The Modern Republic

Abstract

Modern politics demands philosophical completion just as originary philosophy demanded a political correlate. The political complement that guaranteed philosophical completeness was made necessary by the move beyond traditional transcendental to originary modem philosophy. Politics articulates an object or ‘world’ that demands philosophical thematisation. The political functions as the genetic complement to normative philosophy. Politics expresses the necessary involvement of philosophy with the world. This interdependence of philosophy and politics maintains the structure of immanence. The political relation is determined by the structure of objective Geschichtlichkeit. The ‘real’ content of this Geschichtlichkeit remains open to continual debate. This interrogative debate explains why philosophy and the political emerge simultaneously and imply one another mutually. The immanence of change that this debate entails means that political and theoretical representation cannot aim at the tabular goal of the adequation of thought to thing. The object to be represented is right or justice (Recht). Its content is transformed by its public articulation. Specification of the political depends on the translation of concept to institution. Philosophy showed the possibility and necessity of the political engagement. The political has to demonstrate how engaged philosophy can institutionally structure its world. Philosophy is necessary to the legitimation of this systematic political project. A politics has to be able to show why its version of the Good Life is better than the one represented by immediate popular sovereignty, enlightened despotism, or other contemporary experiences. As the normative complement to the genetic political project, philosophy completes the modern political structure. Systematic symmetry is necessary from both sides of the project.