymmetricallydistributed:although andinvoluntarymigrationofworkers;cultural decreasingon aglobalscale,inequalityisstill transfer.Backthen,therewerealreadywinners growingwhenbrokendownbycountry.Thoseindi- andlosers,tradewarsand“real”wars,oppressed vidualswiththegreatestwealtharebecoming andoppressors.Thelatterimposetheirinterests moreevenlyspreadacrosstheglobe,butthis onallthosewhodonotwanttoparticipatein hasnotclosedthegapbetweenrichandpoor. thesystem. Studiesdeliverdifferentresultsdependingon Ontheotherhand,theproject’smainfocus themethodapplied,butanaveragevalueshows isonthepresentandthusontheincredible thatintheearly2010s, 1percentoftheworld’s accelerationofglobalizationsincetheendof populationownedroughly48percentofglobal thetwentiethcentury.Itisjustthreedecades assets.AccordingtotheCreditSuisse Global sincethesocialistsystembegantocrumblein WealthReport ,in2018therichest10percentof CentralandEasternEurope,afterwhichmorethan theworld’sadultpopulationowned85percent 25statesbrokewiththeonlyexistingalter- ofglobalassets,whilethepoorest64percent nativetocapitalism.Themuch-cited“endof collectivelyownedjust 2percent.Inthis history”wasdeclaredandtherulesandrela- context,StephanLessenich’sessay(p.15-24) tionsoftheglobaleconomywereremade.Inthe addressesthequestionofwhetherinequalityis firstfouryearsofthe1990salone,thissaw infactnotanunwantedside-effectbutthemain thecreationofMercosur(1991),therevamped principlenowunderpinningtheglobaleconomy, EuropeanCommunity(1992),NAFTA(1994),further sothatthebasisof“our”prosperityisargu- developmentofASEAN,andthefoundingofthe ablythemiseryofthe“others.”Becausewithout WorldTradeOrganization(1994).Thedisman- abjectpovertytherewouldbeno72-hourweeks tlingoftradebarrierswasadvancedworldwide: forfortyeuros amonthinAsia’stextilefacto- internationalcompetitivenessbecame amantra ries,andnounpaidchildlaborinAfrica’s forbusinesses,states,andwholetradingblocs, mines;peoplewouldnotbewanderingovermoun- dictatingtheconditionsofworkandproduction tainsoftrashsalvagingelectronicwastefrom everywhereandforeveryone.Chinastuckwith theWestwiththeirbarehandsorsellingtheir communism—nottoempowerthepeople,however,but ownbodiesinbrothels.Onthecontrary,ifthe tocontrolthemasses.LikeotherFarEastern worldwasnotgearedtotheeconomyofinequality 10 SørenGrammel OntheGlobalEconomy 11 ofInequality asitistoday,thenthecountriesoftheThird thatmostofthestockmarketrulesandstandard- Worldwouldsomedaybeabletousetheirraw izedcontractsintroducedfollowingabusesinthe materialresourcestoproducemodernproducts, 1850swereremoved.Therevolutionininforma- insteadofcedingtheserawmaterialstowestern tiontechnologyandtheresultingintroductionof companiesatcutthroatprices,asanalyzedby increasinglycheapandpowerfulworkplacesystems FelwineSarrinhisessay(p.197–211).Just (replacingexpensivemainframecomputers)and imagine.Thatcouldmean astemmingofthebrain thearrivalofmathematiciansandphysicistsin drainfrompoorcountriestoindustrialized globalfinancemadeitpossible,forthefirst states.Itcouldalsostemthecounter-flowthat time,toreplaceandoverrunpreviousstatistical floodsthemarketsofThird-Worldnationswith methodsbasedonrealexperiencewithcomplicated westernwasteandcheapproductsthatdeprive andsupposedlyusefulfinancialformulas(like localproducersoftheirlivelihoods.Andif theBlack-Scholesmodel).Ofcourse,financial developmentaidweretobecomeobsolete,then marketsandtheirproductshavebeenofgreat developmentaiddealscouldnolongerbetiedto interestsincethetradeingoodsbegan.Butsuch tradedealsthatwerepreviouslysynchronized products,likeagricultural“futures”,fulfilled withtheinterestsofdonorcountriesandglobal ameaningfulpurpose:thefarmersoldhisharvest businesses.Putbriefly:otherpeople’spoverty inadvancefor afixedpriceto a“speculator,” iswhatactuallyguaranteesthefunctioningof thusensuring asteadyincomeregardlessof oureconomy. weatherandcropdevelopments.Insurancepolicies Againstthisbackdrop,complexinterweav- workin asimilarway,bytakingon arisk(such ingsofbusiness,politics,andtransnational ashousefires):thehouseownerpays apremium organizationslikethink-tanks,financialcompa- forthisinsurance(policyor“derivative”refer- nies,regulatoryauthorities,andintelligence ringtoanunderlyingasset),renewingthepolicy servicesareanimportanttopicin Circular thefollowingyearinspiteof atotallossof Flow,dealtwithinthetextsbyBureaud’Études thepremium,evenifthehouseinquestion(the (p.121–131),LisaRave(p.185–195),andAndreas underlyingasset)didnotburndown.Withsuit- Siekmann(p.93–115).Spreadthroughthepublica- ablemathematicalandstatisticalmethods,and tion,thepoemsofAliceCreischeraddresshuman byinsuringmanyindividuals,theinsurer(the rightsviolationsbymajorcorporationsthatare “speculator”)secureshisprofit.Financial usuallygrantedlittlemediaattention. derivativesfunctioninessentiallythesameway. Inaddition,the1990ssawthecreationof Onemarketplayer(the“farmer”)pays apremium countless“synthetic”financialproductswhich, (whilerelinquishingthepossibilityof alarger unlikeconventionalproducts,werenolonger profit)and“insures”himselfagainstloss.The requiredtohave arealbasis,allowingthem othermarketplayer(“insurer”or“speculator”) tobeentirelydisconnectedfromreality.Asa makesmoneybyreceivingthepremium(thepossi- result,between1993and1998thefacevalueof bilityofprofit)andacceptstheriskinreturn financialderivativestradedoff-exchangeglob- (badweather,poorharvest,etc.).Thisworksas allyrosefrom84,750,000billionto509,970,000 longastheoveralldevelopmentremainswithin billionUSD, afourfoldincreaseinjustfive theboundsofpriorexpectations.Overcenturies, years(source:BISAnnualReport1998/1999 thenumberandcomplexityofsuchinstruments accordingtoOECD2000).Itisalsointeresting remainedrelativelystableaslongastheywere 12 SørenGrammel OntheGlobalEconomy 13 ofInequality basedonrealassets(“irrational”speculation criticalandpost-colonialpotentialandliberate purelyforprofithasofcoursealwaysexisted, itfromtheservilefunctionmentionedabove,as asintheDutchtulipmaniaofthemid-sixteenth alsosuggestedbyHitoSteyerl’sessay: duty-free century).Onlyfromtheearly1990s,forthe notinthecustoms-relatedsense,butinthe above-mentionedreasons,didlargenumbersof senseofhavingnoobligations(p.67–90). new,increasinglycomplexfinancialinstru- Thisreaderispartoftheexhibitionofthe mentsemerge,which(togetherwithvariousother samenameatKunstmuseumBasel |Gegenwart. relevantdevelopmentssuchasderegulation)then Ratherthananexhibitioncatalogue,itisan helpedtofueltheresultingglobalfinancial anthologyoftextsinitsownright.Thebookcan crisis(from2007).Thisformsthebackdropto bereadinconnectionwiththeexhibition,but twocontributionsinthereaderthatdealwith alsoindependentlyofit. theprofit-orientedmentalityoftheneoliberal entrepreneur, adisruptivefigurethatwascele- bratedinthelastthirdofthetwentiethcentury andthatcontinuedtosetthetoneevenafterthe globalfinancialcrisis:SimonDenny(p.139–157) dealswiththespecificcaseofAmazon,whileJan PeterHammerdeconstructstheself-construction ofthe“anarchistbanker”(p.159–171). Today,inthecontextofcultural,economic, andpoliticaldevelopments,welookinastonish- mentattheartworld,wheretheformermargins havebecomenewcenterswhileourconceptofthe centerhasbecome amuseumpiece.Facedwiththe creationofhugeduty-freedepotsoutsidethe westernworld, amushroomingofnewbiennials, andtheconstructionofsomefortyspectacular newmuseumsinjustthelast25years,especially inAsiaandtheMiddleEast(oftenin“post- democratic”systemswithelevateddemandfor gentrification,art-washing,andcitymarketing), wearealsobearingwitnesstotheemergence of anewartorder.Butperhapstheinterna- tionalcorporateneo-Rococohasalreadybegun, initiatedbytheartindustry,thesuperrich, andbusinessesforwhomcontemporaryartserves as achannelinthesamewayastaxhavensand networksofoffshorecompanies.Onecanonly hopenot.Insteadofmerelyinterpretingthenew globalcontemporaryartas amirrorandlubricant fornewpowerstructures,weshouldrecognizeits 15–24

InsideVersus Outside

StephanLessenich

StephanLessenich:professorofcomparative socia land cultural analysisatJen aUniversit y(2004-2014).Since2014:professo rof socia ldevelopmentsandstructure satMunichUniversity. 2013–2017: directorofthe German Societ yforSociology (DGS).Guestprofessor andlecturerinAntwerp,Fribourg,St .Gallen ,andZurich .Latest publications: LivingWellatOthers ’Expense.The HiddenCostsof WesternProsperity (Polit y2019), GrenzenderDemokratie .Teilhabe als Verteilungsproblem (Reclam2019). 16 StephanLessenich InsideVersusOutside 17

“Whatappearsas astruc- “Theboatisfull.”Thisistherallyingcryof theprivilegedthatisalwaysheardwhenfellow turalproblemofreally citizensstrugglingfortheirsharegetalltoo loudwiththeircriesforequality.Firstand existingdemocraciescanbe foremost,however,itisthecollectivebattle viewedinsociologicalterms cryheardfromallsidesthattriestodeflect andnipinthebudsuchdemandsfromindividuals asanexpressionofthe orgroupswhoare not acknowledgedasfellow stateofmodernsociety asa citizens.Whensuch“perfectstrangers” — those whoenterthehallowedhallsofthestatein worldsociety :gearedtoward questionfrom aterritorialoutside — presume towanttotakepartinthelocaldemocratic opennesseconomically,on community,thentheboundariesofthatdemoc- apoliticallevelitis racyquicklybecomeoverwhelminglyclear.Itis thenthatthosewantingtotakepartaremade characterizedbyclosure — a torealizetheyarenotwelcomeinthehouse differencewithfar-reaching ofdemocracythatisallegedlyopen“forall.” Andthisunambiguousmessageisdeliveredto consequences.Because theunwelcomeguestsnotjustfrom“above”or “below,”butinsurprisingsocialharmonyby whereasthemovementofand anational“we”thatlacksallhumorwhenit tradeingoods,services, comestothequestionofopeningthespaceof entitlement. andfinancialproducts Inadditiontotheverticalandhorizontal enjoysstructuralopenness, axesofsocialinequality, athird transversal axiscomesintoplayinthemoderndemocratic anopennessconstantlymain- conflict,onethatrunscrosswisetoclass structures and toconstellationsofcompeti- tainedbypressurefromthe tion.Deeplydividedbymultiplestrugglesalong logicofcapital,theform linesofclassandstatus,societyisunited as anationalsociety infendingoffthird,fourth, ofpoliticalcommunityis orotherparties,preventingthemfromjoining basedonclosure, aclosure inthenationalclassandstatusstrugglesso asnottodisruptsocietalstructuresthatare constantlyreassertedand well-orderedforalltheirantagonism.This representsanadditionallineofdivisionand actualizedbythelogicof tensionthatintheorysimplifiesthedemocratic thenation-state.” borderregime,yetinpracticeleadstofurther complications.Itis alinebetweencitizensand non-citizens,betweennativeandforeign,between thecivilizedandthepariah,designedtokeep 18 StephanLessenich InsideVersusOutside 19

outthosewhobelongtonocaste,whodonot 1 socialclosure;asanactual closingoff ofthe SeeJosephH.Carens, belongatall,whoaretobeentirelyexcluded “Aliens and Citizens:The sphereofrightsthatisespeciallyeffective fromsociallife. Case forOpenBorders,” in duetobeingmilitarilyreinforced;as aphysical The Review of Politics 49:2 Asquestionableasthesociologicalterm (1987),251–273. exclusionfromanyopportunitytoparticipate “exclusion”maybewhenusedtodescribe incompetitionforpropertyandstatuswithin phenomenaofexclusionwithinsociety — theunem- society.Thoseexcludedfromcitizenshiprights ployedfromthejobmarket,housewivesfromthe notonlydonot have anaddressontheterritory pensionsystem,working-classchildrenfrom ofthestateinquestion — oratbest atemporary tertiaryeducation — itisverymuchvalidand one,somethingeveryGermantouristrealizeswhen appropriateinthiscase:thecitizensofa askedforoneonarrivingfor afewdaysin,for democraticstateareunifiedina practiceof instance,theUSA(mostthengivetheaddressof exclusion ofallthosewhodonotbelongto theirhotel).Firstandforemost,thenon-citi- thatparticularstateandwhothereforeshould zens are definitely — andbydefinition — notan notpartakeofthesphereofcivicrights.For addressfortherespectivedemocraticstate,not “German”citizens,forexample,havinggrownup anaddresseeofcivicrights:iftheycanprovide withtherealityofthepoliticaldifferentiation notemporaryaddress,noreasontostay,noproof ofglobalsocietyintonationstates,thismay ofsufficientcashfunds(whichshouldalsonot seembanal,self-evident,andwithoutalterna- betoomuch),thenthecoldheartedsongtheyhear tive:Whyandhowcoulditbeanydifferent? attheborder(everyoneknowsthetune)is return Andyet,preciselythisfactisoffundamental tosender,addressunknown . importanceforanyanalysisofmoderndemoc- Whenstrippeddowntothebasics,thishigh- racy,itslimits,andtheirpossibleexpansion. lights asimplebutmomentousfact:citizen Forhere,talkofthe“boundaries”ofdemocracy statusisbothanagentofinclusioninspheres ceasestobemerelymetaphoric:instead — ina ofdemocraticrightsandaninstrumentofexclu- material,physicalsense — itisaboutdefining sionfromsuchspheres.InThomasMarshall’s theboundariesof anationalsphereofcitizen- classictheory,citizenshipisdiscussed shiprights.Itisaboutdrawingbordersthat primarily(thoughnotsolely)as acategoryof protecttheinsidefromtheoutside,sealingthem socialinclusion;whenlookedatanalytically, astightlyaspossible,withbarriersandpolice however,itisaboveall acategoryofsocial controls,coastguardpatrols,andnightvision exclusion — thebasicmediumfortheexclusionof devices(inthecurrentracebetweenwestern peoplefromthedomainofthenationwithinwhich democraciestooutdoeachotherinthisregard, societalbenefitsandfunctionsapply.Andnot ViktorOrbánisprobablystillthefrontrunner onlyinlogicalterms,butalsohistorically,it afterhisclaiminthesummerof2016tohave canbesaidthattheexclusionofallpeoplenot createdan“airtightseal”alongHungary’sborder recognizedaspartofnationalcommunitiesof withSerbia).Itisabout a“fortifieddemoc- rightswasboththe prerequisite andthe result racy”thatputs astoptoanytruly transboundary ofthe“unique”historyofinclusioninwestern claimstoshareitsinnerspaceofdemocratic andsubsequentlyalsonon-westerndemocracies. rights.1 Whatappearsas astructuralproblemofreally Thepracticeofexclusionbynationstates existingdemocraciescanbeviewedinsocio- mustthereforebeseenas adistinctiveformof logicaltermsasanexpressionofthestateof 20 StephanLessenich InsideVersusOutside 21

modernsociety as aworldsociety :gearedtoward membersoftheglobalelitetobuycitizenship 2 Raymond Murphy, “The opennesseconomically,on apoliticallevelit of“attractive”politicalcommunities — whileat StructureofClosure:A ischaracterizedbyclosure — adifferencewith thesametime,theradicalnesswithwhichasylum Critique and Development of the Theories of Weber, far-reachingconsequences.Becausewhereasthe seekersandrefugeesareexcludedfromeventhe Collins, and Parkin,” in The BritishJournal of Sociology movementofandtradeingoods,services,and mostbasicdemocraticrightsseeminglyknows 35 (1984), 547–567, here financialproductsenjoysstructuralopenness, nolimits,noteventhoseofpoliticalfantasy 559. anopennessconstantlymaintainedbypressure (Germany’s“OrderlyReturnLaw”of2019mustbe fromthelogicofcapital,theformofpolit- seennotonlyas alowpointindemocraticpoli- icalcommunityisbasedonclosure, aclosure tics,butalsoas anewpinnacleofOrwellian constantlyreassertedandactualizedbythelogic newspeak). ofthenation-state. Thisfurthercomplicateswhatwehavebeen Thisleadsto asituationinwhichthecross- referringtoastheboundariesofdemocracy. bordermovementofand“tradein”peopleis Besidestheshapingofmoderndemocracyby subjecttofartighterregulationsthanthat conflictsofclassandstatus,itisnecessary ofotherproductionfactors:themoderntrend toconsiderthoseconflictsthatstemfromits towardsglobalizedmarketsforgoodsandcapital constitutionas anationstate.Besides class, standsinoppositiontothe(nolessmodern) acategoryofinequalitythathasalwaysbeen seclusionofthenationalizedlabormarket.That partofsociologicalanalyses,andthecatego- isnottosaythatcapitallacks a(globalized) riesof gender,race, and age thathavereceived structuralinterestinwhattheEUcallsthe increasedattentioninrecentdecades,equal “freemovementforworkers.”Butthiseconomic importancemustthereforebeaccordedtoanother interestinopening(motivatedbyaccumula- dimensionofinequality.Thecategoryinquestion tion)iscounteractedandbrokenindemocratic isthatof place,thegreatunknownofconven- societiesbythepoliticalinterestinclosure tionalstudiesofsocialstructure. (motivatedbylegitimation):sincethose Intheresultingsearchforthe “place”of dependentonwagesarealreadysubjecttocompet- democracy, RaymondMurphy’scontributionson itivepressures,democraticpoliticalactors closurearevaluable,helpingtoidentify aclass deemitmorefittingtorespondtocallsfrom divisionotherthanthatofcapitalandlabor — a employersforincreasedopennesswithderegula- socialoppositionwithinthewage-dependent tionofthelabormarketthanwithmoreliberal classthatgoesbeyondinternalrivalriesover migrationpolicies. statusanddistinction:theclassopposition Inalldemocraticcapitalistsocieties,this that“separat[es]theworkingclassofadvanced constellationofinnerconflicthasresultedin capitalistcountriesfromthepooroftheThird ahighlyselectiveimmigrationregimeinwhich World.”2 therecruitmentofqualifiedworkersislegally Murphytracesthisseparationbacktothe possibleandsociallyacceptable,whileanyother exclusivenatureofcitizenship,whichhe formoflabormigrationispreventedordeclared declarestobethesecondpillar(besides anexception.Thisregulatorysplit,andwith privateproperty)ofthemodern,globalsystem itthe doublestandard ofgrantinganddenying ofinequality.Thedispossessedinthenation opportunitiesforaccessandparticipation, statesoftheglobalnorth — theworldofthe culminatesinthesteadygrowthofoptionsfor “richdemocracies” — areexcludedfromthoseposi- 22 StephanLessenich InsideVersusOutside 23

tionsofpowerreservedonlyforthosewhohold 3 society with“thosedownbelow”facing“those 6 Ibid. Murphy, “The Structureof property.However,thedispossessedfromthe upabove”:thecitizensofthepoornations Closure,” 559. otherpartoftheworld — theglobalsouth — are 4 versusthoseoftherichones,theentirepopu- SeeAyelet Shachar, 7 excluded additionally fromthepositionsof The BirthrightLottery. lationofMozambique,Tanzania,Mali,orUganda SeeMilanović, “Global Citizenship and Global 6 Inequality,”128. participationthatareopentotheir“class Inequality (Cambridge asthe“citizenshipunderclass” versusthe comrades”whohappentobelongtothesphereof 2009). wholeofDanishsociety,forinstance,allof citizenshiprightsintheirrespectivehomecoun- 5 whosecitizens — fromthehighesttothelowest BrankoMilanović, “Global 7 tries.“Citizenshiplawsoperateascollectivist Inequality: From Classto income — belongtotheglobalupperclass. criteriaofexclusiondifferentiatingtwotypes Location, from Proletarians However,thesociologicalviabilityofthe to Migrants,” in Global ofhumanbeingaccordingtogeographicallocation Policy 3(2012), 125–134, conceptofexclusionactuallymightbeques- here 128. ofbirth,onewithrightsandtheotherexcluded tionedevenhere.Foritistruethatcitizens fromsuchrights.” 3 ofmanyoftheworld’sstatesareexcluded,on Fromthisperspective,talkoflifeasa accountoftheircitizenship,frompossibilities “lottery,”withalltheupsanddownsoffate, ofparticipationthatseemnaturaltociti- takesonanentirelynew,existentialmeaning. zensofothernations.Andyet,preciselythese Viewedglobally,inequalityofopportunityis second-oreventhird-classcitizens,whoenjoy primarily amatterofwhetheronedraws awinning fewerrightsorevenalmostnorightsatall, lotinthe“birthrightlottery” 4 bybeingborn areaninseparablepartoftheglobalsystemof into arichnationstate,orwhetheronedrawsa citizenshipthataffordsothers — thecitizens dudbycomingintotheworldin acountrythat ofrichnations — exclusiverightsofdemocratic doesnotofferitscitizensmuchinthewayof participation. rights. Rightorwrong — yourcountry: Thelucky Ratherthanbeing atypicalsociologicalexer- onesareborninGermany,orinsomeotherplace ciseinhairsplitting,thisbringsintoplaythe inEurope,whiletheunluckyonesarebornin categoryofthe“subaltern”thatcanhelpusto IvoryCoast,orGuatemala,orBangladesh.And gain aclearerpictureofthearenaofdemocratic forthemostpartthat’sit.Therespective conflictbetween“inside”and“outside.”Inthe plusorminusintermsoflifechanceshasbeen senseoftheword’sItalianorigins,thesubal- succinctlyputintonumbersbyAmericaneconomist ternaresubordinate,subservient,subjected. BrankoMilanović:80percentofglobalinequality Withitsconnotationsofbeingunderneath,the (measuredintermsofincome)canbetracedback “sub”prefixfitstheconceptofthe“global toinequalityoflifeconditionsbetweensocie- south,”whichisnotsomuch aterritorialasa ties,withjust20percentstemmingfromincome relationallocatorofthoseregionsoftheworld inequalitywithinsocieties:“mostofglobal thatdependonthepowerfulnationsoftheindus- incomedifferencestodaydependonlocation.” 5 trialcapitalist“north.”Atthesametime,the This,heargues,isalsowhyEuropeanandNorth word“subaltern”hasopenlynegative,pejorative Americansocietieshavebecomesuchfortresses connotations — ofbeingnotonlysubjectedbut againstthepressureofglobalmigration — thereby submissive,notonlysubordinatebutservile,of alsosomehowbecomingbastionsofdemocracy, beingobedientandobligingpeople. thoughadmittedlyonlyfortheirowncitizens. Theterm’sstrengthliespreciselyinthis Inthislight,itseemsfarfromunreason- doublemeaning.ForasUS-basedIndianliterary abletospeakof classrelationshipsinglobal theoristGayatriChakravortySpivak 8 hasimpres- 24 StephanLessenich

sivelyshown,thesubalternarenotonlyleft 8 SeeGayatriChakravorty behindin amaterialsense,butarealsodevalued Spivak, “Can the Subaltern symbolically:thepoliticalandeconomicdomi- Speak?” in Cary Nelson, Lawrence Grossberg, nationofthe“north”goeshandinhandwitha eds., Marxismand the InterpretationofCulture hegemonicdiscourseaboutthe“south”inwhich (Chicago: University of subjugationanddegradationmerge — andthesubal- Illinois Press, 1988), 24–28. ternremainunheard,ununderstood,voiceless. 9 SeeImmanuel Wallerstein, Onthesubjectofvoicelessness,andwithout “Citizens All? Citizens beingabletogointodetailhere,anyonewho Some! The Making of the Citizen,” in Comparative speaksabouttheboundariesofdemocracycannot Studies in Societyand History 45 (2003), 650–679. remainsilentabouttheglobalelite’sracist, neo-colonialviewofthesubaltern.Democracy hasalwaysbeen amatterofexclusion — within westernsocietiesthemselves,butparticularly withregardtothosesocietiesbelowthemin theglobalcapitalistpeckingorderwhichthey ruledoverascoloniesorbroughtundertheir controlbyothermeans.“CitizensAll?Citizens Some!”9 Thisformulationofexclusionarydemo- craticmoreshasapplied — andto alesserextent stillapplies — incountriesallovertheworld. Inthecountriesthatruletheworld,however,it appliesinparticular“outwardly” — doingsotoday perhapsmorethaneverbefore. 27–59

TheEconomy

ColinCrouch

ColinCrouch:professo remeritus ofgovernanc eandpublic managemen tatthe UniversityofWarwick(UK)andvisitingfellow atth eMaxPlanc kInstitutefo rtheStudyofSocietiesinCologne. Haswritte naboutproblemscurrentlyfacedbydemocracyand variousaspects ofbusiness sociology ,alwaysfrom acomparative Europeanviewpoint .Recentpublications(allPolit yPress): The Globalization Backlash (2019), Willth eGigEconomyPrevail? (2019), TheKnowledgeCorrupters (2015). 28 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 29

Itisdifficulttodrawup abalancesheetof 1 “Hadglobalizationnottaken IMF, Globalization:Threator gainsandlossesfromglobalization.Manyvari- Opportunity? (Washington, place — hadwe[… ]remained ablesneedtoenterthecalculations,while DC:IMF,2002). differentindividualsvaryintheirestima- 2 innationalfortressecono- François Bourguignon, tionoftherelativeimportanceof,say,having La mondialisation de freshairtobreatheandhavingthemoneytobuy l’inégalite (Paris:Seuil, mies,withcarefully 2012). Translatedinto somedecentclothesandfurniture.Nevertheless, EnglishasThe Globalization monitoredtradeandtariff of Inequality (Princeton severalobservershavetriedtomakesomeoverall University Press, 2015). assessments,rangingfromofficialinterna- walls,strictlimitson 3 tionalbodiesliketheInternationalMonetary BrancoMilanovic, Global 1 Inequality: aNew Approach foreigntravelandeven Fund(IMF) toindividualeconomists,including for theAge of Globalization FrançoisBourguignon, 2 BrancoMilanovic, 3 Dani (Cambridge, MA: Harvard stricteronesonimmigra- University Press, 2016). Rodrik,4 andJosephStiglitz. 5 Itisnotablethat 4 tion — mostoftheworld theseeconomistshaveinthepastbeensenior Dani Rodrik, Has staffmembersoftheIMForWorldBank.While GlobalizationGone TooFar? (Washington, DC:Peterson wouldtodaybeconsiderably theseorganizationshavethemselvescometosee Institutefor International Economics, 1997); The poorer[…].Ontheother negativeaspectsofglobalizationsincethe GlobalizationParadox: financialcrisisof2008,RodrikandStiglitz Democracy and theFuture of theWorld Economy (New hand,therehavebeencasu- weresoundingwarningsatanearlierpoint. York: Norton, 2011). altiesfromglobalization: Readerswanting afullydetailedaccountshould 5 readtheirbooks.Herewecangivejustanover- Joseph Stiglitz, Globalizationand its someworldregions(mainly view,startingwith alookathowglobalization Discontents (New York: Norton, 2002). hasdeveloped,goingantoassessitsgainsand mostofAfrica)havebeen losses,andfinallyconsideringitsimplications 6 Readerswanting to learn foreconomicsovereignty. moreshould consultJohn leftout,andwehaveall Frieden, Global Capitalism: ItsFalland Rise in the beenpresentedwithgeneral Thewavesofglobalization TwentiethCentury (New York: Norton, 2007). political,cultural,and Wecanidentifyfourwavesofmoderneconomic globalization. socialchallenges,thefull Thefirstwave:Europeanimperialism extentofwhichwestill Firstcametheextensionofworldtradein havenotexperienced.” thelatenineteenthcentury —a globalization episodeoftenforgotteninrecentaccounts. 6 This washighlycontrolledbythewesternEuropean empires —ofGreatBritaininparticular,butalso ofFrance,theNetherlands,Belgium,Portugal, andothers.Beingimperial,itwasmilitaryas wellascommercial,andeventuallyincluded“the scrambleforAfrica,”whichinturnbecameoneof thecausesoftheFirstWorldWar. 30 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 31

However,thegrowthofindustrialproduction tureofinternationalinstitutions.International intheperiodmadepossible ageneralincrease traderecovered,butwasnolongerbasedonthe intradeamongmanynations,includingthose, Europeancolonialempires.Theseweregradu- liketheUSA,notinvolvedintheconstruc- allydisintegrating,beingreplacedbytheglobal tionofoverseasempires.Thereisnospacehere dominanceoftheUSA.Thusbegan asecondwave todescribethepatternsandformsofgovern- ofglobalization.Theinitialframeworkfora anceinvolved,buttheabsenceofanyregulatory newsystemofrulesforinternationaleconomic regimeapartfromthoseimposedbydominantcoun- relationswasestablishedat akeyconferencein trieswasnotable.In1859,Japanwasforcedto BrettonWoods,NewHampshire,in1944,thoughthe accepttradewiththeUSAunderthethreatof USSRanditsalliessubsequentlydepartedfrom militaryinvasionifitrefused.Twiceinthe theregime.Thedivisionofmostoftheworld nineteenthcenturytheUKusedmilitaryaction intotheblocsoftheColdWarlimitedtheextent topersuadeChinatobuyopiumfromBritish ofthenewsystem,asthatdominatedbythe suppliers.Britainalsocontrolledcloselywhich SovietUnion,andalsothatofChina,remained goodsitwouldallowitscoloniestoproduce, outsidetheinternationalmarketeconomy.But topreventcompetitionwithitsownindustries. intheUS-dominatedpartoftheworld,trade Britain’sself-proclaimedcommitmentto“free” barriersweregraduallyrelaxedinsuccessive tradecanbequestioned.Butinternationaltrade, roundsoftheGeneralAgreementonTariffsand whichinpastcenturieswaslargelylimited Trade(GATT).Therewerenoreasonsforinhab- toexoticandexpensiveproducts,nowbegan itantsofwesterncountriestoseethegrowth toinvolvethoseforordinaryworkingpeople, ofinternationalgovernanceoftradeas achal- improvingthelivesofmany,whetherasconsumers lengetotheirnational“sovereignty;”their ofcheapimportedgoodsorastheproducersof interestsdominatedthewholeprocess,andtheir increasedquantitiesofexports. governments’controlovermovementsofcapital Theyearsbetweenthetwoworldwarssawa andlaborwereleftuntouched.Theexceptionof majorretreatfrominternationaltrade, ariseof capitalmovementswasimportant,asitenabled protectionism,thedefeatofattemptsthroughthe governmentstoavoidthreatsofcapitalflightif LeagueofNationsatbroadinternationalcollabo- theyconstructedstronglyredistributivetaxation ration,andtheriseofmilitarized,violent systemsorstrongdemandmanagementpolicies. nationalism,particularlyforNaziGermanyand Amongthecountriesthatin1957formedthe itsItalianandJapaneseallies.Thesefinally EuropeanEconomicCommunity(EEC,latertheEU), becamemajorcausesoftheSecondWorldWar. cross-nationaleconomicintegrationwentfurther. AlthoughthearchitectsofEuropeanunityseri- Thesecondwave:US-dominatedtariff ouslyenvisaged,inthewordsoftheTreatyof reductionandEuropeanintegration Rome,“anevercloserunion”amongmemberstates, Nationalismandinsistenceonuncompromising prioritywasgiventotrade.Individualcountries nationalsovereigntyhavingbecomeassociated werelefttodeveloptheirownwelfarestates. withNazismandfascism,aftertheSecondWorld Thesewereseenasimportanttoregaininglegiti- Warpoliticiansofmostkindsinthewestern macyforgovernmentsincountriesthathadbeen worldmovedfirmlyawayfromtheirslogansand fascist,ordefeatedandoccupiedduringthewar. passions,andsetaboutconstructinganarchitec- Ontheotherhand,socialpolicyaimswerenever 32 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 33

farfromtheEuropeanproject:theEEC’sorigins ticiansthemselvesweremarginalized,and layintheCommonAgriculturalPolicyandthe governmentsandcivilsocietygraduallydeveloped EuropeanCoalandSteelCommunity,bothdesigned waysofteachingnativepopulationstoacceptthe torescueandstabilizeindustrieslikelytobe newpeople,whoselaborwasneededbyeconomies sourcesofsocialunrestifnothingwasdoneto infullexpansion.Immigrantcultures,especially supportthem. infoodandmusic,enrichedandwereabsorbed Meanwhile,themostfundamentalsymbolof intohostsocieties.Immigrantsandnativesbegan nationalsovereignty —thepowertowagewar toformfriendshipsandtointermarry. autonomously —hadinrealitybeenfundamentally compromisedbythearrivalofnuclearweapons, Thethirdwave:neoliberalderegulation butthiswasnotexperiencedas aproblemexcept Theexpansionofworldtradeandagreementsto by afewwhoheldnostalgicallytooldvisionsof reducetariffsandotherbarriersmovedto anew empire.TheEuropeanpowersgraduallyabandoned levelduringthe1980sinwhatwecanseeasa theirfutilewarstopreventcolonialindepend- thirdwaveofglobalization,asithaddifferent ence,and,albeitbeneaththeterrifyinganxiety rootsfromtheinitialpost-1945desiretotran- ofpossiblenuclearwar,manypartsoftheworld, scendnationalism.Thiswasthegeneralpushfor andEuropeinparticular,becamemorepeaceful bothdomesticandinternationalderegulation, thanformanyyears. asneoliberaleconomicideasachieveddominance Therewasoneexceptiontotheeasewithwhich undertheleadershipoftheUSAandtheUK.For thislimitedglobalizationwasaccepted:growing neoliberals,themostimportantinstitutionin immigrationintoseveralwesterneconomies governinghumanaffairsisthemarket.Thereis broughtepisodesofviolence,andmorewide- aroleforlawinsustainingthepropertyrights spreaddiscriminationandsocialrejectionof andtradingobligationsnecessaryforthemarket immigrants.Thishappenedbothincountrieswhere tofunctionefficiently,butneoliberalsare immigrantscamemainlyfromformercolonies,as indifferent,evenhostile,toideasofnation. intheUK,France,Belgium,andtheNetherlands, Ifmarketsaretobefreeandsovereign,there andinthosetowhichtheycameas Gastarbeiter isnoplaceforgovernmentstodefend anational (guestworkers),who,itwasassumed,wouldgo economicinterestagainstthem;nationaland homeafter aperiodofyears:Austria,Germany, eventransnationalregulatoryregimesareseen Switzerland.TheUSAcontinueditsfarlonger onlyasprotectionism.Thepublicpowershould traditionofacceptingimmigrationfromacross beimmunetopopularpressures.Thiscondition theworld —with asimilarlyfamiliarstoryof isfoundmoreeasilyattheinternationalthan accompanyingethnicconflictanddiscrimination. thenationallevel,asdemocraticpoliticsisfar Politicalandeconomicelitesoftenrespondedto livelieratthelatter. anti-immigrantmovementsbyimposingrestric- Undertheimpactofthesetwowavesof tionsonthescaleoffutureimmigration,but globalization,massproductioninsteel, theyresistedtemptationstoincreasetheirown shipbuilding,andseveralmetalworkingandelec- supportbyexacerbatingtensions.Theystill tronicsindustriesinEuropeandNorthAmerica rememberedwhattheencouragementofracial becameuncompetitiveinthefaceoflower-cost antagonismhadcausedinGermanyinthe1930s. competition.Therewasgrowingunemploymentin Racistandxenophobicorganizationsandpoli- manyoldindustrialareasinwealthycountries, 34 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 35

thoughwithintheEECthiswasalleviatedby 7 forexample,ASEANinSouth-EastAsia,Mercosur Layna Mosley, Global structuralfundstohelpregeneration.Those Capital and National inSouthAmerica,NAFTAinNorthAmerica —but, partsoftheaffectedsectorsthatremainedmoved Governments (Cambridge: mostfullyandsuccessfully,theEEC. Cambridge University intospecialized,high-value-addedproducts,but Press, 2003); Elmar Rieger, Stephan employedfarfewerpeople.Employmentinservices Leibfried, Grundlagen der Thefourthwave:theEuropeanSingle sectors,especiallypublicservices,grewat Globalisierung (Frankfurt: Market,thecollapseofcommunismand Suhrkamp,2001). thesametime.These,manyofwhichneededto theriseoftheFarEast bedeliveredclosetothecustomeroruser,were Theseprocessesweremassivelyreinforcedby lessvulnerabletointernationalcompetition.In variousnewdevelopmentsinthe1990s,the general,growthofthisnewemploymentoutweighed combinedimpactofwhichhasbeensogreatthat thelossesofjobsinmanufacturingandmining. itamountsto afourthwaveofglobalization. Afurtherimportantelementofthisperiodof globalizationwasthebeginningof aderegulation —In1995,theGATTwasreplacedbytheWorld offinancialmovements.Themainnegativeconse- TradeOrganization(WTO).Countriesinmember- quencesofthisweretofollowduringthefourth shipoftheWTOcantradeingoodswitheach wave,whentheywerecoupledwiththerelaxa- otherwithouthightariffwalls,providedthey tionofbankingrules,generatingthecrisisof abidebycertainrules.Thesemainlyconcern 2007–2008.Themainconsequenceoftheinitial undertakingnottouseprotectionismorstate deregulationwastoremovethesafeguardsof subsidiesofindustries.Thishasservedasa BrettonWoodsovernationalcontrolofcapital majorincentivetogovernmentstolimitstate movements,makingitdifficultforgovernmentsto interventionintheeconomyandtoshapetheir pursuepoliciesthatconflictedwiththeinter- tradepoliciesinconformitywithWTOrules. estsofmajorcapitalholders.Whilecountries —Withparticularenthusiasmonthepartofthe remainedfreetooptoutofthenewsystem,todo UK,theEUbegantoconstructtheEuropean sowouldcutoffthemselvesandfirmslocatedin SingleMarket(ESM),whichestablishedcommon theirjurisdictionsfromaccesstointernational standardsforunrestrainedtradeacrossa funds,andencouragecapitalflight.However,for varietyofgoods,services,andfinancial advancedeconomies(theissueisnotsobenignin flows,andthefreemovementoflabor,with developingcountries),thereisevidencethat, asupranationalcourt,theEuropeanCourtof providedgovernmentsmanagetheirdeficitseffec- Justice(ECJ),togovernitsimplementation. tivelyandconstraininflation,holdersofglobal —Ataboutthesametime,thecollapseofthe capitaltakelittleinterestinthedetailsof SovietEmpireenabledRussiaandthecountries domesticpolicy;whetherornottohavestrong ofcentralandeasternEuropetojointhemarket welfarestatesremainsthechoiceofnational economy,withthoseincentralEuropeeventu- electorates.7 allybecomingfullmembersoftheEU —againwith Finally,institutionsofcross-national especiallystrongsupportfromtheUK. economicgovernanceprovidingmorecompliance —China,whileformallymaintainingitsposition withfreetradingnorms —inexchangeforlower as astate-socialisteconomy,alsoentered tariffsandmutualacceptanceofproductstand- themarketeconomy,joiningtheWTOin2001 ards —thanwasbeingachievedthroughGATTwere (Russiafollowedin2012). erectedatthelevelofspecificworldregions: —TheMulti-FibreArrangement,whichhadbeen 36 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 37

establishedin1974toprotecttheworld’s competitivenesscanmeanmovingup-marketto 8 Paul Mason, “The global wealthyeconomiesfromcheapclothingand high-skilled,high-infrastructureactivities,and orderisdying. Butit’san textileimportsfromdevelopingcountries, notjustkeepingprices(andthereforewagesand illusion to think Britain can survive without the EU,” The especiallyinAsia,expiredin2004.Thisput socialcosts)low.Butanotherconsequencewas Guardian,June 27,2016: bit.ly/2VGFt61 heavypressureonmass-marketclothingand thefinancialcrisis.Thiseventuallycontributed textileproduction,especiallyinsouthern heavilytothewaveofdisillusionwiththewhole Europe. globalizationprocess,andsomemodicumofreali- —TheUSAandUKhadstartedderegulatingthe zationamongpolicy-makersthatthederegulation globalfinancialsysteminthe1980s.This offinancehadgonetoofarandmightthreaten spreadtootherpartsoftheworldinthe theglobalizationprojectitself.AsPaulMason, 1990s.Itfundedmajorexpansionsofeconomic aBritishleft-wingeconomicscommentator,put activity,butatthesametimeencouragedthe it,“ifwewanttosaveglobalization,wehaveto irresponsiblefinancialpracticesthatby2008 ditchneoliberalism.” 8 broughtmuchoftheworldto amassivefinan- Globalizationalsobroughtincreasedmigra- cialcrisis. tion,especiallyasmultinationalfirmsrecruit theiremployeesacrosstheworld.Thisprocess Globalizationwasnowinfullspate,andinmany becomescumulative,ascertainregionsacquire respectsfollowedtheclassicexpectationsof areputationfor awelcomingcosmopolitanism, economiststhattherewouldbemutualgainsfrom leadingthemtoattractmoreimmigrants.Cities anexpansionoffreetrade.Low-valued-added likeLondon,Paris,NewYork,andseveralin activitiesdeclinedintherichcountries,to Californiahavebecomehighlymultilingualand bereplacedbybothhigher-value-addedonesand multicultural.Evenlow-paidjobsinrichcoun- activitiesinservicesthatcouldnoteasily trieshavebeenattractivetopeopleliving bereplacedbyimports,suchashealth,educa- inpoorcountries.Entryfromabroadintothe tion,restaurants,andretailtrading.Firmsin labormarket,unlikeintothoseforcapital manypoorcountries,particularlyChinaandthe andproducts,isusuallytightlycontrolledby Indiansubcontinent,begantodominatetradi- governments,buttheEUlongagoestablished tionalmanufacturingandminingactivities, theprincipleoffreemovementforcitizensof therebyincreasingtheirnationalincomes.Asa itsmemberstates.Freemovementbecameprob- result,thesecountriesdeveloped alargemiddle lematicaftertheadmissionofthecountriesof classthatcouldaffordtobuyexpensivegoods CentralandEasternEurope(CEE),whosestandard fromEurope,Japan,andtheUSA.Theexpansion oflivingintheprotectionisteconomiesofthe ofinternationaltradebegantobe apositive-sum state-socialistperiodhadfallenfarbehindthat game.Thisisoftenobscuredbypoliticiansand ofthemajorityofwesternEuropeans.Thisled businesspeoplewhotalkintermsof a“global tofargreaternumbersofmigrantsthanhadbeen race,”inwhichtheircountriesmustpartici- envisagedwhentheprincipleoffreemovement pate,with astrongsensethattheremustbe hadbeenestablished.Mostwesternmemberstates winnersandlosers.Theydothisinorderto tookmeasurestodelaytheextensionofthefree encourageworkerstoacceptlimitedwagerises movementrightforseveralyearsaftercountries andcutsinpublicspendinginordertoboost wereadmittedtotheUnion,intheexpectation “competitiveness.”Theyforget(orconceal)that thatanimprovementwouldtakeplaceineastern 38 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 39

economies,reducingimmigrationflows.TheUK, 9 increasinglyunequallydivided.TheWorld 10 bit.ly/2q5IUaC bit.ly/32ikbOw Ireland,andSwedendidnottakeadvantageof InstituteforDevelopmentEconomicsResearch The Gini coefficient calcu- thispossibility,andthereforeexperienceda oftheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-WIDER) latesthe levelofinequality of incomes in acountry, largeinitialwaveofimmigrationuntiltherest hascalculatedGinicoefficientmeasuresof where 1.00 represents 10 asocietyinwhichall ofwesternEuropeopeneditsborders.Fornearly inequalityformostcountries. TheChinaofthe income is concentrated in allwesternEuropeancountriesexcepttheUK, CommunistCulturalRevolutionwasverypoorand thehands of one person, and 0.00 one with perfect immigrationfromCEEhasceasedtobecontrover- theregimebrutal,butrelativelyegalitarian, income equality. sial,butconsiderableconflicthasbeenaroused with aGinicoefficientofaround0.30(broadly by aquitedifferentphenomenon:wavesofrefu- similartotheNordicandcertaincentral geesandasylumseekersescapingfromwarsand Europeancountries).WithChina’sentryintothe otherdisastersintheMiddleEastandNorth globaleconomy,inequalityrosesteeply:by2015, Africa.Althoughnot adirectconsequenceofthe theGinicoefficienthadincreasedto0.55 —more reductionofbarrierstotrade,thisphenomenon unequalthantheUSAat0.42.However,poverty hasseverallinkstoglobalizationingeneral, hasalsodeclinedinChina.TakingtheWorld andiscertainlyresponsibleforsomeofthe Bank’sdefinitionofextremepovertyasmeaning oppositiontoit. workersearninglessthan$US1.90 adayat2013 values,in1990,60%oftheChinesepopulation Gainsandlossesfromglobalization werelivinginpoverty-strickenhouseholds;by Wemustnowputsomefleshonthesegeneraliza- 2016,thatlevelhaddroppedto1.9%.Chinese tionswithsomekeyexamples,focusingmainly lifeexpectancyatage 0was69yearsin1990; ontheworld’smostpopulouscountry,China,on in2016,itstoodat76 —oneyearhigherthanUS whichmuchwesternanxietyoverglobalization lifeexpectancyhadbeenin1990.In1990,5.4% hasconcentrated.(Unlessotherwisestated,the ofChinesechildrendiedbeforetheyhadreached followingdataaretakenfromtheWorldBank’s theageof 5years;in2016,itwas1.1%(the mostrecent WorldDevelopmentIndicators .9) sameastheUSAin1990).In1990,only37%of TheoverallwealthoftheChinesepeoplehas thoseofsecondaryschoolagewereenrolledat certainlyincreased.In1990,grossnational school;by2016,thatfigurehadreached94% incomepercapitainpurchasingpowerparities (slightlyhigherthantheUSAin1990,whichhad stoodat$US990(intheUSA,itwas$23,730).By been91%).Theseachievementscameat aprice, 2016,ithadbecome$15,500(theUSequivalent mainlyinairpollution.In1990,Chineseindus- wasthen$58,030).In1990,exportsrepresented trial,transport,heatingandotheractivities 14%ofChina’sgrossdomesticproduct(GDP);by generated2.17metrictonsofcarbondioxideper 2016,thishadrisento20%ofthefarlarger inhabitant.By2016,thishadrisento7.55(the economy(thecomparablefiguresfortheUSA equivalentfiguresfortheUSAwere19.32and are9%and13%).ButChinaalsoincreasedits 16.4). importsfromtherestoftheworld,from11%to ThestudiesbyBourguignonandMilanoviccited 17%ofGDP(theUSA’sfigureincreasedfromthe abovetacklewhatthelattertermstheparadox same1990levelasChina’stoonly15%).China’s ofinequality:inequalityhasdeclinedacross advancehasthereforeinvolvednotonlyexports, theworldas awhole,butincreasedwithinmost butalsoimportsfromtherestoftheworld. countries.Althoughglobalrealper-capitaincome China’sgrowingwealthhas,however,been increasedbetween1988and2012,theworld’s 40 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 41

verypoorestsawnoimprovement.Theglobal allyacrosshigh-incomecountriesfrom56.5%in 11 11 bit.ly/2MfZbm2 middle(i.e.,the45thto65thpercentilesof 1991to56.2%in2016. Thedeclinewasconcen- 12 theworld’sincomedistribution,mainlyfoundin tratedonmen(from68.4%to64.0%),theratefor bit.ly/2pDEl7h Chinaandotherindustrializingcountries)saw women growing from45.3%to48.5%.Acrossthe 13 Guy Standing, Work after amajorimprovementintheirlivingstandards, worldas awhole,employmentdeclinedfrom62.4% Globalization: Building butthe80thto95thpercentiles(broadly,the to59.2%,andaffectedbothgenders.Thedecline OccupationalCitizenship (Cheltenham: Edward westernmiddleclass)experiencedsomedecline. inChinawasinfactconsiderablygreater,from Elgar,2009); The Precariat: The New DangerousClass Therichest1%intheworld,ontheotherhand, 75.4%to67.3%,andagainaffectedbothmenand (London: Bloomsbury, 2011). saw amassiveimprovementintheirstandards,and women.Unfortunately,globaldataareavailable nowaccountfor29%ofallincomeand46%ofall onlyforthis15–64agerange,whichisbecoming wealth. ofdecreasingusewhensomanypeopleover15 OneofthemainindustriesinwhichChina areineducation.WorldBankdatashowthat, andsomeotherdevelopingcountrieshavehada acrosstheworld,theproportionofchildrenof particularimpactonworldtradeisthatofcrude secondaryschoolagewhowereenrolledinschool steel(othersincludelow-value-addedclothing rosefrom52.53%in1991to76.42%in2015.The andtextiles,andlightconsumergoods).Steel figureforChinarosefrom39.63%to94.29%;for hasbeenparticularlyproblematicfollowingthe India,from37.29%to73.97%.Wealthiercoun- recentslowdowninChina’seconomicexpansion. trieswerealreadycloseto100%in1991,butthe Itisestimatedthatthecountrywillneedto numbershavecontinuedtorise.Globalenrolment shedover amillionjobsinsteelmakingoverthe intertiaryeducationhasrisenfrom13.84%in nextfewyears.Meanwhile,ithasbeenaccused 1991to35.69%in2015;inChina,from2.93%to bytheEU,theUSAandothersofdumpingsteel 43.39%;inIndia,from6.09%to26.88%.Therehas atheavilysubsidizedprices.Thatkindofaction alsobeenconsiderableexpansionofhighereduca- isprohibitedbytheWorldTradeOrganization, tioninthewealthycountries. andcasesarepending,butchargesarenoteasy Since2001,theEUhasstandardizedan toprove,andtheprocessestaketime.Inthe employmentcountfortheagerange20–64for meantime,thereispanicabouttheeffectofthe itsmemberstates,whichis amorerealistic allegeddumpingonproductionintheadvanced estimateofthesizeofthepotentiallabor economies.Settingthoseissuestemporarily force.12 Experiencevariesamongcountries,but, aside,itisclearthatChinaandIndiahavehad overall,employmentintheEUrosefrom66.9% amajorimpactonglobalsteelproductionin in2001to71.1%in2016,despitethe2008 recentdecades.[…] financialcrisisand2010Eurocrisishappening betweenthetwodatescited.Althoughemploy- Employmentandmigration mentinmostdevelopedcountrieshasthrived, Lookingbeyondsteeltothewholeeconomy, thishasoftenbeenatthecostofincreas- therehasbeensomedeclineinoverallemploy- inglyprecariousemploymentconditions,as mentratessincetheearly1990s,buttheseare GuyStandinghasdescribed. 13 Youngpeopleare notconfinedtotheadvancedcountriesandare oftenabletofindonlytemporaryjobs,orhave verysmall.DatafromtheInternationalLabor contractsthatpaythemonlywhenanemployer Organization(ILO)showtheemploymentratefor callsthemintowork(whatintheUKarecalled thepopulationaged15to64decliningmargin- “zero-hourscontracts”),orwhichtreatthem 42 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 43

asself-employed.In astudyoftheUSlabor 14 50%inBelgium,Finland,France,Hungary,the 17 14 Arne L. Kalleberg, Good OECD,2017, market,ArneKalleberg showedthat,between Jobs, BadJobs (New York: Netherlands,Romania,andSlovenia.Nowherewas bit.ly/33utcUT the1970sandtheearlyyearsofthepresent Russell Sage, 2011). itbelow37%. 18 century,therehadbeen amajorincreasein 15 Anotherwidelyusedmeasureofunsatisfac- European Foundation for Colin Crouch, Governing the ImprovementofLiving temporary,self-employed,andlow-paidjobsin Social RisksinPost-Crisis torylabormarketconditions,despitereasonably and Working Conditions, theUSA.Helisted anumberoffactorsbehind Europe (Cheltenham: strongoverallemploymentlevelsinmostcoun- undated, Work-Related Edward Elgar,2015). Stress, bit.ly/32f3Ni3 thisdevelopment.Globalizationandimmigration tries,isthenumberofyoungpeoplenotin 16 wereincluded,butotherswereimprovementsin OECD,2018 education,employment,ortraining(known technologythathadcreated alaborsurplus, asNEETs).Ofcourse,manyyoungpeopleare anddeliberatepoliticalchoicebysuccessive inemployment,butintemporaryorotherwise USgovernmentstoderegulatelaborstandards precariousandunsatisfactorypositions;butthe andtofailtoincreaseminimumwages.Crouch 15 NEETstatistictellsusaboutsomethingeven calculatedthat,in2012,inEUmemberstates moredesperate:youngpeoplesimplylosttoa plusNorway,anythingfrom33%(Norway)to futureplaceintheeconomy.AccordingtoOECD 71%(Greece)ofworkerswereeitherwithout statistics,17 in2016thenumberofNEETsreached work,temporarilyemployed,orself-employed. over20%ofyoungpeopleagedbetween15and29 Whilesomeself-employedworkersarecontent inmostofsouthernEurope(Greece,Italy,and tobesuch,includingsomeverywell-rewarded Spain)andalsoinMexicoandTurkey;over15%in professionalpractitioners, ahighnumberof France,Hungary,Poland,Portugal,andSlovakia; self-employedusuallyindicatespeopleeither andover10%inAustralia,Belgium,Canada,the unabletofindstandardemploymentorbeing CzechRepublic,Estonia,Finland,France,Latvia, describedasself-employedbythoseforwhom Lithuania,NewZealand,Russia,Slovenia,theUK, theyworkinordertoavoidvariousemployer andtheUSA. obligations.Thereisconsiderabledebateover Furthersignsoftheburdensbeingplacedon whetherpart-timeworkersshouldautomatically workersinthecontemporaryeconomyappearin beincludedamongthoseinprecariousorother- theconcernsbeingraisedaboutworkstress,as wiseundesirablelabor-marketconditions,as foundinresearchbytheEuropeanFoundationfor manypeopleworkpart-timebychoice.Thereis theImprovementofLivingandWorkingConditions evencomplaintthat,insomecountries,there (EuroFound).18 Itisdifficulttoappraisewhether areinadequateopportunitiesforpart-time therehavebeenactualchangesorjustincreased work,reducingwomen’slabor-marketpartici- consciousness —thoughthefactthatEuroFound pationinparticular.Calculationshavebeen identifiedmoreevidenceofstressinpoorerEU made,forOECDmemberstates,ofthenumberof membercountriesthaninwealthieroneswith part-timerssayingthattheyareworkingpart- strongwelfarestatessuggeststhatthisisnota timeonlybecausetheycannotfindfull-time caseof a“richcountryproblem.”Peopleinmany employment.16 Ifweaddthesetotheexisting differentkindsofworkarereportingvarious statistics,wefindthatin2012thepropor- combinationsofphysicalandmentalstressin tionofthepopulationagedbetween20and theirjobs,includingdifficultiesinmanaginga 64whowerenotinstandardemploymentwas balancebetweenworkandtherestoflife. above70%inGreece,Italy,andSpain;above Allthesedevelopmentsreflect achangein 60%inIreland,Poland,andPortugal;above therelationshipbetweensupplyofanddemand 44 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 45

forlabor,thoughbynomeansallresultfrom 19 aconsequenceofcompetitionamonggovernments FritzScharpf, Crisis and globalization.Therewouldhavebeenpressureto Choice in European Social toattracttransnationalcorporationsandwealthy substitutemachinesforhumanworkersas aresult Democracy (Ithaca,NY: individualsbyofferingthemlowtaxes.Thisis Cornell University Press, oftechnologicalopportunities.Nevertheless, 1991). anaspectofglobalization.Albeitindirectly, globalizationhascertainlyplayed apartin therefore,globalizationispartlyrespon- producing aworldwidelaborsurplus,whichlogi- sibleforthedeclineingoodjobs.For atime callymustfindatleastshort-andmedium-term attheendofthelastcentury,itseemedthat expressioninreducedworkincomesandworse thesechangeswouldresultinmassunemployment. workingconditionsinalready-industrialized Eventually,however,thereoccurred agrowthin countries.Globalization’sroleheretakestwo servicesjobsforlow-skilledandmoderately forms:changesintheoccupationalstructure,and skilledpeople,whohavehadtocompensatefor immigration. theirpoorskillsbyacceptingprecariousnessand First,theshiftofmuchproductiveindustry insecurity. tonewlyindustrializingcountriesmeansthat Second,globalizationisresponsibleformuch inwealthycountriesworkhastobefoundmainly ofthemigrationthathastakenplaceinrecent inservices.Formanypeoplethismeansskilled years,whetherthishappensthroughfreedom- workinmorecongenialconditionsthaninmanu- of-movementprovisionssuchasthoseintheEU, facturing.Therehasbeen ageneralimprovement corporaterecruitmentplans,governmentsencour- ineducationstandardsinwealthycountries, agingimmigrationtoresolvelaborshortagesand enablingmanyyoungerpeopletomoveintothese improve acountry’sdemographicprofile,orthe morerewarding,up-marketjobs.However,for illegalimmigrationthatinevitablytakesplace low-skilledworkers,thesituationisdifferent. whentherearelargedisparitiesbetweenincome AstheGermanpoliticalscientistFritzScharpf levelsindifferentcountriesandmasstransport demonstratedbackin1991,productionindustries isreasonablyavailable.Itisoftenarguedthat improvedtheproductivityofsuchworkersby immigrantsreducewages,sinceitseemsclear puttingtechnologyattheirdisposalandenabling fromelementaryeconomictheorythatanincrease themtoenjoygoodwagesandjobsecurity. 19 While inthesupplyoflaborwithout aconcomitant thereistechnologicalsupportforworkersin increaseinitsdemandwillleadto areduc- someservicessectors,andthishasincreased tioninitsprice.Immigrationisherejustone considerablywithinformationtechnology,it of anumberofpotentialsuddenincreasesin islesssignificantthaninmanufacturing.For laborsupply.Othersincludethemajorincrease someotherlow-skilledworkers,thereusedtobe infemaleemploymentthathastakenplace,and employmentinpublicservices —jobsthatdidnot internalmigrationfromdepressedtoflour- paymuchbutwhichofferedconsiderablesecu- ishingcitiesandregions.Inallsuchcases,it rity.Thathasdeclinedasconditionsinpublic mightseemrationaltoseektoboostwagesby employmenthavebecometougheras aresultof restrictingaccesstothelabormarket(aswas reductionsingovernmentspending.Thishasbeen oftendonebyearlytradeunionmovements).But aconsequencepartlyofneoliberalideology, theevidenceisagainsttheseexpectations.In partlyofdecliningtaxrevenuesconsequent the1980sand1990s,andespeciallyafterunifi- onreductionsintaxesoncorporationsandthe cation,Germanytriedtorestrictlaborsupply globalrich.Thesereductionsareinturnpartly bynotreducingbarrierstowomen’sentryinto 46 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 47

thelaborforce.Incontrast,theScandinavian hasbeeninadequatetrainingorbecausethe countriesandtheUKtookstepstomakeiteasier workisunattractive.Thisisthecasewith formotherstowork.TheGermanlabormarket manyactivitiesinthehospitality,health,and stagnated,buttheseofDenmark,Sweden,andthe caresectors.Ifimmigrantswerenotavailable, UKflourished.Eventually,Germanychangedits employersmighthavetoraisewagesinorderto approach. recruitlocalstaff.However,consumerdemand Thereasonfortheparadoxicalresultisthat (or,inthecaseofpublicservices,govern- thesimplemodelofanincreaseinlaborsupply mentwillingnesstofund)maybeinadequateto tellsonlypartofthestory.Anincreaseinthe raisewages.Inthatcase,theresultof alabor supplyofworkingpeoplemeansanincreaseinthe shortageissimply areductioninsupplyofthe numberofconsumers,andthereforeanincrease serviceconcerned.Manyrestaurantsandcare indemand.Theimpactofthisvariesconsider- centerswouldcloseifimmigrantswerenotavail- ablyacrosssectors.Wherethereisalreadya abletoworkinthem.Further,although,ifthe strongsupplyoflocallaborandratherinelastic supplyofsuitablelocallaborisinsufficient demand,theshort-termimpactofimmigrationis andcannoteasilybeincreased,theresultof likelytoleadto areductioninwages,butthere employersoutbiddingeachothertorecruitfrom areotherscenarios.Forexample,inseasonal asmallpoolwillcertainlyincreasewagesin agriculture(amajorsectorforimmigrantlabor), thesectorconcerned,therewillbeanincrease thereareoftenshortagesoflocalworkers,if inpricesforeveryoneelse.Underconditionsof onlybecauseitisdifficultforpeopleliving tightlaborsupply,oneperson’swageincreaseis within awealthysocietytogetbyonseasonal another’spriceincrease.Thepursuitof gener- wages.Itiseasierforanimmigrantfrom apoor ally higherincomesthroughtheenforcementof country,whocangohomeduringtheoff-seasons, laborscarcityis aself-defeatingproject. livingin acheapereconomyonsavingsfromthe Itistruethat,insomecases,laborsupply incomereceived.Theseworkershavenonega- couldbeincreasedbyimprovingtraining,and tiveimpactonlocalwagesinthecountryto thattheavailabilityofalready-skilledimmi- whichtheycome,buttheirspendinginthelocal grantsmightenableemployerstoavoidinvesting economymayboostthewagesofothersthere;they intraining.Thiswillbeeffectivemainlyin alsocontributetaxpaymentstothenational medium-skilledsectors,whereskillscanbe economy.Thefactthattheyarewillingtowork impartedquicklyenoughtoaddresscurrentshort- in aseasonalpatternandforwagesunacceptable ages.Formorehighlyskilledactivities,where topeopleinthateconomykeepsthepricesof traininglastingseveralyearsisneeded,the fruitandvegetableslow,raisingthevalueof incentivesdonotwork. Acurrentcrisisin thewagesofothers.Weretheimmigrantstobe recruitinghospitalnursescannotbemetby preventedfromcoming,thesectorwouldprobably launching anewtrainingprogram.Incentivesto movetoanothercountry,thefirstcountrylosing providetrainingforsuchoccupationshasto theconsumerspendingandtaxpaymentsofthe comefromoutsidecurrentmarketpressures,which immigrantsithasrejected. iswhysomuchtrainingofthiskindiseither Inothersectors,immigrantsperformhighly providedbypublicpolicyorbecomesanunre- ormoderatelyskilledtaskswherethereare solvedproblemleadingtopermanentlyreduced shortagesoflocallabor,eitherbecausethere activityinthesectorsconcerned.Immigrants 48 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 49

canrarelybe“blamed”foremployers’andgovern- formacrosstheethnicandculturaldivides, ments’failuretotrain. peopleofdifferentappearancebecometaken-for- Ifitwerereallythecasethatreducingthe grantedsightsinthehighstreetandatsporting supplyoflaborwas apositivemove,thenwe andotherevents.Immigrantsaremostlikelyto shouldfindthattownsandregionsexperiencing bethevictimsofxenophobiccampaignswhenthere suddenpopulationlossshouldhavethemost is asuddenincreaseintheirnumbers;whenthey vibrantlocaleconomies.Inreality,wefind comeasseasonalworkerswhoreturnhomeatthe theopposite.Declininglabormeansdeclining endofseasonsandneversettle;orinareas consumption,therefore adeclineindemand, wheretheyarenotfoundatall,butxenophobic thereforelowerwages,thereforemorepopulation movementsareabletospreadrumorsaboutthese lossaspeopleemigrate,in acontinuingspiral. strangecreatureswhomnoonehasactuallyseen. Immigrationisjustpartofthegeneralissue IntheUSpresidentialelectionsof2016,support offreetradeinfreemarkets:freeeconomic fortheanti-immigrantcandidateDonaldTrumpwas activityis apositive-sumgame,butitdoes highestinareaswiththelowestlevelsofimmi- throwupproblems,difficultmomentswhenthe gration.IntheUKreferendumonEUmembership speedandsizeofchangecreateinsecurityin ofthesameyear,wherehostilitytoimmigrants people’slives.Theseproblemsmustbeaddressed wascentraltotheanti-EUcampaign,thevoteto byspecificpolicies,notbyoverallrejectionof leavewashighestinareaswheretherewerevery thefreetrademodel.Inthecaseofimmigration, fewimmigrants,wheretheyweremainlyemployed threatstowagelevels(iftheyexist)canbe inseasonalagriculture,orwheretheirnumbers metthroughminimumwagepolicies.Inadequacies hadsuddenlyincreased.Votesfortheanti-immi- intrainingcanbemetthroughpublictraining grantpartyAlternativefürDeutschlandinthe policies.Thefree-movementrulesoftheEUare 2017Germanparliamentaryelectionswerehighest agoodexampleofthisapproach:thereisfree ineastern,formerlystate-socialistregions movement,butitissubjecttocertaincondi- whereveryfewimmigrantslive. tionsthatmemberstatescanapplyiftheirlabor Itisimportanttoconsideratwhatpoint marketstabilityisthreatenedbyimmigration. hostilitytoimmigrantsandthesettledethnic Butoppositiontoimmigrantsisrarelyjust minoritieswhoareinevitablyincludedinthe partofthegeneralissueoffreetradein attacksonthenewcomersdoesdamagetothe freemarkets.Immigrantscomefromwaysoflife fabricof asocietythatoutweighstheeconomic, differentinvariouswaysfromthelocalone.It cultural,anddemographicbenefitstheybring. isincontestablethatsomepeoplefeeluncom- Insomecountries,thathostilityhasalready fortableinthecompanyofpeoplefromother changedthepoliticalcontext,fromtimeto cultures.Therefore,againsttheadvantagesof timebringingextremenationalistandanti- immigrantworkershastobesettheturmoil globalizationpartiestogovernmentofficein causedifpoliticalmovementssucceedinstirring Austria,Denmark,Finland,Hungary,Italy,the uphostilitytowardsthem.Experienceinmany Netherlands,Norway,andPoland,andtoplaya countriessuggeststhathostilitysubsideswhen majorroleinFrance,Sweden,andelsewhere.The immigrantfamilieshavebeensettledfortwoor USAhas apresidentcloselyassociatedwithanti- moregenerationsand,paradoxically,wheretheir immigrantandanti-Islamicorganizations;and numbersarehighest.Friendshipandfamilybonds theUKembarkedon aprocessofendingitsover 50 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 51

fortyyears’membershipoftheEU,withoutatthe becausetheycanchoosewheretolocate,firms 20 EnricoMoretti, TheNew timehaving aclearalternativeinmind,largely tendtoclusteringenerallyattractiveplaces. GeographyofJobs (Boston becauseofhostilitytoEUfreedom-of-movement Becausetheirspaceneedsaretypicallylow,the MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016); OECD, policies.Globalizationis amajorcauseof effectsofthisclusteringonlandpricesare CompetitiveCitiesinthe Global Economy,OECD migration;hostilitytoimmigrantsiscurrently relativelyslowtodevelop.Onlyrarelydoold Territorial Reviews (Paris: threateningtheviabilityofglobalization.This industrialcitiesbecomethefocusesofthese OECD,2006). istheviciouscirclecurrentlyconfrontingthe newactivities.Oneconsequenceofthisisthat protagonistsofglobalization. thebest-educatedandmosthighlyskilledyoung Indirectlyrelevanttotheissueofimmigra- peoplemoveawayfromdecliningindustrialareas tionaresomenegativeconsequencesattributed tothenewcentersofemployment,leavingbehind toglobalizationexperiencedprimarilybyolder anincreasinglydespairingpopulation. 20 men,formeremployeesofthetraditionalindus- Itishere,inthesespecificindustries, triesrendereduncompetitivebytheriseofthe cities,andregions,andintheuglysocialenvi- neweconomies.Theyhaveseentheactivitiesin ronmentconfrontingmanyimmigrantsandmembers whichtheytookpridedecline,andtheirtradi- ofethnicminorities,thatwefindthenegative tionalcommunitiescollapse.Evenifnewjobs impactsofglobalizationintheexistingadvanced havecometotheirareas,theyhaveoftenbeen economies.Viewingtheissueinthiswayreveals innon-prestigiousservicesactivities,and thedamagethatglobalizationhasproduced,but moreoftenfortheirdaughtersthanfortheir alsothepositiveimpactofinnovation,growing sons.Theheavilymalebaseofemploymentin wealth,andculturaldiversityinotherloca- manufacturingandminingisnotreproducedin tionsandsectors.Theseareusuallycosmopolitan themajorityofservicessectors.Thismore placesthathaveattractedimmigrantsfromaround gender-balancedworkforceiswelcomedbymany theworld,makingtheircontributiontoinno- people,butforthose —especially,butnot vationanddiversity.Toseektoturnbackthe only,men —broughtupincommunitiesbasedon clockonglobalizationistoseektoputanend thosesectorsandthepatriarchalgenderrela- tothisdynamism.Butthe“forgotten”citiesand tionsassociatedwiththem,theexperiencecan regionsremain amajorchallenge. bedisorienting.Further,withtheexceptionof Thereis asimilarproblematicimbalancein thepublic-serviceprofessions(e.g.,health, thenewlyindustrializingcountries.Longevity, education),whichtendtobedistributedevenly healthandeducationhaveimprovedformillions acrosspopulations,thoseservicesactivities ofpeopleinChinaandotherpartsofAsia,but thatprovidehighlyskilled,highlyrewardedjobs workersintherapidlydevelopingmanufacturing tendtobeconcentratedincapitalsand asmall citiesaresufferingfromharshlaborregimes numberofotherdynamiccities.Unlikeagri- andheavilypollutedatmospheres.Theyhavebeen cultureandmuchmanufacturing,manyservices uprootedfromfarmingareaswheretheywerepoor activities(especiallythosebasedoninforma- andlivedhighlyrestrictedlives,butwhere tiontechnology)havenogeographicalconstraints theyoftenhadsettledcommunities.Intheir totheirlocation.Originally,geographershad mobilitytonew,growingindustrialareas,they thoughtthatthiswouldleadthesesectorstobe havesharedthedislocationanddisorientationof evenlydistributedacrosspopulationcenters,but peopleleftbehindintheoldindustrialareasof theevidencesuggeststhattheoppositehappens: thewesternworld. 52 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 53

Aracetothebottom? 21 countrieshadspentpublicmoneyoninfra- World Bank, Global Centraltocriticismsofglobalizationformany Economic Prospectsand the structuraldevelopments,includingsuchhuman onthelefthasbeenthecomplaintthatit Developing Countries2001 infrastructureasexpandededucationandimproved (Washington, DC:World enablesmultinationalcorporationstoplaycoun- Bank, 2001). health —socialdemocraticratherthanneoliberal triesoffagainsteachotherintheso-called priorities.Theyhadalsoimprovedthereli- “racetothebottom,”threateningtocease abilityoftheruleoflaw.Meanwhile,countries productioninthosewithstronglaborlawsor thathadnotdonethesethingswerevulnerable highcorporatetaxes.Ifthelogicoftheraceto tonegativedevelopmentsthatmadetheirposi- thebottomfullyprevailed,therewouldnolonger tionworse.Thetwomainonescanbelaidat beanyprivate-sectoremploymentinthestrong leastpartlyatneoliberalism’sdoor.Firstwas welfarestatesofnorthwestEurope;everything aviciousspiral:ifcountriesweredoingbadly, wouldhavefledtothelow-wagedictatorshipsof theysufferedfromfinancialflight,whichmade theFarEastortocountrieswiththepoorest theirpredicamentworse.Thefreedomofcapital laborstandards.Butcorporationsoftenwant movementsthatis afundamentalfeatureof thegood-qualityhumanandphysicalinfrastruc- neoliberal“reforms”makesthiskindofdesta- turethatonlyrelativelyhigh-taxregimesand bilizingchangemorelikelytooccur.Second, high-qualitylaborcanprovide.Suchcountries failingtoentertheworldmanufacturingeconomy, continuetobeverysuccessfulinattracting butoftenrichinthemineralresourcesonwhich foreigndirectinvestment.Againstthis,itis thateconomydepends,thesemainlyAfricancoun- alsothecasethatacrossmostadvancedeconomies triesbecameincreasinglydependentonearnings theburdenoftaxationhasshiftedfromcapital frommineralexploitation.Wealthisgainedfrom torelativelylow-paidlaboroverthepastthree mineralexploitationbycontrollingtheland decades —evidencethatimportantaspectsofa inwhichthemineralsarefound.Forcountries racetothebottomhavebeeninplace,increasing withlowlevelsoflawenforcementandpoorly inequalityandreducingthemoneyavailablefor definedborders,thishasledto amajorincrease publicservicesandinfrastructureprojects. incivilwarsforcontrolofmineraldeposits, Ontheotherhand,globalizationisfarfrom furtherweakeningnationaleconomies.Thismight owingallitsexistingachievementstoneolib- havehappenedunderanyeconomicregime,butthe eralism. AWorldBankstudyin2001 21 foundthat dominanceofneoliberalpoliciesmadeitdiffi- majorfactorsfavoringtheincreasedpartici- cultforgovernmentsinpoorcountriestoprotect pationofdevelopingcountriesinworldtrade theireconomiesfromfittinginwithwhatever werereductionsintransportcostsandimproved fateparticipationinglobalmarketsassignedto communicationsthroughinformationtechnology. them.Forestsandothernaturalenvironmentshave Thesearetechnologicalratherthanpolitical beendestroyed,ecologicalbalancedisturbed, changes —thoughreducedtransportcostshave anddiseasesspreadacrosstheworld,asgovern- ledtomoregoodsbeingcarriedfartheraround mentshavesearchedtoengagetheircountriesin theworldwithnoregardforatmosphericand theglobaleconomy,andaseliteshavesoughtto marinepollutioncosts.TheBankalsotriedto shareintherichpickingsthatsuchengagement analyzewhysomepartsoftheworldhadmanaged brings.Globalneoliberalhegemonyallowedthem tobenefitfromworldtrade,whileothers(espe- todothiswithouttakingsocialandenviron- ciallyAfrica)hadnotdoneso.Successful mentalcostsintoconsideration. 54 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 55

However,westernopponentsofglobalization, ticalbodiestodoso.Withinglobalsupply 22 Statistics Denmark, Nordic particularlythosewhoprofesshumanitarian chains, afinishedcomplexproduct,likea CountriesinGlobal Value concerns,needtoaskthroughwhatmeansother motorvehicle,accumulatescomponentsfroma Chains (Copenhagen: Statistics Denmark, 2017). thanglobalizationitwouldeverbepossible numberofcountries,oftenbeingexportedand 23 forbillionsofpeopleoutsidetheadvanced re-importedseveraltimesduringtheprocess.A OECD,2017. “Import economiestoemergefrompoverty.Whiletheir jointresearcheffortoftheOECDandtheCouncil ContentofExports,” bit.ly/2MdefAM countriesfacedforbiddingtariffsandcontrols ofNordicMinisters,publishedbyStatistics 22 24 overmarkets,excludingthemfromwesternecono- Denmark, demonstratedtheimpossibilityofsepa- Desmond Cohen, mies,theycoulddeveloponlythroughendogenous ratingindividualnationaleconomiceffortsfrom “Economic Sovereignty: a Delusion,” in Social Europe, growth,whichinturnrequiredtheirownprotec- “therestoftheworld.”TheNordiceconomies September20, 2017: bit.ly/2BmUWix tionismtopreventtheirinfantindustries are,ofcourse,small,buttheOECDhascalcu- frombeingswampedbygoodsfromtheadvanced latedtheimportcontentofexportsfor awide 25 An extended version of economies.Theirachievementswere,withvery rangeofcountries,showingthatevenforlarge this example canbefound in Colin Crouch, “Riddle: fewexceptions,meagre:cutofffrominnova- economiesthiscanbehigh —forexample:China WhenIsaChlorinated tionstakingplaceelsewhereintheworld,their 29.4%,Germany25.4%,UK21.9%,Japan18.2%, ChickenBetterthan a RegulatedBanana?” in leadingfirmsrelaxedbehindtariffwallsand USA15.3%,andRussia13.7%(2014statistics). 23 Social Europe,August 7, 2017: bit.ly/2VG6nuR politicalfavors.Hadsuch aworldcontinued DesmondCohenhasarguedthat,whenthesedata withouttheseriesofreformsstartingfromthe areputalongsidethewidespreadsub-contracting GATTandculminatingintheWTO,poorcountries ofpublic-servicedeliverytointernationalfirms wouldhaveremainedexcludedfromprosperity. thathasoccurredinseveralcountries,aswell Increasedtradehasalsobroughtstrengthening asthecompromisesthathavetobeacceptedin relationsofallkindsacrossmuchoftheworld; internationaltradedeals,theideaofeconomic thisistheothersideofthecoinofcultural sovereigntyinthemoderneconomyisnolonger challengerepresentedbyimmigration.People viable.24 havelearnedmoreaboutothercountries,trav- Aninstructiveillustrationofthispoint elledtothem,adoptedsomeoftheircustoms, concernsthedifferentattitudesofBritish eatinghabits,socialattitudes,andcultures. supportersofleavingtheEUinfavorofseeking Theseflowshavebeenmulti-directional,butin aspecialtradingrelationshipwiththeUSAover particularpeopleinpoorercountrieshavebeen thequestionsofchlorine-washedchickenand encouragedtowanttoknowmoreaboutricher theregulationofbananaqualitylabelling. 25 ones,andsomehavemigratedtothem.Withinthe Chlorine-washingofchickenisamong anumberof EUsinglemarket,thishasbeenparticularly chemicalprocessesusedinUSagriculturethat easy,leadingtomajorflowsfromcentralto arebannedunderEUregulations,butwhichat westernEuropeancountries;butithappenedto leastsomemembersoftheBritishgovernmentare theUSAtoo. willingtoacceptaspartof atradedealwith theUSA.Forpresentpurposes,substantiveissues Theillusionofeconomicsovereignty ofUSabattoirhygienestandardsarenotimpor- Globalizationhasreached apointwhereitis tant.Thequestioniswhetherchangingone’sfood notevenpossibletodistinguishclearlybetween standards,notbecauseonewantstodoso,but anexportandanimport,despitetheQuixotic inordertosecure atradedealwith afarmore attemptsofinternationalandnationalstatis- powerfulcountry,is acompromiseofsovereignty. 56 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 57

Notso,intheviewofBritishadvocatesofa jointlyproducedandagreedregulation,onthe tradedealwiththeUSA.Theverysameadvocates basisofsharedtechnicalandeconomicdata,with do,however,seeagreementsreachedamongEU everyoneconcernedhavingrightstoopposeand memberstates —includingtheUKitself —ontrading object,butintheendaccepting agroupdeci- standardsasaffrontstosovereignty.Themain sion.Itisthatqualityofsharingandjoint examplethattheyhaveusedtosymbolizethis productionthatseemstooffendtheideaof isEUregulationsdesignedtoensurethatthere economicsovereignty. is acommonstandardacrosstheEUindefining Economictreatiesofallkindsinvolve aGrade IorGradeIIbanana.Thisisseenas compromisesofindependentdecision-making, anaffronttosovereignty,becauseitprevented andparticipationinthemodernworldeconomy theUKfromhavingitsownbananaclassifica- requireslargenumbersofthese.Movestoshared tion.Buttherulewasnot“imposed”ontheUK; decision-makingratherthanjustacross-the- itsrepresentativeswereamongthoseinvolved tabledealsareamongthemainmeansavailable inmakingit.Whyisthere adifferenceinatti- forbridgingthegapbetweenpoliticaldebates tudeintheUKtothetwoformsofacceptanceof anddecisions,whichremainobstinatelynational, afood-qualityrule,onevia atradeagreement, andeconomicrule-making,whichisfundamen- theotherbymeansof ajointlyagreedrule? tallytransnational.Toseethesemeansas Thisisnot acaseof apreferenceamongBritish uniquelycompromisingistorefusetouse avalu- nationalistsfordealingwithcountriesinwhat ablepoliticalinstrument,preferringanidea theyhavestartedtocallthe“Anglosphere;”the ofsovereigntyderivedfrommilitaryconcepts UKisclearlywillingtomakepost-Brexittrade ofearliercenturies.Inanincreasinglyinte- agreementswiththeEU,andifsuch adealwere gratedworld,countriesgainfrompoolingtheir toinvolvecontinuingtouseEUbanananomencla- sovereigntyinordertosecuretransnational ture,therewouldbenoobjection.Thedifference regulationofeconomicforces. inthechickenandbananacasesistheproce- durethroughwhichtheagreementsarereached, Conclusion:thebalancesheet andthatiswhattakesustotheheartof ofglobalization British —andprobablyother —misguidedunderstand- Hadglobalizationnottakenplace —hadwe,that ingsofsovereignty. istosay,remainedinnationalfortressecono- In atradedealbetweencountries,bothsides mies,withcarefullymonitoredtradeandtariff wantsomethingfromtheotherandarewillingto walls,strictlimitsonforeigntravelandeven compromisetogetit,sometimeshavingtooffer stricteronesonimmigration —mostoftheworld somethingaboutwhichtheyarenottoohappy; wouldtodaybeconsiderablypoorer;theamount theoveralldealmakesthatworthwhile.Butthey of illegal immigration,withallitsconse- remainseparatecountries,theysitonopposite quencesofincreasedcriminality,wouldhave sidesofthetable,anddonotsharemuchcommon beengreater;relationsamongstateswouldhave information.WhenanorganizationliketheEU beenmorehostile.Ontheotherhand,therehave makes aregulation,therewillalsobedifferent beencasualtiesfromglobalization:someworld interestsamongcountriesandcompromisesthat regions(mainlymostofAfrica)havebeenleft arenotalwayshappy,butwhatisbeingreached out,andwehaveallbeenpresentedwithgeneral isnot adealbetweenseparateparties,buta political,cultural,andsocialchallenges,the 58 ColinCrouch TheEconomy 59

fullextentofwhichwestillhavenotexperi- globalizedworldofautonomousnational enced.Evenintherichcountries,therehave economies;evenifitwerecleartowhichdecades beenlosers —citiesandregionsthathavenot that“return”mightrefer,theworldhasbeen sharedintheoverallgains,andmanyworkerswho sochangedbyglobalizationthattherecanbeno haveexperienceddecliningstandardsofsecurity. simpleideaof“return.”Itisfarmoreconstruc- Themainwinnershavebeentheplanet’srichest tivetoworkouthowinsomepolicyfieldsthe people,withanoverallincreaseininequality, ideaofnationaleconomicsovereigntyneeds especiallybetweentheveryrichandeveryone togivewaytooneofpooledsovereigntyin else,partlythroughchangesintaxationascoun- pursuitof abettertransnationalregulation trieshavecompetedtoattractfootloosefirms oftheglobalizedeconomy.Formanyopponents andindividuals,thoughpartlythroughchanges ofglobalization,theissueisnotprimarily onlyindirectlylinkedtoglobalization.There economic,butsomethingabouttheirdeepersense havebeenfurthermajornegativeside-effects, ofwhotheyareassocialpersons,andtherela- includingenvironmentaldamage. tionshipofthatidentitytothoseofothers Nevertheless,wereglobalizationnowtogo withwhomtheyareforcedtocomeintoreluctant intoreverse,theworldwouldbecomepoorer, contact.Itistotheseissuesraisedthatwe whichwouldbringitsownconflictswithincoun- mustnowturn. tries,andintensifytensionamongthemas governmentsandbusinesseswouldseetheerection oftradebarriersbyothersashostileacts.It isnotpossibletowithdrawfromanopentrading relationshipwithouttheactionbeingperceived asunfriendlybythosefromwhom acountryis separatingitself,leadingto afurtherdete- riorationinrelations.TheUKgovernment discoveredthisasittriedhaplesslytoargue totheEUthatitsdecisiontoleaveitwasnot anunfriendlyact.Forrichcountriestosurround themselveswithnewprotectionistwallswould notonlyhurtproducersinthedevelopingworld, butalsoleadtomajorincreasesinpricesand restrictionsofchoicefordomesticconsumers. Severerestrictionswouldhavetobeplacedon themovementofgoods,persons,andcapitalto preventcitizensandbusinessesfromcircum- ventingsuchrestrictions.Woulditbepossible todothis,especiallyforpublicswhohave becomeaccustomedtoeconomicfreedom,without imposingcontrolsonpeople’slivesofthekind foundineasternEuropeuntil1990? Therecanbenosimple“return”to apre- Every DayA sanofi-aventis

The drug industry says that due to the availability of agreat many people whonever takedrugs, it has its testing done in places wherenodrugs aretaken.

It allows agreat manycontracts to be signed by thumb.

The signatories’death rate rises in proportion to the number of tests. The number of tests in places wherenomedicine is taken has grownsince 1990 by 2000 percent.

In the year 2010 668 people died in India during these tests.

Until 2009 the families of the dead received no compensation. In 2010 the BayerCorporation paid off 5 of 138, Sanofi Aventis corporation paid 3 of 152 families 50,000 rupees, which is 3,125 dollars and which is what ataxi driver there earns in ayear.

Meanwhile in Germany in 2008 60,000 euros Alice Creischer were paid per corpse.

Establishment of Matters AliceCreischer: bor n1960inGerolstein(D);studie dphilosophy, of Fact /2 Which is something that shouldn’t enter the equation, German studies,an dartinDüsseldorf ;livesandwork sinBerlin. Every DayA– sanofi-aventis since everyone is equal in death, Together withAndreasSiekmann shecuratedth eprojects”Ex though it does, involuntarily, Source: [e-drug] Poor compen- Argentina “atMuseo NacionaldeArte ,La Paz (2011) ,Palaisde sation to MNCs clinical trials as the drug industry proceeds to calculate, Glace ,BuenosAires(2006)an dMuseumLudwig,Cologne(2004); and victims, From: “Chandra and this calculation is tied ”Principi oPotosí“atMuseo NacionalCentr odeArteReinaSofia, Gulhati” Madri dandHausde rKulturen derWelt,Berlin(2010).Sh etookpart Translated by David Riff, 2012 / which seems nailed to places atdocumenta 12(2007). EditedbyMatthew Hyland, 2015 wheredrugs aretaken. Every Day B total

In 1992,Totalagreed with the government of Myanmar to conveynatural gas from the ocean to Thailand. It nowproduces avolume of 758 million cubic meters every day.

Total has companions that arecalled Unilocal, ptt, and Chevron and that seek to devour each other every day. They split the profits with the government.

The government sees to it that the bunkers for the battalions arealreadyprovided, that the embankments on which the pipes arewelded aretramped down, and that the landing field is tarred when the engineers alight from their machines.

The bunkers, the embankments, the pipes pretend to create themselvesontheir own, they arelying.

When we arecaught sleeping by the patrol, they will beat us until we pick up our baggage again. And when we arrive, they will order us to immediately pick up the shovels and axes, to cut aswath and operate the roots out of the ground which is alreadyhardfromprevious treads.

The engineers leaving their machines see what we aredoing. The engineers passing by the embankment in their jeeps don’t stop. They don’t ask us questions. And even if someone would ask, Alice Creischer we would wither away with fear Establishment of Matters of the one whosaw that questions were asked of Fact /2 likemoths Every DayB–total and under the suspicion Source: http://www.earthrights. of having told the truth. org/sites/default/files/ publications/Human-Cost-of- Energy.pdf Translated by KarlHofmann / Edited by Matthew Hyland, 2015 Every Day C syngenta

Every day, when the saplings arestill small, we spraythe fields. We don’t wear coats or boots or masks, because the companydoesn’t want to payfor them, although we asked them to do so several times. They sayit’stoo hot.

Our skin burns wherethe container sits on backs. When we come from the fields our eyes burn. It is said that yougoblind from the poison that yousprayonthe fields, and that the nails on your fingers and toes come out.

And is that not just? And mustn’t the death of the birds be paid back? And whogets the bill if not they whoare here and tread this soil every day with their feet along the furrows, along and along.

Alice Creischer

Establishment of Matters of Fact /2 Every DayC–syngenta

Source: www.paraquat.ch; Pilot study(English), Burkina Faso,Monsieur Mangin Translated by KarlHofmann / EditedbyMatthew Hyland, 2015 67–90

Duty-FreeArt

HitoSteyerl

HitoSteyerl:professo rofexperimenta lfilmandvideo and co-founde rofthe ResearchCenterforProx yPolitics atBerlin’s Universit yofthe Arts.Studiedcinematographyanddocumentaryfilm inTokyoan dMunichan dwrotehe rdoctoral thesisatth eAcademy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Herresearchfocuse sonmedia,technology,and thedistributionofimages .Hertexts ,performances ,andessayist documentary filmsdealwit hpostcolonial criticisman dfeminist criticismofrepresentational logic.Sh eworks attheintersections ofvisua lartan dfilmaswellastheory andpractice.She exhibitedhe rworkatinstitution sworldwide,includingMuseum ofContemporar yArt,LosAngeles(2016);Venic eBiennale(2015), and MuseumofModer nArt,NewYork (2014). 68 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 69

Chapter1 — TheNationalMuseum 1 “Hugeartstoragespaces See bit.ly/2oaf0Bx Thisis afilepublishedin2012byWikiLeaks.It formspartofWikiLeaks’sSyriafilesdatabase. 1 2 arebeingcreatedworldwide The PowerPoint file is Thefileiscalled“316787_VisionPresentation— attached to an email sent to inwhatcouldessentially the Ministry of Presidential Oct302010Eng.pptx,”inPowerPointformat, Affairswith the subject datedOctober2010. 2 ItdetailsSyrianFirstLady line “Presentation on the becalled aluxurynoman’s NewVision forthe Syrian Asmaal-Assad’splansforthefutureofSyria’s Museums and Heritage Sites,” Oct.30, 2010, land,taxhavenswhere museums.Herfoundationaimstoestablisha Email-ID 2089122. artworksareshuffledaround networkofmuseumstopromoteSyria’seconomic bit.ly/2new20Z andsocialdevelopmentandstrengthennational 3 3 In the foundation’s fromonestorageroomto identityandculturalpride. TheFrenchLouvre ownwords:“Underthe islistedas apartnerindevelopingthisplan. 4 patronage of The First Lady, Asma Al-Assad, the Syrian anotheroncetheyget BoththeLouvreandtheGuggenheimBilbaoare Government is launching aculturalinitiativeof traded.Thisisalsooneof namedasrolemodelsfor aredesignedNational exceptional ambition— MuseuminDamascus. the transformation of its museums and the conser- theprimespacesforcontem- Aconferencewasplannedtounveilthewinner vation of itsheritagesites. To celebrateand inform poraryart:anoffshoreor ofaninternationalcompetitionforthedesignof this initiative, Cultural thisNationalMuseuminApril2011. Landscapes2011,anew annual forum, will bring extraterritorialmuseum.” However,threeweekspriortothisdate, togetheraninternational assemblyofthought leaders twentyprotesterswere“reportedlykilledas and expertsfromthe worlds 100,000peoplemarchedinthecityofDaraa.” 5 By of heritage, contemporary culture, academia and then,invitationsfortheconferencehadalready business.This inaugural edition will take the Syrian beenissuedto ahostofprominentspeakers, experienceasastarting includingthedirectorsoftheLouvreandthe point foradiscussion global in reachand conclusion,” BritishMuseum.OnApril28,2011, ArtNewspaper Feb. 7, 2011,Email-ID 765252 (see attachment reportedthattheconferencehadbeencancelled entitled“About Cultural duetostreetprotests. 6 Thewinnerofthearchi- Landscapes”). bit.ly/ 2oea92j tecturalcompetitionfortheNationalMuseumhas neverbeenannounced.

Chapter2 — NeverAgain Tobuild anation,BenedictAndersonhas suggestedthatthereshouldbeprintcapi- —Aview from theoutside of the SumerPark Kültür talism7 and amuseumtonarrate anation’s Merkezi, Diyarbakir,Turkey. Photo: Hito Steyerl. historyanddesignitsidentity. 8 Today — instead ofprint — thereisdatacapitalismand alot 4 However, on June 26,2011, ofmuseums.Tobuild amuseum, anationisnot partnermuseums call foradismantlingofthe necessary.Butifnationsare awaytoorganize initiative’s institutional timeandspace,soisthemuseum.Andastimes framework, the Syria HeritageFoundation. Earlier andspaceschange,sodomuseumspaces. that month, the Financial Times reported that the Theimageaboveshowsthemunicipalart 70 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 71

galleryofDiyarbakirinTurkey.FromJuneto organization hadsuspended AccordingtoImmanuelKant,timeandspaceare 11 operations.See Lina Saigol, Wikipedia: “The Google September2014,ithosted ashowongenocideand “First lady struggles to live necessaryconditionstoperceiveorunderstand ‘Ngram’Viewer is an online itsconsequences,called“NeverAgain!Apology up to promises,” Financial anything.Withouttimeandspace,knowledge, viewer,initiallybased on Times,June9,2011. Google Books, that charts andComingtoTermswiththePast.”Itsposter on.ft.com/2o98BXa experience,andvisioncannotunfold.Kantcalls frequencies of anyword or shortsentenceusing showsformerchancellorofWestGermanyWilly 5 thisperspective“criticism.”Withthisinmind, yearlycount of n-grams BrandtonhiskneesinfrontoftheWarsawghetto PeterAspden, “The walls of whatkindoftimeandspaceisnecessaryfor found in the sources ignorance,” Financial Times, printed since1800up memorial. June 9, 2012. on.ft.com/ contemporaryarttobecomemanifest?Orrather: to 2012 in anyofthe 2oTwm5x following eight languages: InSeptember2014,thismuseumbecamea Whatdoescriticismaboutcontemporaryartsay American English, British refugeecamp.Itdidnotrepresent anation,but 6 abouttimeandspacetoday? English, French,German, Anna Somers Cocks, “Syria Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, insteadshelteredpeoplefleeingfromnational turmoil kills MrsAl-Assad’s Tobrutallysummarize alotofscholarly and Chinese.” bit.ly/ forum,” The ArtNewspaper, 2ndnXcO disintegrations. Apr.28, 2011. bit.ly/ texts:contemporaryartismadepossibleby AftertheIslamicState(IS)militiacrossed 2o0UCmw neoliberalcapitalplustheinternet,bien- 12 Osbornearguesthat andeffectivelyabolishedpartsoftheborder 7 nials,artfairs,parallelpop-uphistories, contemporary artexpresses 9 Benedict Anderson, the “disjunctive unity betweenSyriaandIraqinAugust2014, between ImaginedCommunities: growingincomeinequality.Let’saddasym- of presenttimes …Asa fiftythousandandonehundredthousandYezidi Reflections on theOrigin metricwarfare — asoneofthereasonsforthe historicalconcept, the and SpreadofNationalism, contemporary thus involves refugeesescapedtheregionofShengalin revised and extended ed. vastredistributionofwealth — realestate aprojection of unityonto (London: Verso, 1991), 224. the differential totalityof northernIraq.Mostofthemhadtrekkedonfoot speculation,taxevasion,moneylaundering,and the times of human lives…” acrossMt.Shengal,assistedbyKurdishrebel 8 deregulatedfinancialmarketstothislist. PeterOsborne, Anywhere Anderson, “Census, Map, or Not At All: Philosophyof groups,whohadopened asafecorridor.While Museum,” excerptfrom ToparaphrasephilosopherPeterOsborne’s ContemporaryArt (London: ImaginedCommunities, Verso, 2013),22. themajoritystayedinrefugeecampsinRojava, available at bit.ly/ illuminatinginsightsonthistopic:contempo- northernSyria,andseveralcampsinnorthern 2pHFYkt raryartshowsusthelackof a(global)time Iraq,manyrefugeescrossedintoTurkey’sKurdish 9 andspace.Moreover,itprojects afictional The exodus of Yazidis from regions,wheretheywerewelcomedwithamazing Shengal is described in unityonto avarietyofdifferentideasoftime hospitality.ThecityofDiyarbakiropenedits LizSly,“Exodus from the andspace,thusproviding acommonsurfacewhere mountain: Yazidis flood —Google books’N-gram municipalgalleryasanemergencyshelter. intoIraqfollowing U.S. thereisnone. 12 viewer tracks the word airstrikes,” Washington Post, “impossible”inall the books Oncesettledonmatswithinthegalleryspace, Aug. 10,2014. wapo.st/ Contemporaryartthusbecomes aproxyfor on itsdatabase printed manyrefugeesstartedaskingforSIMcardstotry 339CGVH theglobalcommons,forthelackofanycommon in betweenthe years 1800-2000. toreachmissingfamilymembersbycellphone. 10 ground,temporality,orspace.Itisdefined 10 Hisname is Baris Seyitvan. 13 Thisisthedeskofthecurator,leftempty. by aproliferationoflocations,and alackof As in the caseofthe accountability.Itworksbywayofmajorreal relation betweenGermany (orEU-taxpayers) and Chapter 3—ConditionsofPossibility estateoperationstransformingcitiesworldwide Greece.Eighty-nine percent 11 of the so-calledbailout AccordingtotheGoogleN-gramviewer, theusage astheyreorganizeurbanspace.Itisevena funds have gone to inter- oftheword“impossible”hassteeplydropped spaceofcivilwarsthattriggerartmarketbooms national banks.Onlythe remaining 11 percenthas sincearoundthemid-twentiethcentury.Butwhat —SumerPark Kültür adecadeorsolaterthroughtheredistribution reachedthe Greeknational Merkezi, Diyarbakir,Turkey. budget.Even if only a doesthistellus?Doesitmeanthatfewerand Photo: Hito Steyerl ofwealthbywarfare.Ittakesplaceonservers fraction of this money fewerthingsareimpossible?Doesthismeanthat andbymeansoffiber-opticinfrastructure,and ends up at auction, how would auctions nowadays impossibility“assuch”isinhistoricaldecline? wheneverpublicdebtmiraculouslytransformsinto fare without the constant subsidies from public funds Perhapsitjustmeansthattheconditionsfor privatewealth.Contemporaryarthappenswhen that mysteriously endupas possibilitiesassucharesubjecttochangeover taxpayersaredeludedintobelievingtheyare private assets? time?Areboththepossibleandtheimpossible bailingoutothersovereignstateswheninfact definedbyhistoricalandexternalconditions? theyaresubsidizinginternationalbanksthat 72 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 73

thusgetcompensatedforpushinghigh-riskdebt taxpayers,an dmodules supplantbuildings: 16 13 “Freeports: ontovulnerablenations. Orwhenthisorthat [Freeports’]attractionsaresimilartothose Über-warehouses forthe regimedecidesitneedsthePRequivalentofa offeredbyoffshorefinancialcentres:security ultra-rich,” The Economist, Nov. 23,2013. econ.st/ nipandtuckprocedure. andconfidentiality,notmuchscrutiny …andan 2pJjcsB —Geneva Freeport signage Butcontemporaryartalsocreatesnewphysical alertsvisitorstoits guard arrayoftaxadvantages …Goodsinfreeportsare 17 spacesthatbypassnationalsovereignty.Letme dogs.Photo: Hito Steyerl. technicallyintransit,evenifinrealitythe Marie Maurisse, “La «caverne d’AliBaba» de giveyou acontemporaryexample:freeportart 14 portsareusedmoreandmoreaspermanenthomes Genève,plus grand port “Sufficeittosay,there 16 franc du monde, ignorela storage.Thisisthemotherofallfreeportart is wide belief among art foraccumulatedwealth. crise,” Le Figaro, Sept.20, storagespaces:Genevafreeport, atax-freezone dealers,advisersand Thefreeportisthus azoneforpermanent 2014: “Selon un document insurers that there is confidentiel, le port francde inGenevathatincludespartsofanoldfreight enough arttuckedaway transit.Althoughitisfixed,doesthefree- Genève dans sonensemble here to createone of the générerait chaque année stationandanindustrialstoragebuilding.The world’sgreat museums.” portalsodefineperpetualephemerality?Isit pas moinsde300 millions free-tradezonetakesupthebackyardandthe David Segal, “Swiss simplyanextraterritorialzone,orisitalso de francs de retombées FreeportsAre Home fora économiques surlecanton“ fourthflooroftheoldstoragebuilding,so Growing TreasuryofArt,” aroguesectorcarefullysettledforfinancial (According to aconfidential NewYork Times, July21, 17 document,Geneva freeport thatdifferentjurisdictionsrunthroughoneand 201. nyti.ms/2AEtVXp profitability ? in totalwould generate no thesamebuilding,astheotherfloorsareset Thefreeportcontainsmultiplecontradic- less than 300million Swiss 15 francs of revenue forthe outsidethefreeportzone. Anewartstorage KellerEasterling, tions:itis azoneofterminalimpermanence; canton). Extrastatecraft:The Power spacewasopenedlastyear.Upuntilonly afew of InfrastructureSpace itisalso azoneoflegalizedextralegality 18 yearsago,thefreeportwasn’tevenofficially (London: Verso, 2014). maintainedbynation-statestryingtoemulate ThomasElsaesser, “‘Constructive instability’, consideredpartofSwitzerland. failedstatesascloselyaspossiblebyselec- or:The lifeofthings as the cinema’s afterlife?”2008, Thisbuildingisrumoredtohousethousandsof tivelylosingcontrol.ThomasElsaesseronce 19f. The text'smanifold Picassos,butnooneknowsanexactnumbersince usedtheterm“constructiveinstability”to implications forconte- morarypolitical thought documentationisratheropaque.Thereislittle describetheaerodynamicpropertiesoffighter and itsrelation to managed collapse cannot be under- doubt,though,thatitscontentscouldcompete jetsthatgaindecisiveadvantagesbynavi- estimated,inrelation to its withanyverylargemuseum. 14 gatingatthebrinkofsystemfailure, arguing discussion of technology but alsopolitical usage: “Its Let’sassumethatthisisoneofthemost thattheymoreorless“fall”or“fail”inthe engineering provenance 18 hasbeenoverlaid by a importantartspacesintheworldrightnow.It desireddirection. Thisconstructiveinsta- neo-con political usage, for isnotonlynotpublic,butitisalsositting bilityisimplementedwithinnation-statesby instance, by Condoleezza Ricewhenshe calledthe inside averyinterestinggeography. incorporatingzoneswherethey“fail”onpurpose. deaths among the civilian population and the resulting From alegalstandpoint,freeportartstorage Switzerland,forexample,contains“245open chaos during the Lebanon- spaces aresomewhatextraterritorial .Someare customswarehouses,” 19 enclosingzonesoflegal Israelwar in the summer of 2006 the consequence locatedin thetransit zonesofairportsorin andadministrativeexception.Arethisstateand of ‘constructive instability.’” bit.ly/31SWBbe tax-freezones.Keller Easterlin gdescribes others acontainerfordifferenttypesofjuris- thefreezon easa“fenced enclave forware- dictionsthatgetapplied,orratherdonotget 19 Cynthia O’Murchu, “Swiss housing.” 15 It hasnow becomeaprimaryorga nof applied,inrelationtothewealthofcorpora- businessman arrested in artmarket probe,” Financial global urbanismcopied andpastedtolocations tionsorindividuals?Doesthiskindofstate Times,Feb.26, 2015. worldwide. It isanexampleof “extrastate- become apackageforopportunisticstateless- ft.com/2oeavWH craft,”asEasterlingterm sit, withina ness?AsElsaesserpointsout,hiswholeidea “mongrelfor mofexception”beyond thelawsof of“constructiveinstability”originatedwitha thenation-state .Inthisderegulatory stateof discussionofSwissartistsFischliandWeiss’s exemption, corporationsareprivileged at the work TheWayThingsGo (1987).Hereallsorts expenseof commoncitizens,“investors”replace ofthingsareknockedoffbalanceincelebratory 74 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 75

collapse.Thefilm’sgloriousmottois:“Balance 20 lobby,showroomsandfurnitureweredesigned “Freeports,” The Economist. 21 ismostbeautifuljustatthepointwhenitis bycontemporarydesignersRonAradandJohanna Cris Prystay,“Singapore abouttocollapse”. Grawunder. Agiganticarcingsculptureby Bling,” Wall Street Journal, May21, 2010. Amongmanyotherthings,freeportsalso Mr.Arad,titled CagesansFrontières ,(Cage on.wsj.com/2newdcF become azoneforduty-freeart, azonewhere WithoutBorders)spanstheentirelobby. controlandfailurearecalibratedaccording Paintingsthatlinetheexposedconcrete to“constructiveinstability”sothatthings —Trezor is adigital wallet wallslendthefacilitytheairof agallery. forbitcoin transactions. cheerfullyhangin apermanentlyfrozenfailing Image: CC by-SA3.0 Privateroomsandvaults,barricadedbyseven- balance. tondoors,linethecorridors.Nearthelobby, privategalleriesgivecollectors achanceto Chapter4 — Duty-FreeArt vieworshowpotentialbuyerstheirartunder Hugeartstoragespacesarebeingcreatedworld- museum-qualityspotlights. Aplannedsecond wideinwhatcouldessentiallybecalled aluxury phasewilldoublethesizeofthefacilityto noman’sland,taxhavenswhereartworksare 538,000squarefeet.Collectorsarepickedup shuffledaroundfromonestorageroomtoanother byFreePortstaffattheirplaneandwhisked oncetheygettraded.Thisisalsooneofthe bylimousine,anytimeofdayornight,tothe primespacesforcontemporaryart:anoffshore facility.Iftheclientispackingvaluables, orextraterritorialmuseum.InSeptember2014, anarmedescortwillbeprovided. 21 Luxembourgopeneditsownfreeport.Thecountry Thetitle CageWithoutBorders has adouble isnotaloneintryingtoreplicatethesuccess meaning.Itnotonlymeansthatthecagehas oftheGenevafreeport:“Afreeportthatopened nolimits,butalsothattheprisonisnow atChangiAirportinSingaporein2010isalready everywhere,inanextrastatecraftartwith- closetofull.Monacohasone,too. Aplanned drawalfacilitythatseepsthroughthecracks ‘freeportofculture’inBeijingwouldbethe ofnationalsovereigntyandestablishesitsown world’slargestart-storagefacility.” 20 Amajor logisticnetwork.Inthisubiquitousprison, playerinsettingupmanyofthesefacilitiesis rulesstillapply,thoughitmightbediffi- thearthandlingcompanyNaturalLeCoultre,run culttospecifyexactlywhichones,towhomor bySwissnationalYvesBouvier. whattheyapply,andhowtheyareimplemented. Freeportartstoragefacilitiesaresecret Whatevertheyare,theirgripseemstoconsider- museums.Theirspatialconditionsarereflected ablyloosenininverseproportiontothevalue intheirdesigns.Incontrasttotherather oftheassetsinquestion.Butthisconstruction perfunctorySwissfacility,designerssteppedup isnotonly adevicerealizedinoneparticular theirgameatthefreeportartstoragefacility locationin3-Dspace.Itisalsobasicallya inSingapore: stackofjuridical,logistical,economic,and DesignedbySwissarchitects,Swissengi- data-basedoperations, apileofplatformsmedi- neersandSwisssecurityexperts,the atingbetweencloudsandusersviastatelaws, 270,000-square-footfacilityispartbunker, communicationprotocols,corporatestandards, partgallery.Unlikethefree-portfacili- etc.,thatinterconnectnotonlyviafiber-optic tiesinSwitzerland,whicharestaidyet connectionsbutaviationroutesaswell. 22 securewarehouses,theSingaporeFreePort Freeportartstorageistothis“stack”as soughttocombinesecurityandstyle.The thenationalmuseumtraditionallywastothe 76 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 77

nation.Itsitsinbetweencountriesinpockets Damascus at 4:25 PM), whileMr. StephanPetermann is 23 An extremelyintelligent ofsuperimposingsovereigntieswherenational coming from Vienna on Austrian airlines (arriving in Damascus remark from an audience jurisdictionhaseithervoluntarilyretreated before Mr.Koolhaas at 3:00 PM). member in Moscow added that this wastobeseenas orbeendemolished.Ifbiennials,artfairs,3-D Theyare staying at the ArtHouseoratthe Four Seasons ahuge benefit,asalot of 24 shoddy “market art” would renderingsofgentrifiedrealestate,starchitect —Containers in the yard of hotel until their departureonThursday (at4:00pm). get safelyquarantined museumsdecoratingvariousregimes,etc.,are NaturalLeCoultre,Ports without anyone having to Francs, Geneve.Photo: Hito see it.Isympathize very thecorporatesurfacesoftheseareas,thesecret Steyerl. WikiLeaks’sSyriadatabasecomprisesaround2.5 muchwith herpoint of view. museumsaretheirdarkweb,theirSilkRoadinto 22 millionemailsfrom680domains,yettheauthen- 24 whichthingsdisappear,asintoanabyssof Benjamin Bratton, “On ticityofthesedocumentswasnotverifiedby See bit.ly/2pCVIoI the Nomosofthe Cloud: withdrawal.23 The Stack, Deep Address, WikiLeaks.Itcanbeverified,however,thatthe 25 IntegralGeography,” Bill Carter and Amy Thinkoftheartworksandtheirmovement.They Nov. 2011:“The Stack, PRcompanyBrownLloydJameswasinvolvedin Chozick,“Syria’s Assads travelinside anetworkoftax-freezonesand the megastructure, can tryingtoenhancetheimageoftheAssadfamily. 25 Turned to West forGlossy be understood as a P.R.,” NewYorkTimes, June alsoinsidethestoragespacesthemselves.They confluenceofinteroperable Inearly2011,shortlybeforethestartofthe 10,2012. nyti.ms/ standards-based complex 2pHug9w maynotevengetuncrated.Theymovefromone material-information Syriancivilwar,a Vogue story,presciently storageroomtothenextwithoutbeingseen.They system of systems, photographedbywarphotographerJamesNachtwey, 26 organizedaccording The storyhas since stayinsideboxesandtraveloutsidenational to averticalsection, portraysAsmaal-Assadasthe“Roseofthe been withdrawn. More topographic model of 26 background canbefound territorieswith aminimumoftrackingorregis- layers and protocols.The Desert,” amodernizerandpatronofculture. here:Max Fisher, “The Only tration,likeinsurgents,drugs,derivative Stackisastandardized InFebruary2012,oneyearintothewar, Remaining Online Copy universal section. The of Vogue’sAsmaal-Assad financialproducts,andotherso-calledinvest- Stack, as we encounter Anonymousandaffiliatedorganizationshacked Profile,” The Atlantic,Jan. 3, it and as Iprototype it, 2012. bit.ly/31R0LQE mentvehicles.Forallweknow,thecratescould is composed equallyof intotheemailserveroftheSyrianMinistry evenbeempty.Itis amuseumoftheinternet social, human and ‘analog’ ofPresidentialAffairs,insolidaritywith layers (chthonic energy era,but amuseumofthedarknet,wheremovement sources, gestures, affects, Syrianbloggers,protesters,andactivists. 27 The user-actants, interfaces, isobscuredanddata-spaceisclouded. cities and streets, rooms inboxesofseventy-eightofAssad’saidesand Movementsof averydifferentkindare and buildings, organic and adviserswereaccessed.Apparently,someused inorganic envelopes) and detailedinWikiLeaks’sSyriafiles. informational, non-human thesamepassword:“12345.” 28 Theleakedemails computational and ‘digital’ layers (multiplexedfiber includedcorrespondence — mostlythroughinter------Original Message ----- optic cables, datacenters, mediaries — betweenMansourAzzam,theMinister databases, data standards From: [email protected] and protocols, urban-scale ofPresidentialAffairs,andthestudiosofRem networks, embedded To: [email protected] systems, universal Koolhaas(OMA),RichardRogers,andHerzogandde Sent: Wednesday,July07, 2010 4:06 PM addressing tables). Itshard Meuronregardingvariousissues. 29 Toparaphrase and soft systemsinter- Subject: Fw:Flight itenaryOMA staff mingle and swap phase thecontentofsomeemails:RogersandKoolhaas states, some becoming ***AMENDMENT***** ‘harder’ or ‘softer’according werebeinginvitedtospeakinDamascusand, to occult conditions. withKoolhaas,thesevisitsextendedtoproject (Serres, hardsoft). As a Dear Mr.Azzam, social cybernetics, The discussionsincludingtheNationalParliament. 30 Stackthat we know and design composesboth HerzogdeMeuronoffered acomplimentaryconcept This is to confirmthe arrivalofMr. RemKoolhaas andhis equilibrium and emergence, designproposalfortheAl-AssadHousefor one oscillating intothe personal assistant Mr.StephanPetermann on this coming otherinindecipherable CultureinAleppo,andexpressedinterestinthe and unaccountable 31 Monday July 12th.Weneed visa forthemaswespoke before rhythm,territorializing and selectionprocessfortheparliamentproject. A (both areDutch). Their passportphotos areattached. They are de-territorializing the same lotofthiscorrespondenceisreallyjustgossip component fordiagonal arriving separately andatdifferenttimes. Mr.Koolhaas coming purposes.” aboutthestudiosbywayofintermediaries.There Bratton.info from China through Dubai on Emirates airlines (arriving in isalsolotsofspam.Nocommunicationwithany 78 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 79

ofthestudiosisdocumentedaftertheendof 27 important(ifnotmuchmoreimportant)thanLord 33 Michael Stone, “Anonymous Studio Herzog de Meuron November2010.WithprotestsstartinginJanuary supplies WikiLeaks with RichardRogers,intermsofcelebrityandprofes- hasbeencontactedfor 2011, afull-blownuprisingbeganinSyriaby ‘Syria files,’” The Examiner, sionalstatus.” 38 comment but hasnot July9,2012.This article repliedasofthe time of theendofMarchofthatyear.Allconversations quotes Anonymous’initial FromtheconversationbetweenOMAandSinan publication. Forthe answer declaration: “While the from RemKoolhaas’s studio, andnegotiationsbetweenofficialsandarchi- United Nations sat backand AliHassan,itbecomesclearthatOMA’sproposal OMA, see below. tectsseemtohavestoppedasscrutinyofthe theorizedonthe situation mightbebasedon aprojectrealizedinLibya in Syria,Anonymous took 34 Assadregimeincreasedinthebuilduptoactual action. Assisting bloggers, previously:“Thiswouldbe asimilarscopetothe See bit.ly/2pCVL3S protestersand activists hostilities.Ithasnotyetbeenpossibleto in avoiding surveillance, LibyanSaharavisionweshowedyou,andtheone 35 independentlyconfirmtheauthenticityofthese disseminating media, thatRemdiscussedwiththePresident.” 39 MartinBailey,“Gaddafi’s interfering with regime sonreveals true colours,” documents,32 soforthetimebeing,theirstatus communications and InaninterviewinJune2010,Koolhaasstated The ArtNewspaper,March networks, monitoring 2, 2011. isthatofunmooredsetsofdata,whichmayor the Syrian internet for thatpeopleclosetoSaifal-IslamGaddafi maynothaveanythingtodowiththeirpresumed disruptions or attemptsat approachedhim. 40 Atthetime,hewaswidelyseen 36 surveillance—and waging a “Rem Koolhaas is very authorsandreceivers. 33 Buttheymostdefinitely relentless information and as areformer.OMA’sprojectinLibyarevolved keen to visit Damascus psychological campaign with strong interest to aresetsofdata,hostedbyWikiLeaksservers against Assadand his aroundpreservationandwasexhibitedatthe participateinpublic sector thatcanbedescribedintermsoftheircircu- murderous andgenocidal VeniceBiennale. 41 Theprojectwaslatermentioned and urban gentrification government.” and regeneration of the city, lationregardlessofpresumedprovenanceand wikileaks.org as apossibleprecedentfor aprojectproposal and trying to keep away 34 from commercial develop- authorship. 28 forthedesertregionaroundPalmyra,Syria. mentsand suburban master AboveisSaifal-IslamGaddafi’spainting, BarakRavid, “BasharAssad Sincetheuprisinginearly2011,thisareahas plans, yetwewanted to emails leaked,tipsfor ABC senseand feel the current War (2001).Saifisthesonofthelateheadof interview revealed,” Haaretz, beendeeplyaffectedbytheensuingcivilwar. conditions of architectural Feb. 7, 2012. bit.ly/ and urbanization in the Libya,MuammarGaddafiandwas apoliticalfigure 2oRT1iA Atpresent,theInternationalCriminalcourt citybeforeestablishing inLibyapriortohisfather’sdepositionby hasrequestedSaifGaddafi’sextraditionfrom anycommitment .Ialso 29 wanted to engage Rem rebelforcesbackedbyNATOairstrikesin2011. The emails canbeaccessed Libya,whereheremainsimprisoned. 42 in Damascus architec- here wikileaks.org/ turalschooland establish Thispaintingwasexhibitedaspartof ashow syria-files/docs/ internship programwith called“TheDesertisnotSilent”inLondonin Chapter 5—ADream OMA and the university.” 30 Seethe full email here 2002. Seethe email here WARNING:THISISTHEONLYFICTIONALCHAPTERIN bit.ly/2o0I12J bit.ly/2o0I12J War depictsNATO’sbombingofYugoslaviain THISTALK 37 1999.Theartistwrites:“Acivilwarbrokeout 31 Tocomebacktotheoriginalquestion:What “Rem Koolhaas is very Seethe email here keen to visit Damascus inKosovo,whichshatteredthepictureandits bit.ly/2o1kA9s32 happenedtotimeandspace?Whyaretheybroken with strong interest to participateinpublic sector theme.Theseaunleasheditself,angerfell 32 anddisjointed?Whyisspaceshatteredinto and urban gentrification fromthesky,whichcameupagainst astream See bit.ly/2o0I12J container-likefranchisingmodules,darkwebs, and regeneration of the city, and trying to keep away ofblood.” 35 Saifal-Islamsaidin astatement civilwars,andtaxhavensreplicatingallover fromcommercial develop- mentsand suburban master atthetime:“Notonlydowebuyweaponsand theworld? plans, yetwewanted to sellgasandoil,butwehaveculture,artand Withthesethoughtsinmind, Ifellasleep senseand feel the current conditions of architectural history.”36 andstarteddreaming …andmydreamwaspretty and urbanization in the citybeforeestablishing InSeptember2010,OMAexpressedthedesireto strange. Idreamtaboutsomediagramsinoneof anycommitment .Ialso workinSyria. 37 AsubsequentemailfromSinanAli —Artist Saif al-Islam PeterOsborne’srecenttexts. wanted to engage Rem Gaddafi stands beside his in Damascus architec- Hassan — alocalarchitectwhoactsasaninter- painting War (2001),which Theydescribe agenealogyofcontemporaryart; turalschooland establish depictsNATO’sbombing of internshipprogram with mediary — toMansourAzzamflauntstheadvantages Yugoslavia in 1999. Iwasn’tfocusingontheircontent,butinstead OMA and the university.” ofsuch acollaboration:“Remwastheprevious ontheirform.Thefirstthing Inoticedwas Seethe full email here bit.ly/2o0I12J supervisorandbossofZahaHadidinaddition thatthesuccessionofconcentriccirclesseemed tothefactthatheisconsideredtobemore toindicate adent,or adimple,inanycase,a 80 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 81

3-Dcavity.Butwhywouldtimeandspacestart you?Letmetellyouwhat’shappeninginthere: 2010.“An unlikelynew client is Libya, specifically sagging,sotospeak?Couldtherebeanissue timeandspacearesmashedandrearrangedinto ‘a subtlegroup of people withgravity?Maybe amicro-blackholecould littlepieceslikein afreakparticleacceler- around the [Gaddafi] son there who want to pull the causethesecirclestocurve?Butthenagain,it ator,andtheresultisthecagewithoutborders country toward Europe.’” bit.ly/324XOfi ismuchmorelikelythatsomethingelsecaused calledcontemporaryarttoday. thisdimple. ANDTHISISWHERETHEFICTIONALPART Suddenly, Ifoundtheanswertotheques- ABRUPTLYENDS tion. Istartedlosinggravityandflyingup Iwokeinshockandfoundmyselfreadingthis towardsspace.PeterOsbornewasfloatingaround —Here, agenealogy of pdfdocumentaloud. contemporary artisrepre- theretoo,andwithanunlikelyTexasaccent,he sented diagrammaticallyby pointeddownandshowedmethissight. Seenfromabove,Peter’sdiagramtransformed into asight.Ifyoulookatitfromabove,the slightcavityvanishes.Itbecomes aflatscreen. Fromhereon,peoplejustendedupseeingthe genealogyofcontemporaryartinPeter’sdiagrams insteadof adepressionindicatingthatthe —Crosshairsaiming at targethadbeenhitalreadyandthat agaping target craterhadopenedatthesiteofimpact.Seen fromabove,thegenealogyofcontemporaryartwas actingas aproxyor ascreen: asighttocover thesiteofimpact.Behindhisastronaut’svisor, Petercroaked. Thisistheroleofcontemporaryart.Itisa 41 OMA’s exhibition at the proxy, astand-in.Itisprojectedonto asite 2010 Venice Biennale, entitledCRONOCAOS, ofimpact,aftertimeandspacehavebeenshat- includedasection on teredinto adisjunctiveunity — andproceedto the Libyan desert. The exhibition wasbased collapseintorainbow-coloredstacksdesignedby around “critical preservation stories.” bit.ly/2o0I12J starchitects. Contemporaryartis akindoflayerorproxy 42 Awarrant forSaif Gaddafi’s whichpretendsthateverythingisstillok,while arrest wasissuedbythe ICC on June 27,2011. peoplearereelingfromtheeffectsofshock bit.ly/30NdHpq policies,shockandawecampaigns,realityTV, 38 powercuts,anyotherformofcuts,catGIFs, Ibid. teargas — allofwhichareallcompletelydisman- 39 tlingandrewiringthesensoryapparatusand Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Seethe full email potentiallyalsohumanfacultiesofreasoning here bit.ly/2o0I12J andunderstandingbycausing astateofshockand 40 confusion,ofpermanenthyperactivedepression. Suzie Rushton, “The shape of things to come: Rem Youdon’tknowwhat’sgoingonbehindthe Koolhaas’s striking designs,” The Independent,June21, doorsofthefreeportstorageroomseither,do 82 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 83

Chapter6 — AndNowtoJustinBieber Chapter7 — AnEmailSentFromSwitzerland 43 Shane Harris, “How Did ThisistheTwitterfeedofE!OnlineonMay anditsReply Syria’s Hacker Army 4,2013,whichhassomeoneposingasBieber SuddenlyGet So Good?,” ForeignPolicy,Sept. 4, triumphantlyblurtingout:“I’m agay.”Asyou From: Hito Steyerlmailto:xy [at] protonmail.ch 2013. bit.ly/2NNAihb. Formoredetails, see this cansee,theSyrianElectronicArmy(SEA)has Sent: Tuesday,February 17,2015 8:05 PM interesting report:John hackedtheTwitteraccount.WhoistheSEA?It To: OfficeReception Scott-Railton and Morgan Marquis-Boire, “A Call is agroupofpro-Assadregimehackers.They Subject: Request forconfirmation of authenticity to Harm:New Malware AttacksTarget the Syrian alsohacked LeMonde inFrance afewweeks Opposition,” CitizenLab.org, ago.Previously,theSEAhadcommandeered:the Dear Sirs, June 21,2013. bit.ly/ 2o0I12J websitesofthe NewYorkTimes ,the Washington 44 Post,andtherecruitmentdivisionoftheUS Iwould liketokindlyask youtoconfirmthe authenticity Max Fisher, “Syrianhackers MarineCorps.ThegroupalsohackedtheTwitter of variousemail communications betweenOMA/AMO and claim AP hack that tipped stockmarket by $136 feedoftheAssociatedPressandsentout afalse Syrian government officials and intermediaries publishedby billion. Is it terrorism?,” 43 Washington Post,April 23, reportabout abombingattheWhiteHouse. WikiLeaks as part of their “Syriafiles”in2012. 2013. 2013. bit.ly/ Theabovediagramshowstheconsequencesof IamaBerlin-based filmmaker andwriter working on a 2o0I12J thistweetonWallStreet.Inthreeminutes, lectureabout the transformations of national museums under 45 HunterStuart, “Syrian the“faketweeterased$136billioninequity conditions of civil war, both in data-and 3D physical space. Electronic Army Denies marketvalue.” 44 AnonymousSyriaanditsmultiple There is no intenttoscandalize the communication Being Attacked By Anonymous,” bit.ly/ allieshadhackedtheSyrianElectronicArmyand betweenOMA andthe Syrian Ministry of Presidential Affairs. 35guULe dumpedcoordinatesofallegedmembersontothe The intentistoask howboth internet communication and the 46 darkweb. 45 Thedata-spaceofSyriaisembattled, (near-) collapse of some nations-states affectthe planning of Joshua Keating,“WikiLeaks to move to Sealand?,” hacked,fragmented.Moreover,itextendsfrom contemporary museum spaces. ForeignPolicy,Feb.1,2012. bit.ly/2o0I12J theAPtoWallStreettoRussianandAustralian In this contextitwould be interesting to know moreabout servers,aswellastotheTwitteraccountsof the circumstances that ledtothe endofproject discussions in acelebritymagazine.ItextendstoWikiLeaks’s Syria.Iamsurethatyour officehad itsreasons forthis and it servers,wheretheSyriafilesarehosted,and would be great to be able to include theseinthe discussion. whichhadtomovearoundquite alotpreviously, Plsfind belowalist of links Iplanonquoting. beingoustedfromAmazonin2010.Itwasonce rumoredthatWikiLeakstriedtomoveitsservers Best regards, toanoffshorelocation,anexterritorialformer oilplatformcalledSealand. 46 Thiswouldinfact HitoSteyerl havereplicatedthefreeportscenariofroma differentangle. https://wikileaks.org/syria-files/docs/2089311_urgent.html Buttoask amoregeneralquestion:Howdoes https://wikileaks.org/syria- files/docs/2092135_very- theinternet,ormorepreciselynetworkedopera- important.html tionsbetweendifferentdatabases,affectthe https://wikileaks.org/syria- files/docs/2091860_fwd-.html physicalconstructionofmuseums — ortheimpossi- http://bit.ly/18jZeWr bilitythereof? Sent from ProtonMail, encrypted email based in Switzerland. 84 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 85

RE: Request forconfirmation of authenticity 47 flagsusersforNSAscrutiny,thuseffectively 49 Information underthe 49 This ambiguitycharac- From: Jeremy Higginbotham heading “Swiss Security” on reversingitsdesiredeffect. Thescreen terizes popular web To: [email protected] the the ProtonMail website. ofanonymityturnsouttobe aparadoxical tools that aresupposed bit.ly/2o1kGOm to safeguard anonymity, CC: Legal [email protected], xy [email protected] device. such as Tor. The Edward 48 Snowden leaks revealed At: 26/02/2015 7:13 am One recent example: Theambiguouseffectofpoliciesdestinedto that the mere usage of Tor, bit.ly/2oNPimi increaseanonymityalsofiguresinto adifferent or even searching the web forprivacy-enhancing tools, Dear HitoSteyerl, leveloffreeportactivity. actuallyflagspeople for NSAscrutiny(see bit.ly/ OnFebruary25,2015,Monacoprosecutors 2AMH94t). Asoftware Thank youfor your email. We arenot able to confirmthe arrestedYvesBouvier — theownerofNaturalLe designedtoscreenout surveillanceactuallyends authenticityofthe documentslinked below. Coultre,thecompanyinvolvedwiththeLuxemburg, up attracting it.

However,wewishyou good luckwith your work. Geneva,andSingaporefreeports — forsuspected 50 artfraud:“Theinvestigationisbelievedto Angelique Chrisafis, “Leading Swiss artbroker Best regards, centreoninflatingpricesinverybigarttrans- arrested over allegedprice- 50 fixing scam,” Guardian,Feb. actionsinwhichBouvierwasanintermediary.” 26,2015. bit.ly/ Jeremy Higginbotham Bouvierallegedlytookadvantageofthefactthat 2oLqdse.Bouvierhas rejected theseallegations, Head of Public Affairs mostartworksheldinfreeportsareownedbywhat putting theblame on the allegedlydefrauded Russian OMA arecalled“sociétésécran”(literally“screen oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev. companies”).Sincetransactionsweremadethrough (contactaddressredacted) theseanonymousproxies,buyerandsellerwere notabletocommunicateandcontroltheamount AftertheEdwardSnowdenleaks, Istartedusing ofcommissionfeescharged.Thescreenthatwas ProtonMail,aninitiativebyCernresearchers, supposedtoprovideanonymityforownersmay whoaregraciouslyproviding afreeencrypted alsohaveworkedagainstthem.Invisibilityisa emailplatform.Thisishowtheydecribetheir screenthatsometimesworksbothways — through project,usingthemapofSwitzerland: notalways.Itworksinfavorofwhoeveris AllinformationontheProtonMailserversis controllingthescreen. storedunderthejurisdictionoftheCantonal CourtofGeneva,takingadvantageofthe Chapter8 — ShootingatClocks — privacylawsofSwitzerlandandtheCanton. ThePublicMuseum ButOMA/AMO’sfriendlyresponseisnotstoredin Tobuild anation,BenedictAndersonsuggested afreeport,itisjuststoredunder“regular” thereshouldbeprintcapitalismand amuseum. Swissjurisdictionin aformermilitarycommand Nowadays,itisnotimpossibletobuild amuseum centerdeepinsidetheSwissalps. 47 Thisisthe without anation.Wecanevenlookatitmore jurisdictionandencryption Iusetotrytomake generallyandseebothnationsandmuseumsas anypotentialgovernmentinterferencewithsome justanotherwaytoorganizetimeandspace,in ofmydatajust atinybitmorecumbersome.I thiscase,bysmashingthemtopieces.Butaren’t aminfacttakingadvantageoflegalprotec- timeandspacesmashedwhenever anewparadigm tionsthathaveenabledtaxevasionandmoney for amuseumiscreated?Thisindeedhappened launderingthroughSwissbanksandotherfacili- inFrance’sJulyRevolutionof1830,ofwhich tiesonanastoundingscale. 48 Onth eotherhand, WalterBenjamintells astory.51 Revolutionaries themereusageofprivacy-relatedwebtools wereshootingatclocks.Theyhadpreviously 86 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 87

alsooverturnedthecalendar,renamingmonthsand 51 Buttheentiretyofthisarchiveisnot 53 Walter Benjamin, “Theses Note thedifferentstrategies changingtheirduration. on the Philosophyof adaptedtohumanperception,oratleastnot forpublicizingmassive AndthisistheperiodwhentheLouvrewas History,”thesis XV,in toindividualperception.Likealllarge-scale leaks employed by,on Illuminations,ed. Hannah the one hand, WikiLeaks, stormedyetagain — asduringeverymajorParis Arendt (New York: databases — includingWikiLeaks’sSyriafiles — it and on the other, Edward Schocken Books, 1988), Snowden,LauraPoitras, uprisinginthenineteenthcentury.Theprototype 261–62. takestheformof atroveofinformationwithout Glenn Greenwald, and their for apublicmuseumwascreatedwhentimeand (orwithverylittle)narrative,substantiation, numerous collaborators. 52 spaceweresmashedandweldedanew.TheLouvre AliShamseddine and John orinterpretation.Itmaybepartlyvisibleto Rich, “AnIntroduction to wascreatedbybeingstormed.Itwasstormedin the NewSyrian National thepublic,butnotnecessarilyentirelyintel- 1792duringtheFrenchRevolutionandturnedfrom Archive,” e-fluxjournal 60 ligible.Itremainspartlyinaccessible,notby (Dec. 2014). bit.ly/ afeudalcollectionofspoils — aperiodversion 2oQ40ZW meansofexclusion,butbecauseitoverwhelmsthe offreeportartstoragespaces — into apublicart perceptualcapacityandattentionspanofany museum,presumablythefirstintheworld,intro- singleindividual. 53 ducing amodelofnationalculture.Afterwards, itturnedintotheculturalflagshipof acolo- Chapter9 — Autonomy nialempirethattriedtoauthoritativelyseed Let’sgobacktotheexamplesatthebeginning: thatcultureelsewhere,beforemorerecently freeportartstoragespacesandthemunicipal goingintothebusinessoftryingtocreate galleryofDiyarbakır,thatbecame arefugee franchisesinfeudalstates,dictatorships,and camp.Onespacewithdrawsartworksfromtheworld combinationsthereof. byhoardingthem,whiletheotherbasicallyshel- ButthecurrentNationalMuseumofSyriaisof teredtheescapeesofcollapsingstates.Howand adifferentorder.Contrarytoplansinspiredby —Anadpromotes Duty wherecanartbeshownpublicly,inphysical3-D Free Shopping in Hong the“Bilbaoeffect,”themuseumishostedonline, Kong. space,withoutendangeringitsauthors,while oncountlessserversinmultiplelocations. takingintoaccountthebreathtakingspatialand AsJonRichandAliShamseddinehavenoted,it temporalchangesexpressedbythesetwoexam- is acollectionofonlinevideos — ofdocumentsand ples?Whatformcould anewmodelofthepublic recordsofinnumerablekillings,atrocities,and museumtake,andhowwouldthenotionofthe attacksthatremainwidelyunseen. 52 Thisisthede “public”itselfchangeradicallyintheprocess factoNationalMuseumofSyria,not aLouvrefran- ofthinkingthoughthis? chiseacquiredbyanAssadfoundation.This Let’sthinkbacktothefreeportartstorage accidentalarchiveofvideosandotherdocuments spacesandtheirstockofduty-freeart.My ismadeindifferentgenresandstyles,showing suggestionisnottoshunorbelittlethispropo- peoplediggingthroughrubble,orTwitter-accel– sition,buttopushitevenfurther. erateddecapitationsinHD.Itshowsaerial Theideaofduty-freearthasonemajoradvan- attacksfrombelow,notabove.Thedocumentsand tageoverthenation-stateculturalmodel: recordsproducedonthegroundendupon avari– duty-freeartoughtto havenoduty — nodutyto etyofserversworldwide.Theyareavailable — in perform,torepresent,toteach,toembodyvalue. theory — onanyscreen,exceptinthelocations Itshouldnotbeindebtedtoanyone,norservea wheretheyweremade,wheretheactofuploading causeor amaster,norbe ameanstoanything. somethingtoYouTubecangetpeoplekilled.This Duty-freeartshouldnotbe ameanstorepresent spatiotemporalinversionisalmostlike arever– aculture, anation,money,oranythingelse. salofthefreeportaggregateartcollections. Eventheduty-freeartinthefreeportstorage 88 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 89

spacesisnotdutyfree.Itisonlytax-free.It 54 bothfromitsauthorsandowners.Rememberthe 56 Most pronouncedly However limited basic hasthedutyofbeinganasset. expressed by PeterBürger, disclaimerbyOMA?Nowimagineeveryartwork democracymay have been Seenlikethis,duty-freeartisessentially Theorieder Avantgarde infreeportstobecertifiedbythistext:“I in Switzerland, given that (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp generalfemale suffrage whattraditionalautonomousartmighthavebeen, Verlag,1974).English amnotabletoconfirmtheauthenticityofthis wasnot establisheduntil translation: Theoryofthe 1971,and in Appenzell haditnotbeenelitistandoblivioustoitsown Avant-Garde,trans.Michael artwork.” Innerrhodennot until1990. conditionsofproduction. 54 Shaw (Minneapolis: ThisistheCulturalCenterinSuruç,Turkey. University of Minnesota Butduty-freeartismorethan areissueof Press, 1984): 90. ItisacrosstheborderfromthecityofKobanê, theoldideaofautonomousart.Italsotrans- 55 theadministrativecenteroftheautonomous formsthemeaningofthebatteredterm“artistic Whichmight fulfill the cantonofthesamename,whichitselfislocated traditional role of a autonomy.”Autonomousartundercurrenttemporal “financial tombstone”—a intheRojavaregionofnorthernSyria.Itisnot gadget that commemorates —The CulturalCenterin andspatialcircumstancesneedstotakethese concludedtransaction. acoincidencethattheautonomousentitiesin Suruç, Turkey,hererepre- veryspatialandtemporalconditionsintoconsid- bit.ly/2pHoNzw Rojavaarecalledcantons:theyhavebeenmodeled sented,isacrossthe border from the cityofKobanê, the eration.Art’sconditionsofpossibilityare afterSwisscantons,toemphasizetherolethat administrative center of the autonomous canton of the nolongerjusttheelitist“ivorytower,”but basicdemocracyplayedininitiallyestablishing same name, whichitself is alsothedictator’scontemporaryartfoundation, them.56 locatedinthe Rojava region of northern Syria.Photo: theoligarch’sorweaponsmanufacturer’stax- AftertheattackontheKobanêcantonby Hito Steyerl evasionscheme,thehedgefund’strophy, 55 theart fightersfromtheso-calledISinSeptember2014, student’sdebtbondage,leakedtrovesofdata, theCulturalCenterwastemporarilyturnedinto aggregatespam,andtheproductofhugeamounts anotherrefugeecamp,hostingseveralhundred ofunpaid“voluntary”labor — allofwhichresults peoplewhofledfromthebesiegedregionaround inart’saccumulationinfreeportstoragespaces Kobanê.Oneoftherefugeeswatchedcircling anditsphysicaldestructioninzonesofwaror bombersthroughbinocularsasthecultural acceleratedprivatization.Autonomousartwithin workersand Idiscussedtheroleofcultureand thiscontextcouldtrytounderstandpolitical art. autonomyasanexperimentinbuildingalterna- Butwhyam Ishowingyouthis?Remember tivesto anation-statemodelthatcontinues thetop-downviewofcontemporaryart?Inmy toproclaimnationalculturewhilesimultane- dream — andperhapsalsoinreality — contempo- ouslypracticing“constructiveinstability”by raryartwas alayerthatservedtoscreenout includinggatedcommunitiesforhigh-net-worth thesmashingoftimeandspaceontheground. individuals,muchlikemicroversionsoffailed Itservedtoproject adisjunctiveunityonto states.Tocomebacktotheexampleof ageographymarkedbysystemsconstructively Switzerland:thiscountryissopervadedby “failing”toincreaseprofitability,nation- extraterritorialenclaveswithdownsizedregu- statesengulfedincivilwar,fragmentedtime, lationsthatitcouldbemorepreciselydefined andvastandmajorinequality.But ascreen asa x-percentrogueentitywithin asolidwatch hastwosidesandpotentiallyverydifferent industry.Butextrastatecraftcanalsobedefined functions.Itcandecreasebutalsoenhancevisi- aspoliticalautonomyundercompletelydifferent bility,protectandreveal,projectandrecord, circumstancesandwithverydifferentresults, exposeandconceal. asrecentexperimentsinautonomyfromHongKong Andnowpleaseeditthisimage:itshowsthe toRojavahavedemonstrated. samesituationfrombelow,fromunderthescreen. Butautonomousartcouldevenbeartsetfree Itpointsveryliterallyat abottom-up 90 HitoSteyerl Duty-FreeArt 91

modelfrom agroundzerowheretimeandspace, 57 AterminventedbySven andinsomecasesbordersandnation-states, Lütticken. aresmashed,asduringthetimewhenthefirst publicmuseumwasfounded,creatingnotonlyjunk space — atermcoinedbyRemKoolhaasthatdeeply influencedmywork — butalsojunktime. 57 Whenwelookatthisscreenfromabove,wesee amodelofcontemporaryart,whichhascreated thesecretmuseumasoneofitsmostimpor- tantspaces, amodelofterminalimpermanence, ofprivacyandconcealment,ofconstructive instability. Ifweonlyknewwhattheguywiththebinocu- larsseesfrombelow,wemightseeitsfuture publiccounterpart. 93–115

WorkingProposal: 6IssuesaboutUFC*

Inconstancyof Memories,Rainy Seasonsand Post-Development

AndreasSiekmann

AndreasSiekmann:born 1961inHamm(D),studiedar tinDüsse ldorf, livesa nd worksinBerlin.Exhibition satMuseoReinaSofia ,Madrid (2010), and Hausder Kulturen der Welt,Berlin(2010) .Together withAliceCreischerhecurate dtheprojects “ExArgentina “at MuseoNacional deArte,LaPa z(2011),Palai sdeGlace, Buenos Aires(2006) andMuseu mLudwig,Cologne(2004);and“Principio Potosí“atMuseoNacional CentrodeArteReinaSofia,Madri dand Haus derKulturen derWelt,Berlin(2010).Hetookpar tatSkulptur ProjekteMünste r(2007) ,anddocument a11(2002)and documenta12 *UnitedFruit Company (2007). 94 95

฀ 96 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 97

1 1.Nectarfromtheskullsoftheslain MECW Volume 12, 125; bit.ly/2NNNfHW Inthesummerof1853,KarlMarxwrotethree articlesforthe NewYorkDailyTribune : June 10:“BritishRuleinIndia,”June24:“TheEast IndiaCompany,itsHistoryandtheResultsof its Activities,”July22:“TheFutureResultsof BritishRuleinIndia.” OnJune10,hereportedonthefaminein Poona(knowntodayasPune),thecollapseof thespinningmills,andtheruinoftheIndian cottonindustry.Hedescribesthetradeflows oftheEastIndiaCompanyandtheinternational connectionsofexploitation.Hecites areport oftheBritishHouseofCommonsonIndianissues: “…andthoughthevillagesthemselveshave beensometimesinjured,andevendesolatedby war,famineordisease,thesamename,thesame limits,thesameinterests,andeventhesame familieshavecontinuedforages.Theinhabitants gavethemselvesnotroubleaboutthebreaking upanddivisionsofkingdoms;whilethevillage remainsentire,theycarenottowhatpowerit istransferred,ortowhatsovereignitdevolves; itsinternaleconomyremainsunchanged.” 1 But hedespisesthisindifferencetowardsthe formsofgovernment,whichforuscouldbean enchantment.Heisinlovewiththetelegraph poles,thepowerofsteam,andtherailway tracks.Hewrites:“TherehavebeeninAsia, 98 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 99

2 generally,fromimmemorialtimes,butthree 4 governmentis anecessaryforceofhistorythat Ibid. Ibid., 217; departmentsofGovernment — thatofFinance, bit.ly/2CpWzMS herebecomesnature — assure,predictable,indis- 3 ortheplunderoftheinterior;thatofWar, pensable,andtrueasthecourseofhistory: Ibid. 5 ortheplunderoftheexterior;and,finally, JasonM.Colby, The “Bourgeoisindustryandcommercecreatethese thedepartmentofPublicWorks” 2 whichis,for Business of Empire materialconditionsof anewworldinthesame (London: Cornell example,responsiblefortheirrigationofthe University Press,2011), wayasgeologicalrevolutionshavecreated 101. soilandthecreationofgraininventories.He thesurfaceoftheEarth.When agreatsocial thinksofthefaminesandthedestructionof revolutionshallhavemasteredtheresultsof infrastructureas ahistoricalstraitthrough thebourgeoisepoch,themarketoftheworldand whichonemustpassinordertobeconnected themodernpowersofproduction,andsubjected towhatHegelcalledthe Weltgeist (World themtothecommoncontrolofthemostadvanced Spirit).ForMarx, the Weltgeist realizesitself peoples,thenonlywillhumanprogresscease throughtechnicalprogress.Thesubsistentlife, toresemblethathideous,paganidol,whowould whichaccordingtoHegelhasno conscience notdrinkthenectarbutfromtheskullsofthe ofitself,these“smallstereotypeformsof slain.”4 socialorganism …aredisappearing,notsomuch throughthebrutalinterferenceoftheBritish “Therearesome …whomakefunofusforthinking tax-gathererandtheBritishsoldier,asthrough that(UnitedFruitPresident)AndrewPreston theworkingofEnglishsteamandEnglishfree couldcomeandtakeoverCostaRicaforhimself. trade.”3 It’s apitythatthesewritershaven’t …readthe TheBritishcolonialgovernmentwasnot historyofmodernconquestscarefully.Indiadid limitedtolooting,alsobehavedlike agood notloseitsindependencebecauseGreatBritain investor.Theconnectiontohistorytookplace haddeclaredwarontheIndianprinces.Itwas throughtheconstructionofrailroads,streets, amerchantcompanysimilartotheUnitedFruit andtelegraphlines,whosemereupkeepwasa CompanywhichcreatedEnglishintereststhere revolutionoftechnicalabilitiesandwasto andwastheprecursortoGreatBritain’sregular resultinthecosmopolitanknowledgeofthe armies.” population.Thiswas arequirementfortheexpro- priationoftheexpropriatorsat alaterstage. CongressionalDeputyRicardoJiménez, InMarx’sview,thecrimeofthecolonial CostaRica,1907. 5 100 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 101

Each figure 40 persons

2.Fickletricksofmemory 6 theyloadedthebodiesonto atwo-hundred-car Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of trainandthrewthemintothesea.” “Ithappenedoncewhensomeoneatthetable Solitude (New York: Avon, 1970),168,188. complainedabouttheruinintowhichthetownhad “Thosefickletricksofmemorywereevenmore sunkwhenthebananacompanyhadabandonedit, criticalwhenthekillingoftheworkerswas andAurelianocontradictedhim. …Hispointof broughtup.EverytimethatAurelianomentioned view,contrarytothegeneralinterpretation,was thematter,notonlytheproprietressbutsome thatMacondohadbeen aprosperousplaceandwell peopleolderthanshewouldrepudiatethemyth onitswayuntilitwasdisorderedandcorrupted oftheworkershemmedinatthestationandthe andsuppressedbythebananacompany,whose trainwithtwohundredcarsloadedwithdead engineersbroughtonthedelugeas apretextto people,andtheywouldeveninsistthat,after avoidpromisesmadetotheworkers. …Thechild all,everythinghadbeensetforthinjudicial describedwithpreciseandconvincingdetails documentsandinprimary-schooltextbooks:that howthearmyhadmachine-gunnedmorethanthree thebananacompanyhadneverexisted.” 6 thousandworkerspennedupbythestationandhow 102 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 103

Punishment received by laborers drunk in the tasks of the engineer HenryMeiggs

3.Railroads

In1855financialjugglerHenryMeiggsfledfrom SanFranciscotoChiletoescapeprosecutionfor real-estatefraud.Hebecametherailwaykingof PeruandChilebecausehisinterestsincluded theextractionofsilverandguano,trans- portedtotheportsbyrail.Hediedduringthe constructionof arailroadinCostaRicathat wasthencompletedbyhisnephewMinorC.Keith. Howdidtheconnectiontoworldhistoryunfold inChile,Peru,andCostaRica?Didtheworkers becomeengineers? 104 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 105

4.DepartmentsofPlunder a)DepartmentofFinances

Theword“extractivism”originatesfrom“extrac- TherailroadcompletedbyMinorC.KeithinCosta tion”andmeansextracting,disintegrating, Ricageneratednoprofitbutbecame atrans- gaining.Somethingispulledoutoftheground, missionbeltfortheexportofbananastothe broughttotheport,andexported.Extractivism USA. Ahistoryofcompetition,mergers,and ispartof acyclicalmovementofcapital hostiletakeoversoffruitcompaniesfollowed, (assets):theexploitationofresourceswhen continuingrightuptothepresentday. profitisincrisisduetotheexploitationof labor.Whydoestheexploitationoflaborget intocrisis? 106 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 107

Macondo

b)DepartmentofWar 7 inthecountryandradicalmembersoftheLiberal United Fruit Historical Society, 2001-2006, PartyandmembersoftheSocialistandCommunist Thishistoryoftradewarsismirroredbythe prepared by Marcelo Partiesparticipatestrongly.NationalLabor Bucheli in collaboration historyofmilitaryinterventionsandcorruption with IanRead: UnionbigwigsCarlosMahechaandMariaCano bit.ly/2CnQsZl. inthecountriesthatproducebananas.Itisa traveltothe‘BananaZone’toorganizethe thinly-veiledhistoryofcolonialpower,which strike.TheycountonthehelpofItalianand treatsthesecountriesandtheirplantations Spanishanarchistimmigrantsforthis. …The asitsown.Suchmilitaryinterventionsarea bananaworkers’strikecontinuesintoJanuaryand waragainsttheworkersandagainstgovernments getsnationalattentionsinceitis supportedby wishingtoenforcelaborrightsorlandreforms. theLiberalParty.TheConservativeParty,which Thiswarcontinuestothepresentday. controlsthegovernment,decidesto sendthearmy intotheBananaZone.During ademonstrationin Macondo themainplazaofthecityofCienagathearmy, InDecember1928theworkersofColombia’sbanana commandedbyCarlosCortesVargas,firesonthe plantationswentonstrike.“Theydemandwritten strikersandleavesan undetermined(anddisputed) contracts,eight-hourdays,six-dayweeksand numberofstrikersdead.Thegovernmentdeclaresa theeliminationoffoodcoupons.Thestriketurns stateofsiegein theBananaZoneandthestrike intothelargestlabormovementeverwitnessed eventuallyends.” 7 108 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 109

Each figure 65 tons (GDR) New Laender

c)DepartmentofDesire 8 Department.The EducationDepartmentprintseduca- Ibid. tionalmaterialsforclassroomusepromoting In1926UnitedFruitboughtCuyamel,its bananaconsumption.” 8 Thiscampaignstill competitor,andbecamethelargestbanana continuestoday. exporter.Thesameyear,UnitedFruitcommis- Aswiththecampaignsforsugar,coffee,tea, sionedresearchintobananaconsumptioninthe orcocoa,itdoesnotcorrespondwithneed,but USA.“The consultants’resultssaythatbananas withthedesirethatisconnectedwithideol- areconsumedby alargesectorofthecountry’s ogies.Teaandcoffeearelinkedtocivilization middleclass andareconsideredtheperfectfood andeducationandmotivationofthenightshifts forbabies.Afterthisreport,UnitedFruit… usingthenewelectricity.Bananasarelinked beginsanaggressivecampaigninnational with aFordistimageofwelfareandcare.In newspapersandmagazinestargetedatmiddle- 1914,economistEugenBöhmvonBawerkdescribed classfamilies. needsasthe“locomotive”ofaneconomydevised FruitDispatchestablishestheEducation tofulfildemand.Butthisconceptofdemand DepartmentinadditiontotheAdvertising fulfilmentiswrong. 110 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 111

Each hand 13 Billion $over-the-counter market (OTC)

d) Iwillnowbrieflytalkabout 9 farmingcommunities,factories,andurbanspaces. Raol Zibechi, “Encuentro extractivism de losPueblosdel Anya Anditisinthosespacesthatwe,atthebottom Yala porelAgua yla ofsociety,havelearnttoresist,toorganize, Pachamama,Cuenca, "Ibelievewearenowlivingin asecondphase Ecuador,” July 10,2011: sothatwecanfrustratecapitalistexploitation bit.ly/2pSCP1v ofneo-liberalism.Thefirsttookplaceinthe andtheextractionofvalue.As aresult,capital 1990s,youexperiencedithereinEcuador,and haswithdrawnfromproduction,startingto therewere anumberofriotsagainstit.This accumulatethroughfinancialspeculationandwhat wastheneo-liberalismofprivatization:it wecallextractivism.Capitalismhassteppedup arrivedinLatinAmerica,privatizing,raiding, alevelandnowspeculateswithgoldandsilver, destroyingthestate,andappropriatingcommu- withlandandwater,andwithlifeitself…Today, nitarianstructures,includingmanystate-owned themostvaluedproductsarepreciousminerals companies.Thisstageconcludedaroundtheyear (gold,silver,andsoon)andfood,andtherefore 2000,butonlybecausewestoppeditourselves, whatweareseeingisactuallyspeculationover throughresistance — thereweredozensofpopular people’slives. uprisingsthroughoutLatinAmerica,fromMexico Wepeopleare adisturbanceinthiscapital toPatagonia.Nowweareseeingthestartof accumulationand,as Iseeit,weneedto asecondneoliberalphase,whichcanbecalled maintain averyclearunderstandingofthis extractivism …Afundamentalworldwidechange position.Regardlessofwhoisingovernment, isnowtakingplace …Countriesoccupyingthe iftheydonotchangethesituation,theywill centerspaceareexperiencing aseverecrisis, continuetodothebiddingofthepowerful.… whichhasalsoledto acrisisinproduction… Firstly,thereisnoextractivism,mining,soya Productionisnolongertheprincipalsourceof farmingormonocultureswithoutthemilitari- capitalaccumulation,andweneedtodevelop zationofsociety.Andthisisnotbymistake, anin-depthunderstandingofthereasonsbehind militarizationispartoftheextractivismmodel. this.Productionalwaysexistswherethereare Thereisnoopen-pitmining,nomega-mining, people,menandwomen.Itexistsinruraland withoutmilitarization." 9 112 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 113

5.Whatwehavetodiscuss contractthatissupposedtorespondtothe strikers’demands.Thecontractistobesigned Fear whentherainstops.Therainisthetimethat Theproductivityoftheeconomydoesn’talignto elapsesbetweendemandandright,butinstead needs,nordoesitcreatedevelopment.Moreover, thecompanyleavestheplacebeforetheright itisdrivenbythefearsofitsactors.Itis isredeemed.Itisnotpossibletoconclude notthefearofemptiness,butthefearofthe contractsbetweeninvestorsandworkers,but other.Theeconomyracesbecauseitsactorschase rather… aftereachother.Eachindividualactorisscared thatonedaytheywillbeforcedtojumpout Fickletricksofmemory ofthewindow.Howdowarsreacttothisfear “Andtheywouldeveninsistthat,afterall, regardingthecapacityforexploitationofsoils, everythinghadbeensetforthinjudicial fruit,andpeople?Howcanwediscussextrac- documentsandinprimary-schooltextbooks:that tivisminrelationtothis? thebananacompanyhadneverexisted.”Sois Macondo aplacewhere“theycarenottowhat Rainyseason poweritistransferred,ortowhatsovereign ThebananacompanyleavesMacondointhe itdevolves,”isittheplaceintheschool- rain,whichlastsfouryears,elevenmonths books?Butwecannotcontentourselveswiththis. andtwo days.Therainstarts — like apunishing Wecannotforgetthisresistanceandthetime deluge — afterthemassacreoftheworkers. After thatelapsesbetween arightanditsredemption, themassacre,thebananacompanypromisesa becausewekeepalivethememoryofthecrimeand itshistory.

February3,1975 114 AndreasSiekmann WorkingProposal 115

10 6.Development 11 awayfromsubsistenceandintocommercial Christel Neusüß, Ibid., 231. 11 quoted by Maria Mies production’.” in “Housewifisation, “Later,onceit’sbeenproperlyestablished, 12 Globalisation, Subsistence- AlbertoAcosta,“El Buen Perspective,” in Marcel [capitalism]won’tneedviolenceanymore.Itwill Vivir en la sendade “Theexpression‘Buenvivir’(theGoodLife)is vander Linden, Karl Heinz workproductively — peacefully,somewhattothe posdesarollo,” in Gabriela notanelaboratepoliticalconcept.Instead, Roth, eds., Beyond Marx: Massuh, ed., Renunciar al Theorising theGlobal detrimentoflabour-power,it’strue,butwithout bien común. Extractivismo itgatherspossibilitiesfornewformsof Labour Relationsofthe y(pos)desarollo en America Twenty-FirstCentury anythingresemblingthemurderousescapadesof Latina (BuenosAires: coexistence.Itisnotaboutadopting arecipe (Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2014), Mardulce, 2012). 217. theconquistadors.Thisisthepointatwhich alreadyoutlinedinofficialdocuments,suchas ourcomrade[RosaLuxemburg]strictlyrefuses theconstitutionsofBoliviaandEcuadorwith tobelieveMarx.He’swrong,it’splaintosee. theirplansfordevelopmentpolicyaccording Violenceisbooming …Thehourofbirthcan’t tothecriteriaoftheGoodLife.TheGood possiblylastthislong,fourhundredyears, Lifesuggests aqualitativepatterntodetach stilloozingbloodandfilth.” 10 thetraditionalconceptofprogressfromits “Itissubsistencethatisfundamentally productivistdrift,aswellastheone-sided opposedtocapital,notwage-labour.Forcapital, orientationtowards“development”anditsmecha- itis aquestionoftransformingallautonomous nisticvisionofeconomicgrowth,andmanyother lifeintocommoditiesandinsertingitintoa suchsynonymsfor“progressanddevelopment.” commodity-relation. …Capitalhasbeenwaging Butitisnotjustaboutthisresolution.The waronsubsistenceformorethantwohundred GoodLife …attemptstoconceiveof adifferent years.TheformerpresidentoftheWorldBank, relationshipbetweenproduction,exchange, RobertMcNamara,onceformulatedtheactualgoal cooperation,andaccumulation.Ittriestocome ofcapitalismveryclearly:‘todrawpeasants upwithcriteriaforsufficiency …TheGoodLife defiesthepermanentbetrayalofdemocracy…” 12

Each figure 1000 workers, since 1997… Rainforest Alliance 1993 May 11, 1998 Foro Social de las Américas, Asunción, Paraguay,August 20 In the Stomach of the Predators

Thereisavault in Spitzbergen in the side of the mountain for all the seeds from all overthe world. It was put therebythe same companies that destroy these seeds by undertaking their appropriation. Nowthe companies areusing this vault to perpetuate their ownphenomenon as auniversal form of expression.

Wolf: Of bread, of maize. Of manioc, of cassava. Of potatoes. Of rice. Of some trees made completelyofflowers. Of the excess gold and pearls in Las Indias. Of the natureofthat soil and howtoextract all these riches. Of beeches.

Hyena: From the beeches shall youstrip the fresh leaves onlybyhand in Mayand in June and in the allocated areas.

Youshould scrape resin from trees morethan 4 feet tall every 2 years. And the cuts that youinflict must not exceed 2 inches.

Collect brush for brooms from the ground. Do not break it from the branches.

Failuretocomplyispunishable with afine of 5 talers. Failuretopay is punishable with no less than 48 hours in jail or service in the woods of the proprietor, with 1 workday=to 2 days in jail.

Alice Creischer That’s howharditistoservethe proprietor. In the Stomach of the Predators

Sources: Joseph De Acosta, The Natural and MoralHistorie of the Indies, trans. Edward Grimston (London, 1604). Minutes of the 6th Rhenish Provincial Diet, Coblenz 1841. Plato, Parmenides. Ion Creanga˘,“The Fairy-tale of the White Moor”(Povestea lui Harap-Alb) in Romanian Fairy Tales (Bucharest 1987). Translated by David Riff, 2013 Thereisacadaster in Benin And to see what no one wants to see - the same size as the entirecountry. the trees with their crowns upside down, It was implemented by the Millennium Challenge Program the cattle with its legs in the sky. which dedicates its efforts to the advancement And to see people stareatuswith open mouths of the human right to the freedom of sale. and not to knowwhy youare staring The cadaster helps to turn the sale of land and whyyou aren’t amazed at your ownbeauty. into auniversal form of expression. Its data goes to Wall Street at adiscount.

Bear:If1 work day=2 days in jail, then 1 is equal and unequal in the same moment of time. 1 glove, 1 collar, 1 stick 4 acres, 3 ares, 10 hectares can be 1 and nothing at the same moment. Because we have removedthese equations from time taking them into our ownhands.

Hyena: So great is the beauty of the proprietor’shand that it can nowperpetrate its ownequations as auniversal form of expression. And everything partakes in it in this same moment because by partaking of it everything becomes 1.

In Istanbul thereisaconstruction volume of 34.6 billion $. It was bankrolled by investors from all overthe world. The investors invest in order to makeinvestments. The population can watch these investments from the outskirts of town, on bleachers of rubble. They look into the crater and bet on the permanence of the vacancy rates.

Sometimes it unsettles us to know that some things like fruit flies, peanuts, hair,and dust could name themselvesasequations as they fall through our fingers.

This is whywewill never look at these things as they fall for fear of sinking into the abyss of appearances, bad magic, cardtricks, and bullshit. 121–131

Petrocosmos

Bureaud’Études

Bureau d’Études :group ofartist sandteachers ,live andworkin Sain tMenoux(F). For the pasttwentyyears, thegroupha sbeen developingresearch onthestructure sofpower andcapitalism(www. bureaudetudes.org). Thegroup nowlivesinth ecountryside, working on afull-scale collectiv eprojectacross agriculture,commons,and resymbolizin gexperiment s(www.fermedelamhotte.fr).Bureaud’Études isco-founde rofthe “Laborator yPlanet”collective andjournal (laboratoryplanet.org) and ofthe“AliensinGreen”project (aliensingreen.eu).Somerecen tprojects andexhibition satUtrecht SciencePark,Utrech tUniversity (NL),2015-2017(www.zerofoot- printcampus.nl )and ZKM,Karlsruhe(2016). 122 Bureaud’Études Petrocosmos 123

“Whocouldhaveimagined Twocenturiesof fossilfuelusagehave enthronedtheNort hPoleasa pivotalregion thepowerofthesefossil forcenturie stocome. As theice meltsin the twenty-firstcentury ,anewseais emerging fuelswhich,emergingfrom andwhatyesterday wasfrozenand hostil ewill thearchivesoftheEarth soonbetransformedinto atemperatezone. Long largelydeserted ,Eurasiacouldwellbe anew wheretheyhadbeenburied Eldoradoforpopulationsfro mthe region sinthe fortensofmillionsof souththathavebecome uninhabitable. Who couldhav eimagined thepowerofthese years,proceededtoheatup fossil fuelswhich,emergingfro mthe archives of theEarthwhere theyhadbeenburiedfortens theatmosphere,theland, of millionsof years,proceededto heatup the andtheoceans,reawakening atmosphere,theland ,and theoceans,reawak- eningthe specte rofthefifth massextinction thespecterofthefifth eventof65millionyear sago?Greenhous egas massextinctioneventof65 emission sseemtoberecreatingtheclimate of thePaleocene-Eocene,whe nthe planetwas millionyearsago?” tropicalandice-free. Homosapiensdidnotyet exist, andnor didany knowncivilizatio n…

Thepus hforthepole No oneonEarthtoda ycan imagin ethe even- tualfutureof humansocieties.Themeltingof theSiberianpermafrostis acceleratingglobal heatingby releasinghug ecloudsofcarbon dioxideandof methane, agreenhousegasthirty

timesmoredamagingthanCO 2.Italsoemits nitrousoxide, agreenhousegasthre ehundred

timesmorepotentthanCO2,whichwaslongused as an anestheticforsurgeryandasan attrac- tioninnineteenth-century fairgrounds,wher eit inducedstates of hilarity,euphoria ,giggling, andhallucinations.ThepoetRobertSouthey wrote: “I amsur ethe airinheavenmustbethis wonder working gasofdelight.”Andindeed,a dreamarisesfro mthe meltin goftheArcticice: thelandfreed of icecouldturngreen while cities appearwhereoncethere wasnothing but barren whiteness… 124 Bureaud’Études Petrocosmos 125

Thisdreamof agreatnortherncivilization 1 varnish, perfumes,deodorants,shampoos,soaps, 4 Hugh Llewellyn Wright Mills, The Power echoesanoldstory. Forthe NorthPol eis Keenleyside, Canada’s etc. — theirtoxic effects on animal sand humans Elite: New Edition (New oneofthemythica llocationsof theEarthly DeputyMinister of Mines areknown,interfe ringwith biologicalsy stems York: Oxford University and Resources(1942), Press, 2000). Paradise ,witnessthe work by aformer President quoted in BarryScott (reproductive,digestive,endocrine, nervous) Zellen, Arctic Doom, Arctic of theUniversit yofBoston,Dr.Warren,enti- Boom:The Geopoliticsof andcausin gabroadrangeof healthproblems. tled TheParadiseFoundortheCradleofthe ClimateChange (Santa Phthalates areconsidere dtobexenoestrogens Barbara: ABC Clio,2009), HumanRaceatthe NorthPole (1893).Thi smyth 8. thatimitatehormones, disturbin gendocrine is makingacomebackasthethawgatherspace, 2 function sand raisin gfearsof afeminizatio nof announcing anewpolar civilization:“What the Mark Cohenand George males. Armelagos, Paleopathology Aegean Seawas to classicalantiquity, whatthe at theOrigins of Agriculture Plasticshavebee nfoundat NorthPol ewhere, (Cambridge: Academic Mediterranea nwas totheRoman world,whatthe Press, 1984). togetherwit hothertoxi csubstances ,theyare AtlanticOcean wastothe expandingEurope of disrupting reproductivefunction sand causing 3 Renaissancedays ,the ArcticOcean is becoming Jan Zalasiewicz et al., anomalie sinwhales,seals,andseabirds. 1 “The Geological Cycleof to theworldofaircraftandatomicpower.” Plastics and Their Useas Severallarge-scalestudiescarriedoutin the ContrarytoKeenleyside’ svision,the Arctic aStratigraphic Indicator Arctic haveconfirme dthatthe region’smain of the Anthropocene,” OceanwasnottheMediterranean of theColdWar. Anthropocene 13 (2016), predators, suchas polarbears andbelugas,are 4–17. But as theEast/Westbarrierrecedes,itmight contaminatedbychemicalproduct sincluding wellbe theMediterraneanoftheAnthropocene. polychlorinatedbiphenyl s(PCBs),organochlo- AccordingtotheRussianparliament’sState rinepesticides,andflame retardants, andby CommitteeforNorther nAffairs, theArctic theplasticresiduestha tnow circletheEarth’s icecapcouldhavedisappearedby2070… oceans in theformofhugefloatingcontinents. If theMediterraneansawthebirth of agri- culturalandpastoralcivilizations withtheir The emergenceofEurasia accompanyingcortegeof malnutrition,epidemics, Oilis thelifebloodofglobalization, this famine, andclassdivisions, 2 thenonecanwonder planetar yprojectoftheworld’selites.As aboutthe fate of acivilizationcentere daround thehistoryof thetwentiethcenturyhasabun- atemperateArctic Ocean.The truthis,we have dantly shown,the interestsof theselargely no idea.Allweknowishowoilhasmodified Anglo-American eliteshavebeenunderpinned Earth’sclimate,ecosystems,andorganisms.We by collaborationwit hthe military,share- knowtha tplastics,thes epetrochemicalmate- holders,andmanagers. 4 Thisalliance explains rialsthatembodiedmodernity’spromiseto whyAmericanmilitar ybases,consultants ,and create aperfectworld,clea nand plentiful, privatecontractorscontinuetoguar doilfields undertechno-scientificcontrol,arenowtobe andpipeline sinColombia, in theCaspian, in foundinfoodchainsandinourblood. Africa,in theBalkans,andin theMiddleEast. Withannual globalproductionataround 300 Froman institutionalviewpoint,globaliza- millioncubi cmeters(2016),“enoughplastic tionwasunderpinnedbytheBrettonWood ssystem hasbeenmanufacture dsincethemid-20thcentury putin placein1944 ,withUSdollarsasthe to coverEarth in asingle layerofplastic principl ecurrency forworldbusines sand the wrap.” 3 To takeonlyphthalates — aclass of WorldBankand InternationalMonetar yFund(IMF) syntheti cpolymers usedas plasticizers,espe- as thecentral institutionsmanagingthi shuge cially in cosmetic productssuchasnail enterprise.Beginnin gin1971, central banks 126 Bureaud’Études Petrocosmos 127

wereoblige dtokeepdollars in reserv eto 5 Worldwarstoestablis hhegemony couldbe 8 HalfordMackinder, Kent E. Calder, Super protectagains tmonetary crises, support export Democratic Ideals and replaced by adifferen tworldorde rbasedona Continent: The Logic exchangerates,or finance oilimports.However, Reality (New York: Henry sharingof responsibilities.Suc hadistrib- of Eurasian Integration Holt and Company, 1919), (Stanford: Stanford thisgreat structureofglobal politicaland 150. utedglobalism wouldreplacetheabstract University Press, 2019). 8 economicgovernanceis nowcomingapart.The 6 rulesimposedbytheAmerica nhegemon. This 9 formatio nand reinforcementof interdepend- Nicholas Spykman, The distributismdiffersfro mthe regulation-based TheodoreJ.Lowi, “American GeographyofPeace (New Business, Public Policy, encesbetweenChina,Russia,Africa,Central York: Alfred Knopf,1944), approachuse dbytheAmericans, 9 andcould Case Studies, and Political 43. Theory,” WorldPolitics Asia,and Europereflect sthe emergenceof anew developconceptsother thanthos eonwhich the 16,no. 4(July1964),pp. continen tthatishometothe world’ slargest 7 Westphalianorde rwas based:sovereignty ,terri- 676–716. Charles P. Kindleberger, reservesofoil,coal, andgas.Thevision of The WorldinDepression, torial states, andabalanceofpower. 10 10 1929–1939 (Berkeley: Paul Evans,“Historians thepolitica lgeographerHalfordMacKinder seems University of California Atpr esent,theAmericanprojectisin and ChineseWorld Order: to be becoming reality.In hisfamoustexton Press, 1973). decline.Therol eofthedollaras thekey Fairbank, Wang,and the Matterof‘Intermediate “TheGeographica lPivotof History,”presented reservecurrency ,whichseemed to becarved Relevance,’” in Chinaand InternationalRelations: at theRoyalGeographica lSocietyinLondon in stone,isnowbeing calledintoquestion. The ChineseViewand in January 1904,hedescribe sEurasiaasthe Whereasin October 2010,theChineseyuan theContributionofWang Gungwu,ed. Zheng naturalseatofplanetar ypower,determining ranked thirty-fifthamon gthe world’ smostused Yongnian (New York: Routledge, 2010). thefuture of worldpoliticsonaccountof its currencies,by December2013ithadjumped to access to resourcesanditsstrategi cloca- eighth place.And threeyear slater,onJuly tion.The heartof Eurasia is onethatpumpsoil 1, 2016,theyua nbecamethefifth currencyto andgas,traversed by thepipelinesandrail- be includedby theIMF in itssystemofspecial waysoftheNewSilkRoads.MacKinde rsaid: drawingrights,taking thirdplace behindthe “Whorules EastEurope commandstheHeartland. US dollarand theeuro.Majo rglobalization Whorule sthe HeartlandcommandstheWorld projectssuc hastheTrans-Pacific Partnership Island.Whorule sthe WorldIsland commandsthe (TPP)and theTransatlanticTrad eand Investment World.” 5 Inthemeantime ,asNichola sSpykman Partnership(TTIP),werehaltedby President hasproclaimed,theformulahaschanged:“Who Donald Trumponhisfirs tfullday in office controlstheRimlandrules Eurasia;whorules at theend of Januar y2017.As partof thesame Eurasiacontrolsthedestinies of theWorld.” 6 dynamic,newmultilatera linstitutions are Eurasia is only nowbeginningtotakeshape emerging ,includingtheAsia nInfrastructure as acontinent.Butonecanalreadysee anexus Investment Bankthatcompete swiththe IMFand of twenty-first-centurycivilizationemerging, theWorl dBank;theSilkRoa dFundcreated in at theheartofwhatMacKinder callsthepivotal 2014todeveloptheinfrastructuresof theNew zone,the axis of worldhistory.Inthisnew SilkRoads;andtheNewDevelopmentBankcreated continentalorganization ,Chinaoccupiesthe in 2015by Brazil, Russia, India,Chinaand positionoftheCentralKingdom.Butitdoes SouthAfrica. nothave ahegemonicvocation, andthe Chinese Empire willnotreplacetheAmericanEmpire. Territories without oil,territory The theoryofhegemony, accordingtowhich without water thestabilit yofglobalorganizationrequire sa Thereisadirectterritoria lcorrelation single hegemon to serveas lender, market, and betweentheuseof energy, itscontrol,and defenderoflastrecourse, 7 is nowincrisis. thedevelopmentof civilization,jus tasthere 128 Bureaud’Études Petrocosmos 129

is adirectcorrelatio nbetweenthe pres- 11 droughtan dthatcloseto200millionpeopleare Maude Barlowand Tony enceofte mperatewa terand thedevelopmen tof Clarke, L’or bleu:L’eau, le exposedeveryyeartoitsdirect impactinthe abiosphere.Butthetwozones do notmeetin grand enjeu du XXIesiècle formoffamineandepidemics.Drought,deserti- (Paris:Fayard,2002). modern industria lsociety. fication,andresourcescarcit yhaveaggravated Oilis apreconditio nfor thecreation of all conflictsbetweenagriculturalandlivestock commodities.Itis,as Schumache robserved, farmers. Thedryingout ofLak eChadbrings abasicelementas importanttooursocieties economic marginalization andcreates afertile as water,air,and soil.Butafter acentury breeding groundfor recruitmen tbyterrorist of oil-basedcivilization, anewsituation is groupsassocial valuesand moralauthority appearing: lifein allits diversityisdying erode. whilecommercialproduct smultiply to infinity Wecanimaginethelevels of violencethat around theworld.Thatwhich(beside sthe sun) willaccompanytheadventof thepost-oil sustainslif eisbecomin gscarce.Wetlands are world.Wecanimagine anew northern nexusof disappearingeverywheredueto theeffects of strategic, economic,andmilitar yinterests. climateheating.InAsia ,morethan500square Lookingdownontheeart hfromspace,wecan kilometers vanisheveryyeartomakewayfor imagineexpansesofwate rsurroundedbymissile urbanization ,industry,andirrigation.By 2080, launchers. withrisingsealevels,40 to 50percentofthe For yearsnow ,scientistswhomeasurethe world’scoastalwetlandswil lhavedisappeared. sizeofthepola rice sheetfromspace havebeen Desertificationaffects3.6billionhectaresof announcing thatit hasneverbee nsmaller. And landinmoretha none hundre dcountries,and eachyea rmarks anew recordinitsshrinking. irrigation increasesthepressur eonrivers, Perceiving thehumanpus hnorthwardspresupposes lakes, andgroundwater. 11 theabilityto project thepresent intowhatis Elsewhere,the firstdecadeofthenew millen- notyetthere, intowhatdoe snot (yet)exist, niummarkedthepassingof Hubbert’speak intothefuture — theemergenc eofthePol easa oil,signaling thefutureexhaustionoffossil geographicalpower.It is notonlythe pointof resource sand anticipating similar peaksfor orientationforever ycompass, butalso afuture otherraw materials.Anditis truethatthese habitat. resource sare nowdiminishing, by 2percentper Thishabitathassomestrangecharacteris- annum, causing hugedirect andindirecteconomic tics:the only directionissouth, andthe Pole andsocial damagetoindustrialsociety. is notinany time zone — it is thespotfrom One canalready foresee aworsening of wars whichthe linesof longitudebegin.As theold forcontrolovertheremaining fossilfuels, realmoficypeace comesundone,itis in this warstha twillonlybecome morenumerous ,their strangeplac ethatnew internationalship- violencegrowingastemperaturesris eand fresh pingroutesareopeningup,withtheNorth-West waterbecomesscarce. Passageconnecting themarkets of Asia,North Africa, where70percentof thepopulation America,andEurope,butwithoutthevulner- livesoff theland,is oneofthe continents ablepinch-point sofcurrentrouteslikethe mostaffecte dbyandmos tvulnerabletoclimate MalaccaStraitsor thePanamaand Suez Canals. change.Expert estimatessuggesttha tone third Acontainershipsailingfro mChinato NewYork of Africa’spopulation livesinzone ssubjectto viatheArctic ratherthanthrough thePanama 130 Bureaud’Études Petrocosmos 131

Canalwouldreduceitsvoyageby threeth ousand 12 nottakingint oaccountthe fact thattheywould 14 Vice Admiral Thomas Andrew Nikiforuk, The kilometersandsav etwo millio ndollarsinfuel J. Barrett,USCG(Ret.), consumemore energyinfoodthantheywould Energy of Slaves:Oil and the costs. 12 DeputySecretary of producebypedaling. 14 Thisworldis asim pos- New Servitude (Vancouver: Transportation, Remarks Greystone, 2012). Suchanoutlooksufficestotamethese once to the MARAD Arctic sibleastheworl dofoilhasbecome.Itwill Transportation Conference, remotezonesofemp iresandstates,ari dzones Washington, DC,June 5, thereforebeothe rworldstha twewillhaveto batteredbywin dandcold ,plungedint odarkness 2008. forceourselves to bringintobeing.Toachieve forhal foftheyear,hom etosmallpopula- 13 this,wewillhav etogobackandaskthosewho AlbertoAngela, ADay in tionslivingunderextremeconditions.Now,as theLifeofAncientRome: formillenniahav ebeendevelopin gthear tof theInu itofNunavuthaveunderstood,the trans- DailyLife, Mysteries,and confronting theextraordinary. Curiosities (New York: formatio nofthePol epointstoafuturewhose Europa Editions, 2009). faceisbecom ingmoreandmor eclearly visible withev erypassingdayandwhichseems,for some,tobef ullofpromise .Thepopulationof Greenlandseeth ecolorinthei rcountry’sname becoming areality,imagini ngnewfertile land forfar ming,abundantaccessiblerawmaterials, andnewdepos itsofoilandgas .Inareferendum heldonNovem ber25,2008,75percentvo tedfor increasedautonom y. However,the re isnothingtosuggestth at the greenlandsoftheNort hwillbecomefertile. Alltha tiscertainistheprospectof aworld withoutoilwheresoilswil loftenbedried outandsurro undedbyaci doceans.The other certainty,asItaliananthr opologistAlberto Angelaput sitinh iswor kofhistorica lfiction ADayintheLifeofAncientRome ,isthat acup ofgasolineisequivalen ttotheenergyneeded byfi ftyslavestopush aFiatfor twohours. 13 Humanenergyisfeeblecomparedwit hthe power ofoil ,and aworldwithoutoil(inthe absence ofanequivalentsubstitute)wouldresemble alaborcam pwhereitwoul dbenecessaryto pedaltwelvehours aday,seve ndays aweek, forthre eyearsandeightmonths,without vaca- tions,toproducetheequivalentofonebarrel ofoil .AnaverageNorthAmerica nwhouse s23.6 barrelsofoileveryyea rwouldhav etoemploy theequivalentofeighty-ninevirtualslavesto coverthislev elofenergyconsumption ,anda familyoffivewouldnee dalmostfivehundred, Every Day the new forests company

In 2004 the New Forests Companybegan with 5 million euros from the European Investment Bank, easilyoutbid by Agri-Vie, which has six seats on the supervisory board, which is in turn fed by the International Finance Co., abranch, abifurcation, aleaf-vein of the WorldBank ...

In 2004 the New Forests Companybegan negotiations with the government in U on licensing land for 3 plants à 20,000 hectares to grow timber in the communities of Mubende, Kiboga, and Bugiri.

In Mubende, Kiboga, Bugiri.

The companypromised: in 10 years A: to invest 47 million dollars B: to employ 1,400 persons. A: Ataking of breath, ascraping of rakes on pebble driveways, boarding schools by mountain lakes. B: Aconnection to the dependency of survival on money

The dependency of survival on money.

The companyhad alreadyplanted 12 million pine trees beforehand in the same regions, to check their growth, and they arethriving excellently.

Excellently.

The investment has severerestrictions, says the company. It is forbidden to let livestock pastureunder the trees, and no morelying in the grass and blowing on the blades. Under the trees it is forbidden to plant vegetables or collect wood, Alice Creischer with which charcoal can be gained to preparefood. In the Stomach of the Predators Every Day–the new All this demands, forests company beforethe money flows, Source: Mr.Augustin Allen an examination Witness in: Oxfam Case Study of whoiseligible to staythereand for what reason. The New ForestsCompanyand its Uganda plantations The examination brought the right of residence for 31 families September 22, 2011 to the light of day. https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/ s3fs-public/file_attachments/ cs-new-forest-company-uganda- plantations-220911-en_4.pdf To the daythat cannot divide itself. Remember my land, three acres of coffee, manytrees, And it furthermoreproved mangoes and avocados. that the other residents areintruders, Ihad fiveacres of banana, that the land belongs to the state, Ihad cows for milk, ten beehives, twobeautiful houses. which is thus legitimized People used to call me Omataka – to issue licenses someone whoowns land. to the New Forests Company Nowthat is no more. for along period of time. Iamone of the poorest.

Foralong period of time, ascraping of rakes on pebbles, mountain lakes and boarding schools by mountain lakes. Undivided days. Undivided days.

In 2005,resettlement started with tractors with 670 horsepower whose tanks drink 1,900 liters of gas at once and whose shovels plowvillages likehair is shavenfromthe head with aknife. This took place in Kiboga in June 2006 and in February 2006 in Mubende.

It is said that 22,500 people were displaced and that this number could be considerablyhigher. But the companysaysthat it was 15,191 at the most. This number was ascertained by adistrict official from Kiboga.

And that even this number is possibly too high, because the official is unreliable, because it is said —although they paid him for this survey— that he often lies in the grass instead of counting, under the rows of pine trees staring through the order of needles to the sky, as if it were acrater and not amountain lake. Every Day funding of land taxes in poona

Waiwand : The tenants have to borrow to paythe taxes. Pimpalgon They even have to borrow in good years. Deulgaon They borrow in some cases. Kanagaon The harvests areseldom ripe when the tax is due, thereforethe tenants have to borrow. Nandgaon. They borrow when thereislittle rain and pawn the uncut harvest. Dhond They borrow and pawn the harvest on the stalk. Girim They borrow to their account and pawn the harvest on the stalk. Sonwari They borrow to paythe taxes. They sell the livestock. Wadhana They paythe first rate by borrowing on the stalk. If the harvest fails, they sell the land. Morgaon They paythe first rate by borrowing on the harvest on the stalk. When thereisnoharvest, they borrow against interest. Ambi Ditto Tardoli Ditto

Alice Creischer

In the Stomach of the Predators Every Day–funding of land taxes in poona

Source: Romesh Chunder Dutt, Famines and Land Assessments in India (London 1900) 139–157 AmazonWorker Cage SimonDenny

SimonDenny :born inAuc kland(NZ),studiedatElamSchool ofFine Arts ,University ofAuck landandStädelschule, Frankfurt(D) .Solo exhibitions atinstitutionsworldwide,including:MONA ,Tasmania (until April2020) ;HammerMuseum,Lo sAngele s(2017); OCAT Shenzhen(2017) ;Serpentin eGalleries,Londo n(2015); MoMaPS1,New York(2015) ;andMuMOK ,Vienna (2013) .In2015,herepresentedNew Zealandat the 56thVeniceBiennale. Heisprofessoroftime-based mediaatUniversit yofFineArts,Hambur g(D). necvtddocument excavated an

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TheAnarchist Banker

JanPete rHammer

Jan PeterHammer :MFAfromHunter College,CUNY(2003) ;livesand worksinBerlin andOslo. Since2016:artisticresearchfellowat KhiO,Oslo Academyofthe Arts.Hisworkshavebeenshownat: Berge nAssembly(2019);69thBerlinal e(2018) ;Kunstvereinin Hamburg(2018);MACBA, Barcelona(2015) ;14thIstanbul Biennale (2015);Migro sMuseum ,Zurich(2015);LABOR ,Mexico City(2014); 4th Athens Biennale (2013) ;SteirischerHerbs t(2013), YerbaBuena ArtCenter ,SanFrancisc o(2012) ;GalleriaLia Rumma,Naples (2012);40th InternationalFilmFestival Rotterdam(2011). 160 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 161

“Granted, Idon’tlivelike DavidHall:Goodeveningandwelcometothe‘InterviewHour.’I’mDavidHall. Ourguesttonight,Mr.ArthurAshenking,hasbeendraggedinto theseprotesters,they’re thespotlightwhenitemergedthat theinvestmentbankhehasbeen heading,theBGBank,hasappliedfo ragovernmentbailoutafter nottrueanarchists. Iam. decadesofunprecedentedfinancial prosperity,whilehehimself Thetheoryandpracticeof walkedoutofth ebankwithoneof thelargestbonuseseverawarded to asingleCEO.Visionaryorvillai nisthequestioninmostpeoples anarchismmeetinme,yes, mindwhenitcomestoassessingtheroleplayedbyhismanagement inme — banker,financier, styleinoneofourcountry’smost powerfulfinancialinstitutions. Mr.Ashenking, usuallyanelusivepersonality,hasrefusedtospeak tycoon,ifyouwill.You tothepressorevento acongressionalhearing.Tonight,however, Mr.Ashenkingha sagreedtocomeonourshowtogivehisfirst pointoutthat Iamnotlike in-depthinterviewtoanynewsorganization,sostaywithusfor theseanti-globalization aviewofthema nbehindthescandal ,hislife,hisviewsandhis personalhistory .Mr.Ashenking,letmestartbythankingyoufor typesinordertocreate comingonourshowtonight.Itis arealhonortohaveyouwithus. adistinction.Wellthat’s ArthurAshenking:CallmeArt ,Dave.Can Icall youDave? true. Iamnotlikethem. Dave Certainly,Art …Art, Iwanttostartbytalking alittlebitabout Theyareanarchistsin themanbehind thebanker. Ireadsometimeagothatyouusedto theory,whereasas I…” callyourselfananarchist.Now,thi swasduring aperiodinyour lifewhileyou wereworkingwiththePro-Actgroup.Youwerevery muchinvolvedintheiranti-VietnamWarmovementandalsointheir pro-civilrightsmovement.Youspent agooddealoftimeasa communityorganizerandwereonceevenindictedforanti-government activities.Now,Art, Iguesswhat puzzlesmemostishowyouthen cametobecome an investmentbanker,andindeedwhilstbeingan investmentbanke ryoubeganimplementing apolicyofderegulationand lobbyingforles sgovernmentoversightinthefinancialmarkets.

Art BecauseI’mstillananarchist.

Dave Inwhatwayareyouananarchist?Unlessyou’r enotusingthewordin its…

Art Inthetruesenseofthe word.Yes, Iam.

Dave Soyoumeantotellmetha tyouareananarchistinexactlythesame wayas,let’ssay,anti-globalizatio ngroupsareanarchists?Orthe peoplewhothrowrocksatthepoliceareanarchists? 162 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 163

Art No,what Imeanisthatthereisnoroom,no contradiction,between butnow Iwantedtounderstandmyrebellion.Gradually, Ibecamea mytheoriesandtheway Ilivemylife.Granted, Idon’tlivelike consciousandconvincedanarchist. theseprotesters ,they’renottrue anarchists. Iam.Thetheoryand practiceofanarchismmeetinme,yes,inme — banker,financier, Dave So,thetheoryan dpracticesthatyouadheretotodayarethesameas tycoon,ifyouwill .Youpointoutthat Iamnotliketheseanti- whatyoubelievedinthen? globalizationtypesinordertocreate adistinction.Wellthat’s true. Iamnotlikethem.Theyareanarchistsintheory,whereasasI Art Well,whatisananarchistbut apersonwhoisinrevoltagainst … injusticeandsocialinequality?That’sbasicallywhatheis — the psychologicalpart. Justtryandimagineanyintelligentkidthat Dave Excusemeforinterruptingyouthere. Ithinktheseanti-globaliza- isn’trebellious. Imean,whatdoeshesee,growingup?Onemanborn tiongroupsareprettyclearintheir agendas. thesonof amillionaire,protectedfromcradletograve,anotherman bornin aslumlike Iwas,justanother mouthtofeed.Naturegives Art Yes,but Ihadan epiphany. Iunderstandfreedomandhowtoachieve somebodymorestrength,moretalent,moreenergy. Icanacceptthat. it,because Iunderstandrepressionandhowitoperates! But, Iwillnotaccep tsomebodybeingsuperiortomebyvirtueof qualitiesthathewasluckyenoughtobeborninto. Dave Okay,andnowyou aredisplaying abitofyourMarxistleanings… Dave Youcouldhavebecome asocialistoradheredtosomeothersimilar Art Laughifyouwant to,Dave… socialphilosophy.Thatwouldhavefittedinwithyourfeelingsof rebellionandresentmentsoverthesesocialinequalities,wouldn’t Dave I’msorrysir, Idon’twanttojoke.Bu thowdoyoureconcileyour youagree? life,andwhat Imeanbythatisyour lifeinbanking,yourlifeand commerce,withthisanarchisttheory? If whatyoumeanby“anarchist” Art Yes. isthesamethatordinarypeoplemean by anarchists?If Iunderstand youcorrectly,wellyou’resayingthatyou’redifferentfromthem Dave So,whydidyouchoos eanarchism,suchanextremeform,andnotone becauseyouaremor eofana narchistthantheyare,isthatso? ofthemoremoderateones?

Art Itis. Art Yes,I’lltellyouwhy. Ihavethoughtaboutthisquitelong,and Ichoseanarchismbecause …Thetrueevilthatplaguesmankind Dave Okay?Then Idon’tunderstandatall. isconvention,insidioussocialfictionsthatcoverallnatural realities.Moneyis atotalfiction,as is thestate.Theinstitution Art Doyouwanttounderstand? ofthefamilyisas absurdasreligion.

Dave IdoArt, Ido. Dave Well,Art,youhave yourownfamily.Do youextendyourcriticismto them,too? Art Listen, Iwasbornworkingclassinthi scity, Iinheritednothing but alousysocialposition,lousylivingconditions.But Ididgeta Art Yes, Ihave awifean dkids,buttheybelongtothenaturalreality, goodmindand astrongwill.When Iwastwenty, Ibegantofeelthis wheretheuniversal adaptsitselftothisorthatmaterialform. anger,thisrebellionagainstthis …againstmyfateandagainstthe Andbeforeyouattackmeforevadingthequestionofwhy Ichoseto circumstancesthatcreatedthatfate. Notthatmyfatewasasbadas getmarriedwhen Idon’tbelieveinmarriage — it’ssimple. Idon’t itcouldhavebeen,but IfeltlikeI’dgotten arawdeal.That’s wantthewoman Ilovetohavetosuffertheembarrassmentofbeing when Ibegantoread,andtostudy. Ihadalwaysbeenrebellious, perceivedasmymistress.Thatdoesnotchangethefactthatthese 164 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 165

conventionsare evilandneedtobe abolished.Allfreethinking Dave Well,I’msorrytodisappointyou, Idon’t.But,Art,asfarasthe peopleunderstandthatthesystemisunjust,andthattherewouldbe neoliberaldiscoursegoes, afree-marketsocietyisbyprinciple someadvantage, somejustice,inreplacingitwith afairersystem. ademocraticsociety.Andnow, Idiscoverthatyouareactuallyin Butwheredoesthatideaofjustice comefrom?Whatisnatural,what oppositiontosocialdemocracy.So,Art,whatisitthatyouactually istrue?Well,somethingthat’snatural,itiscompletelynatural, want? itisnothalf-natural,or aquarter,oraneighth,ornatural becauseitseemsnatural — becausewe’reusedtoit.Socialdemocracy, Art Freedom!Freedomformyself,forothers,for humanity.Tofeelas forinstance,seemsnaturaltousbut in realityit’sjustanother freeaswewerewhenwewereborn. Right?Naturedoesn’tmakeus fiction.Andthat’swhyI’msocriticalofsocialdemocracy.It allequal,but we canstillbeequal .Ifitw asn’tforthesesocial reversestherole of theoppressorandtheoppressedinthemost conventionswhic hpreventequality… unnaturalofways,byprotectingandprivilegingtheweakatthe expenseofthestrong. Dave Seemstometobe aquiteperverseusageoflogicthere,especially consideringyourconcernsaboutsocialinequalities,andbecauseof Dave Youengageinanti-authoritarianandindividualisticrhetoricwhile that Ireallydon’tunderstandyourhostilitytowardsthewelfare speakingaboutsocialconventionsand howtheyhinderpersonaldevel- stateatall. opment,butmostpeoplearenotcrushedbyconcepts,arethey?They arecrushedbycircumstances. Art I’veencounteredthisoutragebeforeandI’m heretotellyouthat youaresimply givingvoicetofear — afearthatisnotyourown,a Art Yes,can Ifinish my pointplease,Dave? fearthatisnotworthyof afreeperson, afearthatoppressesand limitsyourownintelligence… Dave Excuseme,goahead. Art No,no,Dave,letmecontinue.Youworryaboutsocialwelfare,but Art Youaskhow Ireconcilemyprofession withmyanarchistbeliefs.And theveryideaofsocialwelfareincludes,andjustifies,social youremember Imentionedanepiphany? Ihavefoundtheembodimentof exclusion.In asocietywherefreeenterpriseandthefreemarket myradicalanarchis mintheideaofthefreemarket.Andthat’swhat rulethere’snoneedforwelfare,noristhereanyneedforthese peoplemisunderstan dwhentheycallmerightwingorconservativeor demeaningsafetynetsorcharitiesor… whatever.I’mnoconservative.I’m afreedomfighter.Andfreedom cannotbewonbyholdingontothesesocialconventions,whichkeep Dave I’msorry,Art,but Ireallyhavetodisagree.Youspeakasif draggingitdown. everybodywouldbestartingfrom apositionofequalitywhileyou yourselfexperiencedintensefeelingsofrebellionwhenconfronted Dave AreyouadvocatingsocialDarwinismnow? withtheseverysamesocialinequalities…

Art No, Iamadvocatingegotism.Self-interest,andthebenefitsthat Art Yes, Idid, Ifeeloutragedoversocial inequalities,whichiswhy followfromanindividual’spursuitofhisownwantsandneeds,is Iwanttodogetridoftheentireapparatuswhichperpetuatesthem. theonlylegitimatereasonforacting. Can Igiveyouanexample?Let’ssaythatmyfactoryispollutingthe riverthatrunsthroughyourcity,whichmakesfor abigproblem,a Dave MaxStirner,right?MaxStirner …Stirnerhoweverdidnotconsider polarizingproblem. On theonehandwehavethethreatofjoblosses himselftobeananarchist. andontheotherwe havetheecological issues. Iwouldrestateit as aproblemof“socialcost,”whichmean sthequestionnowbecomes: Art Dave,yousurpriseme. Ididn’tknowyo uhadanarchistleanings. Isthevalueofthe fishlostgreaterorlessthanthevalueof theproductthatthepollutionoftherivermakespossible?Ifthe 166 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 167

answertothatquestionisthatthereisgreatervaluelostifmy naturalifitbringswithitsomeselfishreward.Togiveupa factoryhastoclose,thenwewillcontinuetopolluteyourriver, pleasuresimply to giveitupisnotnatural.T ogiveuponepleasure andwewillcompensateyouorpaytohaveyourrivermovedelsewhere. foranotherisnatural.Iftherearetwothingsandyoucannothave Notice,too,thatifyouand Isettlethismatterbetweenourselves both,thenyoumustchoose. privatelythere’snoneedforgovernmentorthecourtstomuddythe waters,whereourfisheswillstill be dying,withtheirhypocritical Dave Uh,thathardly constitutes aconfession,doesit? moralposturing,whichisalwaysthewaytherulingpoliticalclass managestoimpedelaborandenterprise. Art Well,youasked aboutthemanbehindthebanker.I’msimplytelling myowndoubtsanddifficulties,and howIovercamethem. Dave Well,youknow, thereareinnumerablestudiestoprovethatthe marketisnotasfreeasyousayit is,andthatinfactgovernment Dave Whataboutthethousandsofjobslost ?Thiswasthequestion. regulationisnecessaryinorderto protectcitizensandsmallbusi- nesses,whowouldotherwisebesteamrollered… Art Oh,jobs. Irememberwhen Iwas acommunityorganizer,workingwith volunteers, Idiscoveredsomethingverystrangeaboutdemocracy, Art Granted,we’reno tthereyet,butthepointisthatfreemarket somethingterribl ethatgrowsamong peoplewhoarevolunteeringout enterpriseandth esocialrevolutionitembodies,theonlysocial oftheirowngoodwill — tyranny. revolutionthat doesn’tjustreplaceonesocialfictionwithanother, willfreeusfromallthesesocialconventions. Dave Tyranny?

Dave Well,Art, Ireallydon’tthinkit’s agiventhat afreemarket Art Tyranny,yes. Idiscoveredthattherearesomepeoplewhoreally creates afreesociety.YoujusthavelookatChile,forexample, lovedorderingotherpeoplearound.Happensallthetime.Somedrift where afree-marketeconomywasput in placeby abloodycoup. intobeingtheboss,othersdriftintobeingthesubordinates.You couldseeitinthemostordinaryways:Twoguyswalkingdownthe Art Well,sometimes thepresenthastobesacrificedforthefuture, streetgettothecornerwhereonehastogoright,theotherhasto Dave.Yes,it’s toobadaboutallthepeoplewhohadtodie,butif goleft.Onesaystotheother:“Heywhydon’tyoucomethisway?” youaskChileanshowthey’dlikelivinginCuba Iamsuretheywould Theothersays,“No,sorry Ihavetogothatway,”butheendsup saynotverymuch. goingwiththeotherguyanyway.Sometimes it’spersuasion,sometimes it’ssheerpersistence,butit’sneverlogical.There’salways Dave I’mnotsureabou tthat,butyoustil lhaven’tmadeclearhowyour somethinginstinctiveaboutthissubordination,thisbullying.That’s beliefsledyou to workinthevariou sfinancialinstitutionswhich justonelittleexample,butyoucanseewha tImean? you’veheaded,an dalsohowtheymigh thaveinfluencedtheleveraged investmentsyou institutedatBGBank .Moreover,sir,howyouwalked Dave Well, Ithinkso,but Ialsodon’tseewhat’ ssowrongwiththat? outofthebank with amultimillion-dollarbonuswhilethousandsof Ithinkit’sperfectly natural.Withingroupgatherings,behavior otherslosttheirjobs.Whatdoyou havetosay? patternsalwaysdevelop.

Art Whenitcomestomypersonallife Ithink,okay,workingforthe Art Exactlyso,andremember ,thishappenedin agroupwithnoimpor- futureisfine. Workingforotherssotheycanbefreeisonly tance,noinfluence.Thi swas atinygroup of well-intentionedvolun- right.Butam Inoone,whataboutme ?IfIwere aChristian,I teersworkingtogether to tryandbuildsomething.Andwhatdothey wouldhappilywor kforothersbecauseI’dgetmyrewardinheaven. create — tyranny.Youseethe implications? SinceI’m amaterialist, Ihavetothinkofmyself. Ionlyhaveone life.Thisidea of duty,ofhumansolidarity,canonlybeconsidered 168 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 169

Dave Well …Yes, Ithink Ido.But Ialsodon’tseehowthatrelatesat Art Iwasn’tkidding,Dave. Ithoughtaboutit.Bu tsuppose Itookouta allto… dozencapitalists.Wouldthatalterthestatusquo?No.No,evenifI wouldbesuccessfulinslaughtering adozencapitalists,whatwould Art Butthenimagine alargergroup,withmoreinfluence.Peopleengaged thatgetme?I’dbeinprison,I’d be ontherun,orI’dbedead,and inseriouspoliticalstruggle.You tellmeifyoucanseeanything theanarchists wouldhavelost afighter.Conventionsarenotpeople resembling afree,humansocietyemergingoutofthattangleof thatyoucanshoot.Itwouldn’tbe like asoldiershooting adozen intersectingtyrannies.It’sodd,isn’tit?And Itellyouthereare enemysoldiers.Itwouldbelike asoldierkilling adozencivilians. otheroddthings ,too.Likethetyrannyofhelpfulness,forexample. No, Icouldnothopetodestroyconventionsbykillingtherepresent- atives. Iwouldhavetofind away to subjugatetheseconventions, Dave What?Whatdoyoumeanbythetyrannyofhelpfulness? torenderthem powerless.Andthat is exactlywhat Idid!Themost importantconventionofall,atleas tinourdayandage,iswhat? Art Well,therewerepeopleamonguswhodidn’torderotherpeople Money.So,how could Isubjugatemoney?Thesimplestwaywouldbeto around.Insteadtheywouldhelpthem .First,itdoesn’tlooklike removemyselffromitsinfluence,fromcivilization;togooutinto tyrannyofcourse,lookslikejust theopposite,butlookatit thewildandeatrootsandberries;andwalkaroundnakedlikethe carefully.It’sjustanotherformoftyranny. animals. Iwouldn’tbecombatinganything; Iwouldjustberunning away.Yes,anyon ewhoavoids afightavoidsbeingdefeated,buthe Dave I’msorry,Art,buthowdoesbeinghelpfuldothat? isalsomorallydefeatedbecausehedidn’tfight.No,whateverI chosetodoit wouldhavetoinvolvefightingandnotfleeing.There Art Helpingsomeone,myfriend ,it’sjustanotherwayofassumingthat wasonlyoneway .Iwouldhavetoacquiremoney,and Iwouldhaveto they’reincapable.Andifthey’reno tincapable,you’remakingthem acquireenough of itnottofeelitsinfluence.Themore Iacquired, incapable.You’r elimitingthefreedomofanotherpersonandbasing thefreer Iwouldbe.Anditwasonl ywhen Irealizedthat,itwas youractions,atleastunconsciously ,ontheideathatthatpersonis onlythenthat Ienteredthecurrentandcommercialphaseofmy eitherincapableoffreedomorunworthyofrespect. anarchism.

Dave AndsowasthisthenyourreasonforthebreakwiththePro-Act Dave Gosh,Art,youblowmymind! group?Because Idon’tseethemagreeingwithyousocialideasor… Art Andthat’snotall,Dave.Doyourememberthatyoubeganbydrawing Art No,no, Igaveuponpoliticswhen Icouldseethatpoliticianscared attentiontotheamountofmybonusandpensionfromBGBank? nothingforfreedomunlesssomebodyelsearrangedforit,unless somebodyelsebestowedituponthemlike akingbestows atitle. Dave Andthethousandsofjobslost,sir. Idealshaveconsequences,myfriend,andtheyweren’treadyforthat! Iwasalonenow.Andthemost Icoulddoonmyo wnwouldbetokilla Art Well,thereitis. member — orseveralmembers — oftheoppressin gparties. Dave Thereiswhat? Dave Okay,Art,you’renotbeingseriousanymore!Alright,let’sshift gearsherefor asecond.Let’stalkaboutyour …let’stalkabout Art Isucceeded. Iworked, Istruggled, Iearned money, Iearnedmore yourviewsontheover-the-counterderivativesmarket.We’veallseen money,andinth eend Iearned alotofmoney.And Iwasn’tfussy howthepracticeofdefaultswapswentfar overboard.Wouldn’tthat, aboutthemeans. Iusedwhatevermeans Icould—financialsophistry, atleastonyourside, wouldn’tyouthenacknowledgethenecessity unfaircompetition. Iwasfighting themostpowerfulconventionthere foratleastsomeregulationinordertoprotectinvestors? is,and Iused whateverweapons Icould.And Ihaverealizedthe limiteddreamof apractical,clear-mindedanarchist. Ihaveachieved 170 JanPeterHammer TheAnarchistBanker 171

thekindoffreedomthat’sachievable ,thekindoffreedomthatour wouldbeinconsistentwithmyanarchistprinciples.Helpthem?No, imperfectsocietyallows. Icouldn’tdotha teither,andforth esamereasons.So,I’mguilty ofbeingnotmorethanoneperson.Wh ycriticizemeforachieving Dave Theconditionsofyourcourseofactionwerenotonlytocreate whateverfreedom Icould?Whydon’t youcriticizetheloserswho freedombutalsoto not createtyranny.Art, Ithinkyoudid haven’tdoneso? createtyranny. As abanker,asanunscrupulousfinancier,as atycoon — forgivemeforusingtheseterms,butyouusedthem Dave Oh,Art,thoseme ndidn’tdowhatyoudidbecausetheylackeda yourself — youcreated atyranny.Now,Art, Iwouldgosofarasto certainamountofintelligence,ortheylackedthewillpower,orany saythatyouhavecreatedasmuchtyrannyasthesesocialconventions numberofother circumstances,whichpreventedthemfromsucceeding thatyouclaimtobefighting. inthewayyoudi d…

Art No,you’rewrong.Whatevertyrannycamefrommystruggleagainst Art Ah,myfriend,th edegreeofintelligenceandwillpowerofanindi- conventionsisintrinsictotheconventions. Ididnotaddtoit.I vidualisdowntohimandtonature.No, Ithinktheremightbesome createdonlyfreedom,myfriend. Ifreedmyself.Theoneperson Iwas peoplewhoareborntobeslaves,andwhoareincapableofsorting abletofree, Ifreed. theirownfreedom .Butwhathasthatindividualtodowith afree society,orwithfreedom?If amanwereborntobe aslave,then Dave Okay,butArt,bythesametoken,onecouldbeledtobelievethatno freedom,beinginconsistentwiththequalityofhismind,wouldbe, representativeofpowerexercisestyranny.Wheninfactyouyourself forhim, atyranny.Wouldn’tyouagree? saidthatallrepresentativesofpowe rexercisetyranny… Dave I’mjustgoingtohavetostopyoutherefor amoment,Art.I’m Art No,thetyranny is wieldedbytheconventions;theseleadersare getting awordinmyearthatwe’re longoverduefor aword fromour simplythetoolsthoseconventionsus etotyrannizesocietyinthe sponsors.Theconversationtonighttookonanunusualtwist, Ihave sameway aknifeistheweaponof amurderer,whousesittokill toadmitthat,bu tdostaywithusfo rthesecondhalfofourshow someone. where Iwillbe talkingwithourguest,Mr.ArthurAshenking,andI willaskhimabou thisviewsonthe futureofinvestmentandindeed Dave Okay!Andnow,you’rejustbeingsophistic,you’renotbeingintel- whetherthereis achanceof astockmarketrecovery. lectuallyhonestatall… Staywithus.

Art Andyouwouldhan gthegeneralwhosacrificeshistroopsinorderto win.Ifyougotowar,youbothwin andlose.

Dave Butthere’sanotherthinghereArt …ananarchistwantsfreedomnot onlyforhimself,butalsoforhumanity,forthewholeofhumanityas faras Iunderstandit.

Art Ofcourseeachpersonmustfreehimself,anythingelseisincon- sistentwithanarchistprinciples.An dIhavefreedmyself; Ihave donemyduty,andnotonlytomyself,buttofreedom.Whyhaven’t othersdonethe same?Did Istopthem ?No! Ishowedthemevery possiblepathtofollow.Whatmorecould Ido?Forcethemtofollow thesamepath?No ,Iwouldn’thavedonesoevenif Icould.It Every Day trevali resources

The residents of the towns of Cenizo and Tres Estrellas near Colquisiri, Huaral Peru, express their worries about the degree of poisoning of their ground. They demand astatement by the authorities on this poisoning caused by the Maria Teresa mine operating in the entiredistrict, 80 kilometers from the capital.

The mine not onlypoisons the water and the ground, but also the people, whohaveheadaches and often retch when swallowing, as if they had something in their throat that seeks to prevent this swallowing, that also no longer allows them to concentrate enough to form entiresentences, that determines the rate of miscarriages and the increase in cancer.

All this can be recorded statistically, just liketrains travelten times around the planet, or it can be recorded as the effect of acapacity that heaves 2,000 tons of rock on one day inside the mountain.

The residents urgentlyrequest that the authorities write letters to the company that in April was called Trevali Resources and had an address in Toronto, which then merged with GlencoreInternational and was then sold to Kria, whose address is unknown, and little time remains to find it out if the hausse Alice Creischer of lead Establishment of Matters continues of Fact /3 on the markets. Every Day–trevali resources

Source: http://intranet2.minem. gob.pe/web/dgaam/certificado_ EIAS_new.asp?Anio=2003&M es=00&radio1=F&submit=C onsulta Translated by KarlHofmann / EditedbyMatthew Hyland, 2015 175–183

MoneyandZero: Quantification andVisualization oftheInvisible inEarlyModern CulturalTechniques

SybilleKrämer

SybilleKrämer:senior professoratLeuphanaUniversityLüneburg; previou slyprofessorofphilosophyatFreie UniversitätBe rlin; visiting professorsh ipsatuniversitiesincludingTokyo, Vienna, Zurich,Yale ;honorary doctoratefro mLinköpingUniversity, Sweden. Researchint otheories ofthemind,theorie sofcognitionin Descartesan dLeibniz; philosophyoflanguage ,writing,and the image ;mediaphilosophyan dtheory ;reflecting ondigitality. Lates tpublication: Figuration ,Anschauung ,Erkenntnis. Grundlinien einerDiagrammatologie (Suhrkamp,2016). 176 SybilleKrämer MoneyandZero 177

Quantificationandvisualization 1 “Aswecansee,moneyalways David S. Landes, Revolution TheastonishingdynamismofEuropeanimperialism in Time: Clocks and the inthefifteenth,sixteenth,andseventeenth Making of theModern World mediatesbetweenthingsthat (Cambridge MA: Harvard aredifferent,makingthem centuriesiscommonlyassociatedwith ahistor- University Press, 1983). icallyuniqueconvergenceofscienceand 2 technology.Whatcreatedthisliaison,however, John Noble Wilford, The comparablebyobjectifying Mapmakers: The Story installingitasthemotorofsocialdevelop- of theGreat Pioneers in CartographyfromAntiquity thevalueofgoodsand mentforseveralcenturies,wascalculability — a to theSpace Age (New York: interpersonalcredit/debtin focusontheubiquityofnumbersthatmakeswhat Vintage, 1982), 79ff. canbemeasuredandcountedtheincarnationof 3 “The new approachwas termsofnumberson ascale. allthatcanbeknown.ButunlikethePythagorean simplythis:reducewhat viewofnumbersasthe substance oftheworld, youare trying to think about to the minimum required by Thekeythinghere,however, intheEarlyModernperiodnumbersbecame a itsdefinition; visualize it on paper; [...] be it thefluctu- isthatmoneynotonly meansofrepresentation, akindofuniversal ation of wool prices [...] or languageinwhichtheactivitiesofcounting the course of Marsthrough the heavens, and divide it, expressesthehomogenous andmeasuringmadeitpossibletorepresentand eitherbyfactorimagination intoequal quanta.Then withinheterogeneity,but manageheterogeneousthingsandeventsina youcan measure it,thatis, homogeneousmanner.Inthiscontext,toquan- countthe quanta.”Alfred W. Crosby, The Measure actuallybroughtitforth tifymeanstobreakdown amoreorlesscomplex of Reality (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, matterintodistinctelements — quanta — insuch 1997), 228. andhighlighteditduring awaythatthematterinquestioncanberepre- theevolutionofexchange- sentedinthelanguageofnumericalrelations. AsAlfredW.Crosbyhasshownfortheperiod basedeconomies.Moneydoes between1250and1600,thequantificationof notmerelyrepresentthe spaceandtimeembodiedbythemechanicalclock 1 andmapsbasedonlinesoflatitudeandlongi- quantifiabilityofthe tude2 notonlydeveloped aforcethatpermeated everyfieldofculture,butalsobecame apassion qualitative — itismoney withinsociety.Atthesametime,andthisis thatmake sthequalitative theinspiringpartofhisstudy,Crosbymade itclearthattheresoundingimpactofcalcula- quantifiableinthefirst bilitycanonlybeunderstoodinconnectionwith place.” anolesslastinglyandpassionatelypursued gestureofvisualization: 3 theskies,theearth, andtheoceansweresurveyedandmapped;central perspectivegeometrizedartisticmeansofrepre- sentationandrationalizedtheactofseeing; writtenscoresmadeitpossibletoexpressthe proportionsbetweennotesin awaythatallowed entirelynewmusictobecomposed;onthe battlefield,masswarfarewasrecastas aclock- 178 SybilleKrämer MoneyandZero 179

work-likemechanism — tolistjust afewsymptoms 4 inarymoney, 9 BrianRotmanapproachesmoney 9 Harold HenryJoachim, Brian Rotman, Signifying ofquantificationandvisualization. Descartes’s Rulesfor the semiologically,focusingonitsfunctionasa Nothing:The Semiotics ItwasthephilosopherRenéDescarteswho, Directionofthe Mind signormeta-sign.We,ontheotherhand,want of Zero (Stanford, CA: (London: Allen&Unwin, StanfordUniversity Press, withintheframeworkofhis athesisuniversalis, 1957), 81–82. tounderstandmoneylessas asignandrather, 1987). postulatedthatnumbersandproportionsshouldbe 5 takinga mediological view,as amediumand 10 viewedas auniversallanguagewhosegrammaris Sybille Krämer, “Kann das, mediator.10 Forthisperspectiverevealswhat We understand signs geistige Auge‘ sehen? and media here not as capableofexpressingallthatcanbeknown. 4 But Visualisierung und die itisaboutmonetarytransactionsthatcreated differentclasses of object, Konstitution episte- but as differentperspec- thisriseofnumberstothestatusof auniversal mischerGegenstände,” suchfertileconditionsforquantification: tivesfromwhichsymbolic descriptivetoolcaninturnonlybeexplained in Bettina Heintz, Jörg moneyembodiesthequantitativeascategori- practicescan be viewed. Huber, eds., Mit dem Auge The difference between inconnectionwithcalculization — theinven- denken: Strategiender callydistinctfromthequalitative.Havingcast the twoperspectivesliesin Sichtbarmachung in wissen- the respective relationship tionofformulaebywhichstructuresofthought schaftlichen und virtuellen offanycharacteristicas aconcretegood,it betweenvisibilityand andcognitivesemanticscanbecrystallizedand Welten (Zürich: Voldemeer, embodiestheabsenceofanyspecificquality. invisibility. In thesign 2001), 347–66. perspective, the signifiers objectifiedintheformofvisualmarkings. 5 Moneycannotbeenjoyed,itcannotbeconsumed; arethe objectsofsensory 6 perception, while the SincetheEarlyModernperiod, acalculized Exceptions:Alfred itdoesnotevengetusedupincirculation,as signifiedisthe underlying numericalsystemhasbeeninusewhosewritten Sohn-Rethel, DasGeld, worn-outmoneyisreplacedbytheauthorizing invisible element.Inthe diebareMünze desApriori media perspective—at formbringsabstract,invisible“knowledge (Berlin: Wagenbach, institution. leastwhenmedia usage 1990); Jean-Joseph Goux, functions seamlessly—what objects” — includingnumbersthemselves — intothe Freud, Marx: Économieet Inthefollowing,wewillbeignoringthe is displayedisthe message, registerofvisibility,thusrenderingthemoper- symbolique (Paris:Seuil, diversesuccessiveformstakenbymoneyinthe whereas the medium 1973). itself remainsbelowthe ativelymanipulable.[…] courseofitshistoricalevolution,fromprecious threshold of perception. 7 SeeSybille Krämer, “Die There are, however,two goods(barley,pearls,preciousmetals)to Heteronomieder Medien: Ontheculturaltechnique studies offering morerecent auniversalmeansofpayment.Themoneyweare VersucheinerMetaphysik insights: Hartmut Winkler, derMedialität im Ausgang oftheuseofmoney Diskursökonomie: Versuch referringtohereis amoneythat(a)hasset einerReflexion des Boten,” über dieinnereÖkonomie Journal Phåinomenologie, Theriseofquantificationtosuchprominence derMedien (Frankfurt: itselfapartfromallspecificcommoditiesas no.22(2004), 18–38. withintheEarlyModernmentalityisinconceiv- Suhrkamp,2004);Eske anon-goodand(b)nolongerowesitsvalueto Bockelmann, lm Takt 11 ablewithouttheroleplayedbymoney,which desGeldes (Springe: zu aspecificreferenceobjectthat“covers”it. Johannes Lohmann,“Die Klampen,2004).Winkler Erfindung des Geldes,” in hademergedbytheendofthesixteenthcentury discusses correspondences ItwastheGreekswhofirstmintedmoneyin PhilosophischesJahrbuch asthedefiningsocialmedium:sincethistime, betweenthe circulation of theformofcoins,thussettingmoneyapart derGörres-Gesellschaft, no. signs and commodities; 76 (1968/69), 415–20. the“invisiblehand”ofananonymousmarkethas Bockelmann addresses fromthegoodswhoseexchangeitwastomedi- links betweenthe evolution 11 penetratedandcontrolledalmosteveryareaof of money-based economies, ate. Here,then,moneyemancipateditselffrom society.Itiscuriousthatsolittleatten- the formalization of time anexistenceas aspecialgoodlikegoldor signatures in music, and the tionhasbeendevotedtotheinterplayofmoney scientific developmentsof silverthatstillshapedtheexchangeofwares the EarlyModernperiod. andmind 6 — perhapsthisinsightwastoolong intheculturesofBabylon,India,andChina. seenasthehallmarkof anowobsoleteMarxist 8 Ascoinageauthorizedbythestate,theIonian This is not an easy question! worldview?7 Rieseassumes that moneywasleftwith asinglefunction:toembody “economics stillhas no idea Butwhyismoneysoideallysuitedtothe what moneyis.”HajoRiese, inconcreteformwhatmakesdifferentcommodi- formalizationandquantificationofpractical “Geld: Dasletzte Rätsel tiescomparable.InancientGreece,however,the derNationalökonomie,” in work?Toanswerthis,wemustbeginbyasking Waltraud Schelke, Manfred influenceofmoneywaslimitedtothe“oikos,” Nitsch, eds., Rätsel Geld: another,simplerquestion:What,infact,is Annäherungen aus ökono- tothepurchasingofsuppliesforindividual money?8 mischer, soziologischer und households,notyethavingadvancedtothestatus historischer Sicht (Marburg Inhispioneeringstudyofthelinksbetween 1995), 45–62,here45. of auniversalsocialmedium. thenumberzero,thevanishingpoint,andimag- ThatoccurredintheEarlyModernperiodwhen 180 SybilleKrämer MoneyandZero 181

money — gradually — nolongerservedimmediate 12 ualsin apeacefulmanner,allowingownership 15 SeeBockelmann, Im Takt On this approachtomedia householdneedsalone,insteadregulatingthe desGeldes,213ff. tobetransferred,isconnectedtoitsstatus theorybasedonthe idea of wholeofsocietyviamarketrelations.Onlyin as amedium.Mediacommunicatebymakingthem- mediation and the mediator, 13 whichties in to adegree thecourseofthesixteenthcenturydidnational Forexample the Latin selvesneutralinrelationtothatwhichthey with our everyday intuitions 12 word formoney, pecunia, 15 about media,see Krämer, andtransnationaleconomiestakeshape. Andfrom is derivedfrom pecus, mediate. This“self-neutralization”isthekey “Die Heteronomieder thenon(almost)everything — goods,services, meaning sacrificial animal. tounderstandingthemedialityofmoney. 16 Money Medien.” On the sacrificial rootsof andlabor — had apricethatcouldbeexpressed money, see BernhardLaum, setsitselfapartfromcommodities — goodsdefined 16 HeiligesGeld: Eine histo- The quantitytheoryof intermsofmonetaryvalue.Inthisway,money rische Untersuchung über intermsoftheircontent — asindifferentnon- moneythat nowdominates became akindof“universallanguage”inwhich den sakralen Ursprung des content.17 Andunlikequalitativeutilityvalue, economics is alsobased on Geldes (Tübingen: Mohr, an assumption of neutrality. allmannerofthingscouldberepresented. 1924). moneythusembodiessomethingthatisdefinedin SeeDavid E. W. Laidler, The Golden AgeofQuantity Money,then,reducesdifferentkindsofthings 14 exclusivelyquantitativeterms,whichisexchange Theory: The Development to acommondenominator.Anditmakessenseto GeorgSimmel, The value.ToparaphraseSimmel,wecouldsaythat of NeoclassicalMonetary Philosophy of Money Economics 1870–1914 (New understandthisdenominatorasthevalueofthe (London, NewYork: thequalityofmoneyconsistsinitsquantity. 18 York, 1991). Foracritical Routledge, 2004), 81ff. response, see:Waltraud thinginquestion.Whatmoneyrepresentsisnot Twofacetsofthisrelinquishmentofthequal- Schelkle, “Motive ökono- simplythequalityof abuyablegood,however, itativemustbedistinguishedhere.Ontheone mischer Geldkritik,” in Schelkle, Nitsch, eds., butthequalityof asocialrelationship.To hand,inthewordsofHartmutWinkler,moneyis Rätsel Geld,11–44. 19 understandmoneyas amediumforthecirculation a“contextdetachmentmachine.” Justasmoney 17 ofcommoditiesistounderstanditasanagentof doesnotshowitsorigins,itsfutureusageis Bockelmann often refers to this:“On the moneyside, mediationbetweenpersons.Letusbrieflyrecap notpredetermined;insystemicterms,moneyis value wasconceivedof as apure, self-sufficient, onthis.Onepersonownswhatanotherdesires. indexlessandtraceless.Itisindifferentto self-determinedunit, Whereasinrobbery(basedonviolence)andthe bothpersonsandthings,allowingittobetrans- relatedtoeveryconceivable contentbut also, and as a givingofgifts(rootedinlove)objectschange formedintoanythingthatcanbebought.Inthe result,detachedfromit.” Bockelmann, Im Takt des ownersinwaysthatleavebehindformsofguilt wordsofGoethe:“Thismetalintoallthingswe Geldes,224. ordebt,thetrickwithbuyingandsellingis canmould.” 20 Ontheotherhand,moneyisthe 18 theestablishmentofanintersubjectivereci- objectificationofanabstraction:money“makes Simmel, Philosophyof Money,261. procityofgivingandtakingbetweenpeople.In comprehensiblethemostabstractconcept.” 21 This thiscontext,money’setymologicaloriginsin iswhytheemergenceofmoneyascoinsmarkssuch 19 Winkler, Diskursökonomie, religioussacrificeareinteresting. 13 Andindeed, adecisivecut-offpoint:exchangevalueand 45. asGeorgSimmelpointsoutin ThePhilosophyof quantifiabilityaremanifestedin asubstrate 20 Money,thepriceof acommoditydefinesthesize mintedspecificallyforthispurpose,allowing Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, line 5782 ofthe“sacrifice”tobemadebywhoeverwishes ittobedealtwith.Coinstakesomethinginvis- (London: Bell, 1919), 206. 14 toacquireit. Inthe“logic”ofthemoney-based ible — value — andgiveitanunmistakableand 21 tradeingoods,however,theone-sidedsacrifice meaningfulform:withcoins,theabstractionof Simmel, Philosophyof Money,128. isrationalized(andsecularized)infavorofa valueismanifested empirically.Consequently, reciprocityofgivingandtaking:weonlyget themoney-basedeconomybecomes aplacewhere somethingifwearepreparedtogivesomething matterandform,qualityandquantity,utility inreturn.Thisisthetrickbywhichwecan valueandexchangevalueareseparatednot persuadeotherstogiveupwhatwedonothave justinconceptualterms,butintermsoftheir ourselves,butwhichwewouldliketoown. everydayreality.Valuenowpossesses abody Theastonishingpowerofmoneytoequalize allofitsown.Thematerialsubstanceofthe asymmetricalstatesofdesirebetweenindivid- “moneybody”maybevariable(metalcoins,paper 182 SybilleKrämer MoneyandZero 183

notes,inledgers,onscreens),but — andthis 22 toaninstitution. Agoodbecomesmoneybybeing 24 Walter Seitter, Physik 24 Ibid., 56. isastrivialasitissignificant — without der Medien:Materialien, enthronedassuchby acentralbody. Inmodern somevisibleexpression,andbeitnomorethan Apparate,Präsentierungen societies,thisauthoritythatcontrolsthecrea- 25 (Weimar:VDG,2002),181f: Ibid., 56f. awrittensequenceofnumbers,therecanbeno “The form of money,then, tionandsupplyofmoneyisthecentralbank. is thoroughlything-like,a money.Everyembodimentofmoneymust,however, qualitymanifested in the Thankstothepowerofthisinstitutionalauthor- fulfil one structuralcondition:itmusttake form of pieces, giving the ization,themediatingfunctionofmoneyasa addednuanceofcalcula- theformofeasilytransportable,non-perish- bility.”Inthis book, Seitter meansofpaymentrestssolelyonthebeliefand goes intomoredetail on ableunitsorpieces;itmustbedivisibleinto the notion of the unit/piece expectationsofthosewhouseit,andnolonger discrete,countableelements. 22 Moneyis a“mate- (Stück in German). onany“covering”referencetoactualgoods.In rial”thatisdesignedtobecountable. 23 acertainway,atleastaccordingtoeconomist Riesecalls moneythe Letusdraw afirstconclusion:wheremoney “ultimatemedium for HajoRiese,thecentralbankcreatesmoney“out actsas amediator,thereisalwaysheteroge- fulfilling contracts” (Riese, ofnothing,”asmoneyisneither agoodnora “Das letzte Rätselder neity.Atfirstglance,thismeansthevariety Nationalökonomie”, 47), In resource:“Whichiswhythegeniusofthismedium this context, he develops ofgoods,renderedcomparable(andthustrad- atheoryofthe “genesis of liesinthefactthatthevalueof abanknote… able)bytheequivalenceofmoney.Here,money moneyout of credit”(ibid., canbemultipliedbytenbyprintinganextra 55)and theview that “the is amediumthatlevelsqualitativedifferences moneyfunction is based zeroonit.” 25 not on acts of exchange but bymeansofpricesthatrepresentthedimen- on relations of debt”(ibid., sioninwhichthedifferentqualitiesstandin 57f.). calculableproportionstooneanother.Atsecond glance,theheterogeneitytobebridgedappears asoneofsocialneedsandrelations,reflecting thegapthatexistsbetweensomeonewhowants whatanotherhas.Butthisis adifferencethat cancrystallizeoutinthesocialrelationship betweendebtorandcreditor.Inthisdimension, moneybecomes amediumforthefulfillmentof contracts.23 Aswecansee,moneyalwaysmediatesbetween thingsthataredifferent,makingthemcompa- rablebyobjectifyingthevalueofgoodsand interpersonalcredit/debtintermsofnumbers on ascale.Thekeythinghere,however,isthat moneynotonlyexpressesthehomogenouswithin heterogeneity,butactuallybroughtitforthand highlighteditduringtheevolutionofexchange- basedeconomies.Moneydoesnotmerelyrepresent thequantifiabilityofthequalitative — itis moneythatmakesthequalitativequantifiablein thefirstplace. Atthispoint,wemustspeakoftheperforma- tivityofmoney.Thevalidityofmoneyisbound 185–195

Europium

LisaRave

LisaRave:born1979 inGuildfor d(UK),livesan dworksinBerlin. StudiedexperimentalfilmatUniversityofth eArtsBerlinwith HeinzEmigholz andphotographyatBar dCollege NewYork.Currently worksatth eAcadem yofFineArt sinNuremberg(D).Recent screeningsand exhibition satTorontoBiennale;Hessisches Landesmuseu mDarmstadt;Berlinisch eGalerie;mumok Vienna(all 2019) ;MuseumofModernArt,Dubrovnik;HausderKulturenderWelt (HKW)Berlin ;CentreforContemporaryArt,Singapore(all 2018); LofotenInternationa lArtFestivalLIAF(2017). 186 LisaRave Europium 187

“TheEuropiumanomaly,found ThewordanimismistakenfromitsLatinroot anima,meaningsoulorlife. primarilyinthemountains Coinedbyethnologistsinthenineteenthcentury ofChina,isnowbeing atthepeakofcolonialism,animismdescribesa discoveredinlargeconcen- worldviewinwhichthings — animateorinanimate objects,deadorlivingmatter — allpossessa trationsintheearth’ssea spiritualessenceandaretreatedaccordingly. bed,aswellasonthemoon. Europeansappliedthetermtotheforeign Thedeepseaorganismuses religionstheyencounteredamongstthenative Europiumintheconstruction communitiesoftheSouthSeas. ofitsshell.[…]The naturalmaterialabsorbs energyintoitsatomic structureandemitsthat energyasvisiblelight.”

—Lisa Rave, Europium (filmstill), 2014 Theindigenouspeopledidnotdistinguishbetween thespiritualandthematerialworlds.Animals, plants,rocks,rivers,mountains,thunder,wind andshadowexistedasendowedspiritualthings.

Man-madeobjects,fetishobjects,wouldbeprayed toandwielded asupernaturalpower. 188 LisaRave Europium 189

Theaboriginals’ignoranceofscienceand JamesCook,theearlyexploreroftheSouthSeas, rationalthinkingwasconsideredprimitiveby broughtthewordtaboointotheEnglishlanguage. theEuropeanexplorers. Awordwhichheunderstoodtomeanthatwhichis forbidden,consecrated,andbeyondthetangible TheFrenchrationalistAugustComteconsidered worldofman. fetishismtobethemostunderdevelopedform ofbelief.Thisperspectiveledtomissionary TotheTolai, acommunitylivingalongthecoast, movementsofreeducation,integration,and Tabuwasalsothenamefortheirformof bestowinguponthetravelershalf aworldaway currency,inwhichshellaccumulationwasa theintellectualrightofpossession. symbolofindividualpower.

TheSeawasnamedBismarck,andthelandwas Saltwaterclamshells,harvestedfromthesea, calledDeutschNeuguinea. collectedalongcoastlines,werewrappedsystem- aticallyandmethodicallyalongthestrandsof rattan,itsvaluedeterminedbyitslength.

Produceandproductswereexchangedbetweenthe communities,whereastheTabucurrencywasused solelyasgiftgiving.

*

Aprocessofexchange,inwhichthereceiverof theTabubecameindebtedtothegiverandwas thereforecompelledbycustomtooffer agiftin returnofequalorgreatervaluetoreversethe orderofdebt.

WiththearrivalofEuropeansinthenineteenth centuryandtheisland’sinevitableintro- ductionintotheworldeconomytheshellcurrency Tabuwastransformedandcommodified,becoming ameasuredobjectofexchangeforgoodsand servicesandsheddingitssacredvalue.

Withthegrowingdemandforcoconuts,pearls, andexoticfeatherstheEuropeanproductsgiven inexchangewerestartingtosaturatethelocal —Apagefrom Bilder aus economy;theTolaibeganaskingforTabu. der deutschen Südsee: Fotografien1884–1921 (Paderborn:Ferdinand Throughtrade,Tabubecame aformofmoney. Schöningh, 2004), photo- graphedbythe artist. 190 LisaRave Europium 191

Becauseofinitialdifficultiesfacedbythe throughthebodyandusesthedilutedmineralsof EuropeansinobtainingTabu,Germansbegan itssurroundingstobuildandgrowitsshell,its producingforgeriesoftheshellcurrency form. inEurope.Thecounterfeitswereinevitably discoveredassuch,asinthewordsofoneTolai Thematerialcompositionofshellsisanalyzedas man; adocumentoftheirmaterialworld.

“Theirshellmoneywastooclean,theirTabu Firsttheshelliscrushedinto apowder.The wasneverthreaded,sized,cut,given,bought, powderisfurtherreducedthrough achemical broken,whipped,nortouchedbythehandsofour reaction. ancestors,therewasneveranyvalueinitto beginwith.” Theexperimentrevealsanunusuallyhighconcen- trationofEuropium,anelementalparticle Theemptyshell,devoidofthelifethatonce discoveredinthetwentiethcenturyandcatego- possessedit,smooth,glossy,roughtothetouch, rizedas arareearth. itarousestheinstincttocovetandadorn. *

Thenautilus — sacredtothepeopleofPapuaNew Theeuropiumanomaly,foundprimarilyinthe Guinea — washungoutsidetheirdoorstowardoff mountainsofChina,isnowbeingdiscoveredin foreignspirits. largeconcentrationsonEarth’sseafloors,as wellasonthemoon. Cutopenandslicedinhalf,itrevealsa continuousformofgrowth.Theorganismchanges Thedeep-seaorganismuseseuropiuminthe itssizethroughaccumulation,butneverchanges constructionofitsshell. itsoriginalshape,itsessence. Thoughitsactualpresenceisburieddeepwithin Witheachnewadditionalgrowthspurtthe andhiddentotheeye,tracescanbefoundby organismcopiesthepreexistingchainandgrows mechanicalandchemicalmeans. exponentiallyfromitsoriginalshape. Thevalueofeuropiumliesinitsnaturalphos- Itsorganicform, arhythmicspiral,cameto phorescence, adistinctivefeaturethatcannotbe symbolizetheperfectharmonyandbeautyfoundin imitatedartificiallyorinotherforms. nature,calledthe“divineproportion.” Thenaturalmaterialabsorbsenergyintoits MathematiciansinancientGreecetranslatedthe atomicstructureandemitsthatenergyasvisible nautilus’snaturalforminto aformulacalledthe light. GoldenRatiothathassincedefinedthebound- ariesofperspectiveandaesthetics. Becauseofthisdistinction,europiumrevolu- tionizedthecolortelevisionindustryinthe Theanimalbuildsitsshellfromthevery 1960s,enhancingcolorpicturequalityand materialofitsenvironment.Itisfiltered brilliance. 192 LisaRave Europium 193

—Lisa Rave, Europium (filmstills), 2014

AformerWorldWarIIbunkerontheoutskirtsof Frankfurthasbeenconvertedinto ahigh-security storagefacilityforrareearths.Withtwo-meter- thickwalls,videosurveillance,security personnel,and adirectconnectiontothepolice, Tradiumoffersprivateinvestors aphysical alternativetopaper,gold,andvirtualmoney. Europiumispurchased,stored,transformed,and commodified. —Lisa Rave, Europium (filmstills), 2014 Europiumisembeddedwhereveranimageis Itiswrappedsystematicallyandmethodically. projectedon adisplay. Inordertopreventforgery,theeurobanknotes SirWilliamCrookes, anineteenth-centuryBritish weredesignedwitheuropiumembeddedintheir chemist,oncewrote:“Therareearthelements surfaces,authenticatingthemoneyasreal perplexusinourresearches,baffleusinour currency. speculations,andhauntusinourverydreams.” 194 LisaRave Europium 195

Thereisgold,nickel,copper,rareearths– anenormousamountofmaterialsthatcanbeused commercially.Andwhatweknowisthatwehave enoughmaterialthereforatleastfiveyears ofproduction,mining6,000tonsdaily. Thefieldthereisenormous.

Australianswillbeworkingontheship,butalso localpeoplefromPapuaNewGuinea.Wewillbe integratinglocalcontentandhelpingthelocal communitiestosupportthepeopleinthatregion.

Thesearethemachinesthatwilloperateon theseafloor.It’squite achallengeand avery interestingoperationdownthere.Basically,it’s surgeryat adepthof1,600meters.” —Lisa Rave, Europium (filmstill), 2014 Invariousconcentrationsthroughoutthemoney, theeuropiumdefinestheshapesofEurope’s architecture…inbridges,inland,andinsymbol.

*

InterviewwithHeikoFelderhoff,ReedereiHarren &Partner,Bremen,incooperationwithNautilus —Lisa Rave, Europium (filmstill), 2014 MineralsInc.

“Thisisananimationofthemachines,ofhow theyarebeingloweredfromtheproductionvessel intothewaterandallthewaydowntothe seafloor.Andtoemphasizethisagain;weare talkingabout adepthof1,600meters,whichis arealtechnicalchallenge.

Aswecanseehere,theseafloorisnotjust flat,therearemountainsaswell.Thereforewe usethisspecificmachinetoremovethemountain andtocreate aflatsurface.

Herewecanseehowthemineralsareminedand crushedatthesametimefortransportationto theshipabove. 197–211

TheQuestion oftheEconomy FelwineSarr

FelwineSarr:born1972inSenegal,studiedeconomicsand hasbeen teachingatUniversit éGastonBerger ,Saint-Loui s(Senegal) ,since 2007.In2011, hebecamedeanofth euniversity’sEconomicsand Managementfacultyand headofthene wfacultyofCivilizations, Religions,Artsand Communication(CRAC).InNovember2018, together withBénédicteSavoy ,hepresented areport commissioned byFrance’spresidentEmmanuelMacrononth erestitutionofAfrican art lootedbyFrance,sparkin gdebateworldwide. 198 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 199

Thewaythequestionoftheeconomyhasbeen 1 “Shocksassignificantas EconomistssuchasPaul viewedinAfricaissymptomaticofdiscourseon Collier, William Easterly, thecontinentingeneral.Ithasbeenanalyzed and Ross Levine, in their fourcenturiesofthetrans- work on the African chieflyinthemodeofcomparisonand,particu- continent,focused on atlanticslavetradeanda explaining the reasons for larly,disparity.Effortstounderstandthe what theycall the failures of factorsdeterminingeconomicgrowthinAfrican African growth, or the lost centuryofcolonialization decades of growth in Africa. countrieshavefocusedonthereasonsforan Taking as referencepoints the worstperformances of hadmajordemographic, absenceofsuchgrowthand,aboveall,onthe the 1980s, theyconcluded gapbetweenthemandcountriesconsideredto that there wasanopaque economic,political,and mysterytobeelucidated. be developed.1 Thesecondcharacteristicis Nearlytwo decades of growth on the African culturalconsequences, short-termanalysisor,moreprecisely,whatI continent wouldhave been callwavetroughthinking. Acertainschoolof needed,notes Morten Jerven,for themtobegin throwingsandintheworks economichistoriographyonlythinksaboutthe to readjust their discourse on the growth of these andinflictinghugecostson continentgoingbacktothe1960s,theperiod countries.The strength whenmanyAfricancountriesgainedindepend- of their metaphors(“the lost decades of growth,” thesocietiesofsub-Saharan ence;sometimesitgoesbacktocolonization;and “the bottom billion,” “the poverty trap”) hadagreater African.Someofthese itsmostdistanttemporalhorizonistheslave impactonthe percep- trade,beyondwhichthingsgetlostinthefog. tions of public opinion and sometimes evenonthose of shockshadeffectsthat Itoffersnoeconomichistorybeyondthespecific academics than the reality of empirical data.When momentschosenaspointsofreference. Alonger- Tanzania doubles itsper stillpersisttoday. termeconomichistoryoftheAfricancontinent capitaincome, increasing it from 500to1,000 dollars, reveals acomplextrajectoryandallowsusto insteadofinvestigating Economistscallthedegree the determining factorsof repositionsuch“stylized”factswithin alonger this growth, it is compared ofpersistenceofthe perspective. with Japan, whichatthe time hadaPCI of 20,000 dollars(Acemoglu and effectsof ashock Robinson,2012). Foramore Geography,Agriculture,andDemography exhaustive treatment of this Geographyisanimportanteconomicfactor.It aspect,see Morten Jerven, hysteresis.” Africa,Why Economists determinesthetypeofagriculturepracticed, GetItWrong (London: Zed, 2015). thenaturalandmineableresourcesavailable, theecologicalniche,themethodsusedtocircu- latepeopleandgoods,thetypesoftechnology producedoradopted.However,economiesshouldn’t onlybedefinedbygeography.Manypeopleshave knownhowtomakethebestofdifficultgeogra- phiesand,inversely,sometimeshavemadepoor useoffavorablezones. Africais acontinentwith asurfaceareaof thirtymillionsquarekilometers,composedof fifty-fourstates.TheUnitedStates,China, India,andpartofWesternEuropecanallfit insidethegeographicalareaofAfrica.Populated 200 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 201

bynearlyon ebillionpeople,with agrowthrate 2 DemographyandtheTransatlanticSlaveTrade 6 ItsGNP represents4.5% John Iliffe, LesAfricains. of2.6%,inhalf acenturyAfricawillbethe of global GNP in terms Thestruggletoincreasethenumberofmenand Histoired’uncontinent mostpopulouscontinentwith2.2billioninhab- of purchasing powerand womenhasthusalwaysbeen amajorcharacteristic (Paris:Flammarion, 2009), equals around 2,200billion 275. itants — aquarteroftheglobalpopulation.The dollars. ofAfricanhistory. 6 Inthesixteenthcentury 7 continentcontains aquarteroftheworld’sland, 3 Africanshad ademographicadvantage.Thepopula- William and Mary 60%ofallunusedarableland,and athirdofthe Cornand maniocare tionofAfricawasestimatedat100million,20% Quarterly, The Volume American plantsmore and theStructureof world’snaturalresources.Itisbrimmingwith calorie-dense than millet oftheworldpopulation.Bytheendofthenine- TransatlanticSlave Trade: a and sorghum. These Reassessment,3:58(2001), mineableresourcesandenergy,nine-tenthsof American cropswereintro- teenthcentury,thecontinentrepresentedjust9% 44. whichhavenotyetbeenexploited.Urbanization duced by the Portuguese oftheworldpopulation.Fortwocenturies,the in the fourteenth century. 8 isgrowing:todayabout45%ofthepopulation African peasantsadopted slavetradeinterruptedpopulationgrowthinWest PatrickManning, themand they progressively Slaveryand AfricanLife livesincities,comparedtothebeginningofthe spreadacrossthe continent. Africa.Themostconservativeestimatesindicate (Cambridge: University twentiethcentury,when95%ofthepopulation that11,061,800peopleweredeportedfromthe Press, 1983). 4 wasrural.Since2000,economicgrowthhasbeen African soils arepoor, AfricancontinentviatheAtlantic. 7 Thehighest 2 apartfromthe Nile Valley greaterthan5%. Africannationsarewellrepre- and afew otherstripsof estimatesreport24millionpeopletransported sentedamongcountrieswiththehighestgrowth fertile volcanic land. In and200milliondeathsrelatedtocapture,trans- the savanna bordering the ratesintheworldfrom2008to2013(Sierra Sahel, where millet and portation,andthevariouswarsandraidscaused sorghum arecultivated Leone9.4%,Rwanda8.4%,Ethiopia8.4%,Ghana the rainyseasonlasts four bytheslavetrade.Theendofdemographicgrowth 8.11%,Mozambique7.25%). months.Inequatorial zones, inAfricatookplaceintheeighteenthcentury, the rains areabundant,but Africanshadtoface acomplexgeography:an the streaming waterwashes theperiodmarkingtheapogeeoftheslave out the soil and stripsitof oldcontinent,theheartofwhichiscomposed mineralsalts. Catherine trade’sdrainonAfrica’spopulation.However, ofvast,rockyplateausstratifiedbyerosion, Coquery-Vidrovitch, Petite amorepreciseevaluationofthecostofthe histoiredel’Afrique (Paris:la wherealtitudesoftensurpasstwothousand Découverte,2011). demographicdrainingduetotransatlantichuman meters,composedprimarilyofancientbedrock 5 traffickingcannotbeobtainedbysimplysub- withvolcanicfractures(TheRiftValley).Its Certain technological tractingthenumberofdeporteesfromtheAfrican innovations appeared rather northernandsouthernextremitiesarecharacter- late in African agriculture. populationatthetime.Africa’sdemographic Masteryofironallowedfor izedbyMediterraneanclimates;fromtheEquator, the making of hoes.The growthintheeighteenthcenturymustbecompared tropicalforestgiveswaytosavannaanddesert. wheel, although adoptedin towhatitwouldhavebecomeintheabsenceof the Nile Valley, wasadopted Africanpeasantswereabletoadapttodiverse ratherlateinother regions thetransatlanticslavetrade.Basedon amodel of the continent. The wheel climateconditionsandtoadoptappropriate wasn’t necessarygiven ofdemographicprocesses,PatrickManninghas cultivationtechniques: apolycultureofsubsist- the abundanceofland and estimatedthatin1850,intheabsenceofthe the lowpopulation density encecropsonthehighplateaus,theadoptionof that allowedpopulations slavetrade,thepopulationofsub-SaharanAfrica to reachanequilibrium 8 suitablegrains,tubers,andlegumesdepending betweenproduction and shouldhavebeen100millionpeople. Africa’s ontheenvironment; 3 landsleftfallowandburnt consumption. populationatthattimewasonly50million tothegroundforregeneration,andtheperiodic peoplewhilethepopulationofChinadoubled migrationofvillagestoconquernewlands. 4 The intheeighteenthcenturyandEurope’spopula- peasantswereabletocreateflexibleagricul- tion,after abriefstagnationintheseventeenth turalsystemsandadopttechnologicalinnovations century,begantogrowagain.Thisgrowthwaskey adaptedtotheirenvironmentalconditions. 5 duringEurope’sindustrialrevolution.Between […] 1600and1900,Africa’sshareoftheworldpopu- lation(Europe,Africa,theMiddleEast,andthe NewWorld)fellfrom30%to10%. 202 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 203

TransatlanticdeportationalsoexposedAfrica 9 factorthathelpstoexplaintheweakeconomic 11 Jan Vansina, LesAnciens Institutions include rules tonewdiseases:Europeansintroducedtuber- Royaumesdelasavane,les performanceofAfricancountries.Institutional of behavior,habits, conven- culosis,bacterialpneumonia,smallpox,and Étatsdes savanesméridi- economicshaslargelydocumentedthefactthat tions, customs, but also onales de l’Afriquecentrale, waysofthinking,modeled venerealsyphilis.Sub-SaharanAfricawas,fora desoriginesàl’occupation institutionshaveanimpactontheeconomicand by culture, religious coloniale, 2e édition 11 beliefsand practices; they longtime,protectedfromtheplague.Butinthe (Kinshasa: Presses universi- socialprogressofnations. Badinstitutions determine and regulate seventeenthcentury,plagueepidemicshitthe taires du Zaïre, 1976), 183. cantrapnationsin astateofunder-production, human behavior. KingdomofKongo(present-dayAngola)alongwith 10 resultinginweaklevelsofwealthcreation. 12 D. Acemoglu, S. Johnson Abdallah Zouache, “De la thecoastsofSenegalandGuineaaround1744. and J.A. Robinson, “The Colonialpowerscreatedpoliticalinstitutions question colonial chez les Thesesameillnessesreturnedwithcolonization Colonial Origins of intheircoloniesthatmirroredEuropeanmodels: anciens et néo-institution- Comparative Development: nalistes,” Revued’économie andafterWorldWarII,butAfricanswerebetter An Empirical Investigation”, SpaintransplantedfeudalinstitutionstoLatin politique 124:1 (2014). AmericanEconomics preparedandthereforemoreresilient.Added Review 91:5 (2001), Americathatprotectedthenobility;Britain toallofthisarethevagariesof acapricious 1369–1401;D.Acemoglu, introduceddecentralizedpoliticalinstitutions S. Johnson and J.A. climate.Thecontinentexperiencedlongcyclesof Robinson, “WhyisAfrica andpropertyrightsthatpromotedcompetition; Poor?”, EconomicHistory droughtwithoccasionalrespites,epidemicsand of Developing Regions 25:1 Francefavoredmonopolisticinstitutionsthat epizooticdiseases(cattleplague).Whatwould (2010), 21–50. werenotablylessprotectiveoffinancialinnova- theAfricancontinenthavebecomewithoutthe tions.Colonization,byalteringtheprocessof transatlanticslavetrade?Wewillneverknow. accumulatingproductionfactors,had anegative impactonthedevelopmentofcolonizedcountries RootsofthePresent (economicandinstitutionaldistortions).As Thetransatlanticslavetrade(deportation)and AbdallahZouachenotes,themostharmfuleffects colonialismweresynonymouswiththedraining weregeneratedbythePortuguese,Belgian,and ofwealthandresourcesaswellaspeople, Frenchmodels. 12 disintegratingsocieties,distortinginstitu- Thefactorsdeterminingeachnation’seconomic tions,rapingcultures,causingalienation,and performancearediverse.Inadditiontofactor settingdominatedsocietiesondisadvantageous endowment,geography,humanlabor,andtech- paths.AccordingtoJanVansina, 9 theEuropean nology,historyalsoplays arole.Understanding conquestofBelgianCongobetween1876and1920 thisrequiresanevaluationofthechannels resultedinthedestructionofnearlyhalfof throughwhichhistoricalshocksaretransmitted. thetotalpopulationoftheregion.Havinglong Thus,theeconomicperformanceofAfricannations deniedorminimizedtheimpactofcolonialismon islinkedinparttotheinitialconditions theeconomictrajectoryofindependentAfrican bequeathedtothemafterindependencebythe nations,thefieldofeconomicsbroughtforth formerEuropeanrulers:intherecenteconomic anabundantliteratureinthe2000s(Acemoglu, historyofthecontinent,theseconditions Robinson,etal.). 10 Thisliteraturehighlights primarilymanifestedasthedestructuringof thefactthatcolonialismnegativelyimpacted economies(especiallyformermodesofproduction) thedevelopmentandgrowthofformerlydominated andthecreationofdependency,theestablishment nations.Colonialheritage — measuredinterms ofslavetradeandextractioneconomies,withthe ofthedegreeofeconomicpenetrationbythe flimsyindustrialfabricofeconomiesthatare formerEuropeanruler,thedependenceofformerly extraverted,lackdiversification,exportraw dominatednationsonandsharedinstitutional materials,andarethereforevulnerabletoprice identitywiththeformercolonialpower — isa volatility. 204 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 205

Asecondreasonforsuchweakperformancesis 13 dationsofprosperousnationswerelost.They 14 Under-adapted models SeeLéonceNdikumana and linkedtopooreconomicgovernancebytheleaders of industrialization, bad arenot,however,accountablefortheinitial James K. Boyce, Africa’s ofthenewlyindependentAfricannations,whofor structural and economic conditionshandedtothembyhistory,norfor Odious Debts:HowForeign politics, unsustainable Loans and Capital Flight themostpartmadepooreconomicchoices, 13 and levelofdebt,absenceof theunfavorabledynamicsinscribedwithintheir BledaContinent (Zed economic diversification, Books, 2012). topowerrelationsthatwereandareunfavorable inadequatechoiceof inheritedsocietaltrajectories.Simplifying tothecontinentbothintermsofinternational primaryspecialization, thingstotheextremeanddenyingtheimpactof wasteful management of economiccompetition(internationaltraderules) public finances. historicaldynamicsonthefateofpeoplesisa andintermsofthechoiceofstrategicoptions demonstrationofignoranceorofintellectualbad ineconomicpolicy(anabsenceofautonomyinthe faith.Shocksassignificantasfourcenturiesof choiceofsuchpolicies:structuraladjustment thetransatlanticslavetradeand acenturyof programs,WashingtonConsensusandWashington colonializationhadmajordemographic,economic, ConsensusPlus,WCO,etc.).Allinall,anunfa- political,andculturalconsequences,throwing vorableconvergenceofinternalandexternal sandintheworksandinflictinghugecosts dynamicshasledtoeconomicperformancethat onthesocietiesofsub-SaharanAfrican.Some fallsfarshortofthecontinent’seconomic oftheseshockshadeffectsthatstillpersist potential. today.Economistscallthedegreeofpersis- tenceoftheeffectsof ashock hysteresis.One HysteresisandResilience oftheissuesathandinvolvesestimatingthis Thequestionofthelastingeffectsofshocksto toappreciatethelevelofdependenceoninitial thesocioeconomicstructureofAfricancountries conditions.Followingthishistoriccycle,were is acrucialone.Often, adiscoursethatsees theconditionsimmediatelyafterindependence itselfasresponsibleandthatsmacksslightly favorabletopoliticalstabilityandeconomic ofself-flagellationabsolutelyattemptstodeny recovery?Theanswerisno.Especiallybecause theconsequencesofthetransatlanticslavetrade theseshockswerecombinedwiththeeffectsof andcolonialismonthecurrenttrajectoriesof persistingunfavorableconditions:formalinde- Africancountries.Itcallsonthemtoassume pendenceswereconcededinexchangeforthe responsibilityand,aboveall,tocometoterms perpetuationof asystemofpolitical,economic, withthefailureslinkedtopoorpost-independ- andculturaldependence,alltomaintaincontrol encegovernance,tostopevokingthepastand overtheresourcesoftheAfricancontinent. accusingotherstojustifytheirownfailures. Predationoftheseresourcescontinuestoday Whichislegitimate,incidentally,butonlyin viaimbalancedcontractstoexploitnatural part. resources,unequalexchange,flowsofillegal Post-independenceerarulerswererespon- capitalleavingthecontinentequivalentin sibleformanagingtheresources,institutions, volumetoincomingdirectinvestmentandforeign andconditionsthatexistedwhentheycameto aid,14 economicrecolonizationbyformercolonial office.Itwasincumbentuponthemtotransform powers(IvoryCoast,Senegal,Gabon …)whosebig theseconditions.Mostoftheserulersfailedby companies(Bolloré,Total,Eiffage,Areva …) makingpooreconomicandpoliticalchoices,some controltheessentialelementsoftheproduc- bypillagingthewealthoftheircountriesfor tiveprivatesectorandthecommercialbanksin thebenefitoftheirownclans.Inthisway,many sub-SaharanAfricancountries.Toallthisisnow usefulyearsforestablishingthesolidfoun- addedChina’seconomicpenetration,whichisto 206 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 207

thedetrimentofthecontinent: alittleinfra- ithadintheearlysixteenthcentury.By2050, 15 Sylvie Brunel, L’Afrique structureinreturnforthepillagingofAfrica’s Africawillrepresent aquarteroftheworld’s est-elle si bien partie? naturalresourcesandthecolonizingofits population. Acenturyago,Africacounted100 (Auxerre:Sciencehumaines Éditions, 2014). lands. millionpeople,with95%livinginruralareas. Callingattentiontothesefactsisneither Todayithas apopulationofonebillion,45%of adopting aformoffatalism,norisitrefusing themcitydwellers.By2050,therewillbe2.5 tofaceresponsibilities.Moreover,pointingto billion,with60%inurbanareas.Thefifty-year these stylizedfacts aspartoftheexplana- demographicexplosionthatbroughtthistenfold tionfortheAfricancontinent’spresenteconomic populationincreasedidnotstartuntil1950.By difficultiesisnotsynonymouswithobscuringthe 2050,thelargestsectionoftheworld’shealthy responsibilityofbadpost-independencegovern- andactivepopulationwillbeAfrican.Interms anceandthepoorchoicesofAfricanleaders.But ofhumancapital,transformingthisdemographic thephenomenonmustbegivenbackitshistorical dividendinto aproductiveresourceposeschal- densityanditscomplexitybyproceedingtoa lengesthatmustbetakenup. precise,clinicalexamination,classifyingthe Achievingeconomicresilienceismoredeli- causesandevaluatingtheirrelativeimportance, cate,requiringruptureswiththemodelsof aswellasidentifyingthoseamongthemthat productionandaccumulationinheritedfromthe persisttoday.Identifyingtheexactcausesofan colonialperiod.Butitisnotimpossible,others illnessis aprerequisiteforremedyandhealing. elsewherehavesucceededatit.Mostofthe Oncethisworkisdone,themosturgentquestion Africaneconomiesthatarecurrentlyexperiencing iswhetherresilienceandreboundarepossible. growthexportoilandminableresources. 15 African Itisthisthatconcernsushere:reflecting economicgrowthisdrivenmainlybyextractive ontheconditionsforregeneration.Throughout industriesandservices.Regardlessoftheslim theirhistory,Africanpeopleshavedisplayed foreigncurrencygainstheygenerate,however, greatresilienceandgreatenduranceintheface anendmustbeputtoenclaveandextraction ofordeals.Thedemographicvitalityregained economies.Theydonothelpbringaboutoverall inbarely acenturyisproofofthismettle.No development,insteadcreatingenvironmentaland dynamicsystemreturnstoitsoriginalstate.The socialproblems,feedingcorruption,andbiasing samecanbesaidofsocieties.Theycan,however, intertemporalchoiceandresourceallocation. regainbalanceandevolvetoward astatethat Africanleadersoftenfacethetrickyquestion maximizestheirchanceforsurvivalandgrowth. ofwhethertoexploittheirresourcesandnatural Itisthisdynamicequilibriumthatmust wealthinthecontextofanurgentneedfor berediscovered.Initialconditionsdonot foreigncurrencytobalancethepublicfinances completelydeterminefutureconditions.The oftheirstates.Mostoften,short-termchoices complexdynamicsystemsthatwecallsocieties takeprecedenceintheirstrategies,asthishas havethepropertyofequifinality,theycanreach animmediateimpactonthefiscalrevenuesand thesameresultcomingfromdifferentinitial financialresourcesofstatesfacing arange conditions.Forthistask,demographic,economic, ofequallyurgentneeds.Theseneedsleadthem institutional,andmentalresilienceisrequired. toacceptanabsolutelyimbalancedandunjust Asfarasdemographyisconcerned,theconti- distributionofthewealthextractedfromtheir nentisonitswaytoregainingtheadvantage ownland;multinationalscarveoutthelion’s 208 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 209

shareforthemselves,underthepretextoftech- 16 andtheconclusionsitdrawsareaccurate,in Of the tencountries with nologytransferorthedevelopmentofresources double-digit growth rates, part.Literaturethatrecommendssolutionsto thatwouldotherwiseremainuntapped.Whereasin eight areAfrican. accelerategrowthdynamicsinAfricancountries, reality,itislong-terminvestmentchoicesthat tomakethemstronger,moresustainable,and modifythestructureoftheeconomyandallowit inclusive,isalsoaccurateinpart,andona togrowsustainablyandin abalancedmanner. numberofquestions(thoughnotall)thereisa Thecruxhereistoescapefromthedictator- consensusonwhatshouldbedone.Ifthisreturn shipofemergencies,tonotcheaplyselloffthe ofgrowthistobetranslatedintoenhanced resourcesof acontinentrichinallkindsof qualityoflife,theremustbevigorouspublic reserves — especiallyinthecaseofoilandgas, policies,investmentsinbasicsocio-economic whicharenonrenewableenergysourcesthatwill infrastructures,aswellasstrategicchoices runoutwithin acentury. targetedat astructuraltransformationof Givingcitizenscontroloverminingcontracts Africaneconomies.Tacklingtheeconomicchal- signedbytheirgovernments,andovertheuse lengesoftheAfricancontinentandresponding oftheresultingprofits,isanimportantpart adequatelytothebasicneedsofitspopulations ofthesolutiontothisproblem.Theultimate byguaranteeingdecentlivingconditionsisan keyliesinimprovedtransgenerationalawareness absolutenecessity.Todothis,itisessential amongAfricanpoliticiansand amorelong-term tomakegooduseofthecontinent’sproductive focusintheiractions.Onecouldimagineinsti- capacities,totransformitsresourcesandhuman tutionalapparatusesthatdelegatethemanagement capitalintowealth,toequitablydivideupthis of anation’snaturalresourcestoinstitutions wealth,andtoqualitativelytransformAfrican independentfromtheelectoralcycleandfromthe societiesbyraisingthequalityoflifeofthe regimesinplace.Theseissuesarejoinedbythat continent’spopulationsandmakingfundsavail- offoodsecurity,whichmakesAfrica’sarable abletofinancebasicpsychosocialfunctions, lands anewobjectofdesire.Foreignmultina- meaningthosethatensurepsychologicalwellbeing tionals,withthecomplicityofnation-states, andtheproperhealthofAfrica’scivilizational aretryingtoappropriatetheselandsinantici- models. pationoffutureglobalneedsforagricultural Mosteconomistsagreeonthenecessityof products. increasinginvestmentsinhumancapital(educa- Here,too,questionsofintertemporalchoice, tionandhealth)andininfrastructure,onthe ofpoliticalandeconomicsovereigntyarise. needtodiversifyeconomies,toresolveissues Theymustbeconfrontedhead-on,withthemain relatingtofoodsecurity,toimproveoverall responsibilityfallingtopoliticians. Abetter yieldonproductionfactorsviatechnological awarenesswithinAfricancivilsocietiesofwhat innovation,totakebetteradvantageofbene- isatstakeherecouldhelptheminthistask. fitsarisingfromfactorendowments,andonthe needforhigh-qualityinstitutionsandeconomic ReinforcingImprovements governance.CountriessuchasRwanda,Kenya, Recentprogressintermsofeconomicgrowthin CapeVerde,Ghana,Ethiopia,Botswana,Uganda, severalAfricancountriesindicatesthatan andMauritius,havingoptedforsomeofthese upturnisunderway. 16 Literaturethatanalyzes solutions,haveseenexcellentperformancein andtakesstockofthissituationisabundant, termsofeconomicgrowthduringthepastdecade. 210 FelwineSarr TheQuestionoftheEconomy 211

However,itisnecessarytoreinforcethese 17 wheretheeconomicordertendstobecomehegem- 19 J. Charmes, “The contri- Economics hasbecome improvements,toexportthereplicableaspects bution of informal sector onic,overflowingitsnaturalspaceandseeking adiscipline that haslost ofthesemodelstootherAfricancountries, to GDP in Developing toimposeitsmeaningsandlogiconeverydimen- awareness of itsplace Countries:Assessment, within the whole (anomy), tobroadentheoptionsfornewbeginnings,to Estimates, Methods, sionofhumanexistence. 19 Culturehasanimpact that overflows itsnatural Orientations forthe future”, space and engulfsall structurallytransformeconomies,tointensify OECD EUROSTAT State onperceptions,attitudes,consumerhabits, social relationshipsby investmentsinhumancapital,andaboveallto Statistical Committeeof investmentsandsavings,individualandcollec- imposing itsmeanings and the Russian Federation, itslogic of profit(privative mobilizeculturaldynamicsandputthemtowork Non-Observed Economy tivechoices;itremains aprincipaldeterminant appropriation of nature, Workshop,October space,public goods, forthecontinent’seconomies;thesedynamicsare 16th-20th (2000), 14 oftheeconomicact.Inhumangroups,theimagi- transformation of social largelyunder-exploitedandcouldactas alever. naryconstitutessocialrelations,eventhemost relationshipsbythe labor 18 force). This analysis is confined materialones.Theeconomicactisfirstand to traditional sub-Saharan 20 ThinkingaboutAfricanEconomiesintheir societies. foremost asocialrelation.Theimaginaryand Those promoted by groups CulturalSubstratum thesymbolicdetermineitsproduction.Cultural and individuals. Akeycharacteristicoftheeconomicmodels factorsthusinfluenceeconomicperformance. employedforthepastfiftyyearsontheAfrican Thefirstideabeingchampionedhereis continentistheirexternalorigin.Neitherthe thattheefficiencyofaneconomicsystemis practicesnorthemodesofproductionfromwhich stronglytiedtoitsdegreeofappropriate- theyresultareinternal.Hencethedualismof nesstoitsculturalcontext.Africaneconomies systemscharacterizedbythecoexistenceofa wouldtakeoffiftheyranontheirownmotors. “formal”economyand apopulareconomybasedon Thesecondideaisthatwemustgofurtherthan asocio-cultureandreferredtoas“informal,” simplythinkingoftheeffectivenessofAfrican that,nonetheless,allowsmostofthepopula- economicsintermsof abetterembeddingwithin tiontosurviveandmakes amajorcontribution Africancultures.Itisaboveall aquestionof toGDP(54.2%insub-SaharanAfrica). 17 Aprimor- examining,intheAfricancontext,theintercon- dialquestionthatisnotsufficientlyaddressed nectionofthesetwoorders,cultureandeconomy, inthevariousanalysesofAfricaneconomiesis withanintentionthatcanbecalledcivili- howtheseeconomiesconnectwiththeirrespec- zational — allowingtherealizationofthose tivesocio-cultures.From atheoreticalpointof objectivesjudgedtobe thebest byboththe view,wecannotcontinuetoignoretheessen- individualandthegroup .20 Toaccomplishthis, tialroleplayedbyeconomicpracticesthatallow itisnecessarytoconsiderthesocialprojectin Africanstosecuretheirlivelihoodsjustbecause itsentiretybyanalyzingthemultipleinterac- thesepracticesbelongtoaneconomydeemedto tionsbetweenitsenvironmentaldimensions;those beinformal,giventhatthisinformaleconomy thataimtoassuretheconditionsforexist- hasemergedfrom arelationshiptotheeconomic ence(economy,ecology)withthataddressthe shapedbytheirownculture. meaningofexistenceitself(culture,philoso- IntraditionalAfricansocieties, 18 the phies,ordersofpurpose).Itisthus amatter economicwasincludedin amuchbroadersocial ofthinkingwhichplacetheeconomicordershould system.Whilefulfillingitsclassicalfunc- beassignedwithinthesocialdynamic.Moreover, tions(subsistence,resourceallocation,etc.), itisourhypothesisthataninterconnectionof mostimportantlyitwassubordinatetosocial, theeconomicandculturalordersthatavoided cultural,andcivilizationalobjectives.This confusingtheirrespectiveobjectiveswouldmake isnolongerthecaseincontemporarysocieties societalprojectsmorecoherent. Imprint 213

Publication 159–171 Typuscosmographicus Jan PeterHammer Transcript of the video universalis (world map with Fred Lonidier Authors AnarchistBanker,2010,by America, Europe,Africa, RichardMosse Bureau d’Études Jan PeterHammer. and Asia), 1537.Woodcut Marion vonOsten AliceCreischer from twoblocks. Purchased Lisa Rave,Claus Richter Colin Crouch 175–183 by Kunstmuseum Basel CameronRowland Simon Denny Excerpt and translation in 1933,Inv.1933.278 AndreasSiekmann. SørenGrammel from Sybille Krämer, (colorsinverted) As well as these invited Jan PeterHammer “Das Geld und die Null: artists, the exhibition Sybille Krämer Die Quantifizierung Concept features works from the Stephan Lessenich und die Visualisierung SørenGrammel Kunstmuseum Basel Lisa Rave des Unsichtbaren in collection. Felwine Sarr Kulturtechniken der Editor AndreasSiekmann frühenNeuzeit,” in: Macht EvaFalge Curator HitoSteyerl Wissen Wahrheit,ed. SørenGrammel Klaus W. Hempfer and Design Text credits AnitaTraninger(Freiburg: ThomasBuxó ( )and Assistant Curators Rombach, 2005). Klaartje vanEijk (inDesign™) EvaFalge, Philipp Selzer 15–24 Stefanie Thierstein Excerpt and translation 185–195 Copy-editing German from Dr.Stephan Lessenich, Transcript of the video UlrikeRitter Registrar Grenzen der Demokratie. Europium,2014, by Monique Meyer Teilhabeals Verteilungs– Lisa Rave. Copy-editing English problem (Ditzingen: Philipp Nicholas Grindell Conservators Reclamjun. Verlag GmbH, 197–211 Meredith Dale Sonia Fontana 2019). Excerpt from Felwine Sarr Annette Fritsch “The Question of the Proofreading Annegret Seger 27–59 Economy,”in: Afrotopia, Nicholas Grindell Caroline Wyss-Illgen Excerpt from Colin Crouch, (University of Minnesota Lina Wyss The GlobalizationBacklash Press, 2020). Translations (Cambridge: Polity, 2019) Nicholas Grindell Exhibition construction 60–65, 116–119, &technology 67–90 132–137, 172–173 Printer Hans-Peter Arni Duty-FreeArt by AliceCreischer DZADruckerei zu Felix Böttiger Hito Steyerlwas first Poems, 2012-2014 AltenburgGmbH, Germany Claude Bosch publishedine-flux journal The poems were created Philipp Gueniat #63, March 2015.Credits: as part of the exhibition: Print-run MartinImhof CommissionedbyArtists EstablishmentofMatters of 900 FrediZumkehr SpaceNew York as a Fact,atKOW Galerie Berlin lecture. The text tremen- 2012.Inthe contextofthe The curator wishes to Videotechnology dously benefittedfrom exhibition situation, they express sincerethanks to Tweaklab AG editing by AdamKleinman wereencoded and installed all individuals and parties and RichardBirkett. as posters. The poemon who have providedtexts p. 116–119 wasdeveloped or rightsfor texts. Kunstmuseum Basel 93–115 forthe film In theStomach Text by AndreasSiekmann of thePredators,2012/2013. ©Kunstmuseum Director first publishedin2014for Basel|Gegenwart JosefHelfenstein the exhibition AChronicle Image credits St.Alban-Rheinweg60, of Interventions at the 4010 Basel, Schweiz DeputyDirector Project Space,TateModern, Cover www.kunstmuseumbasel.ch AnitaHaldemann London; Teor/ética San DrawnbyPieterBruegel José;curator:IntiGuerro. the Elder(c. 1526/30–1569) ISBN: 978-3-7204-0244-6 Head of ArtCare EngravedbyFrans Huys Werner Müller 121–131 (1522–1562) Translation of atext PublishedbyHieronymus Exhibition Head of Finance& accompanying the Cock (1518–1570) Operations Petropolitics map, 2019, ArmedFour-MasterSailing December 7, 2019 — MatthiasSchwarz by Bureau d’Études, artist TowardsaPort,c.1561/62 May3,2020 group,September 2019. Copperplateengraving Head of Marketing It givesthe broad perspec- on handmade paper Artists &Development tivesand showssome of the Kunstmuseum Basel, Ursula Biemann Mirjam Baitsch formal input that shaped Inv. X.2314 Wang Bing the map’s design. (rotated 180°) Bureau d’Études Head of Programs AliceCreischer Daniel Kurjaković 139–157 Inside cover Simon Denny Text and images by Hans Holbein the Younger Melanie Gilligan Head of ArtEducation Simon Denny, 2019. (c.1497/98–1543) UlrikeGrossarth Hannah Horst Acknowledgements 215

Manythanks to Simon Baier Ursula Biemann Wang Bing Bureau d’Études ThomasBuxó Marietta Clages AliceCreischer Colin Crouch Chantal Crousel Simon Denny Klaartje vanEijk EvaFalge Melanie Gilligan Maxwell Graham Dominique Grisard UlrikeGrossarth Jan PeterHammer Markus Klammer NaomiKlein Sybille Krämer Chantal Küng Stephan Lessenich Fred Lonidier Karl Marx Max Mayer RichardMosse Marion vonOsten Lisa Rave Claus Richter CameronRowland Felwine Sarr MatthiasSchwarz Philipp Selzer AndreasSiekmann HitoSteyerl Stefanie Thierstein e-flux (New York) Philipp Reclamjun. Verlag GmbH (Ditzingen) Polity(Cambridge) Rombach(Freiburg) University of Minnesota Press (Minneapolis)

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HitoSteyerl AndreasSiekmann FelwineSarr LisaRave StephanLessenich SybilleKrämer JanPeterHammer SørenGrammel[Ed.] SimonDenny ColinCrouch AliceCreischer Bureaud’Études