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Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1

NATIONAL ENTERPRISE EMERGENC

Steps To!ar" an Ecology o# Po!ers

$rian Massumi

O% &AR AN' T(E &EAT(ER

A leisurely t)ree !ee*s a#ter (urrican +atrina, George &- $us) touc)e" "o!n in Ne! Orleans,into t)e me"ia s!irl o# a .rie# .ut la/is)ly stage" son0et0lumire spectacular #rom t)e )eart o# t)e %renc)

2uarter- (is nationally tele/ise" a""ress struc* t)e appropriate tone o# urgency, in stu"ie" contrast to t)e

languor o# )is practical response- $us) lan"e" on t)e .eac))ea" o# natural "isaster not as c)ie# e3ecuti/e

o# t)e ci/ilian .ureaucracy .ut in )is post0 4511 capacity as comman"er0in0c)ie#- (elp, )e assure", !as on

t)e !ay 6.y lan", .y air, .y sea-7i National Guar" units recently returne" #rom Ira8 !oul" spear)ea" t)e6armies o# compassion7 massing- T)ey !oul" .e 9oine" .y t)e :S Army;s <=n" air.orne "i/ision, #res)

#rom assignment in A#g)anistan-

T)is trans#er #rom an escalating !ar )al# a !orl" a!ay to a storm0.eaten )ome0#ront mi"0America

"re! a lin* .et!een !ar an" t)e !eat)er- T)eir respecti/e t)eaters o# con#lict, geopolitical an" socio0climatic, #ell acti/ely into line- T)e !eat)er, e3ceptionally #iguring as ur.an assault #orce, )a" ta*en a

prominent place in t)e spectrum o# t)reat- 6T)is !as not a normal )urricane,7 $us) remin"e"- 6Nature is

in"iscriminate,7 a c)orus o# a"ministration o##icials )a" repeate" in t)e prece"ing "ays- &)at !as t)is)urricane i# not t)e #ull0#orce e3pression o# nature;s in"iscriminacy, ampli#ie" to t)e status o# a national

emergency> +atrina !as t)e meteorological e8ui/alent o# t)e impro/ise" "e/ices t)en e3plo"ing onto t)e

scene o# t)e :S e##ort in Ira8- T)is )urricane !as to t)e !eat)er !)at a terrorist insurgency is to 6nation0

.uil"ing-7 Eac) .om.ing is a sel#0organi?e" micro0e/ent punctually e3pressing en"emic .ac*groun"

con"itions o# insta.ility- Li*e t)e #a.le" #lap o# t)e .utter#ly !ing see"ing popular accounts o# c)aos

t)eory !it) an e.ullition o# proto0+atrinas, t)ey can .u..le an" .uil", resonating to crisis proportions-

$ac*groun" con"itions o# insta.ility can #ee" up t)e scale, reac)ing t)e le/el !)ere t)e security "i*es are

.reac)e", c)annels o# or"er are s!ampe", an" .ul!ar*s o# sta.ility ero"e an" e/en collapse-

T)is is t)e #igure o# to"ay;s t)reat@ t)e su""enly irrupting, locally sel#0organi?ing, systemically

sel#0ampli#ying t)reat o# large0scale "isruption- T)is #orm o# t)reat is not only in"iscriminate, coming

any!)ere, as out o# no!)ere, at any time, it is also in"iscriminable- Its continual micro0#lapping in t)e

.ac*groun" ma*es it in"istinguis)a.le #rom t)e general en/ironment, no! one !it) a restless climate o#agitation- $et!een irruptions, it .len"s in !it) t)e c)aotic .ac*groun", su.si"ing into its o!n pre0

ampli#ie" incipience, alrea"y acti/e, still impercepti.le- T)e #igure o# t)e en/ironment s)i#ts@ #rom t)e

)armony o# a natural .alance to a c)urning see"0.e" o# crisis in t)e perpetual ma*ing- T)is )urricane may

!ell )a/e .een a.normal- $ut it e3presse" not)ing so muc) as t)e normality o# a generali?e" crisis

en/ironment so encompassing in its en"emic t)reat0#orm as to connect, across t)e spectrum, t)e polar

e3tremes o# !ar an" t)e !eat)er-

Questions@ Mic)el %oucault c)aracteri?es t)e "ominant contemporary regime o# po!er,

coinci"ent !it) t)e rise o# neoli.eralism, as 6en/ironmental7@ a 6go/ernmentality !)ic) !ill act

on t)e en/ironment an" systematically mo"i#y its /aria.les-7ii Its actions, )e emp)asi?es, are not

6stan"ar"i?ing7 Birth, =B1- T)e s)i#t in t)e #igure o# t)e en/ironment )as mo/e" it out reac) o#

normali?ation- It asserts its o!n normality, o# crisis@ t)e any!)ere, anytime potential #or t)e

emergence o# t)e a.normal- It )as not)ing .ut /aria.les, perpetually c)urning- &)at is mostrele/ant a.out t)em, #rom a po!er perspecti/e, is t)eir t)reatening ten"ency to "e#y t)e .ell0

cur/e- En/ironmentality as a mo"e o# po!er is le#t no c)oice .ut to ma*e "o !it) t)is a.normally

pro"ucti/e 6autonomy7 Birth, =B1- Gi/en t)e in"iscrimateness o# t)e en/ironment;s

autonomous acti/ity, en/ironmentality must systematically !or* t)roug) t)e 6regulation o#

e##ects7 rat)er t)an o# causes- It must remain operationally 6open to un*no!ns7 impercepti.lestirrings an" catc) 6trans/ersal p)enomena7 nonlinear multiplier e##ects .e#ore t)ey ampli#y t)e

stirrings to actual crisis proportions Birth, =B1- &)at systematicity is t)is>

An"@ "oes po!er;s .ecoming0en/ironmental 6mean t)at,7 politically, 6!e are "ealing !it)



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency =

natural su.9ects> Dend of manuscript 7 Birth, =B1-

&)ere %oucault;s 8uestion en"s is !)ere, to"ay, !e must .egin, in lig)t o# )o! t)e

recompostion o# po!er !)ose "a!ning )e glimpse" in 14F4 )as since playe" out- In t)e conte3t

o# %oucault;s t)eories o# po!er t)e 8uestion amounts to as*ing 6is t)is still .iopolitics>7

%oucault "e#ine" .iopo!er as an in/ersion o# so/ereign po!er, !)ose #ormula !as 6to put

to "eat) or let li/e-7 $iopo!er;s #ormula is to 6ma*e li/e or let "ie-7 iii It see*s to 6optimi?e a

state o# li#e7 .y 6ma3imi?ing an" e3tracting #orces7 Society, =B- &)at it e3tracts #orces #romare 6aleatory e/ents7 Society, =B- $iopo!er, 6or t)e po!er to guarantee li#e7 Society, =H,

6inter/enes at t)e le/el at !)ic) t)ese p)enomena are "etermine"7 Society, =B-

In t)eir pre0neoli.eral nineteent)0century .eginnings, mec)anisms o# .iopo!er construe"

t)e le/el at !)ic) aleatory e/ents are "etermine" as one o# 6generality-7 Generality !as in turn

un"erstoo" in statistical terms Society, =B, !)ic) is to say accor"ing to t)e la!s o# largenum.ers- $iopo!er;s em.race o# t)e aleatory !as 6massi#ying7 Society, =- Alt)oug)

6aleatory an" unpre"icta.le !)en ta*en in t)emsel/es,7 t)e nineteent)0century assumption !as

t)at e/ents, 6at t)e collecti/e le/el, "isplay constants t)at are easy, or at least possi.le, to

esta.lis)7 Society, =B- T)is ma"e it concei/a.le t)at 6regulatory mec)anisms7 coul"6compensate #or /ariations !it)in t)is aleatory #iel"7 o# e/ents, to 6esta.lis) an e8uili.rium7 or

6)omeostasis7 Society, =B-

T)e #iel" !it)in !)ic) t)e aleatory e/ents at issue too* place !as t)e population-i/ It !as amatter, 6in a !or", o# ta*ing control o# .iological processes o# man0as0species an" o# ensuring

t)at t)ey are not "iscipline", .ut regulari?e"-7 Society, =F &)at .iopo!er soug)t to control

!ere t)e relations .et!een 6)uman .eings, inso#ar as t)ey are a species, an" t)eir en/ironment7

Society, =H- $iopo!er;s regulatory mec)anisms, alt)oug) not t)emsel/es "isciplinary, operate"

in reciprocity !it) "isciplinary po!er- 'isciplinary mec)anisms #ollo!e" an in/erse pat), starting

#rom t)e species mass o# )umanity- T)ey too* c)arge o# t)e )uman multiplicity in or"er to

in"i/i"uali?e it, in suc) a !ay t)at t)e actions o# t)e in"i/i"ual .o"ies composing t)e population

come to con#orm to norms o# con"uct- It !as t)e pro"uction o# norme" con"uct on t)e part o#

in"i/i"ual .o"ies t)at ma"e t)e possi.ility o# esta.lis)ing 6constants7 on t)e collecti/e le/el

concei/a.le, i# not easy-

$iopo!er mec)anisms !oul" aim to ma*e it easier .y ta*ing c)arge o# t)e aleatory e/ents

t)at mig)t )in"er t)e e3trapolation #rom norme" con#ormity o# t)e in"i/i"ual to mass0le/elconstants- T)ey !oul" "o t)is .y regulating t)e li#e en/ironment, !it)in !)ic) "iscipline" .o"ies

gre!, at t)e 6general7 le/el on !)ic) t)ose e/ents !ere "etermine"- T)e statistical c)aracteristics

o# t)e e/ents in 8uestion pertaine" to t)e .iological processes o# t)e population- Toget)er,

"isciplinary po!er an" .iopo!er co/ere" t)e continuum 6t)at lies .et!een t)e organic an" t)e

.iological, .et!een .o"y an" population7 Society,=H- T)eir 9oint #iel" o# operation stretc)e"

.et!een 6t)e .o"y as one pole an" t)e population as t)e ot)er7 Society, =H-

T)e .alance !as "estine" to s)i#t- $iopo!er soug)t to 6not only manage li#e .ut to ma*e it

proli#erate7 Society, =H- %rom t)e time o# t)e p)ysiocrats, ma*ing li#e proli#erate )as meant

ma*ing t)e economy gro!- Guaranteeing t)e passage #rom in"i/i"ual con#ormity to collecti/e

constants coul" only limit t)e "ynamism o# t)e economy, !)ic) in t)e t!entiet)0century came to

.e seen to .e pre"icate" on inno/ation- 6Inno/ation, t)at is to say, t)e "isco/ery o# ne!

tec)ni8ues, sources, an" #orms o# pro"ucti/ity, an" also t)e "isco/ery o# ne! mar*ets or ne!resources o# manpo!er7 came to .e 6a.solutely consu.stantial !it) t)e #unctioning o# capitalism7

Birth, =1- To ma3imi?e inno/ation, t)e norms ten"e" .y "isciplinary po!er )a" to loosen to

a"mit a !i"er gam.it o# /ariation an" a 8uic*er turno/er o# con#ormities- T)e loosening !as

alrea"y in t)e !or*s as .iopo!er 9oine" #orces !it) "isciplinary po!er- T)eir con9oint operation

c)ange" t)e /ery nature o# t)e norm- T)e norm is no longer gi/en as 6intrinsic to any legalimperati/e7 Security, HB, or e/en moral imperati/e- It comes to .e intrinsic to t)e .iological

processes o# t)e )uman0species population an" its inno/atory e/olution, consu.stantial !it) t)e

#unctioning o# capitalism- T)us economi?e", 6normal7 is !)ate/er appears as a statistical constant



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency

on t)e collecti/e le/el- It is !)ate/er pro/es to .e consistent !it) generally li/ea.le economic

con"itions, #actoring in t)at t)e con"itions are o# continual /ariation- (omeostasis is no longer a

stasis- It .ecomes punctuate", mo/ing #rom e8uili.rium to e8uili.rium, #ollo!ing t)e mo/ement

o# t)e ne!- &)ic) ta*es t)e 6)omeo7 out o# t)e non0stasis as !ell-

&)at !e are le#t !it), as t)e glo.al "ynamic o# t)e po!er continuum .et!een "isciplinary

po!er an" .iopo!er, is t)e emergent sel#0organi?ation o# punctuate" e8uili.ria- Norms

t)emsel/es emerge, as a conse8uence- 'isciplinary po!er is no longer an imperati/e mol"ing incon#ormity !it) an a priori moral or legal mo"el- It .ecomes an a"apti/e reupta*e mec)anism #or

emergent normati/e /ariation- T)is anne3es it !)olesale to .iopo!er;s regulatory operation- T)e

ne! tenor o# "iscipline resulting #rom t)is %oucault names 6normation,7 as oppose" to

6normali?ation7 Security, HF- &)en "isciplinary po!er is anne3e" in t)is !ay to regulatory

.iopo!er, t)e mo"e o# operation o# t)e continuum o# po!er as a !)ole assumes a ne! cast-%oucault calls t)is glo.al mo"e o# operation 6go/ernmentality-7

It is at t)is point in )is logic o# interacting regimes o# po!er t)at %oucault comes aroun"

to as*ing t)e 8uestion as to !)et)er !e are still "ealing !it) natural su.9ects- Is an economi?e"

su.9ect still a natural su.9ect> In t)e Birth of Biopolitics, %oucault;s ans!er in many passages!oul" on t)e #ace o# it appear to .e no- T)e neoli.eral in"i/i"ual is not t)e so/ereign su.9ect, nor

a moral su.9ect, nor t)e su.9ect o# la!- It is a 6su.9ect o# interest,7 6)eterogeneous7 to t)ese

Birth, =F0=FB- T)e 8uestion o# regulation is no! as muc) a.out calculations o# in"i/i"ual sel#0interest as it is a.out population0.ase" .iological processes- Calculation o# interest, in a c)anging

en/ironment ri""le" !it) aleatory e/ents, is a calculation o# ris*s- T)e #orm o# rationality

in/ol/e" in t)e calculation o# ris*s is still .oun" to statistics- $ut a 6calculation7 in t)e ser/ice o#

sel#0interest is at least as a##ecti/e as it is rational- It is as muc) a.out pain, #or e3ample, as it is

a.out competition an" c)ances o# success Birth, =F10=FF- Pain, in turn, is as muc) a.out

empat)y an" antipat)y as it is a.out pro.a.ilistic reason- &)at calculation is t)is>

Is it certain t)at t)e a##ecti/e 6calculation7 !ill not "esta.ili?e rationali?e" regulation> Is it

certain t)at t)e mo"e o# operation o# po!er !ill not tip #rom a rationality to an a##ecti/ity> &)ere

is t)e 6.io7 no! in .iopolitics> Is its li#e en/ironment still go/erna.le> Or is a s)i#t ta*ing place

to anot)er glo.al mo"e o# operation o# po!er – still inno/ati/ely consu.stantial !it) !)at is no!

neoli.eral capitalism – t)at is .eyon" .ot) .iopo!er an" go/ernmentality> Is t)e po!er

continuum tipping .eyon" e/en t)e pro/isional sta.ility o# punctuate" e8uili.ria into irre/oca.ly#ar0#rom0e8uili.rium con"itions> &)at or"er is t)is> 'oes it still )a/e t)e rationality o# a system>

%oucault;s 8uestion a.out nature, as interprete" )ere, amounts to t)e 8uestion o# !)at ne!

concepts are necessary to grapple !it) t)is situation-

T)e counter08uestion #rom !)ic) t)is stu"y "eparts is@ (o! coul" t)e #igure o# a

nonstan"ar" en/ironment, c)aracteri?e" .y an e/er0presence o# in"iscriminate t)reat, ri""le" !it)

t)e any!)ere0anytime potential #or t)e proli#eration o# t)e a.normal, possesse" o# a t)reatening

autonomy, !)ic) po!er must para"o3ically respect in or"er to act on it, in a !orl" in a

permanently #ar0#rom0e8uili.rium critical con"ition – )o! coul" coul" t)is not represent a ma9or

s)i#t> To t)e 8uestion o# !)at ne! concepts are necessary $us);s +atrina speec) gi/es t)e

.eginnings o# an ans!er@ a ne! concept o# nature itsel#- T)is is t)e *in" o# ans!er t)at multiplies

t)e 8uestion-

&)at is it !it) nature !)en t)e continuum o# po!er no longer )as t)e organic in"i/i"ual .o"y an" t)e species0.eing o# t)e population as its poles, .ut rat)er, in a stormy #irst

appro3imation, !ar an" t)e !eat)er> &)at gi/es i# t)e le/el at !)ic) t)e aleatory e/ents

c)aracteri?ing t)e en/ironment come incipiently to .e "etermine" is not general .ut as singular as

t)e sel#0ampli#ying #ormation o# a once0in0a0century )urricane> &oul" en/ironmentality not

mo/e .eyon" e/en normation, an" t)e .iopolitical mec)anisms o# po!er associate" !it) it> T)esecounter08uestions re"ou.le t)e 8uestion o# su.9ect o# nature, !it) ne! urgency an" c)ange"

/alence-

T)e purpose o# t)e #ollo!ing "iscussion !ill .e to construct some o# t)e conceptual tools



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency

necessary to #ollo! t)e tur.ulent po!er /ectors t)at 6naturally7 .roug)t $us) to Ne! Orleans in

)is capacity o# comman"er0in0c)ie#, an" #ollo!ing !)ose arc t)e !orl" )as since t)reateningly

mo/e" on- In part, it is a preliminary e3ercice to approac)ing t)e issues 9ust .roac)e", o#

a##ecti/ity, rationality, an" go/ernmentality, !or*ing #rom %oucault a#ter %oucault, as !ell as

#rom $us) a#ter $us), t)roug) neoli.eralism in connection !it) neoconser/atism, an" #inally,

"ispiritingly, !it)in an all0encompassing )ori?on o# !ar-

&AR CLIMATE

In )is a""ress, $us) rein#orce" t)e !ar0!eat)er continuum !)ile at t)e same time strategically

.rea*ing its symmetry- 6In a time o# terror t)reats an" !eapons o# mass "estruction, t)e "anger to our

citi?ens reac)es muc) !i"er t)an a #loo" plain-7 T)e generic mo"el o# t)e in"iscriminate t)reat remains,

most .roa"ly, t)e enemy in !ar- Most .roa"ly )ere means most intensely@ more insistently incipient, moree/ery!)ere, potentially- &eat)er con"itions are unli*ely .e ma9or #ormati/e #actors in an IE' inci"ent,

.ut a large0scale !eat)er0relate" "isruption may !ell .e enemy0agitate"- 'roug)t0in"uce" #ires in Greece

in t)e summer o# =JJF attracte" in/estigation .y counterterrorism agencies- &)y> $ecause no one coul"

say #or sure t)at arson !as not in/ol/e"- Gi/en t)at uncertainty, 6!e can say t)at t)is truly constitutes anasymmetric t)reat,KK sai" t)e Minister o# Pu.lic Or"er, 6!it)out ela.orating-7/ :ncertainty truly "etermines

a t)reat, prior to any ela.oration, to .e a potential national security concern-/i In a crisis0prone

en/ironment, t)reat is en"emic, uncertainty is e/ery!)ere a negati/e can ne/er .e pro/en- Positi/emilitary response must t)en .e e/er on t)e rea"y- T)e on0all0t)e0time, e/ery!)ere0on0t)e0rea"y o#

military response operati/ely anne3es t)e ci/ilian sp)ere to t)e con"uct o# !ar- Ci/ilian li#e #alls onto a

continuum !it) !ar, permanently potentially pre0militari?e", a pole on t)e spectrum- Any "omain

)ar.oring t)reats !it) a potential to "isrupt t)e r)yt)ms o# ci/ilian li#e are similarly anne3e", climate

inclu"e"-

T)e $us) a"ministration #ormali?e" t)is operati/e anne3ation o# t)e ci/ilian sp)ere, in its c)aotic

inter"epen"ence !it) ot)er sel#0organi?ing systemic en/ironments suc) as t)e !eat)er, !it) t!o

reciprocal mo/es@ on t)e one )an" militari?ing t)e National Guar", tra"itionally "e#ine" as a national

police #orce #or ser/ice in "omestic crises, .y e3ten"ing its ser/ice o/erseas to Ira8 an" on t)e ot)er )an"

o/erturning t)e longstan"ing .an on t)e "eployment o# :S military #orces on "omestic soil, e3ten"ing its

reac) in t)e in/erse "irection, to!ar" acti/e "uty among its o!n ci/ilians- T)is mutual in/erse e3tension

o# operations .eto*ene" t)e construction o# a ci/ilian0military continuum co/ering t)e #ull spectrum o#in"iscriminate t)reat- T)e operational continuum !as lace" !it) potential openings #or outrig)t military

inter/ention at any point- T)e openings came in t)e #orm o# ar.itrarily in/o*a.le 6e3ceptions7 to suc)

ci/il guarantees as )a.eas corpus an" t)e rig)t to pri/acy-

T)e aim !as to ma*e !ar response as u.i8uitously irrupti.le as t)e in"iscriminate t)reats it see*s

to counter- T)e ci/il sp)ere !oul" no longer stan" outsi"e t)e military sp)ere, "e#ine" as its opposite- It

!oul" .ecome integrally paramilitary, in operati/e continuity !it) !ar po!ers, on a continuum !it)

t)em, su##use" !it) .attle potential, e/en in peace-

T)e continuum, as it e3presses itsel# on t)e ampli#ie" le/el o# go/ernment a"ministration, runs

.et!een t!o institutional poles- At one pole stan" t)e many "epartments an" compartments o# t)e :S

National 'e#ense esta.lis)ment, an" at t)e ot)er t)at en"uring monument o# t)e $us) a"ministration, t)e

tentacular 'epartment o# (omelan" Security-

NAT:RAL SEC:RITT)at t)e O.ama a"ministration !oul" pro/e reluctant or una.le to #un"amentally re/erse t)is #ull0

spectrum recomposition o# po!er, e/en !)ile "istancing itsel# #rom many aspects o# $us) a"ministration

policy, !as unintentionally #ores)a"o!e" .e#ore O.ama actually too* o##ice- T)e press announcement o#

O.ama;s national security team containe" a telling typo- 6In t)is uncertain !orl",7 t)e statement rea", t)e

continue" prosecution o# t)e 6!ar on terrorism7 re8uires a 6s*ill#ul integration7 o# American po!er in allits #orms rea"@ on t)e #ull spectrum, ena.ling imme"iate response to any potential 6catastrop)e .e it

manma"e or natural,7 as !ell as to 6uncon/entional7 rea"@ in"iscriminate5in"iscrimina.le t)reats o# any

stripe- T)e pu.lic !as assure" t)at t)e #uture presi"ent )a" assem.le" t)e .est possi.le team o# 6natural



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency H

security7 o##icers-/ii

It is more t)an a slip o# t)e *ey.oar" to naturali?e t)e continuum anne3ing t)e ci/ilian sp)ere to

t)e military- T)e 6naturali?ation7 at issue s)oul" not .e un"erstoo" in t)e social constructi/ist sense, in

!)ic) t)e cultural comes to .e ta*en #or natural- T)e #ormula o# t)e cultural 6ta*en #or7 natural lea/es t)e

opposition .et!een t)e t!o intact, attri.uting any .lurring o# t)e .oun"aries to mysti#ication- :n"er

in"iscriminate t)reat, t)e opposition is no longer generally tena.le an" cannot .e ta*en as a starting point-

A .ase re"e#inition o# nature is re8uire" outsi"e any categorical opposition to t)e cultural, social, orarti#icial- T)e o/erall en/ironment o# li#e no! appears as a comple3, systemic t)reat en/ironment,

compose" o# su.systems t)at are not only comple3 in t)eir o!n rig)t .ut are comple3ly interconnecte"-

T)ey are all suscepti.le to sel#0ampli#ying irrupti/e "isruption- Gi/en t)e interconnections, a "isruption in

one su.system may propagate into ot)ers, an" e/en casca"e across t)em all, reac)ing )ig)er an" !i"er

le/els o# ampli#ication, up to an" inclu"ing t)e planetary scale- T)e comple3ity o# t)e inter"epen"ency .et!een t)e c)anging climate system, #oo" supply system, energy supply system, social systems, national

go/ernments, t)eir respecti/e legal systems, an" military0security apparatuses, is an increasingly

preoccupying case in point-

Eac) su.system )ar.ors en"emic t)reats speci#ic to its operati/e "omain- Eac) is also )aunte" .yt)e e3ogenous t)reats represente" .y #lo!0o/er e##ects #rom neig).oring su.systems- In spite o# t)is

"i/ersity an" /aria.ility, t)e relation o# eac) su.sytem to t)reat is isomorp)ic- T)is means t)at t)reat

operates analogously regar"less o# t)e empirical c)aracteristics o# "omain, t)e speci#icity o# its elements,an" t)eir particular #unctional structuring in t)e !or*ings o# a gi/en system-/iii T)is is as muc) a

9ournalistic o.ser/ation as a p)ilosop)ical assertion- Let Newsweek spea*- 6'isease an" Terror,7 screams

t)e )ea"line@

T)e similarities .et!een t)e s!ine #lu an" .iological terrorism are not coinci"ental- In

recent years t)e !orl" )as c)ange" in !ays t)at )a/e ma"e t)e t)reats o# natural an"

man0ma"e epi"emics more an" more ali*e- As !e "eal !it) increasing prospects o# a

.ioterrorist attac*, !e are also struggling !it) t)e c)allenge o# emerging "iseases- T)e

!ay t)ese t)reats un#ol" – an" t)e responses t)ey call #or – are .ecoming e/er more

similar- T)e central "ri/er is t)e increasingly interconnecte" !orl" !e li/e in-

'iseases no! !it)out !arning, s)o! up in #ar0#lung to!ns an" cities- It;s

"i##icult to o/erstate t)e t)reat Do# .ioterrorist attac* It is /irtually impossi.le to stop

or inter"ict organisms !oul" #loat as an in/isi.le, o"orless clou", "ri/en .y .ree?es-i3

T)reat is as u.i8uitous as t)e !in", an" its source as impercepti.le- It 9ust s)o!s up- It .rea*s out- It

irrupts !it)out !arning, coming #rom any "irection #ollo!ing any pat) t)roug) t)e increasingly comple3

an" interconnecte" !orl"- T)e longer it )as .een t)at a t)reat )as not materiali?e", t)e greater t)e

prospects must .e t)at it !ill@ it is "i##icult to o/erstate an in"iscriminate t)reat- It is impossi.le to stop-

A.sence ma*es t)e t)reat loom larger- Its #orm is a priori neit)er )uman nor natural- Its #orm is in t)e

looming@ as0yet un"etermine" potential to 9ust su""enly s)o! up an" sprea"- T)reat is sel#0organi?ing,

sel#0ampli#ying, in"iscriminate an" in"iscrimina.le, tirelessly agitating as a .ac*groun" con"ition,

potentially rea"y to irrupt- T)e potential o# t)reat is alrea"y, in t)e !aiting, an incipient systemic

"isruption- T)e !orl" "i" not !ait #or s!ine #lu pan"emic le/el #i/e to "isrupt "aily routines, tra/el, an"

tra"e-

T)e etiology al!ays synergistic- In t)e !e. o# )ig)ly inter"epen"ent su.systems, t)e moment a

t)reat )as ampli#ie" to noticea.le proportions it is alrea"y #i3ing to propagate across t)e !e. o#interconnections, its e##ects alrea"y prospecti/ely #elt- Comple3 nonlinear causation is t)e rule, .et!een

moments o# t)e e/ent t)e out.rea* alrea"y .ringing a #oretaste o# t)e "isruption o# t)e anticipate"

outcome as .et!een systems- T)e con"itions o# emergence o# s!ine #lu resi"e as muc) in t)e stress o#

in"ustrial por* #arming, t)e intensi/e )uman0pig commerce it necessitates, an" t)e glo.ali?e" capital

mar*et it #ee"s, as in t)e 6natural7 process o# /iral mutation- T)e 6cause7 o# t)e pan"emic is an ultimatelyuntracea.le nonlinear micro0#lo! t)at sel#0ampli#ie" an" sprea" across t)e planet- T)e #ate#ul interspecies

connection .et!een )uman an" s!ine !it) an a/ian contri.ution some!)ere it t)e mi3 occurre" in a

?one o# in"istinction .et!een species, an" .et!een systems genetics, animal )us.an"ry, economics, an"



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency B

t)e )uman practices associate" !it) all t)ree- Glo.al !arming is anot)er prominent e3ample- It is

intensi#ie" .y nonlinear #ee".ac* .et!een a comple3 com.ination o# #actors- (ar"ly a "ay goes .y

!it)out anot)er 6multiplier e##ect7 .eing "isco/ere"- E/en i# contri.uting #actors, ta*en separately, may

.e ascri.a.le as eit)er natural or manma"e #rom t)e point o# /ie! o# t)e classi#ication sc)eme o# a gi/en

system, in t)e synergistic process o# t)eir pro"ucing an e##ect t)ey are integrally .ot) an" neit)er-3 I#

in"iscriminate t)reat coul" .e categori?e" as natural as oppose" to cultural or arti#icial it !oul" not .e

in"iscriminate-3i

SING:LAR0GENERIC

In"iscriminate t)reat is generic t)reat, in a sense o# 6generic7 t)at )as not)ing to "o !it)

6general-7 So #ar is in"iscriminate t)reat #rom a generality t)at it "eser/es a name accentuating its

"i##erence@ singular0generic-

T)e singular0generic o# t)reat is t)e unsta.le )ol"ing0toget)er o# "i/ergent possi.le ascriptions asto t)e #orm an" i"entity o# t)e t)reat in an inclusi/e "is9unction- An inclusi/e "is9unction is t)e eit)er5or o#

a num.er o# possi.le terms .elonging to "i##erent genera co0presenting t)emsel/es in suc) "irect

pro3imity as to stro.oscope into !)at is e##ecti/ely a .ot)5an"- T)e instantaneity o# generic "i##erences

coming toget)er is a singular e/ent- More precisely, it is t)e 9ust0.eginning o# an e/ent, an e/ent fulness su""enly ma*ing itsel# #elt- &)at is #elt is more t)an t)e possibility o# alternate ascriptions- It is also t)e

potential #or t)e coming0to0pass o# e/entualities ans!ering to t)ose ascriptions-

T)is incipience o# an e/ent as yet to .e "etermine", o/er#ull !it) really #elt potential, carries anuntena.le tension- It stri*es li*e a #orce- Its intensely pro.lematic holding-together, of what cannotactually come together , is un.eara.le- T)e tension is unli/ea.le- It must resol/e itsel#- It is a li#e pro.lem

t)at must play out- T)e .ot)5an" must s)a*e "o!n into one or t)e ot)er- %oreign in#iltrator or

6)omegro!n7 terrorist> Arson or climate c)ange> %lu or .ioterrorism> Acci"ent or attac*> I# at t)e

moment o# impact an assumption is ma"e as to one or t)e ot)er, any #ort)coming response may !ell pro/e

to )a/e .een misplace" .y t)e e/ent;s su.se8uent un#ol"ing- On t)e ot)er )an", i# at some point in t)at

un#ol"ing a "etermination is not ma"e, systematic response !ill #ail to "e/elop-

T)e singular0generic is a compelling c)arge o# #elt potential stri*ing !it) t)e #ull #orce o# an

in"eterminacy t)at is not a simple lac* o# "etermination, .ut a determination to be determined o# a coming

e/ent, !elling into #ormation-

T)e pro.lem #or systems triggering into operation to #iel" t)e e/ent is t)at t)e c)arge o#

in"eterminacy t)at is t)e .irt)mar* o# t)e e/ent carries across systemic "eterminations o# it, emerging outo# t)e #ar si"e o# t)e concerne" systems; #iel"ing, in t)e #orm o# synergetic e##ects- T)e .ot)5an" returns-

Arson encourage" an" augmente" .y climate c)ange@ .ot)5an"- A copycat terrorist transposing t)e #oreign

onto t)e )ome #ront@ .ot)5an"- Glo.al !arming intensi#ie" .y #ee".ac* e##ects .et!een )uman in"ustrial

acti/ity an" climate "ynamics@ .ot)5an"- In e/ery case, t)ere is t)e irrupti/e e/ent o# a t)reat 9ust s)o!ing

up, or noticea.ly crossing a t)res)ol" to anot)er- Eac) onset an" transition )its !it) t)e #orce o# an attac*,

an" carries across into #lo!0o/er e##ects in"istinguis)a.le #rom one 6t)e !ay t)ese t)reats un#ol" an" t)e

responses t)ey call #or are .ecoming e/er more similar7- &)at .egins !it) an in"eterminacy "etermine"

to .e "etermine" en"s .y o/erspilling any system0speci#ic "e#initions it may )a/e .een ascri.e" in calle"0

#or rapi" response- &)at is .orn in in"iscriminate potential, returns to it- T)e li#e cycle o# a t)reat0e/ent is

a nonlinear looping- Its 6cause,7 comple3 an" nonlocal- Any ascription earne" is pragmatic an"

pro/isional, relati/e to a particular systemic ta*e on t)e e/ent-

T)e acci"ent is not one e3ample among ot)ers- In to"ay;s en/ironment, gi/en t)e in"eterminacyat impact, e/ery e/ent stri*es !it) t)e sel#0o/er#lo!ing attac*0#orce o# t)e acci"ent- T)e acci"ent is t)e

general mo"el o# t)e singular0generic o# t)reat- Or rat)er, since t)e singular0generic is .y nature

unamena.le to any generality, it is t)e matri3-

T(E :NIERSAL ACCI'ENT

T)e singular0generic o# in"iscriminate t)reat must .e as care#ully "istinguis)e" #rom t)e notion o#a priori as it is #rom t)e general- %ar #rom an a priori #orm o# possi.le e3perience, it is t)e #orce o# t)e

#ormally un.eara.le, e/ent#ully #elt, to #ormati/e e##ect- It is less an ontological #oun"ation t)an t)e

matri3ial stri*e o# an ontogenetic e/ent- Alt)oug) not an a priori, t)e singular0generic is uni/ersal- It is



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency F

immanent to all o# t)e contri.utory operations o# t)e system o# systems t)at is t)e o/erall en/ironment, at

e/ery point o# its comple3ly "i##erentiate" space o# operations, an" at e/ery moment o# t)eir multiple

interlooping run0times- It is on0all0t)e0time, e/ery!)ere0at0t)e0rea"y- Anot)er name #or its 6pro.lematic

)ol"ing0toget)er o# !)at cannot actually come toget)er7 is t)e acci"ent- T)e singular0generic o#

in"iscriminate t)reat is t)e uni/ersal acci"ent o# t)e en/ironment o# li#e-

At t)e root o# !)at !e *no! an" !)at !e are lies neit)er trut) nor .eing, .ut t)e

e3teriority o# t)e acci"ent-3ii

T)e uni/ersal #orce#ulness o# t)e acci"ent is suc) t)at t)e tiniest local ingression o# its

in"eterminacy actuali?es t)e conditions o# system0!i"e crisis- &)et)er t)e e/ent o# t)at con"itioning

ampli#ies into an actual crisis "epen"s on a panoply o# co0#actors- T)e potential "isruption t)at alrea"y

ma*es itsel# #elt !it) t)e stri*e o# t)e acci"ent may .e a.sor.e" into t)e system as a pertur.ation

pro/o*ing a minor, rea"apti/e iteration o# a su.set o# system operations- In t)at case, t)e incipient"isruption "issipates into a minor reor"ering t)at actually #ee"s t)e system;s positi/e e/olution- On t)e

ot)er )an", t)e #orce o# t)e acci"ent may elu"e e/olutionary capture an" gro! into a #ull0#le"ge" systemic

or e/en pansystemic "isruption- It all "epen"s on t)e co0#actors !it) !)ic) it enters into comple3

resonation, !it)in an" .et!een systems, as it #ee"s up in scale- It may ampli#y to crisis proportions, #all .ac* into t)e immanence o# t)e #lapping agitation #rom !)ic) it .ree?ily rose, or "issipate into a locali?e"

stir- It "epen"s on intra0systemic response a.ilities an" intersystem synergies- &)ate/er t)e case, it is

al!ays a case o# comple3 co0con"itioning-ANTI0ACCI'ENT

%ull0spectrum paramilitary po!er enters t)e co0con"itioning #ray !it) t)e mission to act as a

synergy "ampener@ to stanc) pertur.atory ampli#ication an" its intersystem propagation- It continually

toggles #rom one pole o# its ci/il0military operational continuum to!ar" t)e ot)er, settling pre#erentially

on a setting in .et!een- It mo/es in loc*0step !it) incursions o# t)reat0potential, a"opting #orms as

generically0singularly c)arge", an" as protei#orm in t)eir e/entual "eterminations, as t)ose o# t)reat itsel#-

It aspires to t)e singular0generic- It aspires to superc)arge itsel# !it) a #orce o# in"eterminacy "etermine"

to .e e/ent#ully "etermine", as a counter to t)e acci"ent- Its /ocation is to .e t)e anti0acci"ent-

T)e most /isi.le #orm #ull0spectrum po!er ta*es in pursuit o# its anti0acci"ental /ocation is in t)e

role o# 6#irst respon"er-7 T)is is po!er going out to meet t)e acci"ent in rapi" response, at t)e #irst #lus)

o# an e/ent#ulness setting in- In t)is role, it ta*es many #orms- T)e #a.le" #irst respon"er is t)e most

/isi.le #igure o# t)e )ero in t)e 6!aging o# peace7 against in"iscriminate t)reat-T(E NAT:RE O% T(REAT

Gi/en t)e incipiently pansystemic reac) o# t)e slig)test stri*e o# t)reat0potential, it is clearly

ar.itrary to classi#y t)e in"iscriminate t)reat as eit)er natural or cultural in any #inal or sta.le !ay- It is as

unsatis#ying, )o!e/er, to say t)at it is a cultural p)enomenon ta*en #or natural as it is to say t)at it is a

)y.ri" .et!een t)e t!o- T)e singular0generic is logically an" ontologically prior to suc) categories

!)ose pre"e#inition t)e notion o# )y.ri"ity supposes- An alternate strategy is to integrally re"e#ine

6nature7 in suc) a !ay as to inclu"e in its potential t)e incipience o# !)at comes to "istinguis) itsel# #rom

it as 6cultural-7

'e#ine nature as@ t)e uni/ersal ten"ency #or arising e/ents to stri*e !it) a #orce o# in"eterminacy

t)at is so "etermine"0to0.e0"etermine" as to "ri/e systemic e/olution or .rea*"o!n- Nature is t)en a

name #or t)e immanent reality o# t)e acci"ent, as #ormati/e #orce- It is t)e most singular0generic ascription

to !)ic) t)is #orce is suscepti.le .ar Go"-3iii

'e#ine" in t)is !ay, t)e O.ama team;s acci"entalassimilation o# 6national security7 to 6natural security7 ma*es per#ect sense-

A conse8uence o# t)is "e#inition is t)at t)e more comple3ly "i##erentiate" an" uncertain an

en/ironment, t)e more naturally c)arge" it is- Nature;s singular0genericness nee" in no !ay .e re"uce" to

t)reat- $ut in t)is epoc) o# t)e uni/erse to tal* li*e &)ite)ea", #rom t)e li/e" perspecti/e o# eart);s pea*

mammal, in"isriminate t)reat )as .ecome t)e .ell!et)er o# nature- NAT:RES NAT:RE' AN' NAT:RING

It is important to note t)at t)is "e#inition o# nature "oes not ma*e any #orce applie" to counter t)e

incipience t)at is t)e acci"ent 6cultural-7 Li*e t)e acci"ent it counters, t)e anti0acci"ent operates in a ?one



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency <

o# in"istinction logically an" ontologically prior to t)e applica.ility o# general0le/el classi#ications- :n"er

pressure #rom #ormati/e #orces, classi#ia.le terms reemerge, !it) a "i##erence- All are conse8uent

"istinctions, un"er /ariation-

To return to t)e e3ample o# glo.al !arming, !)at nature is #or meteorology is palpa.ly "i##erent

since climate c)ange )as )it- T)e comple3ity o# t)e inter"epen"encies t)at naturally mani#est t)emsel/es

)as /astly increase"- Multiplier e##ects pop up e/ery!)ere- Mutual con"itioning is t)e or"er o# t)e "ay-

Potential ampli#ications lur* in t)e slig)test contri.utory #actor an", per)aps e/en more !orryingly, inapplie" counter0#orces !itness .io#uels, !)ic) 8uic*ly a.out0#ace" #rom a cele.rate" glo.al !arming

6solution7 to a contri.utory #actor, !)ile simultaneously system0)opping into a ma9or pertur.ation o# t)e

!orl" #oo" supply- Nature !eat)ers #ar greater uncertainty, more !i"ely #iel"e"- T)e c)arge o#

in"eterminacy carrie" in its eac) emergent e/ent is intensi#ie"- (urricanes !a3 6a.normal-7 &)at culture

is in relation to its c)ange" meteorological nature un"ergoes a correlati/e s)i#t- T)e #orce an" meaning o#its past acti/ity c)anges in .ac*pro9ecte" sync)rony !it) t)e uncertainty o# its #uture prospects-

&)at nature is #or metereology is a conse8uent nature@ nature as it appears #or a particular system,

conse8uent to t)at system;s pragmatic ta*e on its emergences- Nature comes in plurals- T)ere are as many

conse8uent natures as t)ere are systems capa.le o# !resting a ser/icea.le nature0culture "ic)otomy #romt)e ?one o# reemergent "istinction t)at is nature in t)e uni/ersal singular0generic sense- Nature in t)e

singular0generic is a superc)arge" proto0territory o# "istinctions rearising, o# stri*ing singular0generic

in"eterminacies coming to .e particularly "etermine"- $orro!ing a Spino?ist term, t)e superc)arge" proto0territory o# emergence may .e terme" a naturing nature- It is a proto0territory in t)e sense t)at t)e

reiterati/e playing out o# its #ormati/e #orcing creates con"itions #or a plurality o# e3tensi/e "istinctions

an" t)eir iterati/e regeneration- T)e reiteration is "ue to particular systems #iel"ing successi/e

emergences, t)at is emergencies, !or*ing t)em out an" !or*ing t)em t)roug), eac) in its o!n manner-

$y e3tensi/e "istinctions is meant a contrast .et!een terms suc) t)at t)ey can .e e##ecti/ely

oppose" to one anot)er, as mutually e3ternal- T)is ren"ers t)em 9u3taposa.le, an" in turn spatiali?a.le or

territoriali?a.le- Eac) system internali?es t)e incursi/e #orce o# naturing nature in t)e #orm o# iterati/e

/ariations on its o!n pattern o# operations- T)e operati/e "istinctions t)e system must ma*e, to continue

to ma*e itsel# !or*, /ary accor"ingly- T)is #orce" rea"apti/e coupling, t)is #ol"ing toget)er o# a

patterning o# operations an" an e##icient system o# e3tensi/e "istinctions in co0"epen"ent /ariation,

constitutes a territory@ a "e"icate", internally "i##erentiate", systemic en/ironment- (o! 6nature7 #igures

#or a territory, as oppose" to 6culture,7 is system0speci#ic- System0speci#ic nature is nature" nature@naturing nature coming to culti/ation #ormati/e #orce #ee"ing in, !or*ing t)roug), an" .eing !or*e"

o/er-

Alt)oug) conse8uent an" culti/ate", nature" nature is real an" e##ecti/e- It really, e##ecti/ely

#igures #or t)e system as gi/en- T)e system;s operations e##ecti/ely assume it as a ra! material, in passi/e

opposition to !)at t)e system ta*es .y contrast to .e its o!n /alue0a""ing acti/ity- T)e system0speci#ic

isolation o# /alue0a""ing acti/ity #rom passi/e nature "e#ines !)at 6culture7 is #or t)at en/ironment-3i/

A nature" nature is e8ually pro"uce" an" presuppose"- It )as t)e o"" status o# t)e pro"uce"

presupposition, or culti/ate" gi/enness- T)is is t)e status %oucault attri.utes to t)e 6o.9ect7 o# po!er- T)e

emp)asis on nature" natures; operati/e reality an" e##ecti/e gi/enness "istinguis)es t)is concept #rom

social constructi/ism;s notion o# naturali?ation- A nature" nature is not 6merely7 constructe"- It is .ot)

emergent an" constructe", as presuppose" as it is pro"uce", gi/en #or t)e ma*ing an" ma"e a gi/en- Its

construction is a reemergent e3pression o# naturing nature;s "etermination to .e "etermine"- Naturingnature is so "etermine" to .e "etermine" t)at it len"s itsel# to conse8uent "e#inition e/en at t)e price o#

.i#urcating once again into an opposition .et!een passi/e nature an" acti/e culture-

Suc) an opposition, )o!e/er, )ol"s s!ay only pro/isionally, an" only on a "eri/e" le/el- It arises

!)en a system;s operations turn .ac* o/er on t)emsel/es, in or"er generally to re#erence t)e

particularities o# its o!n process, in operati/e sel#0re#lection- T)e appearance o# a passi/e0nature5acti/e0culture opposition is al!ays a re#le3i/e sign o# a particular system;s general sel#0re#erencing- It mar*s@ a

translation o# t)e matri3 o# t)e singular0generic into a particular0general sc)ema a trans"uction o# t)e

inclusi/e0"is9uncti/e intensity o# an in"eterminate, yet "etermina.le, #orce o# irruption, into a ser/icea.le




e3tensi/e "istinction an" a transposition o# proto0territory into a territory- Passi/e0nature is naturing0

nature nature", so as to stan", in a system;s sel#0a"apting, #or its e/olutionary outsi"e- It is t)e systematic

#orm in !)ic) t)e outsi"e o# t)e acci"ent is unre#usa.ly #oun", an" re#le3i/ely *ept, #or systemic

/ariation, in reiteration-

%ORCE O% TIME

T)e proto06territory7 o# naturing nature is, in its o!n acti/ity, more insistently temporal t)an

"istinctly spatial- Its e/ery!)ereness #orecuts any possi.ility o# it )a/ing a speci#ia.le territory o# its o!n-It occupies an intensi/e 6?one7 o# spatial in"istinction- (a/ing no territory o# its o!n, naturing nature can

only 6gi/e7 o# itsel#, to /arious territories; systemic sel#0organi?ing- &)at it gi/es is a c)arge o#

in"eterminacy to0.e0"etermine", !)ic) stri*es !it) "ri/ing #orce- Its u.i8uitous 6?one7 o# in"istinction is

t)e uni/ersal 6.e#ore7 o# a coming to emerge- Its proto0territory is t)e #orce o# time, 9ust ma*ing itsel#

#ormati/ely #elt- T)e #orce is only "eterminately #elt in t)e conse8uent #orm o# its e##ects- T)e nati/e tenseo# t)e #orce o# time is a uni/ersal !ill0)a/e0.een@ a !ill0)a/e0.een #elt, #or t)e #orming #ollo!e" .y a

!ill0)a/e0.een #orme" #or synergi?e" on0#lo! an" o/er0spill, ten"ing to!ar" a limit o# pancatastrop)e-3/

ONTOPO&ER

&)en t)reat .ecomes u.i8uitously generic, an" t)e generic ma*es itsel# singularly #elt, !it)e##ecti/ely in"eterminate #ormati/e #orce, to!ar" an irrupti/e impulsion t)at is immanently con"itioning,

"ri/ing potentially pansystemic "isruption an" reor"ering, it .ecomes t)e .ell!et)er o# naturing nature #or

t)e comple3, crisis0incu.ating en/ironment o# li#e- Preempti/e po!er "irectly #ollo!s-An anti0acci"ental e3ercise o# po!er, at !)ate/er setting on its operational continuum, can only

counter t)e e/ent0"ri/ing #orce o# t)e acci"ent i# it catc)es it in t)e .e#ore o# incipience- To "o t)is, it

must mo/e into t)at proto0territory- It must mo/e as t)e acci"ent mo/es, to !)ere it may irrupt, catc)ing it

6.e#ore it actually emerges7 as t)e $us) "octrine o# preemption instructs- It must come as 6naturally7 as

t)e enemy- It must gi/e o# itsel# 9ust as insistently- It must mimic t)e acci"ent, in operati/e anticipation o#

t)e actual playing out o# its potential e##ects- It must preempt-

'ampening acci"ent0ampli#ication is not enoug)- An alternate gro!t) pattern must .e plante" on

t)e proto0territory- %ull0spectrum po!er preempts t)reat .y counter0pro"ucing its o!n systemic e##ects in

its stea", in a supplanting o# incipience- Its .usiness is to in"uce potentially systemic countere##ects

t)roug) an alter0emergent incursion o# c)ange0con"itioning #orce o# nature- Preempti/e po!er is t)e

cuc*oo in t)e nest o# naturing nature-3/i

Preempti/e po!er is en/ironmental po!er- It alters t)e li#e en/ironment;s con"itions o#emergence- It is not, )o!e/er, a 6.iopo!er7 strictly spea*ing- $iopo!er;s 6#iel" o# application7 accor"ing

to %oucault is a territory, graspe" #rom t)e angle o# its actually pro/i"ing li/ea.le con"itions #or an

e3isting .iological .eing- Preempti/e po!er operates on a proto0territory tense" !it) a compelling e3cess

o# potential !)ic) ren"ers it strictly unliveable- It turns on an incursi/e surc)arge #rom !)ic) li#e;s

iterations are o.lige" to !renc) t)eir reemergent #ormation- It targets an unli/ea.ility impelling a potential

more o# li#e to come- As a po!er, it "oes not correlate to t)e normati/e species0.eing o# a population- It

correlates to its singular reemergence- In )is post0+atrina speec) $us) in"icate" as muc)- (e "i" not say,

as mig)t )a/e .een e3pecte", t)at )is emergency measures !ere aime" at .ringing li#e .ac* to normal - (e

sai" t)at t)ey !ere aime" at 6.ringing li#e back -7An en/ironmental po!er t)at returns to li#e;s unli/ea.le con"itions o# emergence in or"er to .ring

it .ac*, re"irecting its incipience to alter0emergent e##ect, is an ontopower - Ontopo!ers re9oin naturing

nature;s #orce o# emergence, to ri"e it out, an" e/en )i9ac* it- %ull0spectrum preempti/e po!er is a mo"eo# ontopo!er t)at )i9ac*s naturing nature;s #orce o# emergence .y counter0mimic*ing t)e acci"ent-

In more #amiliar political /oca.ulary, a term t)at can .e use" #or #ull0spectrum preempti/e po!er

is neoconser/atism- T)is is itsel# a supplanting- %or !)at is meant .y neoconser/atism use" in t)is sense

is not an )istoricially speci#ic group o# in"i/i"uals a"/ancing a particular political pro9ect- In t)is conte3t,

it re#ers to more t)an 'ic* C)eney an" 'onal" Rums#el" an" t)eir allies, !or*ing #rom t)e %or"a"ministration t)roug) Reagan an" t)e Pro9ect #or a Ne! American Century an" #inally into t)e George

&- $us) a"ministration to realign :S #oreign policy on #ull0spectrum preempti/e po!er- It re#ers to t)e

ten"ency t)eir actions e3presse"- It re#ers to t)e momentum impelling t)e ten"ency .eyon" t)is particular



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1J

cast o# its carriers; e3it #rom t)e scene- :n"erstoo" in t)is !ay, neoconser/atism is a process carrying t)e

#orce o# naturing nature t)roug) )istory in a certain mo"e "e#ine" .y t)e "ynamic o# t)e anti0acci"ent-

Eac) particular e3pression o# t)is ten"ency in an e3plicit political pro9ect !ill suggest, in conse8uence o#

its playing out, e3tensi/e nature0culture "istinctions #or territoriali?ation- T)e ten"ency itsel#, )o!e/er, is

a po!er#ul re9oining o# nature on its o!n naturing proto0territory- Neoconser/atism, un"erstoo" in t)is

!ay, is an intensi#ication o# t)e nature o# po!er-

PROCESSA 6process,7 in t)e terminology suggeste" )ere, is "i##erent #rom a system- It ta*es as its #iel" o#

application 6!)ere it implants itsel# an" pro"uces its real e##ects73/ii not t)e groun" o# a territory .ut t)e

acci"ental groun"lessness o# t)e proto0territory- It "oes not settle into guar"e" an" repro"uce" e3tensi/e

"istinctions- It starts in t)e stri*ing simplicity o# t)e inclusi/e0"is9uncti/e, passing e/ent#ully t)roug)

system "e#inition, only to o/erspill any an" all ac8uire" "eterminations ascri.e" it, to in t)e en"comple3ly re9oin its inclusi/e0"is9uncti/e con"itions o# emergence, !it) an a""e" "i##erence conse8uent

to actually )a/ing come to pass- Process re#ers to t)is li#e cycle o# potential, #rom its incursion, or !)at

&)ite)ea" calls its 6ingression,7 to its 6satis#action7 in an actually e##ecte" trans#ormation- T)e co)erence

o# a process is t)at o# ten"ency, #ee"ing .ac* on itsel# in suc) a !ays as to generate al!ays anot)er"i##erence- A process is #luctual- It is essentially unsta.le-

A system, on t)e ot)er )an", is an emergent, pro/isional sta.ility arising at t)e cross0roa"s o#

processual ten"encies !)ose #ormati/e #orce is sip)ons into a sel#0organi?ing- A system #ee"s .ac* onitsel# in or"er to settle t)ings #or itsel#@ in or"er to settle a territory- Its mo"e o# co)erence sel#0

repro"ucti/e- Its operations #ee" .ac* on t)emsel/es- A system is e##ecti/ely sel#0re#erencing .y /irtue o#

its operations turning .ac* o/er on t)emsel/es- Certain o# its operations may ta*e ot)er operations t)eir

o.9ects- T)ere may emerge #rom t)is a secon"0or"er sel#0organi?ation, operating in a pilot capacity on a

"eri/e" le/el o# operati/e sel#0re#lection-

$ot) process an" system are reiterati/e- Processual reiterations, )o!e/er, are "i##erence0

re#erence"- T)ey are alter0re#erence"- T)e ten"ency is "irecte" to!ar" an e##ecti/ely a""e" /ariation- A

system;s reiterations, .y contrast, are sel#0re#erence"- T)e ten"ency is to!ar" regaining or preser/ing a

pro/isional sta.ility- ariation is again t)e rule, .ut it arises as .y0pro"uct o# sel#0preser/ation- It is

a"apti/e- T)e a"apta.ility o# t)e system "epen"s on t)e e/olution o# a secon"0or"er sel#0re#erencing

!)ic), once it arises, is operationally insepara.le #rom #irst0or"er operations, or t)ose consi"ering

t)emsel/es to act upon an o.9ect-A system is not t)e opposite o# a process- System is a mo"e o# e3pression o# process- It is a sel#0

sta.ili?ing e3pression o# ingressi/e potential;s "etermination to .e "etermine"- A system em.o"ies a

processual ten"ency to!ar" sel#0preser/ation a"apti/e sel#0repro"uction- $ot) process an" system

in/ol/e positi/e #ee".ac*- T)us neit)er a process nor a system can .e accounte" #or !it)out accounting

#or t)e nonlinearity o# its causality-

I# a system is territoriali?ing, a process is "eterritoriali?ing – starting #rom an" returning to t)e

e3teriority o# t)e uni/ersal acci"ent-

T)ere are many systems, as many as t)ere are nature" natures- T)ere is, )o!e/er, .ut one process-

T)at one process, !)ic) is naturing nature, )ol"s t)e multiplicity o# reemergent ten"encies in inclusi/e

"is9unction- In /ie! o# t)is immanent multiplicity, it is a"missi.le to spea* o# 6a7 process among ot)er

plural ot)ers !)en re#erring to t)e li#e cycle o# a ten"ency, .earing in min" t)at no one ten"ency e/er

e3presses in isolation- An incursion o# processually #ormati/e #orce al!ays .rings more t)an one ten"encyinto incipient e3pression- It is t)is coming0toget)er t)at must e/ent#ully play itsel# out-

In t)e playing out o# t)e tension o# !)at cannot )ol" toget)er, )a/ing come toget)er, ten"encies

compete !it) eac) ot)er- One may "ominate anot)er- A gi/en ten"ency may en" up monopoli?ing t)e

pro"uction o# "i##erence- Many ten"encies !ill #ail to #ully e3press- More creati/ely, a ne! capacity #or

actually )ol"ing toget)er may emerge #rom t)e playing out- A sym.iosis )as .een in/ente", immanent to process;s un#ol"ing- Systems also /ie an" mutually a"apt, in t)eir o!n !ays- T)e comple3ity o# t)e

playing out o# processual ten"encies an" t)eir systemic e3pressions, in t)e e/ent#ulness t)at is t)e o/erall

en/ironment o# li#e, "eman"s an ecological approac)- All t)e more so t)at t)ere is a tension an" interplay




.et!een system an" process, e3ponentially raising t)e "egree o# ecological comple3ity-3/iii

IN%RA0COLONIATION

Neoconser/atism is t)e process !)ere.y naturing nature comes to .e militari?e", along t)e #ull

spectrum- Emergence is militari?e", at t)e same time as t)e military is politici?e", ma*ing ci/ilian li#e a

"egree on t)e continuum o# !ar- &ar is no longer t)e continuation o# politics .y ot)er means- Politics is

an intensity setting on t)e continuum o# !ar- Neoconser/atism, as t)e term is use" )ere, is t)e nonlinear

onrus) to!ar" "ominance o# t)is processual ten"ency to monopoli?e naturing nature #or .attle potential-T)e neoconser/ati/e po!er o# t)e anti0acci"ent occupies t)e proto0territory immanent to all li#e;s

e3tensions- It is in#ra0/ital- Incoming, e3ten"ing up!ar", t)roug), an" out!ar"- Its immanence to li#e is

also, in"iscriminately, t)e imminence o# "eat)@ t)e t)reatening actuali?ation, e/ery!)ere an" at all times,

o# t)e con"itions o# emergence o# li#e crisis-

T)e proto0territory occupie" .y t)e anti0acci"ent is at li#e;s operati/e limit- It is !)ere li#ere.eginning loops into suc) s)ort0circuite" pro3imity to its en" t)at t)ey stro.oscope into a .ot)5an" so

r)yt)mically taut, so compellingly tense, so in"iscrimina.ly intense, as to stri*e !it) un"etermine" #orce-

Its coming carries a singular0generic imperati/e@ reacti/ate or "ie-

$ARE ACTIITActi/ation is a !or" #or t)e lea"ing e"ge o# incoming e/ent at t)is intensi/e limit o# li#e- $are

acti/ity is anot)er !or" #or it- 6$are7 not as in strippe"0"o!n, .ut as in 6.arely7@ .arely t)ere- Acti/ation

is t)e 9ust .arely0t)ere o# a generically li#e0c)allenging e/ent singularly stirring, as yet une3ten"e" an"alrea"y o/er#ull, carrying any conse8uent e3tension an" all e3ten"e" 8ualities, in !elling potential- It is

t)e .arely0t)ere o# a compelling 6any0an"0all7 at t)e impelling e"ge o# incursion, to .e e/ent#ully

"etermine"-

T)is is not Agam.en;s 6.are li#e,7 t)e li#e !it)out 8ualities- $are li#e #or Agam.en is t)at li#e

station consisting in its stripping "o!n to t)e animal minimum, e3clu"e" .y nature #rom culture an"

politics- It is li#e ra"ically emptie", "e8uali#ie", in implosi/e in"i##erence, )el" e/entlessly in suspension-

'eat) in li#e@ potential still.orn- $are activity is t)e taut suspense o# a "ynamic in"eterminacy agitating

t)e #iel" o# li#e;s emergence- It is t)e alrea"y impercepti.ly astir, rea"ying to!ar" an imperati/e mo/e

into anot)er pulse o# li#e carrying ris* o# "eat)- T)e unli/ea.le, impelling li#e potential acti/ely inclu"ing

t)at o# "eat)-

$are acti/ity is naturing nature;s o!n ontopo!er- It is !)at neoconser/ati/e po!er preempti/ely

in#ra0coloni?es- T)e preempti/e ten"ency is to supplant li#e;s emergence, to anti0acci"ental alter0e##ect- Discursus on Bare Life. %or Agam.en, .are li#e pertains to t)e 6simple #act o# .eing li/e-7 It is

#oun"ationally e3clu"e" #rom politics- It is t)e li#e o# t)e animal .o"y zoe as against t)e li#e o# t)e

polis bios- Correspon"ing to t)e /oice .e#ore language, it is outsi"e t)e socio0cultural sp)ere t)at

Agam.en ta*es to .e coe3tensi/e !it) t)e logos o# language- Para"o3ically, t)e 6inclusi/e

e3clusion7 o# .are li#e #orms t)e 6original nucleus7 o# political so/ereignty- Alt)oug) Agam.en

ascri.es t)e logical status o# t)e 6singular7 to t)is e3ceptional state o# inclusi/e e3clusion, )is

concept o# .are li#e remains tet)ere" to t)e tra"itional classi#icatory logic o# genus an" species, in

t)at !)at is singular is t)at it mar*s t)e star*ness o# t)e "i##erence .et!een t)e )uman an" t)e

animal, as species o# t)e genus o# li/ing t)ings- T)e .are li#e o# t)e in)a.itant o# t)e camp is a

)uman li#e animali?e" .y .eing re"uce" to not)ing more t)an t)e simple #act o# .eing ali/e in star*

contrast !it) impen"ing "eat)- T)e state o# e3ception o# .are li#e replays t)e speci#ic "istinction

.et!een t)e )uman an" t)e animal 6presenting it !it)out representing it7- At t)e same time, .areli#e;s #oun"ational inclusion, as ra"ically e3clu"e", relegates it to a 6?one o# un"i##erentiation7

.et!een t)e t!o- T)e pro3imity o# zoe an" bios in t)e ?one o# un"i##erentiation o# t)e original

nucleus constitutes a "ialectic !it)out synt)esis- In t)e present account, a "i##erent ensem.le o#

concepts is mo.ili?e"@ t)e 6singular0generic7 as a #orce o# .ecoming productive o# classi# iable

"i##erences #or t)e un#ol"ing, rat)er t)an presenting a #oun"ational replay o# pe0"etermine"classi#ications an acti/e 6?one o# in"eterminacy "etermine" to .e "etermine"7 o# li#e rearising

/ersus a ?one o# un"i##erentiation re"uce" to t)e passi/ity o# pure pro3imity !it) "eat) 6inclusi/e

"is9unction7 as an e##ecti/e o/erc)arge o# multiplicitous ten"ency /ersus t)e logical, set t)eoretical,




separating potential an" act-7 T)is is a 6#iction,7 .ut an e##ecti/e #iction #oun"ational to

politics-33iii Any act o# counter0singularity must assume t)is anomic space- Its act consists in

occupying t)e anomy so as to 6s)o!7 t)e #iction- It "oes t)is .y 6e3posing itsel#7 an" only itsel#, as

a 6pure means7 o# e3pression !)ic), li*e t)e state o# e3ception !)ose singularity it counter0

matc)es, is !it)out empirical re#erent- It is a pure act o# sel#0re#erence, in $en/eniste;s structural0

linguistics sense- It is a language act- %or Agam.en, t)at act is synonymous !it) li#e, outsi"e an"

against t)e norm t)e #orce o# la! t)at ma*es it ta*e e##ect- Li#e, #or Agam.en, is anomie againstnormation- E/eryt)ing in )is political t)in*ing plays .et!een t)e norm an" t)e la!, an" .et!een

t)eir politically0#oun"ational reciprocal presupposition an" 6li#e7 as e8uate" !it) language-33i/ Once

again, p)ysicality is suspen"e"- T)e animal is e3clu"e" #rom 6li#e7 i# not #rom .iopolitics, !)ic)

#or Agam.en is t)e e##ecti/e playing out o# animality;s e3clu"e"0inclusion in t)e political an"

cultural sp)eres- T)e result is an e3ceptionalism o# t)e language0en"o!e"- T)is amounts,e##ecti/ely, to a supremacy o# t)e )uman o/er t)e animal as in (ei"egger- T)e perspecti/e

"e/elope" )ere re#uses to e3clu"e t)e animal #rom politics an" li#e, e/en 6inclusi/ely,7 or to

separate in any !ay )uman e3pression #rom t)e animality o# its .o"y- It re#uses to ta*e t)e la! as in

any !ay #oun"ational, or to .o3 li#e into an alternati/e .et!een normation an" anomie- It resituatesli#e, rearising as .are acti/ity, in a p)ilosop)y o# creati/e nature@ nature e##ecti/ely creati/e o#

"i##erence, in an imperati/e playing out not o# t)e #orce0o#0la! .ut o# t)e #orce o# time- $y t)is

account, t)ere is no 6essential7 participation o# t)e la! in generati/e process- T)ere is no the la!-T)ere are la! s, al!ays on t)e conse8uent le/el o# nature" nature- T)e ultimate concepts are activityand process, rat)er t)an la! an" language- Acti/e process is a uni/ersal animatedness. T)e

classi#icatory opposition .et!een t)e )uman an" t)e animal is no !ay pertinent to its concept, e/en

t)oug) t)is animate"ness must .e counte" as p)ysical- T)e p)ysicality o# acti/e process cannot .e

re"uce" to animality in t)e usual sense, #or it is insepara.le #rom t)e immateriality o# e/entness,

ten"ency, an" t)e li/e" 8uality o# animate"ness t)at is a##ect- 6P)ysicality7 must .e un"erstoo" in

terms o# %oucault;s 6incorporeal materialism-733/ La!s, norms, languages must all .e re0"eri/e"

#rom naturing nature;s p)ysical animation- %or la!s to ta*e generati/e e##ect, t)ey must cycle .ac*

t)roug) nature;s acti/e process, t)ence to recollect an" resoli"i#y in strata, recapture" .y sel#0

organi?ing systems- T)e only t)ing 6essential7 a.out t)em is t)eir "eri/ati/e status to t)e acci"ent-

T)e resu.mitting o# t)e la! to t)e 6e3teriority7 o# t)e generati/e acci"ent is necessary to separate

t)e "eleu?o0neit?sc)ean %oucault #rom Agam.en;s structuro0)ei"eggeriani?ing em.race, aroun"issues o# li#e an" politics, an" to!ar" a ret)in*ing o# .iopolitcs in its relation to, an"

contra"istinction #rom, ontopo!er- T)e pro9ect is #or an at)eological political p)ilosop)y o# nature

a##irmati/e o# t)e positi/e potential o# generati/e #orce, as against t)e negati/e t)eology o# an

aporetic #oun"ationalism o# t)e la!- T)e p)ilosop)y most e3plicitly articulate" on t)e concepts o#

acti/ity an" process is t)at o# &)ite)ea"- (o!e/er "istant &)ite)ea";s political t)in*ing may seem

#rom %oucault;s, #or an ecology o# po!ers t)eir meeting is only natural as is t)e role o# 'eleu?e as

go0.et!een-

NATIONAL ENTERPRISE EMERGENC

T)e supplanting o# emergence .y t)e anti0acci"ent o# #ull0spectrum preempti/e po!er so!s t)e

ontogenetic see" #or a $us)0li*e 6.ringing li#e .ac*7 !it) a "i##erence- $ut i# in or"er to "o so preempti/e

po!er must mimic* t)e acci"ent it aims to counter, !)at pre/ents t)e anti0acci"ent #rom .ecoming itso!n enemy> &)at pre/ents its counteractions #rom t)emsel/es ampli#ying into a systemic "isruption>

T)is is a real "anger t)at neoconser/ati/e po!er #aces .y nature, an" o#ten succum.s to- $us);s May =JJ

"eclaration o# preempti/e 6/ictory7 in Ira8 announce" not)ing so muc) as a protracte", sel#0ampli#ying

geopolitical crisis t)at !as to propagate to A#g)anistan, t)en to Pa*istan, an" is still many years an"

countless lost li/es #rom )a/ing playe" itsel# out, in spite o# t)e c)ange in :S a"ministrations-I# t)e "anger o# 6success7 is so #ar0reac)ing, !)y ris* it> $ecause t)e sta*es are e8ually )ig)-

Neoconser/ati/e po!er;s process "oes not mo/e alone- It is one )al# o# an ontogenetic couplet- In a""ition

to "eli/ering to territorial systems incipient counter0e##ects potentially #ee"ing t)eir e/olution, it co0




operates !it) anot)er process #or !)ic) it similarly ser/es as an ontogenetic "eli/ery system- It entrusts

t)is ot)er process !it) t)e 9o. o# ampli#ying its counter0agitations into a"apti/e mo"ulations o# a more or

less sustaina.le large0scale li#e system- &)en t)e #ee"0#or!ar" succee"s, t)e u.i8uity o# in"iscriminate

t)reat is trans"uce" into an emergent glo.al or"er- A 6success#ul7 military inter/ention is 9ust t)e #irst #lap

o# a )ig)er or"er #an#are- It is !ort) ris*ing large0scale crisis, losing li/es along t)e !ay, .ecause t)e

sta*es are as #ar0reac)ing as t)ey come@ not)ing less t)an glo.al- Preempti/e po!er in#ra0coloni?es t)e

en/ironment o# li#e to!ar" t)e emergence o# a macro0process as u.i8uitous, as in"e#inite in reac), an" asten"entially monopolistic as it is-

I# t)ere is any "ou.t as to !)at process ma*es t)e relay, $us) once again ma*es it clear in )is

post0+atrina a""ress- Rat)er t)an re#erring to t)e storm as a natural "isaster, or a national emergency, )e

"u..e" it a 6national enterprise emergency-7 Neoconser/atism;s naturali?ation o# national security

acti/ity is one )al# o# a "ou.le mo/ement- As po!er mo/es into t)e .are0acti/e realm o# emergence to .ring li#e .ac*, li#e;s in"uce" return is met .y an economic e3pansionism t)at !raps li#e;s rearising into

its o!n un#ol"ing-

Preempti/e po!er is a positi/e po!er, in t)e sense o# "eli/ering t)e potential #or intersystem

en)ancement e##ects- T)ese are ma3imi?e" !)en its inter/entions *ic*0start ampli#icatory mo/ements!)ose nonlinear synergies come in t)e #orm o# economic multiplier e##ects- T)e enterprise aspect o#

$us);s +atrina response !as represente" .y )is strategy o# replacing go/ernment assistance !it)

outsourcing to t)e pri/ate sector an" s)unning t)e s)elter o# go/ernment0planne" an" 0regulate"re"e/elopment #or t)e gale !in"s o# enterprising in/estment, #ollo!ing eagerly upon t)ose o# +atrina- T)e

aim !as less security0assuring t)an pro"ucti/ity0.oosting- It !as less a return to t)e percei/e" sta.ility o#

a pre0pertur.e" normality t)an a #ast0#or!ar" into a .ra/e ne! neoli.eral !orl" o# unleas)e" capitalist

enterprise- T)e same impulse !as #ormali?e" in post0in/asion Ira8 .y a #ar0reac)ing series o# unilateral

"ecrees issue" .y Coalition Pro/isional Aut)ority a"ministrator Paul $remer starting imme"iately a#ter

$us);s "eclaration o# /ictory, !)ic) ra"ically reorgani?e" t)e Ira8i economy along neoli.eral "ream0lines

#ollo!ing t)e IM%;s #amiliar .lueprint-33/i

Neoli.eralism is a sister process to neoconser/atism- As it operates in t)is epoc), it "isplays a

pre"isposition to!ar" a sym.iotic relaying o# incursions o# preempte" naturing0nature into t)e economic

/alue0creation- It is amena.le to relaying un#ol"ings o# #ormati/e #orce o# all ten"encies- $ut it is most

a"/entitously pre"ispose" to t)e neoconser/ati/e sort, #lo!ing into t)e generation o# pro#it- Or more

precisely, o# economic surplus0/alue@ in/estment capital #ee"ing .ac* into its o!n process to pro"ucemultiplier e##ects "ri/ing not 9ust gro!t), .ut an accelerating rate o# gro!t), carrie" .y a momemtum

sno!.alling to!ar" t)e limit o# t)e e3ponential- Neoli.eralism, as t)e term !ill use" )ere, is t)e capitalist

process turne" ontopo!er#ul, in sym.iosis !it) neoconser/atism .ut also in its o!n rig)t, #or e3ample

t)roug) tec)nological supplantings o# li#e;s incipiency "ri/en .y purely capitalist concerns, as in t)e

.iotec)nology in"ustry- T)e sym.iosis .et!een neoli.eralism an" neoconser/atism is not !it)out

tensions- Alt)oug) a"/entitiously pre"ispose" to!ar" sym.iosis, t)ey .ot) re9oin t)e proto0territory o#

li#e, in relay, .ut also eac) in its o!n !ay- T)e proto0territory, lac*ing "eterminate e3tension, *no!s no

.oun"s- Eac) is monopolistic, also in its o!n !ay- T)eir s)are" un.oun"e"ness an" "i##ering mo"es o#

monopoli?ing places t)e t!o processes in potential con#lict-

$EON' SEC:RIT

Neoli.eralism, as a process, "oes not presume sta.ility- It "oes not prioriti?e a sta.le0state /ision

o# security- In a !)ite paper e3tolling t)e /irtues o# glo.ali?e" "eregulation pu.lis)e" not long .e#ore )isascension in Ira8, Paul $remer cites a poll o# American .usiness e3ecuti/es #in"ing t)at B< .elie/e t)at

neoli.eral policies increase t)eir ris*s-33/ii Support #or t)ose policies is correspon"ingly )ig)-

Neoli.eralism !restles !it) t)e comple3ity o# an uncertain, neoconser/ati?ing en/ironment in

!)ic) ris* is not only en"emic .ut is ine3pungea.le an" ultimately un*no!a.le- %ar #rom operating in a

securely close" #iel", it operates in !)at Mic)el %oucault calls 6an in"e#inite #iel" o# immanence7 in!)ic) li#e #alls un"er t)e 6"epen"ence7 o# a 6series o# acci"ents-733/iii T)e interests o# an in"i/i"ual )uman

in)a.itant o# t)is en/ironment !ill "epen" upon 6an in#inite num.er o# t)ings,7 6acci"ents o# nature a.out

!)ic) )e can "o not)ing an" !)ic) )e cannot #oresee lin*e" to a course o# t)e !orl" t)at outstrips )im



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1H

an" elu"es )im in e/ery respect-7 T)e enterprising in"i/i"ual o# neoli.eralism is at t)e pertur.ing mercy

o# incursions #rom an 6uncontrolla.le, unspeci#ie" !)ole7@ naturing nature- Nonet)eless, #rom t)is

6apparent c)aos7 t)ere spontaneously arise 6positi/e e##ects7 o# con/ergent or"er- T)is spontaneous sel#0

organi?ation is o!ing to synergies .et!een pro"ucti/e acti/ities o# t)e in"i/i"ual li/es un#ol"ing in t)e

uni/ersal ris* en/ironment- In"i/i"ual acti/ies automatically an" mutually rea"9ust to create a 6"irectly

multiplying7 mec)anism 6!it)out any transcen"ence7 Birth, =FF0<- Neoli.eralism operates in a #iel" o#

immanence !)ose .are acti/ity, #e"0#or!ar" an" trans"uce" into enterprise acti/ity, ampli#ies into a sel#0e3pan"ing pattern o# economic multiplier e##ects cresting into an emergent or"er- T)at or"er, !)ic) ne/er

transcen"s its en/ironmental con"itions o# emergence, is t)e neoli.eral economy as glo.ali?ing process-

T)e neoli.eral economy is commonly calle" a glo.al 6system-7 In terms o# t)e present /oca.ulary,

)o!e/er, t)is is a misnomer- Neoli.eral capitalism /alues its o!n e3u.erantly irrational momentum to

parap)rase Alan Greenspan o/er any particular systemic )ol"ing pattern- It /alues 6creati/e "estruction7Miltion %rie"man o/er sel#0preser/ation- To mar* t)e "i##erence o# t)e /olatile sel#0or"ering o# t)e

capitalist process #rom a system, as "e#ine" )ere, 'eleu?e an" Guattari .orro! t)e notion o# t)e

6a3iomatic7 to "escri.e it-33i3

T)e neoli.eral economy is in a state o# enterprise emergency .y nature, at e/ery comple3lyinterconnecte" le/el, #rom t)e local t)roug) t)e national to t)e glo.al- An" it em.races t)at con"ition- Its

mec)anism is to ri"e !a/es o# metasta.ility t)roug) t)e tur.ulence o# a permanently uncertain

en/ironment- A metasta.ility is not so muc) a pro/isional sta.ility as a !a/e patterning- Neoli.eralism;smetasta.le or"er e3plicitly operates un"er t)e uncontrolla.le "epen"ence o# t)e unspeci#ie" acci"ent an"

anti0acci"ent- It "oes not try systematically to s)elter itsel# #rom t)e storm- It spontaneously sel#0

organi?es #ollo!ing t)e tur.ulence o# a #ar0#rom0e8uil.rium en/ironment !)ose immanent agitation ne/er

ceases to )aunt it !it) t)e spectre o# its !a/e0con/ergent synergies su""enly #or*ing into crisis- %ace"

!it) t)e spectre o# catastrop)e, it "oes not turn sel#0protecti/ely in!ar"- It #ully assumes t)e ris*s o# its

ontogenetic outsi"e- A metasta.le or"er positi/ely em.o"ies insta.ility- Rat)er t)an turning .ac* on itsel#,

it #lees #or!ar"- It li/es out its insta.ility- It is emergent or"er on t)e e"ge, ri"ing t)e !a/e0crest o#

e/ery!)ere0apparent c)aos- It is not its .usiness to pause to sel#0re#lect- It sel#0re#erences only as a

tec)nical mec)anism to .oost its momentum suc) is t)e purpose o# mar*et in"e3es- To sel#0re#lect in t)e

systematic sense is to a"apti/ely sel#0regulate- Neoli.eralism is .y naturing nature "eregulatory- T)is

ma*es it a"apti/ely c)allenge" – an" all t)e processually stronger #or it-

EQCEPTION INCORPORATE'%or an e"ge system .orn an" #e" on insta.ility, t)e pertur.ation o# an 6a.normal7 acci"ent, e/en

o# t)e magnitu"e o# +atrina, can actually o##er a supersi?e" opportunity- A once0in0a0century )urricane is

9ust a 6natural7 instance o# t)e #ar0#rom0e8uili.rium creati/e "estruction t)at %rie"man asserte" to .e t)e

"ri/ing #orce o# neoli.eral capitalism- %or t)at matter, !)at acci"ent is not a.normal> It is o# t)e /ery

nature o# t)e acci"ent to con#oun" t)e normal course o# t)ings- :n"er neoli.eralism, normati/ity ceases to

.e a #oun"ational concern, or e/en a constituti/e #actor- T)e neoli.eral ten"ency is not to mol" to t)e

norm, as "o systems c)aracteri?e" .y %oucuault as "isciplinary po!ers- Rat)er, its ten"ency is to capture

t)e e3ception an" incorporate it in .ot) senses o# t)e !or"-

Neoconser/ati/e po!er acti/ely concurs- It realigns its o!n process along t)e a3is o# e3ception, in

"ogge" pursuit o# operati/e outs #rom institute" limitations on ar.ritrary e3ercises o# #ull0spectrum #orce-

It "oes not incorporate t)e e3ception in its o!n rig)t so muc) as it precipitates t)roug) openings

per#orating t)e #a.ric o# t)e State po!ers an" go/ermental po!ers- $y 6State po!ers7 is meant t)einterplay o# t)e e3ecuti/e .ranc) o# t)e State !it) legislati/e systems an" t)eir associate" systems o#

9uripru"ence constitutional, ci/il co"e, or common la!- 6Go/ernmental po!ers7 is ta*en in %oucault;s

e3ten"e" sense o# regulatory systems, !)et)er or not t)ey are #ormally a part o# t)e a"ministrati/e

apparatus o# t)e State, !)ic) aim to pro/isionally sta.ili?e an" ostensi.ly secure t)e en/ironment o# li#e

.y 6rationali?ing7 )o! its teeming population o# territorie" systems interrelate- T)e neoconser/ati/e outs#rom State an" go/ermental po!ers ena.le anti0acci"ental stri*es to cut in- Neoconser/atism;s "e"ication

to preempti/e po!er puts it in a posture o# pronounce" processual cynicism to!ar" #orms o# po!er !)ic)

"elu"e t)emsel/es into operating accor"ing to t)e principle t)at t)e o/erall en/ironment o# li#e, at t)e



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1B

mercy as it is o# in"iscriminate t)reat, can .e e##ecti/ely rationali?e"- Neoconser/ati/e po!er;s propensity

to ta*e e/ery out it can #rom t)e limitations o# State an" go/ernmental po!ers also "e/iates it #rom

regulate" "isciplinary po!ers, suc) as t)e prison system, #or !)ic) unregulate" 6.lac* sites7 are

su.stitute"- T)is is only natural, gi/en )o! closely preempti/e po!er em.races t)e 6a.normality7 o# t)e

acci"ent-

Discursus on State power . %oucault "e#ines neoli.eral go/ernmentality as an 6en/ironmental type

o# inter/ention7 in !)ic) 6action is .roug) to .ear on t)e rules o# t)e game rat)er t)an t)e players7 Birth, =BJ- It is associate" !it) 6an optimi?ation o# systems o# "i##erence, in !)ic) t)e

#iel" is le#t open to #luctuating process7 Birth, =H4- T)e "istinction .et!een sel#0organi?ing

systems "etermining o# "i##erences an" #luctual process to !)ic) t)ey are constituti/ely open is

integral to %oucault;s "e#inition o# present0"ay go/ernmentality- T)at go/ernmental action .ears

on t)e 6en/ironmental7 rules o# t)e game e/o*es an ecological t)eory o# po!er- Attention is#ocuse" less on in"i/i"ual )uman actors t)an on t)e interactions .et!een natural0cultural systems

in)a.iting an open #iel" o# acci"ent0prone co0/ariation- T)is s)i#t in t)e mo"us operan"i o# po!er

correspon"s to a 6massi/e !it)"ra!al !it) regar" to t)e normati/e0"isciplinary system Birth,

=BJ7 renegotiating )o! "isciplinary po!er co0operates on t)e continuum o# po!ers- 6State po!ers7 as use" )ere in/ol/es a mi3 o# regimes o# po!er, uni8ue in t)e case o# eac) actually

e3isting State, .et!een %oucault;s 6so/ereign po!er7 t)e po!er 6to put to "eat) or let li/e7,

6"isciplinary7 po!er t)e normati/e pro"uction o# t)e in"i/i"ual .y a collecti/e apparatusoperating in sel#0enclosure,333 an" 6go/ernmentality7 regulation o# pro"uction in an open

6transactional7 #iel" #ollo!ing t)e #ormula 6ma*e li/e or let "ie7-333i Go/ernmentality o/erlaps

!it) State po!er .ut is not re"uci.le to it@ it is 6is .ot) e3ternal an" internal to t)e state, since it is

t)e tactics o# go/ernment t)at allo! t)e continual "e#inition o# !)at s)oul" or s)oul" not #all

!it)in t)e t)e state;s competence7 Security, 1J4- Go/ernmentality;s e3ten"ing .eyon" an"

encompassing o# t)e State e3erts a "e#ining pressure on State po!er, pus)ing it massi/ely a!ay

#rom "isciplinary po!er an" at t)e same time placing it in tension !it) t)e ar.itrariness o#

so/ereign po!er- T)e counter0pull o# so/ereign an" "isciplinary po!ers in response to t)is

centri#ugal pressure gi/es rise to a continual mo/ement o# reciprocal reintegration an" regat)ering

an" at times mutual limitation- T)is mo/ement o# reciprocal reintegration o# regimes o# po!er,

in its interplay !it) preempti/e an" capitalist process, is !)at "e#ines a State as a system- A

typology o# State po!ers !oul" .e .ase" on an e/aluation o# t)e ten"encies mo/ing t)roug) particular actually e3isting States;s signature mo/ements o# sel#0reintegration, as incursi/ely

mo"ulate" .y t)e #ormati/e #orces o# process- T)is is an ecological e/aluation o# e/olutionary

ten"ency- It is not a "escription o# a structure, especially not in terms o# its statistically a/erage

#unctioning- &)ene/er process is inclu"e" in t)e picture, conceptuali?ation must lin* any

#unctional "escription o# e3isting #ormations to ten"ency- T)at is@ a/erage"0out .eing #unctional

to singular re.ecoming t)e ascripti/e 6!)at7 an" 6!)at #or>7 to t)e #ormati/e 6)o!7 as in

6come again>7- T)e a.ritrary outs #rom State po!er t)at preempti/e po!er cuts in rein/ent

so/ereign po!er, in a manner ten"entially unsu.or"inate" to t)e reason o# State !it) !)ic)

tra"itionally mo"erate" it-333ii

ONTOGENETIC CO:PLET

T)e coupling o# neoli.eralism !it) neoconser/atism;s assertion o# t)e primacy o# preempti/e po!er, operating on a #ull0spectrum paramilitary continuum telescoping !ar into peace, is largely o#

mutual .ene#it- Preempti/e po!er, alrea"y an ontopo!er, gains t)e cac)et o# contri.uting more

e3tensi/ely an" metasta.ly to li#e0pro"ucti/ity- Neoli.eralism #or its part gains .ot) in intensity an" in

e3tension- It gains in intensity .y #ollo!ing closely in t)e !a*e o# preempti/e ontopo!er as it trac*s t)e

acci"ent into t)e immanence o# its natural en/ironment- Its incorporation o# t)e emergent e##ects,acci"ental an" anti0acci"ental 00 a "istinction t)at is ultimately impossi.le to sustain gi/en t)e e##ecti/e

mimicry o# one .y t)e ot)er – gi/es it a proprietary )ol" on li#e;s emergence- T)e neoli.eral economy

.ecomes ontopo!er#ul in operati/e relay !it) !ar0in0peace at e/ery setting, #rom t)e )ar"est o# t)e



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1F

6)ar"7 o# all0out in/asion to so#test o# t)e 6so#t7 o# "ata0mining an" sur/eillance- As earlier allu"e" to, t)e

neoli.eral economy alrea"y )as its o!n proprietary ontopo!er in relay !it) anot)er, in t)is case

tec)noscienti#ic, system o# operations- %ollo!ing t)e intensi/e in/estment /ector o# .iotec)nology, t)e

economy )as a "irect plug0in to t)e /ariational #iel" o# li#e;s emergence, #rom a speci#ically in#ra0

.iological angle-333iii Piggy0.ac*e" on preemption, its ontopo!ers .oost into eart) or.it- As its

intensi#ication e3ten"s glo.ally, tec)noscience in#ra0opens li#e to its #orces o# capital0/alue creation-

T)e tra"itional mo"el o# imperialist colonialism is not a"e8uate to "escri.e t)e ontopo!er#ul co0operation o# t)e neoli.eral economy an" neconser/ati/e po!er- T)at /ie! o#ten casts t)e apparatus o# !ar

as a consciously applie" "e/ice #or capitalist e3pansion- T)is un"erestimates contemporary !ar, re"ucing

it to t)e status o# a passi/e tool- It also o/erestimates t)e *no!a.ility an" managea.ility o# capitalism- It

treats t)e capitalist process as i# it !ere a sel#0re#lecti/e system pilote" .y a secon"0or"er le/el t)at #ol"s

.ac* on its operations sel#0re#erentially in suc) a !ay as to #ul#ill )ierarc)ical control #unctions-$ot) t)e neoli.eral economy an" neoconser/ati/e !ar po!er are processes- T)ey are neit)er

intergrally sel#0re#erencing nor gi/en to )ierarc)ical control- It is not illegitmate to "escri.e t)em as

comple3 6open systems7 i# t)e term system is use" a"/ise"ly- T)ey are pertur.atory an" ampli#icatory- As

a non0linear conse8uence, t)ey are .ot) in"e#initely comple3, eac) !it)in its o!n am.it an" e/en more soin operati/e relay- Preempti/e po!er is only apparently territoriali?e" in t)e systematic operations o# t)e

military esta.lis)ment- Its reac), .y nature, spills o/er #rom t)at territory to!ar" t)e ci/il pole o# t)e

continuum- In "oing so, its operations e3ten" u.i8uitously into t)e proto0territory o# in"iscriminate t)reat-T)is is a realm t)at is un/ia.le #or t)e sustenance o# any particular system, or organi?ation- Preemption;s

ontopo!er#ul counter0e##ects cut a!ay #rom rationali?e" State an" go/ernmental limitations, to se!

t)emsel/es into t)e proto0territorial #iel" o# emergence- Supplanting e##ects t)en percolate .ac* up

t)roug) t)e organi?e"0system le/els o# State, ci/il, an" ot)er systems- T)ese recei/ing systems are #orce"

to mo"ulate t)eir operations aroun" t)e incursi/e #orce o# t)e e/ent- T)e only )ope t)ey )a/e o#

e##ecti/ely a"apting is i# t)ey #in" a !ay o# respon"ing to t)e temporal #orce o# t)e proto0territory- T)ey

"o t)is respon"ing !it) urgency- T)e state o# emergency is t)e #orm in !)ic) t)e singular0generic,

#ormati/e #orce o# time systemically appears-

Preempti/e po!er;s um.ilical lin* into t)e proto0territory o# emergence gi/es its process

uncontaina.le, trans0systemic scope- T)is "ynamic uncontainment pro"uces tensions !it) t)e military

esta.lis)ment !)ic) !ar po!er;s rationally assigne" territory- Systematic attempts are ma"e to reign it in-

$ut it al!ays out#lan*s t)em- T)e state o# emergency is, a#ter all, a con"ition o# e3ception- An" as &alter$en9amin #oresa!, i# anyt)ing is normal no! it is t)e state o# e3ception- T)e state o# emergency, turne"

e/ery"ay li#e con"ition, a##or"s ample e3ceptional outs #rom suc) process encum.erments as t)e

international la!s o# !ar, internationally institute" )uman rig)ts, an" "omestic ci/il li.erties-

T)e e3ercise o# neoconser/ati/e po!er #ollo!s its o!n r)yt)m- It #orms its o!n pre#erential

relays- It reiterati/ely /aries its processing- It #or!ar"s its o!n momentum- It .ecomes increasingly sel#0

"ri/ing- T)e on0all0t)e0time u.i8uity o# its potential "eli/eries to territorial systems gi/es it suc) plasticity

t)at its "ri/e lac*s, o/erall, an ascri.a.le organi?ational #orm o# its o!n- It li/es up to its /ocation to .e as

in"iscriminite, an" in"iscrimina.le, as t)reat- As naturingly natural, process is possesse" o# an operati/e

autonomy o/erspilling any containa.le system o# operations- A process a.)ors closure- A process

ac)ie/es )ori?on0e3pan"ing li#t0o## #rom t)e institutional territories purporting to contain it- T)ey are its

launc)ing pa"- T)ey are con"itioning o# its tra9ectory .ut not, o# t)emsel/es, "etermining o# it- Preempti/e

po!er li/es out its nature as process, #ull0spectrum-333i/

T)e neoli.eral economy, pre"icate" as it is on a constituti/e openness to t)e acci"ent, )as t)e

same ten"ential comple3ity an" sel#0organi?ing "ri/e- It similarly ac)ie/es li#t0o## #rom t)e territories

con"itioning, !it)out containing, its emergent a3iomatic or"er- T)ese inclu"e national an" international

regulatory institutions protectionist legislati/e measures e3pressing a nationalist "ynamic in tension !it)

capitalism;s "ri/e to!ar" t)e glo.al morali?ing #ormations in ecumenical competition !it) its glo.alism,an" #un"amentally uncom#orta.le !it) t)e processual em.race o# t)e a.normality o# t)e acci"ent it s)ares

!it) preempti/e po!er local an" regional particularisms t)reatene" .y its "eterritoriali?ing momentum

an" sta.ility0see*ing ten"encies reacting to its unstoppa.le e3u.erance .y recoiling into in"i/i"ual0,



Massumi – National Enterprise Emergency 1<

#amily0, or community0.ase" #ortresses o# sel#0protection- T)e neoli.eral economy is a master at #in"ing

!ays o# using t)ese counter0ten"encies as a launc)ing pa" #or its o!n process a prime e3ample, in

relation to morali?ing #ormations, is t)e rise o# 6prosperity c)urc)es7 in t)e :nite" States- At e/ery li#t0

o#t, t)e neoli.eral economic process #rees itsel# to #urt)er its o!n process, an" to rene! its pre#erential

alliance !it) preempti/e po!er-

T)e constituti/e openness o# t)ese t!o processes to eac) ot)er is a matc) ma"e in nature- T)ere is,

)o!e/er, not)ing or"aine" a.out t)eir interlooping- T)eir connection is a"/entitious, a marriage o#)istorical con/enience .et!een t!o processual autonomies !)ic) )a/e )appene" to #orm, in t)is epoc), a

mutually rein#orcing ontogenetic couplet- T)is is not to .e con#use" !it) a structural coupling- T)is is a

processual relay, occurring at a #ortuitous intersection o# sel#0"ri/ing ten"encies-

T)ere is not)ing in principle pre/enting t)e processes #rom "ecoupling, e3cept t)e .on"s o#

reciprocal strengt)ening .orne o# t)eir spontaneous con/ergence- Still, t)at reciprocity is a mig)ty #orce-Its staying po!er in t)e #ace o# organi?e" opposition is not to .e un"erestimate"- $ut it is not a "estiny-

T)e #orm o# t)e processual relay naturally rea"9usts to some "egree #rom one organi?e" transition to

anot)er, as can .e seen in t)e transition #rom t)e $us) to t)e O.ama a"ministrations- T)e O.ama

a"ministration;s "e#ense o# t)e $us) era rules o# e3ception, !)ic) came as a cruel surprise to many)opers, in"icates a trans0a"ministration ten"ency to )ol" t)e potential #or preemption an" its economic

coupling in rea"y reser/e- Certain legal an" regulatory limitations )a/e .een applie" to t)em, it is true,

an" certain !e"ges inserte" .et!een t)em to loosen t)eir mutual em.race- $ut t)ese measures s)oul" .ean" )a/e .een greete" !it) consi"era.le scepticism- 333/ T)e o""s are t)at t)e neoconser/ati/e5neoli.eral

ontogenetic po!er con#ect is not going a!ay any time soon- (ope asi"e, it )as many acci"ental

a"/entures, an" a"/enturous anti0acci"ents, a)ea" o# it-



i NOTES

6Presi"ent $us) 'eli/ers Remar*s on (urricane +atrina Reco/ery,7Washington ost , Septem.er 1H, =JJH, )ttp@55

!!!-!as)ingtonpost-com5!p0"yn5 content5 article5=JJH5J451H5 AR=JJHJ41HJ==H=p#-)tml, accesse" Septem.er 1B, =JJH-:nless ot)er!ise note", all 8uotes in t)is section are #rom t)is presi"ential a""ress- %or a "escription o# t)e staging o# t)e

e/ent, see Tom Engle)art, 6T)e Can0'o $us) A"ministration 'oes--- an" t)e Presi"ency S)ines #or T!enty0Si3 Mnutes,7

)ttp@55!!!-tom"ispatc)-com 5 in"e3-m)tml>em33pi"==F=B, accesse" Septem.er 1<, =JJH-ii Mic)el %oucault, !he Birth of Biopolitics" #ectures at the $oll%ge de &rance '()*-'()(, trans- Gra)am $urc)ell Ne!

or*@ Palgra/e0Macmillan, =JJ<, page =F1-iii

%or t)ese in/erse #ormulas, see Mic)el %oucault, !he +istory of Seuality. olume '. n /ntroduction, trans- Ro.ert

(urley Ne! or*@ intage, 14F<, page 1H0< an" %oucault, Society 0ust Be 1efended. #ectures at the $oll%ge de &rance '()2-'()3 , trans- 'a/i" Macey Ne! or*@ Pica"or, =JJ, page =40==-i/

Mic)el %oucault, Security, !erritory, opulation. #ectures at the $oll%ge de &rance '())-'()*, e"- Mic)el Snellart, trans-

Gra)am $urc)ell Ne! or*@ Palgra/e0Macmillan, =JJF, pages =H0=B-/ Nic)olas Pap)itis, 6Gree* Go/ernment Points to Arson #or %ires,7 !he 4uardian, August =<, =JJF,

)ttp@55!!!-guar"ian-co-u*5!orl"latest5story5J,,0B<<J144,JJ-)tml, accesse" Septem.er B, =JJF- T)e Gree* go/ernment;s

allegations o# arson !as critici?e" as un.ase" on any empirical e/i"ence .y conser/ation groups an" t)e opposition

Socialist party-/i

%or an analysis o# t)e process .y !)ic) a #elt con"itional possi.ility .ecomes a tautological truism, see $rian Massumi,

6T)e %uture $irt) o# t)e A##ecti/e %act,7 !he ffect 5eader , e"- Greg Seig!ort) an" Melissa Greg 'ur)am@ 'u*e

:ni/ersity, #ort)coming-

/ii 6Transcript@ O.ama;s National Security Team Announcement,7 !he New 6ork !imes, 'ecem.er 1, =JJ<-)ttp@55!!!-nytimes-com5 =JJ<51=5J15 us5politics5 J1te3t0o.ama-)tml>re#politics, accesse" 'ecem.er =, =JJ<-/iii

On processual isomorp)ism as an operati/e i"entity in"epen"ent o# structure, #orm, an" content an" t)ere#ore not a)omology, see Gilles 'eleu?e an" %Uli3 Guattari, 6Apparatus o# Capture,7 !housand lateaus, trans- $rian Massumi

Minneapolis@ :ni/ersity o# Minnesota Press, pages =0F- In t)is c)apter 'eleu?e an" Guattari also pro/i"e a prescient

t)eori?ation o# #ull0spectrum !ar0in0peace, an" o# t)e con/ergence o# t)e capitalist process an" t)e !ar0po!ers process

"iscusse" .elo!-i3

'-A- (en"erson, 6'isease an" Terror@ T)e s!ine0#lu out.rea* caug)t )ealt) o##icials completely .y surprise – 9ust as a

.ioterror attac* !oul",7 Newsweek , )ttp@55 !!!-ne!s!ee*-com5 i"514H==- Consulte" May B, =JJ4- &it)in )ours o# t)e

ne!s o# s!ine #lu, t)e internet !as .u??ing !it) tens o# t)ousan"s o# posts speculating t)at it !as a .ioterrorist attac*-3 T)is point !as #orce#ully a"/ance" .y $runo Latour@ t)e emergent 6actors7 in to"ay;s !orl" are nature0culture 6)y.ri"s-7

%or present purposes, t)e notion o# t)e )y.ri" carries t)e incon/enience o# still presupposing as its starting point

oppositional "e#initions o# nature an" culture, e/en i# only to neutrali?e t)e opposition- T)e strategy t)at !ill .e #ollo!e"

)ere one !)ic) Latour !oul" not en"orse is to re"e#ine nature in a !ay t)at alrea"y inclu"es t)e potential #or 6culture,7

ma*ing culture an emergent e3pression o# nature- $runo Latour, We +ave Never Been 0odern, trans- Cat)erine Porter

Cam.ri"ge, MA@ (ar/ar" :ni/ersity Press, 144-3i

T)is is in no !ay an argument against ta*ing measures against glo.al !arming, or a .elittling o# t)e #un"amental role o#

)uman acti/ity in its triggering- 2uite t)e opposite, it is an argument #or ta*ing ra"ical measures to!ar" a post0car.on

economy constitutionally unincline" to!ar" t)ese *in"s o# glo.al0en/ironmental synergies- T)e only post0car.on economyt)at !oul" meet t)at "escription !oul" also .e a postcapitalist economy, gi/en t)at t)e capitalism;s process o# sel#0

/alori?ation is pre"icate" not only on perpetual gro!t) .ut perpetually accelerating gro!t), posite" to .e unlimite" in

principle- T)is ma*es capitalism constitutionally unsustaina.le-3ii

Mic)el %oucault, 6Niet?sc)e, Genealogy, (istory,7 #anguage, 0emory, $ounter-practice, e"- '-%- $ouc)ar" It)aca@

Cornell :ni/ersity Press, 14FF, page 1B-3iii

&)ite)ea", #or )is part, "oes not .ar Go"- (e "oes, )o!e/er, "e#ine it as t)e 6primor"ial acci"ent-7 Al#re" Nort)

&)ite)ea", rocess and 5eality Ne! or*@ %ree Press, 14F<, page F- Spino?a;s deus sive natura )ol"s Go" an" Nature ininclusi/e "is9unction- 'eleu?e "e/elops a similar notion o# a 6nature0culture continuum,7 .ut as a resolutely 6at)eological7

proposition-3i/

%or a similar use o# t)e concept o# nature" nature, in speci#ic conte3t o# go/ernmental po!ers, see Mic)el %oucault,

!he Birth of Biopolitics" #ectures at the $oll%ge de &rance '()*-'()(, trans- Gra)am $urc)ell Ne! or*@ Palgra/e0Macmillan, =JJ<, page 1B@ 6Nature is somet)ing t)at runs un"er, t)roug), an" in t)e e3ercise o# go/ernmentality- It is, i#

you li*e, its in"ispensa.le )ypo"ermis- It is t)e ot)er #ace o# somet)ing !)ose /isi.le #ace, /isi.le #or t)e go/ernors, is t)eir

o!n action- It is not a .ac*groun", .ut a permanent correlati/e- T)us, t)e 7conomistes e3plain, t)e mo/ement o#

population to !)ere !ages are )ig)est, #or e3ample, is a la! o# nature-7 Ascri.a.le entities 6/isi.ilities7 in %oucault;s

terminology are ta*en #or /isi.le mar*ers o# in/isi.le la!s o# nature- T)e in/isi.ility o# t)e la! o# nature is t)e mo"e in

!)ic) naturing natures;s ontogenetic impercepti.ility #ormally appears to t)e system as t)e correlate o# its o!n #unctional



operations- T)e la!s o# nature are t)e #ormal mirroring, #or t)e system, o# t)e system;s o!n pattern o# actions- T)ey are t)e

#orm in !)ic) t)e system internali?es t)e acti/ity o# its outsi"e as it o!n-3/

On preempti/e po!er an" t)e #orce o# time, see $rian Massumi 6Perception Attac*,7 !heory 8 9vent , special issue on

6'eleu?e an" &ar,7 #ort)coming- &it) respect to e3tensi/e "istinctions an" spatiali?ation, t)e in#amous t)eses o# t)e 6clas)

o# ci/ili?ations7 an" t)e accompanying r)etoric o# 6culture !ars7 ma*es an e3tensi/e "istinction o# cultural "i##erence,

ena.ling cultures to .e graspe" as territoriali?e" entities, in spite o# t)e premise o# transnational glo.alism impelling t)is/ery t)eori?ation- T)is spatiali?ation o# culture presupposes a prior e3ternali?ation o# nature, #iguring as reser/e o#

prospecta.le ra! materials rat)er t)an o# #ormati/e #orces, an" prioriti?ing t)e mo"el o# t)e passi/e "eposit- T)is simply

locate", spatiali?e" nature is passi/e .e#ore t)e in"ustry o# t)e )uman, !)ose o!n space is "ynamically #ragmente" into

opposing cultures- All #ormati/e #orce, an" con#lict, all "ynamism, #alls to t)e si"e o# t)e )uman- T)e spatiali?ation o#

culture an" correlati/e passi#ication o# nature is t)e signature trait o# )umanism in its many incarnations- Post0 or anti0

)umanisms stri/e to a/oi" t)is e3tensi/e "ic)otomi?ation- (o!e/er, t)ose !)ic) assign t)e ascension to langauge as a limit

.et!een t)e )uman an" t)e animal suc) as t)ose o# (ei"egger, Lacan, Agam.en, among ot)ers are le" to miss or

misconstrue constituti/e po!er, or 'eleu?e calls t)e 6real con"itions o# emergence7 o# in"i/i"uations )uman, animal, an"

ot)er!ise@ t)e real, an" really #elt, impelling potential o# incipient #ormati/e #orces creati/ely agitating an intensi/e #iel"

"is9uncti/ely inclu"ing nature an" culture in ot)er !or"s, #ol"ing t)eir potential "i##erentiations toget)er in t)e same e/ent,in a *in" o# occurrent continuum o# any an" all e3tensi/e "istinctions t)ey potentially un#ol" into on constitute" le/els o#

systemic organi?ation- 'eleu?e;s 6/irtual7 on t)e e"ge o# actuali?ation, &)ite)ea";s 6real potential,7 an" Simon"on;s

6associate" milieu7 are !ays o# conceptuali?ing t)e real con"itions o# emergence t)at is constituti/e po!er ontopo!er-3/i

On preempti/e po!er as emergently counter0pro"ucti/e, see Massumi, 6Potential Politics an" t)e Primacy o#

Preemption,7 !heory and 9vent , 1J@ = =JJF- )ttp@55 muse-9)u-e"u 59ournals5 t)eory an" e/ent 5toc 5in"e3-)tml-3/ii

%oucault, Society 0ust Be 1efended , page =<-3/iii

On process as nature, see Gilles 'eleu?e an" %Uli3 Guattari, nti-:edipus, trans- Ro.ert (urley, Mar* Seem, an" (elen

R- Lane Minneapolis@ :ni/ersity o# Minnesota Press, 14<, pages =0H nature li/e" 6not as nature .ut as a process o#

pro"uction7 an" passim- T)e account o# system in t)e present essay is loosely .ase" on t)e !or* o# Ni*las Lu)mann, !it)

certain ma9or "e/iations pertaining to t)e principle o# 6operational closure-73i3

Giorgio Agam.en, +omo Sacer" Sovereign ower and Bare #ife, trans- 'aniel (elen0Roa?en Stan#or"@ Stan#or"

:ni/ersity Press, 144<, pages 101J, = my use o# 6un"i##erentiation7 #ollo!s t)e %renc) translation it is 6in"istinction7 in

t)e Englis)-33

Gilles 'eleu?e, &oucault , trans- SUan (an" Minneapolis@ :ni/ersity o# Minnesota Press, 14<<, page 1=1 translation

mo"i#ie"-33i

'eleu?e, &oucault , pages H0B translation mo"i#ie"- Emp)asis a""e"-33ii

%or t)e appeal to structuralism, see Giorgio Agam.en, State of 9ception, trans- +e/in Attell C)icago@ :ni/ersity o#

C)icago Press, =JJH, B0F-33iii

T)e prece"ing 8uotes are #rom Agam.en, !he State of 9ception, pages H04-33i/

T)e prece"ing 8uotes on la! an" norm, as against li#e an" language, are #rom Agam.en, !he State of 9ception, pages

<F0<<-33/

Mic)el %oucault, 6T)e 'iscourse on Language,7 trans- Rupert Sa!yer, in !he rchaeology of ;nowledge Ne! or*@ Pant)eon, 14<=, p- =1-33/i

%or a "etalie" account o# $remer;s "ecrees, see Antonia Vu)as?, !he Bush genda" /nvading the World :ne 9conomy ata !ime Ne! or*@ Regan $oo*s5(arper Collins, =JJB, pages 1<H0=BJ- %or a )istory o# t)e IM%;s mo"el o# neoli.eralism

an" its imposition on "e/eloping nations, see Naomi +lein, !he Shock 1octrine" !he 5ise of 1isaster $apitalism Toronto@

+nop# Cana"a, =JJF-33/ii

Paul L- $remer III, 6 Ne! Ris*s in International $usiness,7 iewpoint" !he 0arsh and 0c#ennan $ompanies <ournal ,no- = =JJ1- )ttp@55!!!-.ettermanagement-com5 li.rary5 li.rary-asp3>lH=1pagenum.er1, accesse" April =1, =JJ4-

33/iii %oucault, !he Birth of Biopolitics, page =FF-33i3

On t)e a3iomatic, see 'eleu?e an" Guattari, !housand lateaus, 6Apparatus o# Capture7 6Proposition QI@

A3iomatic an" Actual Situation,7 pages BJ0F-333

%oucault;s t)eory o# "isciplinary po!er is "e/elope" t)roug)out 1iscipline and unish. Birth of the rison, trans- Alan

S)eri"an Ne! or*@ Pant)eon, 14FF an" is returne" in relation to so/ereignty an" .iopo!er in Society 0ust Be 1efended.333i

On go/ernmentality as 6transactional,7 see Birth of Biopolitics, pages 1=01, =4F-333ii

%oucault "e#ines raison d=>tat as a t!o0#ol" limitation on t)e ar.itrarity o# so/ereign po!er- On t)e one )an"@ t)e

transcen"ent limitation o# )ig)er la!@ 6t)e go/ernment o# t)e state must o./iously respect a num.er o# principles an" rules

!)ic) are a.o/e or "ominate t)e state an" are e3ternal to it- T)e go/ernment o# t)e state must respect "i/ine, moral, an"

natural la!s as la!s !)ic) are not )omogeneous !it) or intrinsic to t)e state7 Birth, - On t)e ot)er )an"@ t)e .ecoming

http://www.marshmac.com/frameset.php?embed=views2/index.php

http://www.marshmac.com/frameset.php?embed=views2/index.php



immanent o# so/ereign po!er to its o!n #iel" o# application in t)e #orm o# security an" regulati/e mec)anisms, pertaining

to t)e control an" rationali?ation o# circulation policing an" o# contractual relation t)e legal09uri"ical apparatus, !)ic)

create t)e con"itions #or t)e emergence o# li.eral go/ernmentality as a mo"e o# po!er in its o!n rig)t Birth, H01J- Li.eralgo/ernmentality is animate" .y a ten"ency #or immanent regulation to assert in"epen"ence #rom t)e State "eregulation-

T)is ten"ency to!ar" State "eregulation in t)e name o# t)e sel#0regulation o# t)e economic system, .ecome synonymous

!it) t)e en/ironment o# li#e, is ta*en to an e3treme un"er neoli.eralism- T)e process o# "eregulation, )o!e/er, is ne/er

an" can ne/er .e complete, "ue to t)e presence o# counter/ailing ten"encies in t)e ecological #iel" o# po!er- To !)at

e3tent "eregulation can .e consi"ere" a counter0#orm o# 6rationality7 to t)e reason o# State, or !)et)er a concept o#

6a##ecti/ity7 is nee"e" to grasp its "ynamic, is a 8uestion t)at !ill .e le#t #or #uture e3ploration-333iii

%or an e3cellent t)eori?ation o# t)e interconnections .et!een emergence, preempti/e po!er, an" neoli.eral capitalism,

see Melin"a Cooper, #ife as Surplus" Biotechnology and $apitalism in the Neoliberal 9ra Seattle@ :ni/ersity o#

&as)ington Press, =JJ<-333i/

%or an analysis o# preempti/e po!er;s sel#0"ri/ing "ynamism as an uncontaine" 6operati/e logic,7 see Massumi,

6Potential Politics an" t)e Primacy o# Preemption-7 T)e concept o# 6operati/e logic7 is a special0purpose /ariation on

'eleu?e an" Guattari;s 6a.stract mac)ine,7 particularly as "eploye" in 6Apparatus o# Capture,7 !housand lateaus.333/

%or a con/incing 9ournalistic account o# t)e un)ope"0#or continuities .et!een t)e $us) an" O.ama a"ministrations on

t)e issue o# preemption an" t)e 6Re/olution in Military A##airs7 t)at soug)t un"er $us) to rema*e t)e military apparatus in

its operati/e image, see Vo)n %e##er, 6T)e Piracy Pro.lem,7 Tom 'ispatc), April =1, =JJ4- )ttp@55 !!!-tom"ispatc)-com5

post5 1FHJB=5 9o)n#e##ert)epiracypro.lem, accesse" April =1, =JJ4- T)e article argues t)at t)e #ortuitous arri/al on t)e

scene o# Somali pirates in =JJ<0=JJ4 ga/e t)e 'e#ense 'epartment a con/eniently #res) an" "ramatic #igure o# t)e

6terrorist7 !it) !)ic) to 9usti#y signi#icant increases in t)e military .u"get in a time o# economic crisis, an" to #urt)er pursue t)e realigning o# t)e :S on #ull0spectrum 6strategic #le3i.ility7 an" )ig)0tec) 6rapi" "ominance7 matc)ing t)etiming o# counter0insurgency response to t)e time0nature o# t)reat- %or e3amples o# t)e O.ama a"ministration;s "e#ense o#

$us) era e3ceptionalism, see@ 6O.ama C)annels C)eney@ O.ama A"opts $us) ie! on t)e Po!ers o# t)e Presi"ency, !he Wall Street <ournal , Marc) B, =JJ4, )ttp@55 online-!s9-com5 article5 S$1=B<FBHFBH<BF-)tml, accesse" Marc) 11,

=JJ4 loop)ole #or !arrantless !iretapping 6a legal stance i"entical to, i# not more aggressi/e t)an, t)e $us) /ersion

t)at t)e court0#orce" "isclosure o# t)e sur/eillance programs !oul" cause We3ceptional )arm to national security;7 6O.ama

to Appeal 'etainee Ruling,7 !he New 6ork !imes, April 11, =JJ4, )ttp@55 !!!-nytimes-com5=JJ45J5115 !orl"5asia5

11.agram-)tml>r1t)emct), accesse" April 11, =JJ4, supports suspension o# )a.eas corpus !it) no appeal 6e##ort

to maintain t)e po!er to imprison terrorism suspects #or e3ten"e" perio"s !it)out 9u"icial o/ersig)t7 6Vu"ge &eig)s

'ismissing Case In/ol/ing Torture Memoran"um,7 !he New 6ork !imes, Marc) F, =JJ4, )ttp@55!!!-nytimes-com5

=JJ45J5JF5 us5JFyoo-)tml, accesse" Marc) F, =JJ4 argues 6constitutional protections against unreasona.le searc)es an"sei?ures can .e o/erri""en7 #or national security reasons 6Mr O.ama an" t)e Rule o# La!, 7 !he New 6ork !imes, Marc)

==, =JJ4, )ttp@55!!!-nytimes-com5 =JJ45J5==5 opinion5 ==sun1-)tml>r1t)emct),accesse" Marc) ==, =JJ4 an"

An"y &ort)ington, 6In Selling Its ersion o# t)e W&ar on Terror,; O.ama Is A"opting $us);s Play.oo*,7 AlterNet, Marc)

1F, =JJ4, )ttp@55!!!-alternet-org5story51=1==5, accesse" Marc) 14, =JJ4 6state secrets7 loop)ole .arring court o/ersig)t

o# ren"ition, torture, an" in"e#inite imprisonment !it)out c)arges &illiam Gla.erson, 6:S May Re/i/e Military Tri.unals

at Guantanamo,7 !he New 6ork !imes, May =, =JJ4, )ttp@55!!!-nytimes-com5 =JJ45JH5J=5us5 politics5 J=gitmo-)tml>r1,

accesse" May =, =JJ4 e3ceptions to "ue process #or terrorism suspects, inclu"ing allo!ing )earsay e/i"ence 6military

commissions are only .ene#icial #or t)e go/ernment i# t)ey ma*e it easier to !in a prosecution t)an it is in #e"eral court7&illiam Gla.erson, 6Presi"ent;s 'etention Plan Tests American Legal Tra"ition,7 New 6ork !imes, May =, =JJ4, )ttp@55

!!!-nytimes-com5 =JJ45JH5=5 us5politics5 ="etain-)tml> r1t)emct), May =, =JJ4, accesse" May =, =JJ4

plan to allo! in"e#inite "etention !it)out c)arge on :S territory o# terrorist suspects !)o !oul" .e su.9ect to

Guantanomo0style military commissions operating on "omestic soil 'a#na Lin?er an" Peter %inn, 6O.ama 'ra#ting Or"er

on 'etention O##icials Say It &oul" Reassert Po!er To (ol" Terror Suspects In"e#initely,7 !he Washington ost , Vune =F,

=JJ4, )ttp@55!!!-!as)ingtonpost-com5 !p0"yn5 content5 article5 =JJ45JB5=B5 AR=JJ4JB=BJB1 p#-)tml, accesse" Vune

=<, =JJ4 implementation .y e3ecuti/e or"er o# play #or in"e#inite "etention !it)out c)arge on :S- T)e early O.ama

a"ministration;s strategy )as .een t!o0#ol"@ 1 to create a"ministrati/e rules inter"icting suspect practices on t)e one )an",!)ile t)e ot)er )an" #ig)ts to maintain legal loop)oles lea/ing open t)e potential #or t)e co/ert employment o# t)ese same

practices in case o# natural security emergency = to openly normali?e e3ception .y #ormally !riting into t)e la! or into

a"minstrati/e rules t)e outs t)at it e3ploits, !it) t)e ostensi.le purpose o# o/erseeing it an" regulating an" its e3cesses- T)e

t!o strategies toget)er un"ermine any e##ecti/e regulation- Alt)oug) t)e term 6!ar on terror7 cease" to .e use" !ee*s into

t)e O.ama a"ministration, it continues 8uietly to .e prosecute", un"er t)e less attention0gra..ing moni*er 6o/erseas

contingency operations,7 an" !it) t)e main #ront s)i#te" #rom Ira8 to A#g)anistan5Pa*istan- Preempti/e cross0.or"er attac*s

into Pa*istan continue- T)e term 6enemy com.attant7 )as similarly "isappeare", in #a/or o# t)e more neutral 6"etaine"

persons-7 $ut t)e legal concept is still /ery muc) in place, an" necessarily so .ecause t)e promise" closing o# Guanatamo

coul" not e/en .e contemplate" in t)e current political atmosp)ere i# t)e remaining "etaine" persons !oul" #all .ac* into

t)e "omestic 9u"icial system !it) simple accuse"0criminal status- Rat)er t)an reassuring, t)e O.ama a"ministration;s



c)ange in r)etoric comes o## !it) t)e slig)tly *a#*aes8ue e##ect accompanying all attempts to normali?e t)e para"o3es an"

contra"ictions in terms t)at come !it) t)e proto0territory o# t)e e3ceptional e3ercise o# po!er- ice Presi"ent 'ic* C)eney,

one o# t)e main a"/ocates o# t)e 6unitary e3ecuti/e7 principle supporting unregualte" presi"ential po!ers o# e3ception,sni"ely pre"icte" in )is #irst ma9or tele/ise" inter/ie! #ollo!ing O.ama;s election t)at O.ama !oul" 8uic*ly learn to

6appreciate some o# t)e t)ings !e put in place,7 An"y $arr, 6C)eney@ O.ama WNot Li*ely to Ce"e Aut)ority;,7

Politico-com, )ttp@55!!!-politico-com5 ne!s 5stories5 1=J<51BH4-)tml, accesse" 'ecem.er 1B, =JJ<-

bm.national enterprise emergency

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