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Andr Gorz 1970

Destroy the University


Source: Les Temps Modernes #285, April 1970;
Translated: or !ar"ists#or$ %& 'itc(ell A%idor#
1# T(e uni)ersit& cannot unction, and *e !ust t(us pre)ent it ro! unctionin$ so
t(at t(is i!possi%ilit& is !ade !aniest# +o reor! o an& ,ind can render t(is
institution )ia%le# -e !ust t(us co!%at reor!s, in t(eir eects and in t(eir
conception, not %ecause t(e& are dan$erous, %ut %ecause t(e& are illusor&# T(e
crisis o t(e institution o t(e uni)ersit& $oes %e&ond .as *e *ill s(o*/ t(e real!
o t(e uni)ersit& and in)ol)es t(e social and tec(nical di)ision o la%or as a
*(ole# And so, t(is crisis !ust co!e to a (ead#
T(e occasions and t(e *a&s o !a,in$ it co!e to a (ead are su%0ect to discussion# T(e&
are !ore or less $ood# 1ut t(e discussion and t(e criti2ue can onl& %e carried out in a
*ort(*(ile as(ion %& t(ose *(o reco$nize t(at t(e re0ection o reor!is! is necessar&,
and its sta,es $lo%al#
2# T(e open crisis in t(e uni)ersit& in 3rance $oes %ac, to t(e %e$innin$ o t(e
19405s, to t(e 3ouc(et 6lan# -(en t(e !a0orit& o an a$e $roup stri)es to present
itsel or t(e %accalaureate and t(e !a0orit& o t(ose *it( diplo!as stri)e to enter
t(e uni)ersit&, t(e !ec(anis!s o social selection put in place %& t(e %our$eoisie
ta,e a %eatin$, its ideolo$& and its institutions t(ro*n into crisis#
T(e ideolo$& o t(e acade!& is t(at o t(e equality of chances for social promotion
t(ou$( studies# T(is e2ualit& 7 and 1ourdieu and 6asseron (a)e de!onstrated t(is 7 (as
al*a&s %een ictitious# +e)ert(eless, t(e !ec(anis!s and criteria o acade!ic selection
in t(e past *ere suicientl& 8o%0ecti)e9 or t(eir class and ar%itrar&s c(aracter to %e
!as,ed; one *as eli!inated or c(osen in unction o a $roup o 8aptitudes9 and
8co!petences9 t(at *ere deined once and or all# Traditionall& t(e let ou$(t, not
a$ainst class criteria o selection 7 *(ic( *ould (a)e orced it to i$(t a$ainst selection
itsel and a$ainst t(e acade!ic s&ste! as a *(ole 7 %ut or t(e ri$(t o e)er&one to enter
t(e selection !ac(ine#
T(e contradictor& c(aracter o t(is de!and re!ained !as,ed as lon$ as t(e ri$(t *as, in
t(eor&, reco$nized or all *(ile, t(e practical possi%ilit& to use it *as denied to t(e )ast
!a0orit&# 3ro! t(e !o!ent *(en, *it( t(e assistance o t(e diusion o ,no*led$e, t(e
!a0orit& stri)es to o%tain t(e practical possi%ilit& to use a t(eoretical ri$(t, t(e
contradiction is !ade clear; i t(e !a0orit& accedes to (i$(er education t(e latter lose
t(eir selecti)e c(aracter# T(e ri$(t to stud& and t(e ri$(t to social pro!otion can no
lon$er $o to$et(er; i, at %est, e)er&one can in act stud&, e)er&one cannot %e pro!oted to
pri)ile$ed posts# T(e !ec(anis!s o acade!ic selection (a)in$ %een %eaten do*n,
societ& *ill eit(er see, to put co!ple!entar& !ec(anis!s in place, or to restrict t(e ri$(t
to stud& t(rou$( ad!inistrati)e li!itations#
:# T(ese ad!inistrati)e li!itations 7 numerous clausus, e"a!s or uni)ersit& entr& 7
are suc( delicate !atters politicall& t(at t(e successi)e $o)ern!ents o t(e 3it(
;epu%lic (a)e retreated %eore t(eir application# <n act, t(e li!itation ex ante o
t(e nu!%er o students is t(e ran, and %rutal ne$ation o a 0uridical principle and
a social iction, i#e#, t(at t(e chance o social pro!otion t(rou$( studies is e2ual
or all and t(at t(e possibility to stud& is onl& li!ited %& t(e aptitude or doin$
t(is#
=estro&in$ t(is 0uridical iction !eans e"posin$ t(e illusor& c(aracter o %our$eois
reedo!s, and a%o)e all !eans conrontin$, in t(e na!e o a tec(nocratic rationalit& 7
stud& is e"pensi)e and it isn5t proita%le *(en $raduates can5t %e 8pro!oted9 7 t(e
!iddle classes or t(ose so> called, *(ose support t(e capitalist re$i!e can onl& preser)e
%& dan$lin$ %eore t(e! t(e possi%ilit& o 8social ele)ation9 li!ited %& !erit alone#
Numerus clausus, pre>selection, and entr& e"a!s or uni)ersities, %& destro&in$ t(e
illusions o t(e !eritocratic ideolo$&, *ill raise up a$ainst t(e capitalist state t(e !iddle
classes and *ill re)eal t(eir condition to t(e! as a social ate; t(e& are co!posed, not o
potential bourgeois, *(ic( t(e c(ance o %irt( and ortune pre)ented ro! %eco!e real
%our$eois, %ut o a rira o t(e need& and o su%altern *or,ers ated to ser)e, and not
e2ual, t(e %our$eoisie#
6oliticall& 7 and t(is is t(e !eanin$ o t(e 3aure reor! 7 t(e %our$eoisie !ust t(us
!aintain t(e iction o t(e c(ance o social pro!otion oered to all )ia t(e ree access to
studies# ?o*e)er, it is realit& t(at ta,es on t(e tas, o puttin$ t(e lie to t(is iction; t(e
access to studies is ree, %ut t(e studies lead no*(ere# T(e nu!%er o $raduates
de)alorizes t(e diplo!as# T(ere are !an& called and e* c(osen: t(ere are e* posts# T(e
nu!erical reduction t(at acade!ic selection *asn5t a%le to carr& out *ill %e carried out
%& a selection at t(e point o (ire#
-(ile *aitin$ or t(e 8orce o circu!stances9 to %e understood, i#e#, t(at parents point
t(eir c(ildren to*ards 8$ood9 proessional sc(ool, *(ic( are &et to %e created, $i)in$
t(e! access to 8$ood5 0o%s rat(er t(an to*ards uni)ersities *(ic( t(e&5ll lea)e 0o%less,
t(e state ,eeps t(e uni)ersities open, %ut little %& little re!o)es t(e )alue .e#$# @incennes/
o t(e diplo!as t(e& $rant# <n s(ort, t(e& $i)e t(e uni)ersit& enou$( rope so t(at in t(e
end 7 t(e& (ope 7 it *ill (an$ itsel# <n t(e !ean*(ile, t(e& send cops into t(e
uni)ersities in order t(at, in settin$ t(e! a%laze, t(eir discredit !i$(t %e esta%lis(ed#
A# T(ese contradictions in t(e %our$eois uni)ersit& are related to unda!ental
contradictions:
T(e !ar,et )alue t(at (as until no* %een reco$nized in diplo!as rested on t(eir
rarit& and on t(e rarit& o aptitude or stud&# < t(e latter %eco!es $eneral t(e
%onus attac(ed to t(e diplo!a !ust lo$icall& disappear and, *it( it, t(e
(ierarc(ical di)ision o tas,s#
< t(e aptitude or stud& 7 consecrated or not %& a diplo!a 7 tends to %eco!e
$eneralized, it ceases to %e a%le to ser)e as a criterion or selection: social
stratiication can no lon$er clai! to %e %ased on co!petenc& and !erit# T(e ri$(t
to studies and t(e ri$(t to pro!otion can no lon$er !arc( (and in (ad#
< studies no lon$er assure pro!otion, it *ill result in eit(er one t(in$ or t(e ot(er;
eit(er
t(e& are considered a *aste o ti!e and a useless social c(ar$e, since t(e& are
proita%le neit(er or t(ose *(o do t(e! nor or capitalist societ&; or
t(e& are considered as a non>unctional $eneral education *(ic( societ& can, ater
all, aord t(e lu"ur& o# 1ut in t(is case t(e air!ation o t(e inaliena%le ri$(t to
studies (as as its corollar& t(at t(ese studies, *(ic( open onto no career, !ust
present to t(ose *(o enter t(e! 7 and *(o later *ill %eco!e e!plo&ees, *or,ers,
or *(ate)er 7 an intrinsic interest.
<t is at t(is point t(at t(e contradiction o t(e uni)ersit& %eco!es clear# A$ainst t(e
selection s&ste!, t(e student !o)e!ent (ad air!ed t(e inaliena%le ri$(t to studies# T(e
lo$ic o t(is de!and .*(ic( re!ained petite bourgeoise insoar as it *as a deense o t(e
possi%ilit& o pro!otion or all/ (ad led it to anti>(ierarc(ical and e$alitarian positions: in
order or e)er&one to (a)e t(e ri$(t to stud& it *as necessar& t(at studies, ceasin$ to %e a
class pri)ile$e, s(ould also cease to coner t(e ri$(t to an pri)ile$e *(atsoe)er# <t (ad to
%e accepted t(at t(ose *it( (i$(er de$rees s(ould *or, *it( t(eir (ands, *(ic( led to
puttin$ in 2uestion and reusin$ t(e social di)ision o la%or, t(e tec(nical di)ision o
la%or *(ic( %ears its i!print, and e)er& or! o t(e (ierarc(ization o tas,s#
1ut it *as i!possi%le to stop t(ere, or t(e !o!ent *e accept t(at studies don5t lead to a
career, *e !ust redeine t(e nature o studies, t(eir content and t(eir !eanin$; since t(e&
don5t coner a 8useul culture9 t(e& !ust coner a 8re%ellious culture;9 since t(e& don5t
correspond to a de!and o societ&5s, t(e& !ust respond to t(e de!and o t(ose *(o
!a,e it and *(o intend to destro& t(at societ&, a%olis( t(at di)ision o la%or#
1ut t(e uni)ersit& is %& nature incapa%le o respondin$ to t(is de!and; it isn5t unctional
eit(er in relation to t(e de!ands o capitalist econo!& or in relation to t(e de!ands o
t(ose *(o *ant to o)ert(ro* capitalis!; it dispenses neit(er a 8useul culture9 nor a
8re%ellious culture9 .*(ic(, %& deinition, is not dispensed/; it dispenses a university
culture, i#e#, a ,no*led$e separated ro! an& producti)e or !ilitant practice# <n s(ort, it
is a place *(ere one can pass one5s ti!e in neit(er a useul nor an interestin$ as(ion# +o
,ind o reor! can c(an$e t(is situation# <t can t(us not %e a 2uestion o reor!in$ t(e
uni)ersit&, %ut rat(er o destro&in$ it in order to destro& all at once t(e culture separated
ro! t(e people it incarnates .t(at o t(e !andarins/ and t(e social stratiication o *(ic(
it ater all re!ains t(e instru!ent
5# Suc( are t(e acts t(at t(e uni)ersit& $uerrilla %rin$s to li$(t: it s(ortens t(e a$on&
o a !ori%und institution and re)eals t(e (&pocris& o t(e corporations t(at deend
it# Ban it %e said t(at t(e letist students *ill not %e a%le to eit(er put so!et(in$
else in its place or c(an$e societ& so t(at t(at ot(er t(in$ %eco!es )ia%leC <t is
o%)ious: students cannot, on t(eir o*n, eit(er produce anot(er culture or !a,e t(e
re)olution# -(at t(e& can do, (o*e)er, is pre)ent t(e (ei$(tened crisis o
%our$eois institutions, o t(e di)ision o la%or and t(e selection o 8elites9 ro!
%ein$ !as,ed# T(is is *(at t(e& are doin$ .and is *(at all t(e partisans o order 7
o t(is order or o anot(er, e)er& %it as aut(oritarian and (ierarc(ical 7 reproac(
t(e! or/# Alone t(e& cannot $o an& art(er; t(e eecti)e destruction and e)en t(e
contestin$ .and not onl& ideolo$ical/ o t(e di)ision o la%or cannot %e carried out
in t(e uni)ersities; it can onl& %e carried out in t(e actories and enterprises; it
supposes t(e critical anal&sis o a producti)e or$anization *(ose apparent
tec(nical rationalit& is at one and t(e sa!e ti!e t(e o%0ectiication and !as, o a
political rationalit&, o a tec(ni2ue o do!ination# <t supposes a practical
,no*led$e o t(e process o production and t(e practical enterprise in order to
c(an$e it; in order to su%!it it to t(e 8associated producers,9 to replace t(e
(ierarc(ical di)ision %& t(e )oluntar& di)ision o la%or#
<t is onl& ro! t(e startin$ point o t(is eecti)e criti2ue o t(e di)ision o la%or t(at, in
its turn, t(e criti2ue can %eco!e eecti)e o t(e education *(ic(, directl& .in tec(nical
and proessional sc(ools/ or indirectl&, or!s t(e !ana$ers, t(e enorcers, and t(e losers
o capitalist production# T(e destruction o t(e uni)ersit& and class education is t(us not
onl& t(e aair o t(e tau$(t alone; it is a%o)e all t(e aair o t(e *or,in$ class i t(e
capitalist di)ision o la%or, o *(ic( t(e sc(ool is t(e !atri", is to %e surpassed#
T(e crisis o t(e %our$eois uni)ersit& and t(e *or,in$ class re)olt a$ainst t(e despotis!
o t(e actor& coner an i!!ediate rele)ance on t(e 2uestion o t(is surpassin$# And i
t(e con0unction %et*een t(ese t*o aspects o t(e sa!e crisis 7 t(at o t(e di)ision o
la%or 7 doesn5t arri)e at t(e eecti)e 0oinin$ o t(e students and *or,ers and a reciprocal
criti2ue o t(e !et(ods o education and do!ination, t(e ault doesn5t lie *it( t(e student
!o)e!ent; it lies *it( t(e traditional or$anizations o t(e *or,in$ class !o)e!ent, *(o
are doin$ e)er&t(in$ possi%le to loc, t(e students in t(e uni)ersit& $(etto in order to
%etter control t(e *or,ers5 de!ands# < t(e necessar& )iolence o t(e student stru$$le t(us
tends to *ear itsel out in s&!%olic insurrections on t(e uni)ersit& le)el alone, it is not
due to a per)erse taste or o%0ectless )iolence; it is %ecause )iolence alone is capa%le o
s!as(in$, i onl& te!poraril&, t(e encircle!ent o t(e uni)ersit& $(etto and o posin$ a
pro%le! *(ose e"istence t(e reor!ists o all stripes preer to i$nore# T(is pro%le! 7 t(at
o t(e crisis o %our$eois institutions and ideolo$& and t(e di)ision o la%or 7 is a political
pro%le! par e"cellence# <t isn5t enou$( t(at t(e political parties reuse an& political
!eanin$ or e"pression to student )iolence or it to %e si!ple )andalis!; it is a !atter o a
)iolence %ot( political and politicall& necessar&, i not suicient#

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