Arendt's Political Thinking

"Action" is always a dominant issue in Arendt's political thought,which is also the core clue of her research.On the aspect of politics,from the analysis of elements and origins of totalitarianism in the early to the thinking of the American republic crisis in the later period,Arendt persists that "action" is the key to overcome political and constitutional crisis.On the aspect of philosophy,whether she distinguishes "vita activa" internally in the early or elucidates the basic elements of"vita contemplativa",that is,"thought","willing","judgment" in the later,actually Arendt seeks to surmount the ignorance of the concept of "action" in the traditional political philosophy through her "theater" theory in political action.For Arendt,politics mean "action" which is the central element of authentic politics.The concept of "action" contains two aspects.One is "to appear",which means that the actors use their "words and deeds" to show the world and manifest their differences so that they can reveal who they are.This is known as "authentic potential ity-for-being".The other one is "together",which shows that "action" contains not only the scale of political exchanges and communication but also the other dimensions.This is known as "authentic being-with-others".And it is the action of "potentiality-for-being" and"being-with-others" that constructs the basic framework of authentic politics.In Arendt's opinion,action is closely combined with the public realm.,In the public realm,there are actors and bystanders,as in a theater,there are both performers and audience.Although as a spectator audiences think,gaze,appreciate,judge beside actors,they connect with action because their watching,in a sense of plurality,means they make judgment in the company of others.So although they do not act,they actually do act.Thus,even "vita contemplativa" is closely associated with politics.In this sense,Arendt's thought is the thought of politics.She endeavors to use the path of original political thoughts in ancient Greece to understand the politics.Based on this,we will concentrate on the concept of "action".We will comb and review Arendt's thought of "action",including the origin of action,elucidation of action,extension of action,progression of action,veer of action,relationship and so on.We will also study the internal unity of action.All above will be in effect for fundamental point in Arendt's thought,that is,the answer how the thought of politics is.About the origin of the concept of "action",this part involves how Arendt places her thoughts on indication of the concept of action from political and philosophical aspects.At the aspect of politics,both the "false" politics in the totalitarianism and the lack of Jews' own political attribute led to the biggest political disaster in the 20th century.Based on the analysis of this historical event,Arendt starts to think what on earth politics are.At the aspect of philosophy,Arendt finds that it is malicious to "vita activa" and human affairs in traditional political philosophy.And she also finds that in the history of political thoughts,the concept of action is gradually translated,twisted and veiled.Therefore,she wants to reconstruct the concept of action and the apparent public realm.From the Aristotle's distinction between poiesis and praxis,Arendt creates a proper path to structure the authentic politics.About the elucidation of the concept of "action",this part discusses the critical understanding and the distinction of the concept of "action".As for this issue,there is a lot of debate among researchers.One of views is that concept of action in Arendt's thought obviously exists the turning point,so the concept of action needs to be"understood differently".However,others think that the concept is consistent,which needs to be "understood wholly".In these two perspectives internally,there aredifferent comprehensions.In our view,Arendt's concept of "action" should be"understood wholly".The connotation of the action is "performing","agonistic",and"controversial",which are included in the overall context of Arendt's "theater" theory.This part is about extension of "action".The concept of action is not isolated,which is always bound with concepts such as publicity,freedom,authority and truth,etc.At the same time,due to the vulnerability of action,Arendt introduces the political commitment,the theology of forgiveness,the narrative of history and actors'ability of judgment to safeguard the concept of action.In this sense,the concept of political action extends,and the meaning area of action also expands.This part turns to the progression of action.Before the trial of Eichmann,Arendt studies action in the public realm,and how to conquer "radical evil",and expression the public morality.However,after that,she starts to explore the mind in the private sector,how to conquer evil of banality and expression the private morality.In her mind,actors need not only action but also thinking and judgment.Action means I am together with others;nevertheless,thought means that ego is together with itself.Whether in the public realm or in the private sector,we all need "discourse"and"conversation".As we can see,Socrates is a "model" between action and thought,politics and philosophy.Next is about the veer of action.We can find that in the early period of her political thoughts,Arendt pays her attention to the internal distinction of "vita activa"and the construction of the concept of action.However,after the trial of Eichmann,especially in her later period,in her book The Life Of The Mind,she concentrates on the elucidation of thought,willing and judgment.Because of this,some scholars support that there is a break in Arendt's political thoughts,which leads to her research change from actors' representative thinking in the early to spectators' retrospective judgment in the later,from vita activa to vita contemplativa,and from action to contemplativa.We want to dissect the "break" theory is improper,and our view is that the development of Arendt's political thoughts is continuous.From the relationship between "action" and "thought",We know that Arendt's political thoughts are in the root of Heidegger,and we find the relevance and the difference between the Arendt's political thoughts and Heidegger's pure thoughts.Based on this,we study the "debate" between Arendt and Heidegger,and from this,we are aware of the content that Arendt inherits and abandons from Heidegger.At the same time,we see that their thoughts are both originated from the great thoughts in ancient Greece,but they create two different paths,which makes us study and discuss their thoughts and debates.Eventually,we focus on the internal unity of her thoughts.We know that three basic elements of mind life are "thought","willing" and "judgment" which are contained the internal political meanings in Arendt's thoughts.Among these,"thought" offer itself to "action" and "judgment",and "thought" is a conversation between ego and its own;"willing" is the fountain of "action" and the motivation for"judgment",and "willing" is the combination of willingness and unwillingness;nevertheless,activities of "judgment" are the true political activities in mind,which contains "the other orientation" and requires us to consider in others' and demands that even if we are faced with mandatory orders,we should not give up reflection."Judgment" is the plurality of "I-he".In this degree,Arendt's thoughts are consistent and unitive.From The Human Condition to The Life Of The Mind,from "vita activa" to"vita contemplativa",from action to judgment,from actors to spectators,Arendt constantly constructs her "theater" theory,constantly perfects action in the public realm,keeps constantly enrich her political thoughts.In her mind,in post totalitarian era of politics,every actor needs the courage to shoulder his responsibility,don't give up acting,don't give up thinking,don't give up judging,cherish and maintain our homeland,the only possible homeland.