Schmitt in France

In: Telos, Heft 126, S. 133-152

Abstract

Defends Carl Schmitt against accusations by many scholars that he was a "Nazi philosopher" on the grounds that he was not a Nazi theoretician & that he was a jurist, not a philosopher. Yves Charles Zarka, head of the Center for the History of Modern Philosophy & the Thomas Hobbes Center, wrote "Carl Schmitt, Nazi Philosopher?" printed in Le Monde after Schmitt's book, The Leviathan in the State of Theory of Thomas Hobbes (2002 edition) was published in France. Schmitt rejected politics rooted in the biology of race although he possessed an anti-Semitism based on Catholic tradition. Schmitt joined National Socialism in 1933 hoping to influence the movement he considered devoid of thought. He was unaware of Hitler's real intentions & in opposition to the Nazi's direction, considering his deep belief in the power of law. His attempts lasted only a year, & Nazi attacks against him started immediately. Zarka's attempts to silence Schmitt are in line with the same slanderous methods used by the Nazis. L. Hoffman