The Myth of the State

This insightful book marks the end of Ernst Cassirer's career and suggests that his impact upon the social sciences will continue to grow. Perhaps this book's central feature is it's application of Cassirer's philosophy of symbolic forms to 20th century political thought. Beginning with a lean and incisive analysis of myth and culminating with an inspection of modern authoritarianism, Cassirer succeeds in marrying an understanding of culture with an analysis of political phenomena. Readers familiar with the Western tradition of political philosophy will find their background knowledge put to good use here, as the majority of the text centers around considering various mythic conceptions prevalent in Western political theory up to Hitler's Third Reich. Cassirer's approach, consistent with his other works, is to stress synthetic conclusions with comprehensive analysis. The text can be divided into roughly three major section, each of which draws from Cassirer's previous work. The first major section is Cassirer's short exposition of his philosophy of symbolic forms. The reader is provided with several chapters identifying key elements of myth, including language, emotions, and social life. From this domain, Cassirer draws a general theory of culture, and a theory of myth in particular. His orientation to studying culture is largely operative, as he considers how myth functions emotively, cognitively, and socially. In the next section, Cassirer approaches the question of the Western state's origins, particularly in relation to the Greek, medieval, and Renaissance traditions. All through reviewing major political theories (e.g. Machiavelli, Hegel, etc.), Cassirer applies his functional analysis of myth, noting how Western thought developed out of myth, but does not entirely escape its influence. The final section finds Cassirer considering the genesis of modern totalitarianism, once again by working through influential thinkers. Among these include Hegel's formulation of the State, Thomas Carlyle's hero worship, and Joseph A. C. de Gobineau's theory of racism. The last chapter, entitled "The Technique of Modern Political Myths" will be the most fascinating for reader's familiar with Cassirer's other major works. Here we find Cassirer in high form: An advocate of Kant's Aufklarung in an uncertain world shaped by powerful, misunderstood forces of culture. Sadly, Cassirer passed away suddenly before this section could be completed. Still, the final note is resounding. Writing in an unusually strong tone about how to address the advocates and agents of political myths, Cassirer concludes: "We should see the adversary face to face in order to know how to combat him." In this task, Cassirer advocates that philosophy is our chief tool in understanding myth and that this task is necessary to advance self-understanding beyond even contemporary bounds.