The Fallacy of Continuity, on the references to Aristotle in Arendt and Agamben

Abstract

Agamben characterizes in Homo Sacer the modern state in terms of biopolitics, referring to the theories of Arendt and Foucault. Agamben takes up in this context on a very influential interpretation of Aristotle by Arendt.  Arendt maintains in this reference to Aristotle a false idea of continuity and ignores the fact that – as Foucault shows - at the end of the eighteenth century an inherent connection was established between a completely new type of rationality, governing and the state. There is therefore an ontological difference between the ancient and modern era and this has – as will be shown in this article – far reaching consequences for the key-concepts of Homo Sacer such as bare life, sovereignty and law. The recent development of globalization gives new relevance to this ontological difference, especially by undermining  absolute state-sovereignty.