Vol 4, No 1, 2005 pp. 37-49
UDC 316.2.286.32
BOURDIEU'S CRITICISM OF THE NEOLIBERAL
PHILOSOPHY OF DEVELOPMENT, THE MYTH OF MONDIALIZATION
AND THE NEW EUROPE
(An Appeal for the Renewal of Critical Sociology)
Ljubiša Mitrović
Faculty of Philosophy, Niš
ljubisa@filfak.ni.ac.yu
The author first discusses the basis of the neoliberal
philosophy of development in the world, especially Bourdieu's criticism
of the neoliberal ideology and strategy of development and their
implications for the social relations in contemporary society. Bourdieu
points to the connection between the neoliberal philosophy of
development with mega capital interests, that is, those of
transnational corporation at present, just as he stresses the attempts
to justify, by the neoconservative revolution with its appeals to
progress, reason and science (especially economic sciences) through the
new market fetishization, the process of historical restoration and
thus, to paraphrase P. Bourdieu, to classify as outdated any
progressive thought and action.
Bourdieu especially criticizes the myth of "mondialization" as an
integral part of the neoliberal development strategy in the modern
times by speaking about it as "exploitation sans rivages" and "the main
weapon in the struggle against the achievements of the welfare state."
By making a distinction between the social democratic model of the
social development and the democratic processes of the world
integration and the "asymmetrical globalization model," Bourdieu
stresses that globalization is not homogenization; it is, instead,
continuation of the power and influence of a small number of the
dominant nations over the totality of the national stock exchanges. In
the context of his main theses, Bourdieu points to classical and new
forms of the structural inequalities in the world (social violence and
symbolic repression).
In his works Bourdieu especially deals with the issue of the fate of
the European welfare state under the conditions of the domination of
the neoliberal ideology and globalization while exposing the myth about
a harmonious and uncontroversial concept of European integration and
the European Union. He points out that, under the influence of mega
interests and the neoliberal development strategy, the welfare state in
Europe is under attack, and that, in truth, the European Union is torn
apart inside, split in two and differentiated as "the Europe of
workers" and "the Europe of bankers," that is, into several development
and cultural circles that overlap but are not always harmonious.
Finally, the author stresses Bourdieu's appeal for the renewal of the
critical sociology that has not given up its analytical as well as its
humanist and emancipating role in society.
Key words: Pierre Bourdieu,
Sociology, Neoliberalism, Globalization, Welfare State, European
Union.
BURDIJEOVA KRITIKA NEOLIBERALNE
FILOZOFIJE RAZVOJA,
MITA O "MONDIJALIZACIJI" I NOVOJ EVROPI
(Pledoaje za obnovu kritičke sociologije)
Autor najpre razmatra osnove neoliberalne filozofije razvoja u
savremenom svetu, a posebno Burdijeovu kritiku neoliberalne ideologije
i strategije razvoja, njihovih implikacija na društvene odnose u
savremenom društvu. Burdije ukazuje na povezanost neoliberalne
filozofije razvoja sa interesima krupnog kapitala, tj. transnacionalnih
korporacija u savremenosti, kao i na pokušaje da se neokonzervativna
revolucija, pozivajući se na progres, razum i nauku (posebno ekonomsku
nauku) kroz novu fetišizaciju tržišta, izvrši opravdanje procesa
istorijske restauracije "i tako pokuša da svrsta pod zastarelost svaku
progresističku misao i delanje" (P. Burdije).
Burdije posebno kritikuje mit o "mondijalizaciji", kao integralni deo
strategije neoliberalnog razvoja u savremenosti, govoreći o njemu kao o
"eksploataciji bez granica" i "glavnom oružju u borbama protiv tekovina
welfare state-a. Praveći distinkciju između socijaldemokratskog modela
društvenog razvoja i demokratskih procesa integracije sveta i
"asimetričnog modela globalizacije", Burdije ističe da "globalizacija
nije homogenizacija, već je ona, naprotiv, produžetak moći i uticaja
malog broja dominantnih nacija nad celinom nacionalnih berzi". U ovom
kontekstu svojih razmatranja Burdije ukazuje na klasične i nove oblike
strukturalnih nejednakosti u svetu (na socijalno nasilje i simboličko
ugnjetavanje).
Burdije se u svojim radovima posebno bavi pitanjem sudbine evropske
socijalne države u uslovima dominacije neoliberalne ideologije i
globalizacije, razobličavajući mit o harmonijskom i neprotivrečnom
konceptu evropske integracije i Evropske unije. On ukazuje da se, pod
uticajem interesa krupnog kapitala i neoliberalne strategije razvoja,
socijalna država u Evropi našla na udaru; da se u realnosti Evropska
unija iznutra cepa, udvaja i diferencira na "Evropu radnika" i "Evropu
bankara", na nekoliko razvojnih i kulturoloških krugova koji se seku i
nisu uvek harmonični.
Najzad, autor poentira Burdijeovo zalaganje za obnovom kritičke
sociologije, koja se nije odrekla analitičke, ali i svoje humanističke
i emancipatorske uloge u društvu.
Ključne reči: Pjer Burdije,
sociologija, neoliberalizam, globalizacija, socijalna država, Evropska
unija
