NP Brasil

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

 > None of this is a defense of PT. Both because of genuine widespread 
corruption in that party and national economic woes, Dilma and PT are 
intensely unpopular among all classes and groups, even including the 
party’s working-class base. But the street protests — as 
undeniably large and energized as they have been — are driven by those 
who are traditionally hostile to PT. The number of people participating 
in these protests — while in the millions — is dwarfed by the number (54 
million) who voted to re-elect Dilma less than two years ago. In a 
democracy, governments are chosen by voting, not by displays of street 
opposition — particularly where, as in Brazil, the protests are drawn 
from a relatively narrow societal segment. <

When millions are marching the streets it's not nothing, yet a strong 
manifestation of democracy. And while it's true that in parliamentarism 
"governments are chosen by voting", the democratic possibilities of the 
people, as the subject of the constituent power, can never be reduced to 
taking part in elections and plebiscites. As Carl Schmitt says: The 
people are an immediately /present/ and real entity.

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"Nach der demokratischen Lehre von der verfassungsgebenden Gewalt des 
Volkes steht das Volk als Träger der verfassungsgebenen Gewalt außer und 
über jeder verfassungsgesetzlichen Normierung. Wenn ihm 
verfassungsgesetzlich gewisse Zuständigkeiten (Wahlen und Abstimmungen) 
übertragen werden, ist damit seine politische Handlungsmöglichkeit in 
einer Demokratie keineswegs erschöpft und erledigt. Neben allen solchen 
Normierungen bleibt das Volk als unmittelbar /anwesende/ - nicht durch 
vorher umschriebene Normierungen, Geltungen und Fiktionen vermittelte - 
wirkliche Größe vorhanden."

Carl Schmitt: Verfassungslehre [1928], § 18,  p. 242, Berlin 1993: 
Duncker & Humblot.


On 18.03.2016 21:16, ish mailian wrote:
> https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/
> -
> Pynchon-l /http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>
>

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