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The university cannot function, and we must thus prevent it from functioning so that this impossibility is made manifest. No reform of any kind can render this institution viable. We must thus combat reforms, in their effects and in their conception, not because they are dangerous, but because they are illusory. The crisis of the institution of the university goes beyond (as we will show) the realm of the university and involves the social and technical division of labor as a whole. And so, this crisis must come to a head.
The university cannot function, and we must thus prevent it from functioning so that this impossibility is made manifest. No reform of any kind can render this institution viable. We must thus combat reforms, in their effects and in their conception, not because they are dangerous, but because they are illusory. The crisis of the institution of the university goes beyond (as we will show) the realm of the university and involves the social and technical division of labor as a whole. And so, this crisis must come to a head.
The university cannot function, and we must thus prevent it from functioning so that this impossibility is made manifest. No reform of any kind can render this institution viable. We must thus combat reforms, in their effects and in their conception, not because they are dangerous, but because they are illusory. The crisis of the institution of the university goes beyond (as we will show) the realm of the university and involves the social and technical division of labor as a whole. And so, this crisis must come to a head.
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#