Alain Badiou, Beyond Violence the Communist Horizon: An Exploratory Look at the 21st Century

This research paper examines the work of philosopher Alain Badiou and his analysis of 20th-century violence. The author argues that the last century was marked by violence and destruction, from world wars to extermination camps and state crimes. Badiou claims that this violence stems from a passion for the real, a quest to transform existing reality and create a new world. However, this passion clashes with reality itself, creating an irreducible difference between the real and constructed reality. This difference is what allows us to understand the phenomenon of violence. The passion for the real seeks to purify it and unmask the superficiality of reality, but it can never fully achieve its goal. Furthermore, this passion for the real creates constant mistrust of semblances, leading to suspicion and persecution. The totalitarian violence of the 20th century arises from this infinite suspicion directed towards semblances. The article explores in detail the relationship between the passion for the real, violence, and the distance between the real and semblances.