,P>T #a1 ,*APT] #a 
,! ,E>? ,/ORY1 ! ,HUMAN ,/ORY 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,ELISEE ,RECLUS 

,TEXT 3 

,P>T ,I3 ,AN ,9TRODUCTION TO ,RECLUS' ,SOCIAL ,?\<T 

  
#a3 ,! ,E>? ,/ORY1 ! ,HUMAN ,/ORY 

  

,ELISEE ,RECLUS BEG9S HIS MAGNUM OPUS ( SOCIAL !ORY1 ,MAN & ! ,E>?1 ) ! WORDS 0,L',HOMME E/ LA NATURE PR5ANT CONSCI5CE D'ELLEMEME0--0,HUMANITY IS NATURE BECOM+ SELF-CONSCI\S40.<#a#d.> ,ABOVE ?IS /ATEM5T IS AN IMAGE ( ! E>?1 HELD 9 TWO UPW>D-/RET*+ H&S4 ,9 AN IMPORTANT S5SE1 ! PURPOSE ( ?AT WORK1 & 9DE$1 ( ,RECLUS' 5TIRE LIFE'S WORK1 IS TO DRAW \T ! IMPLICATIONS ( !SE WORDS & ?IS IMAGE4 ,HE WI%ES TO TRACE ! C\RSE ( HUMAN HI/ORY1 %[+ ! UNITY ( DEVELOPM5T UND]LY+ ! DIV]SITY ( CULTURES & EPO*S1 & !N TO SITUATE ! HI/ORY ( \R SPECIES )9 ! L>G] HI/ORY ( ! PLANET4 ,9 DO+ SO1 HE HOPES TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO ! V]Y PROCESS ( ! DEVELOPM5T ( SELF-CONSCI\SNESS ?AT HE DESCRIBES4 

,RECLUS WI%ES 9 ?IS WAY TO HELP HUMANITY DISCOV] ITS MEAN+ AS A HI/ORICAL BE+ & AS AN ASPECT ( ! E>?'S L>G] PROCESSES ( SELFREALIZATION4 ,IT IS HIS FUR!R HOPE ?AT ! DISCOV]Y ( !SE TRU?S AB\T \RSELVES CAN ALSO HELP US TO ACT CONSCI\SLY & RESPONSIBLY AS P>T ( A DEVELOP+ HUMAN COMMUNITY & A DEVELOP+ E>? COMMUNITY4 ,9 %ORT1 ,RECLUS RETELLS ! /ORY ( HUMANITY 9 ! CONTEXT ( ! /ORY ( ! E>?4 ,HE ?US PLACES HIS WORK FIRMLY 9 ! TRADITION ( ! GREAT HI/ORICAL N>RATIVES4 

,?IS IS A TRADITION ?AT MI<T SEEM \TMOD$ TODAY4 ,! REVOLUTION>Y 0GR& N>RATIVES0 ( SOCIALISM & COMMUNISM HAVE BE5 WIDELY DISCR$IT$1 & EV5 ! DOM9ANT 0GR& N>RATIVES0 ( CAPITALISM1 TE*NOLOGICAL PROGRESS1 & NATIONALISM APPE> 9 AN 9CREAS+LY DEMY?OLOGIZ$ =M4 ,! P[] ( BRUTE FACTS 7OR C]TA9 SOCIAL CONDITIONS ?AT >E IDEOLOGICALLY MY/IFI$ AS 0BRUTE FACTS07 SEEM+LY BANI%ES ! GREAT MY?S ( PROGRESS & SOCIAL TRANS=MATION4 ,IRONICALLY1 MY/IFICATION DISPLACES MY?OLOGY4 

,WE 7OR AT LEA/ ! 0WE0 ( ! ,WE/ & ITS DEP5D5CIES7 SEEM N[ TO BE LIV+ ?R\< A P]IOD BETWE5 N>RATIVES1 BETWE5 MY?S1 IF 9DE$ WE HAVE NOT REA*$ ! 5D ( ! HI/ORY ( MY?4 ,IT IS A TIME ( NIHILISM1 9 :I* ! QUE/ = BE+ & MEAN+ IS REPLAC$ BY ! /RUGGLE = P[]4 ,)\T A ,GOLD5 ,AGE TO EMULATE OR A UTOPIA TO CREATE1 WE F9D \RSELVES SEEM+LY TRAPP$ 9 A RA!R UN9SPIR+ IF OV]AW+ PRES5T4 ,BANALITY IS RAIS$ TO ! LEVEL ( ! SUBLIME4 ,WE RETA9 BITS & PIECES ( ! FRAGM5T$ MY?S ( ! PA/ & 9CREAS+LY F9D \RSELVES LEFT ) DISCONNECT$ BITS & PIECES ( SELF4 ,AT WOR/1 WE M]ELY ACCUMULATE & DISC>D2 AT BE/1 WE RECYCLE4 

,RECLUS LIV$ 9 A /RIK+LY DIFF]5T AGE1 9 ! HEYDAY ( ! ,MY? ( ,PROGRESS4 ,P>TISANS ( ! SY/EM ( DOM9ATION EXUD$ OPTIMISM1 IF NOT SMUG COMPLAC5CY4 ,ITS OPPON5TS BRI/L$ ) RI<TE\S 9DIGNATION & GL[$ ) IDEALI/IC HOPE = REVOLUTION>Y *ANGE4 ,TODAY1 SU* HOPE HAS L>GELY BE5 REPLAC$ BY ! SPIRIT ( RESIGNATION4 ,CONS]VATISM DECL9ES 9TO H>D5$ CYNICISM1 :ILE RADICALISM IS R$UC$ TO RES5TFUL M>G9ALIZATION4 ,BETWE5 ! TWO REIGNS CONFUSION4 

,9 AN AGE ( RESIGNATION1 ANY N>RATIVE ( UNIV]SAL SELF-REALIZATION SEEMS SUSPECT--AS EVID5C$ BY REC5T PO/MOD]NI/ CRITIQUES ( ! V]Y IDEA ( ! 0GR& N>RATIVE40 ,CRITICS ALLEGE ?AT ANY ATTEMPT TO DISCOV] A TRAN%I/ORICAL UNIV]SALITY1 OR EV5 ANY UNIFY+ ?READ RUNN+ ?R\< ! FABRIC ( HI/ORY1 BETRAYS AN 9TELLECTUAL WILL TO P[]1 CULTURAL IMP]IALISM1 OR A DISGUIS$ APOLOGY = ! =CES ( DOM9ATION4 ,IT IS 9DE$ TRUE ?AT SU* N>RATIVES >E USUALLY GUILTY ( ONE OR MORE ( !SE *>GES4 ,& GRANT$1 IT IS ! FUNCTION ( CRITICAL ?\<T TO SUBJECT ALL 9T]PRETATION TO ! MO/ RU?LESS QUE/ION+4 

,YET ,RECLUS' AN>*I/ 0GR& N>RATIVE0--= ! V]Y REASON ?AT IT IS SELF-CONSCI\SLY AN>*I/IC & AIMS AT ! DE/RUCTION ( ! SY/EM ( DOM9ATION--PRES5TS A *ALL5GE TO SU* SWEEP+ DISMISSALS ( ! QUE/ = A MORE COMPREH5SIVE1 HOLI/IC VIEW ( HI/ORY4 ,AL?\< IT IS TRUE 7& NOT V]Y SURPRIS+7 ?AT ,RECLUS DOES NOT 5TIRELY ESCAPE ! BIASES ?AT PLAGUE ! CREATORS ( UNIV]SAL N>RATIVES1 !RE >E FUNDAM5TAL DIFF]5CES BETWE5 HIS PROJECT & ALMO/ ALL ! O!RS4 ,ONE ( !SE CONC]NS ! ID5TITY ( ! HI/ORICAL PROTAGONI/ 7! 0SUBJECT0 OR AG5T ( HI/ORY74 ,RECLUS' UNIV]SAL SUBJECT IS NOT1 AS ONE F9DS 9 ! /]EOTYPICAL 0GR& N>RATIVE10 ,WE/]N OR 0CIVILIZ$0 HUMANITY 5GAG$ 9 A PROCESS ( TRIUMPHANT WORLD DOM9ATION4 ,RA!R1 IT IS A GLOBAL HUMANITY1 EMB$D$ 9 NATURE1 YET UND]TAK+ AN OP5-5D$ & CREATIVE PROJECT ( LIB]ATORY SELF-REALIZATION4 

,?US1 ,RECLUS CAN BE LOOK$ UPON AS AN E>LY PROPHET ( GLOBALIZATION4 ,HIS SIGNIFICANCE TODAY COMES 9 L>GE P>T FROM HIS PRES5TATION ( AN EGALIT>IAN1 LIB]T>IAN VISION ( GLOBALIZATION--A GLOBALIZATION 0FROM BEL[0--?AT (F]S A !ORETICAL ALT]NATIVE TO ! DOM9ANT CORPORATE & /ATI/ V]SIONS ?AT N[ PREVAIL4 ,WRIT+ 9 ! #a#h#gS1 HE =ESEES A FUTURE 9 :I* 0EQUALITY WILL OBTA9 9 ! 5D1 NOT ONLY BETWE5 ,AM]ICA & ,EUROPE1 BUT ALSO BETWE5 !SE TWO & ! O!R QU>T]S ( ! WORLD40 ,9 PLACE ( A WORLD DIVID$ 9TO A P[]FUL1 WEAL?Y1 & HEGEMONIC CORE & A WEAK1 POOR1 & DOM9AT$ P]IPH]Y1 ! WORLD WILL HAVE 0ITS C5T] EV]Y:]E1 ITS P]IPH]Y NO:]E40.<#a#e.> ,RECLUS' PROJECT 9 FACT PO9TS BEYOND EV5 ! GLOBALIZATION ( HUMANITY1 = HE UND]/OOD ! GLOBE AS ! :OLE E>?1 ( :I* WE >E AN 9TEGRAL P>T4 ,WE DEVELOP )9 & 9 RELATION TO ?AT :OLE 9 ALL ITS COMPLEXITY4 ,HE TAKES A DIALECTICAL APPROA* 9 :I* EV]Y PH5OM5ON1 9CLUD+ ! PH5OM5ON ( HUMANITY1 IS 9SEP>ABLE FROM O!R PH5OM5A 7GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES ( ! L&1 O!R LIV+ BE+S1 NATURAL REGIONS7 TO :I* IT IS RELAT$4 ,AN UND]/&+ ( ! WORLD ?US REQUIRES A SIMULTANE\S UND]/&+ ( ALL ! 9T]CONNECT$ & 9T]P5ETRAT+ FACTORS4 ,= AS ,RECLUS /ATES1 ?\< WE MU/ ALWAYS SEEK TO UND]/& ! SIGNIFICANCE ( EA* DET]M9+ FACTOR1 0IT IS ONLY ?R\< AN ACT ( PURE AB/RACTION ?AT ONE CAN CONTRIVE TO PRES5T A P>TICUL> ASPECT ( ! 5VIRONM5T AS IF IT HAD A DI/9CT EXI/5CE1 & /RIVE TO ISOLATE IT FROM ALL ! O!RS1 9 ORD] TO /UDY ITS ESS5TIAL 9FLU5CE40.<#a#f.> 

,?US1 FROM HIS DIALECTICAL P]SPECTIVE ! UNITY ( HI/ORY MU/ BE DISCOV]$ ?R\< AN UND]/&+ ( ! DIV]SITY ( PH5OM5A1 BO? NATURAL & SOCIAL4 ,ACCORD+LY1 HIS ACC\NT ( ! HUMAN /ORY RECOGNIZES ! 9TEGRITY & SPECIFICITY ( ! O!R--:E!R ?IS O!R BE A CULTURAL OR NATURAL ONE4 ,HE RECOGNIZES V>I\S PA/ CULTURES & MANY EXI/+ NON-,WE/]N ONES = !IR UNIQUE & 5DUR+ CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROGRESS1 & HE REJECTS ! R$UCTION ( !SE CULTURES TO M]E OBSOLETE /AGES ( DEVELOPM5T T[>D ! HI<] SOCIAL1 POLITICAL1 ECONOMIC1 & 9TELLECTUAL A*IEVEM5TS ( ! MOD]N ,WE/4 ,NOR DOES HE DEPICT ! NATURAL WORLD AS A M]E BACKDROP = HUMAN HI/ORY4 ,RA!R1 NATURE IS = HIM ALWAYS AN ACTIVE PRES5CE1 BO? 5COMPASS+ HUMANITY & REMA9+ 9 9TIMATE DIALECTICAL 9T]ACTION ) HUMANITY ?R\<\T HI/ORY4 

,FUR!RMORE1 ,RECLUS' ACC\NT ( HUMAN HI/ORY & E>? HI/ORY AVOIDS ! IMPOSITION ( CLOSURE1 & IT ALWAYS RETA9S A MOM5T ( CREATIVITY1 NOVELTY1 & OP5NESS4 ,9 ! PREFACE TO ,MAN & ! ,E>?1 HE SUMM>IZES :AT HE SEES AS 0! ?REE ORD]S ( FACTS ?AT >E REVEAL$ TO US ?R\< ! /UDY ( SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY1 & :I* REMA9 SO CON/ANT AMID ! *AOS ( ?+S ?AT ONE MI<T WELL LABEL !M 'LAWS4'0 ,!SE >E 0! CLASS /RUGGLE1 ! QUE/ = EQUILIBRIUM & ! SOV]EIGN DECISION ( ! 9DIVIDUAL40.<#a#g.> ,9 EA* CASE1 ! SWEEP+ HI/ORICAL 0LAW0 IS F> FROM BE+ A N>R[LY DET]M9I/IC ONE4 ,! CLASS /RUGGLE = ,RECLUS IS A REALM ( CREATIVE1 SELFEXPRESSIVE ACTIVITY ON ! P>T ( ! DOM9AT$ & OPPRESS$1 NOT A RESULT ( !IR M]E REACTIVITY TO SOCIAL CONDITIONS4 ,MOREOV]1 ! QUE/ = EQUILIBRIUM IS A CREATIVE PROJECT ( HUMANITY 9 :I* HUMAN BE+S HAVE OV] ! C\RSE ( HI/ORY 9V5T$ DIV]SE MODES ( COOP]ATION1 MUTUAL AID1 & CULTURAL SELF-EXPRESSION4 ,= ,RECLUS1 SOCIAL DISEQUILIBRIUM >ISES FROM ! LACK ( FRE$OM & FROM ! ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE A /ATIC ORD] ON A DYNAMIC SOCIAL MILIEU4.<#a#h.> ,HE AGREES ) ,PR\DHON ?AT FRE$OM IS 0! MO!R1 NOT ! DAU<T]1 ( ORD]10 & HE ADDS ?AT DOM9ATION NECESS>ILY 5G5D]S DISORD]4 ,F9ALLY1 DESPITE ! /RONGLY COMMUNIT>IAN DIM5SION ( ,RECLUS' AN>*ISM1 IT IS 0! HUMAN P]SON1 ! PRIM>Y ELEM5T ( SOCIETY10 ?AT IS ! S\RCE ( 0! CREATIVE WILL ?AT CON/RUCTS & RECON/RUCTS ! WORLD40.<#a#i.> ,IT IS HIS HOPE ?AT ?IS CREATIVE FRE$OM WILL LEAD HUMANITY TO A FUTURE SOCIETY BAS$ ON FREE ASSOCIATION1 :I* WILL SYN!SIZE SOCIAL H>MONY & EQUILIBRIUM ) SOCIAL DIV]SITY & SPONTANEITY4 

,RECLUS WAS A PIONE] 9 ! PROJECT ( WRIT+ ! /ORY ( ! E>? & ( HUMANITY4.<#b.> ,HIS AN>*I/ GR& N>RATIVE IS A SWEEP+ ACC\NT ( ! PLANET FROM ITS BEG9N+S1 ?R\< ! C\RSE ( EVOLUTION OV] ! AGES1 & F9ALLY ?R\< ! MANIFOLD EPISODES ( ! HUMAN /ORY )9 ! /ORY4 ,IT DEPICTS ! 9T]SECTION ( NATURAL HI/ORY & HUMAN HI/ORY-- OR AS HE T]MS IT1 ! /ORY ( 0NATURE BECOM+ SELF-CONSCI\S40 ,9TEGRAL TO ?IS HI/ORY IS AN ACC\NT ( ! =CES ( DOM9ATION ?AT EM]GE 9 HUMAN HI/ORY1 ONLY TO RE/RICT ! FUTURE SELF-REALIZATION ( BO? HUMANITY & NATURE4 ,SO NE$LESS TO SAY1 ANO!R C5TRAL !ME ( HIS /ORY IS ! LONG QUE/ TO OV]COME !SE =CES ( DOM9ATION4 

,9 EXPLOR+ SU* !MES1 ,RECLUS ANTICIPATES LAT] CRITIQUES ( ! DOM9ATION ( HUMANITY & NATURE1 DEVELOP$ FROM ! ,FRANKFURT ,S*OOL ?R\< CONTEMPOR>Y PO//RUCTURALI/ & RADICAL ECOLOGICAL ?\<T4 ,WE >E N[ 5T]+ AN ]A 9 :I* CONCEPTS ( GLOBAL SOCIAL & ECOLOGICAL CRISIS BECOME MORE FAMILI>2 IDEAS ?AT W]E ONCE LIMIT$ PRIM>ILY TO ! >CANE REALM ( AB/RACT SOCIAL !ORY BEG9 TO P]VADE ! L>G] CULTURE4 ,CONSEQU5TLY1 ! WORLD-HI/ORICAL N>RATIVE ?AT ,RECLUS REC\NTS MAY HAVE EV5 GREAT] RESONANCE TODAY ?AN IT DID 9 HIS [N TIME4 

,AS WILL BE %[N 9 ! DISCUSSION ?AT FOLL[S1 ,RECLUS' EMANCIPATORY VISION ( HI/ORY IS A SWEEP+ ONE ) UNIV]SALI/IC DIM5SIONS1 BUT IT 5COMPASSES A SOCIAL & ECOLOGICAL E?IC ?AT IS BAS$ ON A CONC]N = ! SELF-REALIZATION ( ALL BE+S 9 !IR UNIQU5ESS & P>TICUL>ITY1 & A PRACTICE ( LOVE & C>E = ?OSE BE+S4.<#b#a.> ,?IS E?IC IS P]HAPS SUMM>IZ$ BE/ 7AT LEA/ 9 REG>D TO HUMANITY7 9 A LETT] ?AT ,RECLUS WROTE NE> ! 5D ( HIS LIFE TO A ,PROTE/ANT M9I/] 9 ,OR!Z1 HIS HOMET[N4 ,HE ASS]TS ?AT HIS [N E?IC EMBODIES ! HI<E/ IDEALS ( ,*RI/IANITY1 IDEALS ?AT HAD1 P]HAPS IRONICALLY1 BE5 BETRAY$ BY 9/ITUTIONALIZ$ RELIGION BUT C>RI$ ON BY AN>*ISM3  
  

,IT SEEMS TO ME ?AT AS A LIB]T>IAN SOCIALI/ OR1 TO BE MORE PRECISE1 A COMMUNI/ AN>*I/1 ,I AM 9 MANY WAYS CLOSE TO ! ,*RI/IAN ( ! ,GOSPELS4 ,?US1 ,I MU/ NEI!R CALL ANYONE 0MA/]0 NOR CALL MYSELF 0MA/]0 ( ANYONE ELSE4 ,I MU/ SEEK TO LIVE 9 A CONDITION ( EQUALITY ) EV]YONE1 ,JEW OR ,GREEK1 [N] OR SLAVE1 MILLIONAIRE OR BEGG>1 )\T ACCEPT+ ANY K9D ( SUPPOS$ SUP]IORITY OR 9F]IORITY4 ,I MU/ ADOPT ! OLD ,*RI/IAN MAXIM NOT TO DO ANY?+ TO O!RS ?AT ,I W\LD NOT WANT DONE TO MYSELF1 & TO DO TO O!RS ONLY :AT ,I W\LD WI% !M TO DO TO ME4 ,IF ,I CLAIM ! RI<T ( P]SONAL OR COLLECTIVE SELFDEF5SE1 NEV]!LESS ,I WILL =BID MYSELF ANY IDEA ( V5GEANCE1 :I* IS A PRIMITIVE PRACTICE1 & NO HATR$ WILL >ISE 9 MY HE>T1 S9CE IT W\LD BE AIM$ AT UN=TUNATES :O >E ALREADY VICTIMS ( ATAVISM OR A BAD 5VIRONM5T4 ,F9ALLY1 & AGA9 LIKE ! ,*RI/IAN :O IS FAI?FUL TO HIS NAME1 ,I W\LD LOVE FIR/ ( ALL ! BRO!R :OM ,I SEE 0BE=E *]I%+ OR ADOR+ ! UNKN[N BE+S ?AT ,I DO NOT SEE40.<#b#b.>  
  

,RECLUS' LIFE WORK WAS TO PREP>E ! WAY = A WORLD 9 :I* ALL =MS ( DOM9ATION--ALL 0MA/]Y0--W\LD BE ABOLI%$1 SO ?AT HUMANITY C\LD LIVE 9 A FREE COMMUNITY ( EQUALS F\ND$ ON SU* A PRACTICE ( ACTIVE1 5GAG$ LOVE & COMPASSION4 

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