Chinese Journal of Sociology

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The Path to the Banality of Evil

Author: Feng Ting， Teaching and Research Department of SociologyCulturology，Party School of the Zhejiang Commitee of the CCP   

  1. Author: Feng Ting， Teaching and Research Department of SociologyCulturology，Party School of the Zhejiang Commitee of the CCP.
  • Online:2012-01-20 Published:2012-01-20
  • Contact: Feng Ting， Teaching and Research Department of SociologyCulturology，Party School of the Zhejiang Commitee of the CCP. E-mail:vft1975@sohu.com
  • About author:Feng Ting， Teaching and Research Department of SociologyCulturology，Party School of the Zhejiang Commitee of the CCP.

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Abstract:

Via the concept of the banality of evil, Hannah Arendt revealed a new type of evil in modern society, which is entirely different from Kant’s ”radical evil.” This paper examines and analyzes three facets to uncover the path as how and why banality combines with evil in modern society. First, the gardening stance of modern countries, originated from the project of modernity, divides the whole populace into plants of utility that are in accordance with the requirements of rationally designed society, that is, garden of rational design, or weeds that do not meet such requirements and need to be removed. This has provided legitimacy to such acts of violence or evil as genocide. Secondly, out of the need of the operation of itself, the machine of modern politics has tamed the bureaucratic officers therein, removed their independent conscience of morality and will, and made them each pure gears of the machine such that “the banality of thoughtlessness” has become the indispensible element or constituent in the operation of modern politics. Thirdly, along with the fall of politics that is independent and coherent with its rationality and meaningfulness, politics has degraded into instrumental politics, which has led to the disappearance of its closely related public sphere. Consequently, political issues become technical or administrative issues that require no need for public debates, thus, an independent, critical public has morphed into a mass under manipulation; hence, collapse yet another barrier against the fire of the banality of evil on its way. On this basis, this article concludes that banality has been propelled toward evil by structural and institutional factors in the development of modern society and political operations. This is not to exculpate Eichmann, nor to incriminate each and every individual, but to evoke reflection on the responsibility that each individual must bear as a citizen when facing evils such as massacres so as to establish premises for introspection of politics. To equal the probe into causes of a crime to the attribution of the crime is unfair; to replace the probe into causes of a crime with attribution of the crime is dangerous.

Key words: the banality of evil，, crime and responsibility,, public sphere, , gardening stance, , thoughtle