Episode #133 ... Carl Schmitt on Liberalism pt. 2

Friend-Enemy

Carl Schmitt's concept of the friend-enemy distinction is central to his understanding of politics. Stephen West explains that Schmitt sees politics as inherently involving a division between allies and adversaries, a notion that challenges the liberal ideal of peaceful coexistence 1. Schmitt argues that political identities are forged in opposition to others, suggesting that even in liberal democracies, this division persists beneath the surface.

To Carl Schmidt, this is the essence of the political. The political realm is a violent, ongoing process of friends banding together and going to war with their enemies.

--- Stephen West

This perspective implies that liberalism's promise of multicultural tolerance is an illusion, as true political engagement always involves choosing sides 2.

   

Liberal Critique

Schmitt critiques liberalism for its utopian belief that politics can be a peaceful, rational process. Stephen West highlights Schmitt's view that liberalism fails to provide a genuine alternative to the political process, instead allowing it to operate covertly while maintaining an illusion of rational debate 3. This illusion, according to Schmitt, leads to political apathy, as people disconnect from the political realities that still govern their lives.

Liberalism allows people to feel good about the political process. When the world around them may actually be burning to the ground.

--- Stephen West

Schmitt argues that liberalism's promises of peace and tolerance are not only unrealistic but also mask the authoritarian elements inherent in all societies 4.