Fichtean Politics

Milbank again, summarizing Hegel’s critique of Fichte’s political views: “In a political world where anything can be made of anything, the only common standard is protection of the finite ego, which, according to Fichte, must extend not only to the prohibition of deliberate crimes against person and property, but also to the numerous ways in which individuals may accidentally interfere with, and inhibit, the freedom of others.  To prevent this happening, to ensure the smooth operation of the free market, and the maximum spread of available information and predictability of outcome, there must be a vast extension of the State ‘police’ in the sense of ‘surveillance.’  Hence Fichte’s real positing is of a world of identity cards, internal passports, overseers of overseers, and proliferating bureaucracy.  But this circumspection will never be satisfied, and in the course of its progress, protection of freedom will pass over into its gradual inhibition.”

Milbank notes that Hegel is anticipating Foucault’s emphasis on surveillance, but adds that Hegel sees more clearly that “absolutism is merely the reverse face of liberalism.”