Carl Schmitt: Offering Political Theology Against Romanticism

Carl Schmitt is a leading figure in the western contemporary intellectual history. His theories about "the Distinction between Friend and Enemy" "Determinism" in the political field and "the State of Exception" in the constitutional field have long been the hot topics in the academic circle. Nowadays, we attach great importance to Schmitt because he was regarded as the "enemy" of Liberalism. In 1919, his Political Romanticism was first published, which coincides with the end of WWI and the establishment of the Weimar Republic. When the Weimar Republic get bogged down in the crisis of both the interior and exterior in 1924, Schmitt reprinted the Political Romanticism. The purpose of his act is obvious. By focusing on organizing Schmitt's main political thought and researching Schmitt's critique of the political institution of Liberalism, This article indicates that Schmitt's genuine aim is to offer political theology against romanticism. On this basis, Schmitt planned to resolve the political crisis triggered by the absence of the legitimacy of the Modern Age by means of Political Theology. No matter it is the "Distinctions between Friend and Enemy" "Sovereign Determinism" or the dictatorship under the "State of Emergency", Schmitt built all of his theories on the basis of Theology. Schmitt insisted that only Divine Relevation and faith, not the principle of liberalism, can rule over a nation. In this context, liberalism is a much heavier enemy than anarchism, and Schmitt regarded Liberalism as a genuinely absolute enemy. Liberalists denies Miracle and the necessity of Sovereign Determinism, they claim that they have now created the a new world instead of God, so they fully deserve the name of Anti-Christ. At the same time, Schmitt's critique of romanticism went into a deeper level involving how to cope with the consequence and crisis of Modernity. Whether our life should be guided by science and rationality or religious Revelation, it still remains an undetermined question.There are altogether 4 parts in this article.In part 1, I emphasize the great influence of Carl Schmitt in western intellectual history. Through Schmitt's thought, we can fully comprehend the dilemma of contemporary Liberalism.In part 2, I analyze Schmitt's understanding and attitude towards Romanticism and try to investigate the internal relationship between Romanticism and Liberalism which Schmitt criticized.In part 3, I analyze Schmitt's political intention, that is to offer Political Theology against Romanticism. At the same time, I try to prove that Schmitt's antagonism never fully get rid of Romanticism, so antagonism is likely to be the irony of Romanticism against itself.The part 4 reviews the challenge brought by Schmitt. Schmitt insisted that theology should be taken as a measure to fight against Romanticism. And theology also poses a challenge to liberalism, to political legitimacy under the crisis of Modernity, to value conflict and the absence of faith.