The spectacle of de Gaulle's coup d'état: The Situationists on de Gaulle's coming to power

Mikkel Bolt

doi:10.1177/0957155815616590

The spectacle of de Gaulle's coup d'état: The Situationists on de Gaulle's coming to power

Institut for Kunst- og Kulturvidenskab

Abstract

This article analyses the Situationists' reading of the situation in May-June 1958 when Charles de Gaulle came to power in France in the middle of the Algerian civil war, which threatened to tear France apart. The Situationists analysed the dramatic events as a counter-revolution not unlike previous historical events where counter-revolutionary figures like Louis Bonaparte and Franco derailed potentially revolutionary developments. In that regard de Gaulle came to represent the spectacle (le spectacle) and its blockade of revolutionary energies for the Situationist group. De Gaulle's extremely conscious staging of himself as the saviour of France and his ability to use the new medium of television presented the Situationists with an example of how the modern capitalist state sought to fix people in a passive situation unable to intervene and take control of their lives.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	French Cultural Studies
Vol/bind	27
Udgave nummer	1
Sider (fra-til)	96-110
ISSN	0957-1558
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1177/0957155815616590
Status	Udgivet - 1 feb. 2016

Emneord

Det Humanistiske Fakultet
Avantgarde
Kontrarevolution
de Gaulle, Charles
Situationist Internationale
statskup

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1177/0957155815616590

Citationsformater

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AB - This article analyses the Situationists' reading of the situation in May-June 1958 when Charles de Gaulle came to power in France in the middle of the Algerian civil war, which threatened to tear France apart. The Situationists analysed the dramatic events as a counter-revolution not unlike previous historical events where counter-revolutionary figures like Louis Bonaparte and Franco derailed potentially revolutionary developments. In that regard de Gaulle came to represent the spectacle (le spectacle) and its blockade of revolutionary energies for the Situationist group. De Gaulle's extremely conscious staging of himself as the saviour of France and his ability to use the new medium of television presented the Situationists with an example of how the modern capitalist state sought to fix people in a passive situation unable to intervene and take control of their lives.

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KW - Avantgarde

KW - Kontrarevolution

KW - de Gaulle, Charles

KW - Situationist Internationale

KW - statskup

KW - Avant-Garde

KW - Counter-revolution

KW - De Gaulle, Charles

KW - Situationist International

KW - State Coup

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The spectacle of de Gaulle's coup d'état: The Situationists on de Gaulle's coming to power

Abstract

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