Title: “Surviving communism. Escape from underground” 

Author: Mihai Gheorghiu 

How to cite this article: Gheorghiu, Mihai. 2012. “Surviving communism. Escape from underground”. Martor 

17: 19‐38. 

Published by: Editura MARTOR  (MARTOR Publishing House), Muzeul Țăranului Român  (The 

Museum of the Romanian Peasant) 

URL:  http://martor.muzeultaranuluiroman.ro/archive/revista‐martor‐nr‐17‐din‐2012/ 

 Martor  (The Museum  of  the  Romanian  Peasant  Anthropology  Review)  is  a  peer‐reviewed  academic  journal established in 1996, with a focus on cultural and visual anthropology, ethnology, museum studies and the dialogue among  these  disciplines. Martor  review  is  published  by  the Museum  of  the  Romanian  Peasant.  Its  aim  is  to provide,  as widely  as  possible,  a  rich  content  at  the  highest  academic  and  editorial  standards  for  scientific, educational and (in)formational goals. Any use aside from these purposes and without mentioning the source of the article(s) is prohibited and will be considered an infringement of copyright.    Martor (Revue d’Anthropologie du Musée du Paysan Roumain) est un journal académique en système peer‐review fondé  en  1996,  qui  se  concentre  sur  l’anthropologie  visuelle  et  culturelle,  l’ethnologie,  la muséologie  et  sur  le dialogue entre ces disciplines. La revue Martor est publiée par le Musée du Paysan Roumain. Son aspiration est de généraliser  l’accès vers un riche contenu au plus haut niveau du point de vue académique et éditorial pour des objectifs  scientifiques,  éducatifs  et  informationnels. Toute utilisation  au‐delà de  ces  buts  et  sans mentionner  la source des articles est interdite et sera considérée une violation des droits de l’auteur.  

 

 

 

 

 

Martor is indexed by EBSCO and CEEOL. 

Gentlemen, God is dead.–­Jean­Paul­Sartre­

Incipit

Communism­was­a­colossal­force­of­humanself-destruction,­of­total­annihilation.­The­bar-barism­of­communism­is­Europe’s­hidden­bar-barism,­ its­ latent­ potential­ for­ destruction,which­is­called­into­play­throughout­history.Communism­is­the­manifestation­of­a­kind­ofimpulse­of­death­–­a­phenomenon­of­darkness.­

No­one­in­Romania­was­prepared­to­faceup­to­contemporary­history,­neither­the­polit-ical­parties­nor­the­utopian­dispensers­of­jus-tice.­Our­Levantine­democracy,­unrepentantphanariotism,­was­unable­to­rescue­the­Ro-

manian­ country­ from­ disaster,­ to­ endow­ itwith­ the­ political,­ economic­ and­ culturalstrength­necessary­to­withstand­the­maelstromof­ events.­ Romania’s­ decline­ placed­ in­ thehands­of­the­enemy­a­country­that­was­riddenwith­contempt­for­any­kind­of­utopia­and­inthe­grip­of­a­frenzy­of­institutionalised­crimeand­plunder.­The­oriental­tameness­of­LittleParis­should­not­deceive­the­eye­set­on­uncov-ering­the­roots­of­a­country’s­decline.­It­is­truethat­communism­not­only­represents­our­owndefeat;­ it­ also­ represents­ the­ defeat­ of­ thewhole­of­Europe­as­well­as­being­a­disastrousphenomenon­of­human­civilisation.­Berdyaevwas­entirely­right:­communism­is­a­metaphys-ical­phenomenon,­not­economic­or­purely­po-litical.­Dostoyevsky­was­the­first­to­grasp­thesubstance­ of­ the­ communist­ revolutionaryproject,­providing­a­memorable­description­of

19

Surviving communism.Escape from underground

Mihai GheorghiuDr. Mihai Gheorghiu is a lead researcher at the National Museum of the RomanianPeasant, where he also holds the position of deputy director. He obtained his title ofdoctor from the University of Bucharest for his thesis on Mircea Eliade.

ABSTRACT

This­essay­seeks­to­provide­a­phenomenological­description­of­the­conscience’sparticular­quest­to­free­itself­from­servitude.­Trapped­in­the­mechanism­of­aworld­that­dictates­and­imposes­totalitarian­mechanisms­of­control­and­“pro-duction”­of­social­and­personal­conscience,­man­begins­his­search­for­the­pathsof­freedom­and­liberation­from­this­prison-like­mechanism.­This­quest­of­theconscience­is­also­possible­in­this­society­of­total­human­alienation,­and­evenhere­it­is­an­event­of­everyday­life,­of­the­practice­of­survival,­and­not­an­eventof­great­histories­and­great­confrontations.­The­human­conscience­is­most­defi-nitely­the­conscience­of­freedom,­of­transcendence­towards­the­centre­of­a­free-dom­that­remains­an­integral­part­of­the­human­being,­at­least­as­a­trace­or­asecret­propensity­of­the­socially­and­politically­annihilated­being.­Communismcan­therefore­be­interpreted­as­an­immense­challenge­to­the­individual,­thehuman­person,­as­well­as­the­community:­the­ultimate­challenge­of­seeking­andfinding­freedom.­Designated­for­total­annihilation,­the­human­conscience­redis-covers­through­this­quest­for­the­centre,­for­self-definition,­its­true­ontologicalstatus.­The­escape­from­communism­should­also­be­defined­as­the­conscience’squest­for­freedom,­and­not­only­as­a­political­and­economic­act­of­dismantlingthe­command­structures­of­the­old­regime.­Liberation­from­servitude­is­firstand­foremost­an­inner­liberation­from­the­condition­of­servitude,­the­transitionbeyond,­towards­a­new­human­condition,­even­where­this­condition­is­one­offragility­and­transience.

KEYWORDS

Communism,­revolution,­freedom,humanism,­transcendence.­

Mihai­Gheorghiu

20

1) See André Scrima,Ortodoxia [i încercareacomunismului, Simplereflec]ii despre comu-

nism, pp. 153-198,Humanitas, Bucharest,2008, coordinated by

Vlad Alexandrescu.

it­in­The­Devils.The­ failure­ of­Europe­ in­ this­ tenebrous

Russian­endeavour­is­first­and­foremost­thefailure­of­the­history­of­European­Christianityin­the­face­of­nihilism­as­a­historical­force­ofcivilisation.­ Communism’s­ penetration­ ofman’s­deepest­tissues­represents­the­failure­ofthe­Church­as­well­as­all­other­forms­of­dogmaor­metaphysics.­This­leaves­man­himself­de-feated,­crawling­in­the­mud.­And­it­renders­theblindness­ of­ much­ of­ the­ western­ intelli-gentsia,­starting­with­J.­P.­Satre,­all­the­morerepugnant.

Returning­to­Romania’s­quest,­there­is­noway­to­explain­the­teratological­experience­ofso­ many­ Romanian­ communists­ and­ theforced­resignations­of­the­intellectual­elite­at­atime­ when­ thousands­ of­ other­ Romanianswere­taking­to­the­mountains­in­a­desperateattempt­at­resistance­and­a­recourse­to­basichuman­dignity.­This­serves­only­ to­demon-strate­the­weakness­of­any­noble­gesture­by­theRomanian­intellectual.­­

What­was­ astonishing­ about­Romaniancommunism­was­the­incredible­level­of­organ-isation,­of­bureaucratisation,­of­cynicism­andcrime.­Local­tradition­had­only­reached­thestage­ of­ blood-soaked­ buffoonery­ charac-terised­by­frequent­interruption­and­a­certain,typically-oriental­detachment.­Even­Carol­IIhad­a­touch­of­the­Robin­Hood­in­his­congen-ital­vileness.­Bolshevism­triggers­an­immenseunleashing­of­demonism,­institutionalising­it,

rendering­it­effective­and­consistent.­The­ori-ental­charm­of­terror­and­crime­gives­way­to­adifferent­form­of­aberration,­a­mechanism,­amachine­of­organised­crime.­Wallachia­wastransforming...

The­defining­feature­of­communism­is­thebiological­exercise­of­survival­and­the­socialfunction­of­labour.­Nowhere­else­does­labourfulfil­such­a­“metaphysical”­role­as­it­does­incommunism.­The­party’s­first­call­is­the­call­tolabour.­Labour­engenders­a­feeling­of­life­andhumanity­as­well­as­solidarity.­The­workingnation­is­a­sovereign­nation,­a­historically­re-deemed­nation.­This­represents­the­creation­ofsupreme­slavery.­The­west­associates­labourwith­profit,­and­therefore­with­power.­Stalinviews­it­as­generalised­form­of­slavery,­an­op-timum­form­of­submission,­of­defeat.­In­com-munism­labour­is­a­sustained­experience­ofbankruptcy­–­but­no­less­useful­for­it.­Labouris­constantly­producing­slaves­to­feed­the­enor-mous­ideological­lie.­The­irresponsible­fictionof­unlimited­development­and­progress­acts­asa­religion­of­salvation­of­the­glorious­transi-tion­to­the­new­man.­Labour­is­the­instrumentof­this­transformation,­the­asceticism­requiredof­a­new,­planned­humanity.

Communism’s­main­ preoccupation­wasessentially­the­reduction­of­man­to­a­thing,­tothe­ objectual­ existence­ of­ the­ instrument1.This­ reduction­ is­ achieved­ by­ all­ availablemeans,­ most­ commonly­ the­ use­ of­ unre-strained­violence.­Confronted­with­the­mono-lithic,­ cellular,­ power­ of­ the­ force­ thatgenerates­violence­in­a­seemingly­legitimateway,­society­dissolves­into­the­crowd.­And­thecrowd­is­the­eternal­malformation­of­man,­thecrowd­is­always­an­object.­Being­an­object,­thecrowd­can­only­occupy­the­weak­position­inthe­equation­of­power­and­will­thus­always­bedeceived.­The­categorical­imperative­of­com-munism­ is­ falsification.­ Instating­ falsehoodand­maintaining­it­always­implies­the­resort­toviolence.­Political­deceit­and­crime­representdifferent­ intensities­of­violence.­ In­order­ toperpetuate­the­lie­you­must­always­be­able­toexercise­violence­–­ideological­violence,­polit-ical­ violence­ and,­ finally,­ also­ physical­ vio-

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

lence.The­historical­use­of­violence­against­one’s

own­ society,­ against­ the­ entire­ society,­ wassomething­new­to­the­Romanian­historical­ex-perience­at­the­end­of­the­Second­World­War.Romania­was­therefore­an­easy­target2.­­

Caragiale­and­Ceaușescu­are­the­two­pil-lars­ of­ Romanianness­ of­ the­ 20th­ century.They­are­symbols­of­modern­Romania,­mile-stones­of­Romanian­contemporary­experience:the­acid­wit­of­the­former­and­the­dictatorshipof­the­latter’s­delusions.­Between­Caragiale­andCeaușescu­ there­ exists­ an­ entire­ nation­ ofgood-for-nothing­“Miticăs”­and­proletarianscontinually­hailing­the­achievement­of­noth-ingness.­Under­communism­Caragiale­was­allbut­useless.­You­cannot­satirise­crime;­it­re-mains­in­itself­an­absolute.­Caragiale’s­acid­witcould­not­burn­through­the­iron­logic­of­terror.Yet­Caragiale­showed­us­the­beginning­of­ourmodest­history­as­a­modern­state­and,­in­par-ticular,­he­reproduced­the­genome­of­the­Wal-lachian­species.­Because­of­him­we­know­howwe­really­are,­we­no­longer­harbour­any­illu-sions­about­ourselves.­The­end­of­communismbrought­ Caragiale­ back­ to­ the­ fore;­ having

come­in­from­the­cold,­our­old­face­is­onceagain­recognisable.

The­dictator,­in­this­case­Ceauşescu,­is­acreator­of­fictions.­The­fiction­of­a­world­runaccording­to­the­algebraic­calculation­of­or-ders.­Orders­create­the­fiction­of­order.­Butorder­cannot­exist­in­reality,­for­man­is­a­dis-orderly­being,­a­being­who,­even­in­the­obedi-ence­ imposed­ through­ terror,­ retains­ aminimum­freedom­of­rebellion,­of­life.­Thatsaid,­dictatorship­is­paradoxical­in­that­it­is­arealised­fiction.

Ceaușescu­ the­ revolutionary­ knew­ onething­very­well:­the­battle­must­go­on,­hourafter­hour,­and­be­strong.­Politics­in­its­ele-ment,­that­is­war,­means­nothing­more­thanthe­defeat­of­one­side­by­the­other.­The­peopleare­split­into­two­camps:­my­people­and­theirpeople.­He­also­realised­that­the­public­speechis­an­excellent­political­weapon,­being­used­towin­over­and,­at­the­end­of­the­day,­to­hood-wink­the­masses,­selling­them­the­illusion,­thebelief,­in­the­political­action­of­the­revolution-ary.­He­later­understood­that­individual­poweris­ the­ natural­ consequence­ of­ all­ bellicoseforms­of­politics.­In­1968­he­presented­himself

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

21

2) On Romanian communism, see in parti -cular: Victor Frunz\(1990) Istoria stalinis-mului în România, Hu-manitas, Bucharest,Vladimir Tism\neanu(2005) Stalinism pentrueternitate. O istoriepolitic\ a comunismuluiromânesc, Polirom; VladGeorgescu (1991)Politic\ [i istorie. Cazulcomuni[tilor români,1944-1977, Humanitas,Bucharest; Denis Dele-tant (1999) CommunistTerror in Romania: Ghe-orghiu-Dej and the Po-lice State, New York, St.Martin's Press; StelianT\nase (1998) Elite [isocietate. GuvernareaGheorghiu-Dej,Humanitas, Bucharest.

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

Mihai­Gheorghiu

22

as­the­father­of­the­nation,­declaring­what­hewanted­to­be­the­start­of­a­“national­revolu-tion”,­after­the­“social­revolution”­had­come­toan­end.­The­great­crimes­accompanying­theinstallation­of­communism­were­committedby­the­old­guard,­to­whom­he­lent­his­uncon-ditional­ support­ until­ he­ became­ SecretaryGeneral­and­changed­tack;­he­switched­Stalin-ism­for­Ceaușescuism,­that­is,­a­fusion­of­“na-tional­ revolutionary­ energies”­ under­ hispersonal­ leadership.­ At­ heart­ he­ was­ con-vinced­it­was­his­calling­to­provide­the­much-needed­ peace­ and­ that­ the­ country­ shouldbecome­ an­ autarchic­ power;­ he­ probablydreamt­of­a­Romania­that­defied­its­own­his-tory,­a­Romania­ in­harmony­with­universaldestiny.­Interestingly,­during­his­“trial”­he­at-tacked­the­phanariotism­inherent­to­Roman-ian­political­history­at­ the­beginning­of­ themodern­era­and­stemming­from­the­originalhistorical­phanariotism­of­the­18th­century.Communist­ideology­contains­the­elements­of“heroic­ fury”­ typical­ of­ any­ revolution.Ceau?escu­undoubtedly­also­relied­on­the­dy-namic,­heroic­“new­man”,­the­initiator­of­newhistorical­paths.­Ideology­is­nothing­more­than

a­ circle­ ruthlessly­ closing­ in­ on­ the­ others,those­who­must­present­the­gift­of­delegatedwill;­ideology­is­a­form­of­submission­and,­atthe­same­time,­a­filter­for­those­whose­energyor­whose­good­will­is­too­great.­A­tool­for­bat-tle­as­well­as­defence,­ideology­is­fundamentalto­any­political­system.­However,­every­leaderis­above­ideology,­for­his­actions­must­be­freeand­sovereign.­The­fanatic,­a­kind­of­extrem-ist­idealist­who­ends­up­believing­ideology­tothe­letter,­is­sidelined,­whether­violently­or­not.This­is­a­principle­also­adhered­to­by­Hitler.

Having­consolidated­his­political­power(probably­after­1968),­Ceaușescu­turned­en-thusiastically­ to­ the­ great­ work­ of­ nationalbuilding­projects:­industrialisation,­militarisa-tion­ and­ education.­ Industrialisation­underCeaușescu­was­the­result­of­a­deficient­formamentis;­Ceaușescu­was­never­able­to­under-stand,­despite­using­it­to­the­point­of­satura-tion,­the­term­and­phenomenon­of­“scientificrevolution”,­that­leap­forwards­of­western­sci-ence­and­technology­–­and­by­the­time­he­ap-peared­to­have­grasped­its­significance,­it­wastoo­late,­ the­ruin­was­total.­A­thick­layer­ofcommunist­mafia­ensured­everything­came­to

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

nothing.­ What­ is­ also­ interesting­ isCeaușescu’s­relationship­with­his­own­“class”.Originating­from­among­their­ranks,­but­withan­authentic­revolutionary­energy,­he­despisedthem,­using­them­in­every­way­as­simple­ex-ecutors.

In­ fact,­ “Ceaușescu”­ meant­ the­ clique,probably­small­but­very­powerful,­who­held­allthe­important­posts­in­the­Securitate,­the­partyand­the­army.­The­others­carried­out­the­or-ders­they­received­and­thus­ensured­their­sur-vival.­In­this­silent­struggle­between­the­leaderand­the­nomenclature,­ it­was­ the­ latter­ thatemerged­victorious.­Ceaușescu­couldn’t­possi-bly­condemn­his­own­instruments­(he­was­nolonger­able­nor­had­the­time­to­replace­them),and­the­latter­paralysed­the­entire­external­ma-chine,­ leaving­ only­ the­ internal­ RomanianCommunist­ Party,­ which­ was­ a­ mafia­ andnothing­more.­In­a­strange­sense,­therefore,Ceaușescu­was­a­misunderstood­figure,­the­vi-sionary­who­is­ignored­and­betrayed.­His­trialclearly­showed­how­he­believed­he­had­beenbetrayed­and,­at­the­same­time,­the­countryhad­been­betrayed.­His­country.­

Ceaușescuism­was­meant­to­be­a­form­ofRomanian­communism,­the­national­versionof­an­imported­revolution­imposed­by­force.Our­tragedy­stems­from­the­fact­that­Ceaușes-cuism­existed,­ lived,­was­ successful;­ a­greatnumber­of­people­set­to­work­with­the­thoughtin­their­minds­that­one­day­everything­wouldcome­true.­­Some­began­making­lathes,­otherswrote­history­and­literature,­etc.­Certain­patri-ots­ believed­ that­ the­ idea­ of­ Romanianismcould­ also­ be­ served­ under­ and­ even­ byCeaușescu­himself.­The­placing­of­Ceaușescuamong­ the­ ranks­ of­ the­ voivodes­was­ theirwork,­their­excuse­being­that­it­was­only­in­thisway­that­the­other­names­could­be­mentioned,too.­Worse­still­is­the­fact­that­they­never­con-sidered­any­resistance­or­opposition­to­the­bar-barism­ and­ crimes.­ Did­ thousands­ ofRomanians­die­in­camps­and­prisons­only­thatRomanianism­ could­ be­ expressed­ byCeaușescu­and­through­Ceaușescuism?!

Ceaușescu­led­the­“national­wing”­of­thecommunists­and­finally­won­the­argument­for

good­ in­ 1968.­ He­ eliminated­ the­ Com-minternists,­the­KGB­agents­and­the­Stalinists;he­cleaned­things­up,­he­gave­a­“green­light”­toself-criticism­and­even­criticism;­he­tried­tobecome­ popular­ and­ even­ succeeded­ in­ aworld­ that­was­ reconciled­ to­ the­mantra­of“moving­forwards”­and­the­whirlwind­of­his-tory­ –­ and­ among­ people­whose­memorieshad­been­annihilated­and­who­were­free­to­ex-amine­the­mass­graves­(something­they­couldhave­done­but­didn’t).­An­entire­generationheld­an­unflinching­belief­in­communism­andtried­to­live­entirely­normal­lives.­

Yet­history­played­a­terrible­trick­on­him;he­was­to­be­killed­by­the­very­people­he­cre-ated­and­led.­He­was­convinced,­right­until­theend,­that­the­workers­were­on­his­side,­the­sideof­he­who­had­provided­them­with­food,­work,drink,­every­day­and­every­night;­he­who­hadturned­Romania­into­a­major­player­on­the­in-ternational­stage.­He­entered,­through­a­gateof­his­own­making,­the­absolute­paradox­of­ab-solute­power,­which­has­always­had­mission-ary­pretentions:­he­began­building­a­ strong(industrialised)­Romania,­while­at­the­sametime­also­digging­its­grave.­A­demented­figure,at­one­point­he­passed­as­an­element­of­posi-tive,­national­energy,­but­he­couldn’t­have­beenany­less­national­and­any­more­anti-national.Without­a­doubt­Ceaușescu­played­a­deter-mining­role­for­us;­his­madness­was­no­acci-dent­and­is­also­not­something­that­should­beforgotten­or­hidden.­Romanians­ should­ as-sume­responsibility­ for­Ceaușescu.­Withoutbeing­a­matter­of­fate,­he­served­as­a­lesson,­adead-end­we­paid­for­so­dearly­that­we­mustunderstand­it­and­learn­from­it.­We­must­learnhow­far­we­can­go­with­patience,­ suffering,with­the­apathy­of­the­soul­and­the­mind,­withfear,­with­submission­and­with­violence.

So­many­people­staked­their­entire­lives­onthe­system­without­looking­ahead­in­their­livesor­ beyond­ the­ unflinching­will­ of­ a­ tyrant.These­are­people­for­whom­compromise­andduality­ became­ their­ substance,­ people­ nolonger­able­to­defend­themselves,­people­nolonger­able­to­defend­anything.

The­absence­of­memory­is­itself­a­form­of

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

23

Mihai­Gheorghiu

24

betrayal­and­suicide.­The­intellectuals­shouldhave­retained­the­memory­of­the­sacrifices,­thecrimes,­ the­ instated­ absurdity;­ but­ they­ re-membered­nothing­but­the­crude­farce­of­the“obsessive­decade”,­the­bait­of­false­compensa-tion,­of­the­comedy­of­errors­and­of­self-criti-cism.­ In­ the­ end­ they­ had­ given­ up­ almosteverything,­memory,­truth,­future...­There­wasno­way­to­ live­a­normal­ life­except­throughguilt,­but­then­guilt­is­also­a­form­of­destiny.­Ifthe­truth­is­to­be­told,­and­if­the­task­of­speak-ing­ the­ truth­ falls­ to­ the­ intellectuals,­ thentruth­has­never­been­told­in­Romania3.­­

What­ is­occurring­ today­ is­ astonishing.The­entire­experience­of­the­communist­or-deal­has­simply­been­forgotten,­is­never­men-tioned,­our­memory­no­longer­wishing­to­befilled­with­ the­ things­ that­ happened­ in­ thepast,­as­if­forgetting­could­save­us­retroactively.Not­to­remember­is­tantamount­to­not­exist-ing.­The­teratological­experience­of­commu-nism­must­be­taken­into­account­if­we­are­tohave­a­clear­picture­of­the­man­of­our­agonisedmodernity.­For­this­man,­who­emerged­fromunderground,­is­a­different­man,­a­corrupted,malaised­man­who­carries­a­double­conscienceand­is­shadowed­by­a­tenebrous­double­of­hisown­self.­His­existence­is­divided,­incapable­ofrebirth.­This­abused­and­tortured­being­is­aruin­of­its­own­survival4.­

Reason, nihilism and voluntaryservitude

Communism­meant­for­each­of­us­living­a­lifeunderground,­ in­ servitude­ and­ falsity.­ Thecaptive­freedom­of­the­underground­may­havegiven­the­impression­of­an­existence,­but­thiswas­only­a­pseudo-existence,­a­surrogate­exis-tence,­the­existence­of­the­obedient­slave5.­­

We­were­able­to­live­our­lives;­we­were­ableto­ be­ the­ actors­ of­minimal­ freedoms,­ of­ adaily­existence­under­the­control­of­the­mech-anism­of­habit­and­survival.­The­major­para-dox,­and­at­the­same­time­the­condition­for­theexistence­of­any­society­alienated­by­terror,­is

the­creation­of­a­simulacrum­of­what­it­is­an-nihilating.­The­original,­existence­as­such,­suc-cumbs­ to­ the­ simulacrum.­ Life­ subsistsbiologically­and­conventionally­in­the­simu-lacrum­of­ freedom,­which­ is­ the­ essence­ofpersonal­existence.­The­simulacrum­is­the­im-personal,­it­is­the­faceless­visage­of­an­existencedominated­by­servitude­and­falsity,­and­de-prived­of­freedom,­that­is,­of­purpose.­For­hewho­subsists­in­servitude­is­always­the­same,­avicious­circle­of­his­own­human­existence,­thecontinuous­impossibility­of­becoming.­Volun-tary­and­individual­servitude­is­an­act­of­impo-tence­ or­ deviation;­ the­ general­ servitudeimposed­by­terror­is­a­political­act,­a­perverseimposition­of­power.­This­power­crushes­thehuman­being,­my­own­being,­until­it­becomesthe­smallest­of­traces;­man­thus­becomes­hisown­trace,­the­feeble­trace­of­a­former­pres-ence,­whether­the­presence­of­weakness,­of­de-viation,­or­of­rectitude,­but­a­human­presencenonetheless.­Through­the­imposition­of­a­per-verse­ power­ –­ perverse­ because­ it­ is­ nothuman,­that­is,­it­is­no­longer­responsible­forhumanity­–­man­disappears,­is­suppressed­andmarked­as­an­absence;­he­no­longer­responds,his­self­has­dissolved.­His­name­becomes­thename­of­an­absence.­What­empties­him­of­hisown­self­is­not­money,­capital­or­the­knout­ofprimal­or­circumstantial­violence,­but­“every-thing”,­that­is,­the­tangible­and­abstract­im-mensity­ of­ the­ total­ imposition­ of­ amechanism­for­the­reproduction­of­everythingthat­exists,­a­continual­and­complete­produc-tion­of­falsity­and­error.­A­machine­of­lies,­amachine­for­the­fabrication­of­simulacra,­in-cluding­the­simulacrum­itself,­the­double­per-fected­as­an­object.­In­this­context,­anything­ispossible­ against­ his­ existence­ as­ a­ person,against­his­freedom.­Assigned­to­the­world­ofobjects­by­the­authority­of­power­through­ter-ror,­man­is­left­with­no­choice­other­than­thatof­ simply­ being,­ while­ no­ longer­ existing,being­with­the­power­to­be­a­thing­and­noth-ing­more.­This­taking­control­of­your­being,­ofany­ being,­ is­ the­much-more-than­ politicalway­in­which­power­acts.­Communism­leavespolitics­to­one­side­and­resorts­to­basic­terror.

3) On the different typesof intellectuals duringcommunism, see the

classic work by CzeslawMilosz (1996) Gândireacaptiv\, Eseu despre lo-

gocra]iile populare,Humanitas, Bucharest,

1996.

4) On the entire proces-sion of crimes commit-

ted by internationalcommunism, see:

Stéphane Courtois,Nicolas Werth, Jean-Louis Panné, AndrzejPaczkwski, Karel Bar-

tosek, Jean-LouisMargolin (1998) (eds.)Cartea neagr\ a comu-nismului. Crime, teroa -

re, represiune(Humanitas, Funda]ia

Academia Civic\:Bucharest).

5) See Etienne de LaBoétie, Discourse on

Voluntary Servitude, orthe Anti-Dictator (New

York: Columbia Univer-sity Press, 1942)

What­you­feel­when­you­are­faced­with­thisunleashed­and­implacable­mechanism­is­notfear,­which­you­leave­behind,­but­the­feeling­ofterror­before­an­all­encompassing­demonism,before­immaculate­destruction.­An­unleash-ing­ that­ also­ annihilates­ time,­ for­ time­ ishuman,­it­belongs­to­man­and­represents­thesubsistence­of­hope­and­possibility.­Throughits­massive­presence­this­unleashing­first­andforemost­suppresses­hope­itself,­leaving­in­itswake­a­terrified,­petrified­sense­of­astonish-ment­at­ the­presence­and­efficiency­of­ evil,which­ becomes­ mechanised,­ becomes­ themechanism­and­basis­of­social­existence.­Whatwas­most­terrifying­during­communism­wasits­efficiency­and­capacity­to­appropriate­life.­Amachine­that­comes­to­life.­Through­commu-nism­we­all­experienced­collective­death.­Theterror­of­history,­as­an­alienating­destiny,­man-ifested­ itself­ strongly­ through­ communism,with­the­ultimate­proof­of­the­extreme­devour-ing­power­of­uprooted­man­thrown­into­theabyss­of­self-devouring­reason.­If­the­hubris­ofreason­is­the­transformation­of­the­world­intoan­object,­the­instrumentalisation­of­the­worldfor­the­subject­man­who­no­longer­deciphersanything,­ but­ only­ utilises­ and­ submitsthrough­a­project­increasingly­beyond­inter-rogation,­ then­communism­represents­ totalreason,­the­exacerbation­of­all­the­presuppo-sitions­of­the­European­metaphysics­involvedin­the­project­of­human­liberation­that­forgetsits­subject­in­order­to­suppress­it.­In­this­case1789­is­the­full­expression­of­rationality,­whilethe­Bolshevik­revolution­is­instated­human-ism.­Robespierre­and­his­equally­sinister­dou-ble,­ Lenin,­ thus­ represent­ both­ sides­ of­ theman­ who­ instates­ the­ era­ of­ absolute­ and,therefore,­paradisiacal­freedom,­bringing­anend­ to­history­ as­deviation­or­progress,­ fortime­and­history­only­exist­as­deviation­andwar,­and­the­free,­fulfilled­man­is­beyond­his-tory,­is­liberated­from­history.­Only­in­this­waycan­ man­ discover­ himself,­ find­ fulfilment,abolishing­history­and­his­own­unhappy­con-science.­If­it­is­reason­that­discovers­or­pro-duces­ truth,­ then­ reason­ must­ re-produceman,­that­is,­his­liberation­from­unhappiness

and­struggle,­his­liberation­from­original­sinand­the­absolute­master­who­pushed­him­intohistory­as­the­substance­of­sin.­The­reason­thatre-produces­man­must­also­produce­his­pur-pose,­while­society­must­become­the­paradiseon­earth­of­history­fulfilled.­Only­now­doesman­become­human­as­the­exigent­and­ulti-mate­ product­ of­ reason.­ But­man­ becomeshuman­as­master­of­the­world,­as­the­ultimateauthority­that­abolishes­mystery,­impotence,unhappiness­and­finitude.­Only­in­this­way­isman­fully­rational,­fully­free,­with­no­past­andno­future,­living­in­the­pure­present­of­the­ful-filled­and­purifying­exercise­of­reason­whichhas­become­the­reason­of­the­world,­the­uni-versal­ law,­ concept­ transformed­ into­ sub-stance.­ Transcendence­ now­ fully­ reveals­ itsuselessness;­there­is­nothing­beyond­except­thevoid­of­reason,­the­progression­of­evil­as­igno-rance.­Thus,­reason­ends­with­Christian­“ni-hilism”,­according­to­which­this­world­meansnothing­and­the­world­beyond­means­every-thing.­Man­steps­out­of­this­nothingness­cre-ated­ by­ empty­ transcendence­ towards­ theparadisiacal­immanence­of­his­presence­ful-filled­in­and­through­reason.­The­world­ceasesto­be­the­realm­of­the­transcendental­presenceand­becomes­the­letter­of­reason­and­fulfilled,accomplished­ discourse.­ The­ world­ is­ nolonger­presence­and­tremour,­but­the­text­ofreason­it­never­stops­producing.­If­the­empireof­ reason­ is­ the­ empire­ of­ truth,­ then­manmust­fight­for­it,­truth­must­be­let­be,­must­beunleashed­through­revolution.­The­revolutionis­the­final­threshold­of­history,­the­final­or-deal­of­reason,­purgatory­on­earth.­The­master,the­slave,­ the­bourgeois­and­the­proletarianmust­each­die­in­the­revolution,­while­the­cit-izen,­the­new­man,­the­man­emerging­fromthe­desert­of­deviation­and­struggle­must­beborn.­He­is­the­master­of­the­world,­the­undi-vided­universal­conscience­who­put­an­end­tohistory,­transcendence­and­mystery.­But­alas,instead­of­the­human­man­his­puppet­emerges,and­the­world­of­the­puppet­becomes­the­ma-chine­of­the­world,­a­system­that­functions.And­what­best­functions­here?­Reason­itselfand­the­man­it­produces.­

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

25

Mihai­Gheorghiu

26

Revolution,­both­that­of­1789­and­that­of19176,­ ­ is­ conveyed­ through­ discourse,­ andtherefore­history,­as­the­fulfilment­and­accom-plishment­ of­ reason,­ as­ a­ projection­ of­ thehuman­essence­of­man7.­­The­revolution­is­theaccomplished­ project­ of­ reason,­ a­ reasonwhich­styles­itself­as­fulfilment­and­is­as­suchthe­end,­the­abolition­of­time­and­history­seenas­an­intrinsic­possibility­of­deviation.­Reason,which­designs­and­calculates­man,­which­al-lows­him­to­exist­only­as­a­structured­projectof­its­own­and­nothing­more,­takes­over­his-tory­and­abolishes­it.­Man­who­puts­reason­atstake­ends­up­merely­being­put­himself­at­stakeby­reason.­Reason­itself­is­the­game.­Man­be-comes­his­rational­and­machine-like­double,for­he­decides­that­freedom­has­been­discov-ered,­rediscovered­or­created.­His­rational­andlogical­double­is­nothing­but­his­fantasy­dou-ble,­just­as­reason­conceived­of­Christian­manas­nothing­more­than­the­ fantasy­double­ofman­and­therefore­not­free­to­display­the­forceof­his­reason.­A­force­of­reason­which­turnsout­to­be­the­force­of­the­illusion­of­sendingman­back­to­paradise,­as­the­privileged­homeof­reason­that­finds­what­it­searches­for.­Butwhat­is­it­that­reason­looks­for­and­finds?­Al-ways­itself,­in­fact.­The­eternal­return­of­theone­and­the­same.­The­essential­purpose­ofreason­is­to­humanise­the­world­according­tothe­measure­of­the­human­subject­which­abol-ishes­its­object.­To­humanise­the­world­alsomeans­to­suppress­it,­to­suppress­the­world­asotherness,­as­mystery,­as­ex­nihilo­creation.The­ world­ thus­ becomes­ thing­ and­ instru-ment.­In­this­sense­the­political­revolution­andthe­technical­revolution­of­the­man­dominatedby­reason­are­one­and­the­same­thing.­Free-dom­is­understood­in­this­case­as­liberationfrom­the­tyranny­of­God,­of­the­master­and­ofnature.­The­rational­subject,­who­frees­himselffrom­these­historical­and­ontological­bonds,receives­in­exchange­the­bondage­of­sufficientreason­as­the­highest­non-personal­authority.But­man­still­conquers­himself­as­an­object­inthe­era­of­reason­and­not­as­an­autonomoussubject­of­freedom.­The­myth­of­reason­endsin­revolution,­that­is­self-destroying­itself­as­a

myth­of­liberation,­for­the­revolution­turns­outto­mean­abolition­of­every­form­of­construc-tion­and­terror­a­rigorous­but­self-destructivelogical­machine.­ Thus,­ reason­ again­makesroom­for­history­and­therefore­deviation.­

Communism­is­rational­when­it­defines­it-self­as­revolution­and­revolutionary­when­itdefines­itself­as­reason8.­­Thus,­within­this­to-talising­dialectics,­which­is­supposed­to­be­thevery­production­of­the­world­and­of­man,­allmeaning­is­exhausted,­for­freedom,­as­fulfilledreason,­emerges­as­fundamental­meaning­andputs­ an­ end­ to­ individual­ discourses­ andmeanings,­which­come­to­be­defined­as­singu-lar,­self-serving­and­factual.­Any­other­move-ment­of­thought,­any­other­positioning­of­thehuman­being­is­and­must­be­understood­as­anerror,­a­guilty­deviation­or,­at­best,­ignorance.Under­these­circumstances,­reason­becomesthe­guardian­of­thought,­of­the­spirit,­of­anyother­form­of­man’s­establishment­of­a­differ-ent­relationship­with­himself,­a­relationshipwhich­lays­the­foundations­for­a­new­project,a­new­form­of­human­freedom­and­therefore­anew­truth.­Reason­cannot­be­weak­or­friable,cannot­ be­ one­ determination­ among­manyothers;­it­can­only­be­conceived­of­as­temporaland­temporary­non-fulfilment;­it­remains­theonly­path­by­which­to­achieve­the­perfectionof­foundation,­it­reaffirms­itself­as­completeand­unique­foundation,­as­an­encapsulation­ofthe­essence,­an­essence­which­offers­itself­tothe­human­being­in­the­form­of­a­return­of­thesame­ and­ the­ rediscovery­ of­ the­ identical.Thus­human­reason,­as­a­probe­sent­into­theabyss­of­existence,­suppresses­ontic­differenceand­brings­back­the­meaning­of­existence,­un-ravelling­the­mystery­of­ the­explored­abyss.Human­reason­rediscovers­itself­as­the­reasonof­the­world,­as­the­revealed­logos­of­the­being.The­world­becomes­exclusively­human.­Para-doxically,­it­therefore­falls­to­scientific­knowl-edge­to­grasp­the­infiniteness,­the­othernessand­the­manifestation­of­the­universe­as­un-fathomable­mystery,­as­an­abyss­of­reason.­Yetscience­continues­in­rational­terms­to­placeman­in­a­self-sufficient­position,­eliminatingany­relationship­between­man­and­the­infin-

6) Revolution is the es-chatological myth par

excellence of commu-nism: everything is re-

lated to communism forrevolution is the returnof truth to itself, the re-

discovery of the human-ity of man in the truth of

decisive historical ac-tion. Revolution is there-conquering of hu-manity alienated by a

history which itself mustagain become the his-tory of man and there-

fore the history ofliberation and de-alien-ation. Revolution is thus

a political and meta-physical lesson in thesense in which meta-

physics for Marx is pre-cisely the history

created by the prole-tariat for the entire

human species. Thecommunist revolution is

the movement towardstruth. See here also the

seminal work by V. I.Lenin, Statul şi revolu]ia,

Înv\]\tura marxismuluidespre stat şi sarcinile

proletariatului înrevolu]ie, 4th edition,

Editura Politic\,Bucharest, 1960. Of

particular interest for thedeciphering of the “hid-

den text” of the FrenchRevolution as a found-ing event of modernity

is Cartea neagr\ a Rev-olu]iei franceze, Grinta,

Cluj-Napoca, 2010 (LesÉditions du Cerf, 2008);see also François Furet(1992), Reflec]ii asupraRevolu]iei franceze, Hu-

manitas, Bucharest;Pierre Gaxotte (1928) La

Revolution Française,Arthème Fayard, Paris;

Alexis de Tocqueville(1988) L’ancien régime

et la révolution, GF-Flammarion.

7) For a definition of ra-tionalism and reason in

politics, see MichaelOakeshott (1991) Ra-

tionalism in politics andother essays, Liberty

Fund.

ity­of­a­manifestation­of­transcendence­that­re-veals­itself­in­the­immensity­of­a­presence,­inthe­presence­of­“something”­understood­as­anabsence­ of­ nothing.­ “Calculating­ thought”(and­communism­is­more­than­thought­thatcalculates,­even­if­its­goal­is­the­paradisiacalliberation­of­the­human­species­from­any­formof­metaphysical­and­political­bondage)­under-stood­as­reason­is­in­its­essence­revealed,­it­isatheism,­negation­and­abolition­of­transcen-dence;­it­not­only­desires­things,­the­fragmen-tary­existences­of­the­world,­but­the­being­itselfof­existence,­which­it­conceives­of­as­the­pro-duction­of­ its­own­presence­as­ logos,­as­theidentity­of­its­own­manifestation,­as­reason­it-self.­Reason­does­not­wish­to­know­that­the“being”­can­neither­be­an­object­of­calculationnor­rediscovered­identity­but­pure­transcen-dence­ that­ reveals­ itself­ through­ presence,through­ the­ mystery­ of­ this­ presence­ that“makes”­the­world­exist.­The­man­that­is­theproduct­of­ this­ form­of­ thought­ is­ the­manwho­fails­in­revolution,­progress­and­technol-ogy.­For­him,­the­freedom­of­reason­becomesthe­ freedom­ to­ explore­ the­ underground.Communism­is­precisely­this­captive­freedom

of­the­underground,­the­free,­decentred­explo-ration­of­the­underground.

Faced­with­the­revealed­ideological­text­ofMarxism,­communism­is­nihilism,­a­decisionin­favour­of­tabula­rasa.­­At­this­point,­reasonbecome­ nihilism,­ that­ is­ the­ reason­ of­ un-foundedness,­the­thought­that­projects­every-thing­and­nothing.­“What­is­nihilism?­The­factthat­the­highest­values­are­devalued.­There­isno­purpose.­There­is­no­answer­to­the­ques-tion­of­‘Why?”­Nietzsche­thus­declares­the­endof­the­Enlightenment­and­any­subsequent­the-ory­(i.e.­also­communism)­as­well­as­Christi-anity­and­any­form­of­theism,­any­foundationin­transcendence.­As­for­the­man­of­moder-nity,­Nietzsche­is­right,­he­does­end­up­in­ni-hilism,­in­a­state­of­fatigue­vis-à-vis­any­formof­foundation;­it­thus­seems­nothing­can­bringhim­back­to­the­centre.­Man­and­world­be-come­decentred,­lose­all­foundation­and­be-come­a­hall­of­mirrors­that­endlessly­reflecteach­ other,­ a­ string­ of­ meaningless­ imageswithout­a­story.­The­world­becomes­lost­in­thereflection­ of­ these­ multiple­ and­ divergingimages9.­­

While­ in­ theory­ communism­ was­ for-

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

27

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

8) One of Marx’s defini-tions of communismwas: “Communism asthe positive transcen-dence of private prop-erty, or humanself-estrangement, andtherefore as the real ap-propriation of the humanessence by and for man;communism thereforeas the complete returnof man to himself as asocial (i .e., human)being – a return be-come conscious, andaccomplished within theentire wealth of previousdevelopment. This com-munism, as fully-devel-oped naturalism, equalshumanism, and as fully-developed humanismequals naturalism; it isthe genuine resolutionof the conflict betweenman and nature and be-tween man and man –the true resolution of thestrife between existenceand essence, betweenobjectification and self-confirmation, betweenfreedom and necessity,between the individualand the species. Com-munism is the riddle ofhistory solved, and itknows itself to be thissolution.” K. Marx, Eco-nomic and PhilosophicManuscripts of 1844, inThe Marx-EngelsReader, Second Edition,W. W. Norton & Com-pany, p.84

9) A highly interesting“introduction” to the in-tellectual adventure ofthe 19th century isHeinrich Heine’s Con-tribu]ii la istoria religieişi a filozofiei în Germa-nia (1834), Humanitas,Bucharest, 1996.

Mihai­Gheorghiu

28

mally­opposed­to­every­kind­of­nihilism,­inpractice,­ it­ fulfils­ the­ nihilistic­ “destiny”­ ofcontemporary­man.­The­communist­under-ground­represents­the­full­exploration­of­thenihilistic­vicious­circle.­The­lack­of­fundamentcreates­ the­ lack­of­purpose­and­meaning­ofhuman­existence,­which,­for­its­part,­points­tothe­lack­of­fundament­of­existence­itself.­Manis­thus­trapped,­becomes­a­prisoner­of­the­log-ical­machine­set­into­motion­by­reason.­In­thiscase,­man­no­longer­even­has­access­to­despairand­anxiety,­understood­as­suffering­caused­bythe­presentiment­that­meaning­and­founda-tion­do­exist­but­cannot­be­regained.­This­res-ignation­ to­ slavery­ and­ the­ mechanicalextension­of­its­duration­is­the­consequence­ofthe­palpable­historical­existence­of­commu-nism.­Besides­his­resignation­to­internally­ac-cepted­servitude,­it­remains­for­the­man­of­thecommunist­underground­to­accept­the­chal-lenge­ in­ terms­ of­ defying­ the­ death­ threat,which­is­in­fact­the­essence­of­the­threat­of­allterror­organised­as­a­political­regime.­It­is­inthis­presentiment­of­death­and­the­welcomingthereof­that­the­meaning­of­survival­is­to­befound.­To­survive­non-sense,­the­humiliationof­the­bondage­of­the­predestined­victim,­tosurvive­in­order­to­save­yourself­and­not­sim-ply­to­prolong­a­prison-like­experience10.­­Thisextreme­threat­can­give­rise­to­the­task­of­re-discovering­ the­ meaning­ and­ dignity­ ofhuman­existence.­Death­is­not­only­the­threatof­the­absolute­ending,­but­also­the­total­lack­ofmeaning,­the­impossibility­of­finding­an­an-swer­to­a­question­about­the­grounds­and­pur-pose­of­a­life.

The­threat­inherent­to­communism,­as­inall­forms­of­nihilism,­is­not­only­the­threat­toprivate­individual­existence;­it­is­also­the­threatto­human­existence­as­humanity,­as­the­historyof­the­discovery­of­the­human­fundament­it-self.­Communism­sets­in­motion­the­prison-like­circularity­of­the­lack­of­fundament,­of­thehuman­exercise­as­a­mere­decentred­existencewithin­the­circular­production­of­dominationwith­ the­help­of­ the­ technology­of­politicalpower.­Communism­annihilates­man­in­thatit­abolishes­any­form­of­interrogation­and­any

form­of­answer,­for­in­producing­itself­as­ananswer­and­absolute­knowledge­it­eliminatesthe­possibility­of­an­answer.­The­fundament­inthis­case­is­the­will­of­power­as­a­totalitarianpractice.­

As­a­form­of­political­organisation,­com-munism­represents­ the­exacerbation­of­ thistechnological­ reasoning;­ it­ seeks­ to­ built­ aworld­with­no­residue,­without­the­“insubstan-tiality”­of­the­freedom­of­the­irreconcilable,­ofthe­weakness­of­reason­and­confusion.­What’smost­frightening­about­communism­is­its­suc-cess,­the­fact­that­the­utopia­has­been­built,­theexperiment­has­been­successful,­and­that­itshistory­ is­ now­ part­ of­ the­ history­ of­ man.Communism­is­a­phenomenon­of­the­absurd,and­as­such­it­is­ferocious­in­its­movement,­inthe­fact­that­it­acts­with­an­immense­materialforce­within­an­immense­territory­of­denialand­destruction.­What­modernity­brings­ tothe­decentring­of­the­human­being­is­the­im-mense­force­of­negativity­–­self-destruction­asa­historical­process­that­transcends­the­meredeviation­of­thought­and­brings­about­the­rad-ical­process­of­the­possibility­of­generalisedand­total­destruction­of­man­and­humanity.The­emergence­of­this­possibility­is­not­sim-ply­ the­ consequence­ of­ the­ technologicalprocess,­the­propagation­of­an­error,­but­theontological­fulfilment­of­man’s­power­of­denialand­self-denial.­This­possibility­is­a­metaphys-ical­event­in­the­sense­in­which­the­original­sinis­also­a­metaphysical­event­–­of­course,­not­inthe­sense­in­that­it­is­the­event­of­any­givenmetaphysics.­This­event­originates­neither­incommunism­nor­in­capitalism,­but­in­the­tech-nological­reason­that­sets­both­in­motion.­Manhimself­finds­self-fulfilment­in­the­process­ofthis­ self-destruction.­ It’s­ true­ that­ he­ fulfilshimself­as­negation,­as­a­spirit­of­denial,­as­thereason­of­domination­in­the­perfect­circularityof­captivity.­In­essence,­this­man­says­the­worldis­an­apparition­and­an­appearance­of­nothing-ness.­Entertaining­no­theist­illusions,­abhor-ring­Christianity­as­a­cancer­of­thought­andbeing,­he­frees­himself­in­the­simulacrum­ofhis­own­abstraction.­Man,­we­are­taught,­fi-nally­becomes­“human”.­The­paradox­is­that­he

10) The most powerfulaccount in Romanian

culture and literature ofthe path to salvation

from terror and servitudeis Jurnalul fericirii by

Nicolae Steinhardt, pub-lished by Dacia, Cluj,

1991. In another regis-ter but equally powerfulin terms of the existen-

tial dimension: Ion D.Sârbu, Jurnalul unui jur-nalist f\r\ jurnal, 2 vol.,Craiova, Scrisul româ-

nesc, 1996.

becomes­“human”­at­the­very­moment­his­en-tire­power­of­negation­and­self-negation­be-comes­an­act,­the­reality­of­his­own­power.­Heis­the­apocalyptic­technocrat­who­in­the­endbecomes­“human”,­strong­and­alone,­liberatedfrom­the­alienation­of­transcendence,­exploita-tion­and­nature;­however,­he­remains­masterin­an­abstract­and­empty­universe­that­mightwell­be­tantamount­to­the­inferno.­Thus,­theadventure­of­the­self-awareness­of­the­westernman­becomes­trapped­in­the­circular­repeti-tion­of­“God­is­dead”,­the­archetype­of­Enlight-enment­thinking,­the­philosophy­of­Germanidealism­and­the­French­Revolution.­The­20thcentury­appears­to­be­nothing­other­than­anexperiment­of­this­“founding”­thought,­its­ful-filment­as­history,­its­production­as­the­“re-vealed”­meaning­of­the­world.­20th-centurycommunism­is­nothing­but­a­stage­in­this­re-production­of­ the­world­and­in­this­respectcommunism­should­not­be­a­surprise­but­thefulfilment­of­an­expectation.­

Having­lived­through­communism,­I­al-ready­ know­ that­ it­ is­ neither­ freedom,­ normeaning,­but­the­experience­of­imprisonmentand­the­omnipotence­of­the­absence­of­mean-ing.­It­is­the­underground­of­existence.­Return-ing­to­the­surface­of­existence,­to­the­powerand­dignity­of­free­existence­is­no­easy­task­–on­the­contrary.­There­is­no­such­thing­as­thefatality­of­ freedom,­ just­ as­ there­ is­no­ suchthing­as­being­doomed­to­servitude;­our­sub-stance­is­our­internal­freedom,­the­ability­tobecome­ aware­ of­ our­ enslavement­ or­ igno-rance­and­to­make­a­choice.­The­indestructiblesimplicity­of­our­own­presence­already­leadsus­down­the­path­of­making­a­judgment­and­achoice.­Regardless­of­where­we­are­depositedin­ time,­ in­ history,­ regardless­ of­ how­ andwhere­we­become­shipwrecked,­we­can­followRobinson­Crusoe’s­example­by­rebuilding­–not­the­world­–­but­ourselves­or­the­world­inourselves.­There­is­no­external­force­that­canenslave­us­and­turn­freedom­into­opposition,the­struggle­with­the­other,­but­we­ourselvesrepresent­our­own­threat­to­ourselves­throughconfusion­and­ignorance.­We­are­as­free­as­weourselves­can­be­if­we­can­truly­abandon­the

underground­and­not­carry­it­with­us­as­an­al-ready­assimilated­poison.­

Freedom and transcendence

What­remains­not­entrapped­in­this­circularmechanism,­this­apocalyptic­scenario?­Whatis­left­beyond­the­abyss­of­the­underground?Transcendence­in­the­sense­of­an­indestructi-ble­fundament­of­man,­his­essential­freedomthat­is­permanently­offered,­given­to­him­asthe­fundament­of­the­essence­of­existence11.This­freedom­comes­in­the­form­of­time,­notchronological­time,­but­a­time­of­choice,­redis-covery­and­ foundation.­This­ is­why­humanfreedom­ is­ not­ only­ the­ act­ of­ liberation,labour­or­struggle,­but­also­the­simple­redis-covery­ of­ transcendence,­ the­ openness­ to-wards­the­eternity­of­a­presence12.­The­“weak”presence­of­God,­his­immensity­which­tran-spires­as­silence,­as­absence­and­as­“nothing”,God­that­does­not­exist­nor­is,­must­be­foundagain.­The­reason­why­God­exists­is­not­be-cause­everything­else­exists,­for­in­this­case­theworld­becomes­the­absence­of­God,­the­ab-sence­of­all­fundament,­a­cold­coagulation­ofobjects­and­objective­presences.­­Man­thus­dis-covers­the­world­as­an­object­and­not­as­cre-ation.­The­world­wraps­itself­in­the­simulacraof­its­own­presence,­becoming­what­humanreason­allows­it­to­be,­whether­instrument­orimage,­labour,­struggle­or­an­empty­gaze.­It­isno­longer­a­sign­and­a­presence­of­transcen-dence,­but­a­hieroglyph­of­reason.­This­worldbecomes­absurdity­and­man­the­absurd­prod-uct­ of­ this­ absurdity.­ Human­ freedom­ be-comes­ the­ prison­ of­ this­ absurdity,­ thedecentred­drifting­of­the­being­into­nothing-ness.­In­this­captivity­man­proclaims­himselfmaster­of­the­world,­a­world­which­becomeshis­possession,­otherness­suppressed­as­“some-thing”­of­his­own.­Possession­thus­becomesthe­sign­of­any­relationship,­including­that­be-tween­people.­For­the­man­of­the­absurd­this­isthe­only­way­in­which­the­world­ceases­to­beabsurd,­suppressed­as­otherness,­as­unknown,

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

29

11) “We have lived,since the coming ofChrist, in a fissuredworld”, Gabriel Marcel,Omul problematic, Bib-lioteca Apostrof, Cluj,1998, p. 97.

12) “God is nowhere forthose who see with bod-ily eyes, for He is invisi-ble. But for those whothink spiritually He iseverywhere; for He ispresent, being in ever-thing and yet outsideeverthing. He is ineverything and close tothose who fear Him (Ps.LXXXIV, 10), but salva-tion is far from thosethat sin (Ps. CXVIII,155).” Saint Symeonthe New Theologian,Cele 225 capete teolog-ice şi practice, in Filo-calia, vol. 6, translation,introduction and notesby Prof. DumitruSt\niloae, Humanitas,Bucharest, 1997.

Mihai­Gheorghiu

30

as­a­threat.­Possessed­as­an­object,­it­is­sub-dued­and­made­rational.­The­world­becomesmundus­and­not­lumen.­This­possession­of­theworld­has­to­do­with­technology,­and­the­rela-tionship­of­possession­becomes­a­technologi-cal­relationship.­Communism­forms­part­ofthis­relationship,­which­explains­the­adoptionand­the­hypostasising­of­the­technological­op-timism­of­the­industrial­revolution.­For­com-munism,­the­world­and­the­human­presenceare­tantamount­to­industry.­Human­existencebecomes­an­equation­that­needs­to­be­solvedthrough­production­and­distribution,­whileproduction­offers­ freedom­by­means­of­ thetechnological­process,­itself­a­form­of­practi-cal­reason,­the­reason­of­industry.­The­materi-ality­of­the­world­becomes­an­object­throughindustry­and,­at­the­same­time,­materiality­isreduced­to­matter­and­non-human­limitationby­ practical­ reason,­ which­ humanises­ theworld­ in­ the­ empire­ of­ absolute­ knowledgeand­absolute­possession­defined­as­ the­ trueempire­of­freedom.­This­is­the­Marxist­mean-ing­of­human­development­as­acquired­free-dom­–­which­is­again­to­say­that­man,­throughhis­ historical­ actions­ in­ keeping­ with­ the

essence­of­his­(practical)­rationality,­abolishesthe­old­world­of­ alienation­and­generalisedslavery,­as­a­source­of­human­non-freedom,­asthe­limit­of­human­destiny.­Naturally,­neitherMarxism­nor­communism­is­a­historical­op-tion­today;­however,­as­a­historical­experience,they­remain­the­signs­of­a­technological­ra-tionality­that­still­represents­the­foundation­ofwestern­thought.­

What­is­there­in­the­underground­to­pre-pare­me­ for­ freedom?­ Suffering,­which­ be-comes­the­only­proof­of­my­freedom,­becausenot­to­suffer­is­already­to­become­a­slave.­Allthat­happens­there,­including­fear,­threat,­sub-mission,­perversion­and­death,­is­suffering,­be-comes­suffering.­Even­when­complicity­withthe­power­behind­this­underground­is­com-plete­in­the­sense­of­submission,­when­I­acceptfreedom­only­as­biology,­when­I­want­to­forgetthat­I­suffer,­I­still­suffer.­I­know­the­world­hasbeen­turned­upside­down,­I­know­that­I­amsomeone­else,­that­the­society­in­which­I­live­isdominated­by­submission­and­the­banality­ofthe­routine­of­silence,­but­I­at­least­try­to­res-cue­the­intimate,­an­intimate,­however,­whichis­not­the­personal.­But­then­here­I­also­know

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

I­am­trapped,­that­the­intimate­has­been­ex-pelled­from­intimacy,­that­what­I­wish­to­re-tain­falls­apart­because­the­lie­penetrates­eventhis­corner,­the­lie­as­fear­and­the­social­“ped-agogy”­of­perversion;­and­then­I­know­that­Icannot­in­fact­save­anything.­I­know­that­whatI­see­as­social­mechanics­imposing­the­regu-larity­of­ submission­as­ the­only­ conventionthat­allows­me­to­survive,­to­exist­in­some­way,no­matter­how,­are­no­longer­the­mechanics­ofsociety,­of­the­others,­but­my­intimate­self,­myinternal­ make-up­ which­ has­ turned­ into­ amechanism­ of­ submission,­ convention­ andsurvival.­And­ then­ I­become­another,­ I­ be-come­the­possession­of­this­mechanism,­a­partthereof,­and­I­am­no­longer­the­radical­other-ness­of­opposition,­of­the­victim­who­does­notwish­to­confess,­to­allow­himself­to­be­seducedby­his­own­tormentors,­but­their­accomplice,their­ task­being­ thus­ accomplished,­ the­ ac-complished­existence­of­their­power­to­domi-nate.­And­this­awareness­implies­suffering­andat­the­same­time­a­fear­of­suffering.­It­is­thesuffering­of­defeat­and­submission,­as­well­asthe­accumulated­fear­of­exploding­this­rela-tionship­of­subjugation,­which­would­requireopposition­and­thus­defiance,­and­later­strug-gle.­However,­the­fear­of­the­suffering­of­thisform­of­liberation­is­paralysing.­I­am­afraid­ofbeing­ free,­ I­ am­afraid­of­ extracting­myselffrom­this­comforting­form­of­captivity­whichI­share­with­everybody­else,­waiting­togetherwith­ the­ others­ for­ the­ mechanism­ to­ beblunted­ through­ contact­ with­ the­ stone­ ofdeadly­indifference­and­time­which,­throughits­ passing,­ abolishes­ not­ only­ freedom­butalso­ the­ frightened­ submission­ in­ a­ blur­ ofagony­ and­ dissolution.­ Whether­ master­ orslave,­we­all­face­the­same­deadly­risks­of­de-structive­time.­In­the­master,­time­kills­the­ter-ror­of­domination­itself,­while­in­the­slave­iteliminates­the­measured­slowness­of­submis-sion.­We­die­together,­I,­the­slave,­and­he,­themaster,­each­dying­his­own­separate­death­butall­the­same­dying­for­each­other.­In­me,­theslave­disappears­for­him,­while­he­disappearsas­a­master­to­me,­and­therefore­our­commonhistory­disappears­ itself,­ abolished­by­ time.

But­ this­ is­ only­ a­ way­ for­me­ to­ avoid­myhuman­responsibility­and­delegate­it­to­an­au-thority­that­flattens­everything­in­the­blur­ofcontinuous­ ending.­ The­ fear­ of­ personalchoice­ makes­ me­ choose­ the­ impersonalprocess­ of­ temporal­ dissolution.­ The­ timemeant­to­destroy­everything,­first­of­all­the­his-tory­of­this­shameful­and­disastrous­submis-sion,­is­not­the­time­of­man,­the­substance­ofhis­freedom,­but­pure­destruction­and­the­ac-tion­of­nothingness.­In­waiting­for­the­end,­forthe­irrevocable­that­is­due­both­to­me­and­tohim,­I­do­nothing­but­betray­my­faith­in­noth-ingness;­“I­can’t­do­anything,­I­wait­for­an­endto­all”­is­the­underlying­principle­of­this­trans-fer.­I­try­to­dissolve­my­freedom­into­this­prin-ciple­and­thus­resist­the­temptation­of­tryingto­become­free.­I­try­to­induce­history­as­a­ter-rible­fatality­that­leaves­me­with­no­chance.­Itry,­in­fact,­to­escape­from­the­possibility­ofsuffering­born­of­opposition­in­forgetting­andcomplicity.­But­even­this­fear­of­suffering­isnothing­but­suffering,­awareness­of­the­precar-ious­situation­maintained­as­a­form­of­survival,the­essential­precariousness­of­the­man­afraidof­his­own­image,­who­suffers­the­grotesqueterror­of­servitude.­Although­I­seem­preparedto­accept,­and­I­do­in­fact­accept­the­more­orless­blind­subjugation,­there­is­something­inme,­far­more­profound­than­the­cynical­ac-ceptance­proclaimed­by­my­cowardice,­ thatrebels­and­suffers­a­perversion.­My­intrinsicfreedom­does­not­ roll­with­me­ towards­ theedge­of­acceptance­and­“wisdom”.­This­some-thing,­which­is­my­intimate­essence­and­makesmy­being­really­be,­remains­stable­in­sufferingand­rebellion;­this­“I”­knows­that­their­lie­can-not­possibility­become­my­life­and­that­this­liewill­be­thrown­into­the­platitude­of­a­history,haunted­by­the­inability­to­defeat­the­humandespite­ the­ fact­ that­ the­ appearance­ of­ thisforce­is­frightening.­With­communism,­as­withNazism,­the­issue­is­not­the­loss­of­freedom(political­in­this­case),­but­the­loss­of­human-ity­pure­and­simple.­My­suffering­in­this­cap-tivity­is­not­related­to­my­not­being­able­to­voteor­be­voted­for,­but­to­the­reality­of­the­will­ofquasi-total­annihilation,­the­generic­fiction­of

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

31

Mihai­Gheorghiu

32

the­simulacrum­being­all­that­is­to­be­left­ofme:­a­labour­force­and­agent­of­reproduction.However,­as­a­human­being,­I­reject­this­trans-formation,­despite­all­the­social­and­personalbondages­that­make­me­accept­it.­More­inti-mately­than­my­reason­and­will,­I­am­deter-mined­ by­ my­ intrinsic­ freedom,­ whichrepresents­my­given,­offered­essence,­the­ne-cessity­of­my­constitution­as­a­human­being.­Iam­already­in­my­freedom,­conforming­myselfto­the­necessity­which­is­my­“good”,­my­ful-filled­and­yet­secret­being.­I­can­destroy­thisconstitution­through­forgetting,­but­it­will­al-ways­represent­the­fundament­of­my­being,­al-beit­a­forgotten,­invisible­fundament.­I­am­thisfreedom;­freedom­is­not­a­state,­it­is­not­some-thing­I­possess;­I­myself­am­freedom.­Whatothers­annihilate­is­not­my­freedom­but­my-self.­Man­is­the­only­free­being­in­the­universeand­he­is­created­as­pure­freedom.­My­being,understood­as­something­completely­differentthan­the­world,­different­from­things­and­dif-ferent­from­animality,­is­freedom,­the­freedomto­be­something­else.­My­humanity­is­freedomand­my­freedom­is­humanity.­Freedom­is­thefundamental­structure­of­man­and­reason­afunction­of­this­fundamental­structure.­Free-dom­is­not­a­creation­of­reason,­of­thought­ingeneral,­of­historical­praxis,­but­a­fundamen-tal­given.­“Given”­means­offering.­God­alonecan­give­man­his­humanity.­Man­is­the­cre-ation­of­God,­the­expression­and­the­gift­of­hispower.­Man­could­not­have­created­himself,­hecannot­create­his­own­fundamental­humanity,man­ is­ pre-given­ from­ the­ very­ beginning,from­the­origin­to­the­end.­Man­does­not­be-come­ human­ at­ the­ end­ of­ history,­ but­ ishuman­from­primordial­times,­he­is­human,fully­human,­from­the­beginning­of­history.This­humanity­which­is­given­to­me­suffersduring­my­temporal­enslavement,­my­self-for-getfulness­ and­ the­ aggression­ of­ others­ to-wards­me13.­

How­can­it­be­possible­to­forget­freedom,to­hide­one’s­fundamental­structure?­BecauseI­am­man,­I­am­permanently­subject­to­thisrisk,­this­defiance­of­my­nature,­I­am­perma-nently­subject­to­my­own­internal­dissolution,

the­sin­of­forgetting­and­forgetting­myself,­in-sisting­instead­on­the­univocal­existence­of­thequotidian­ which­ itself­ “forgets­ me”­ andthrough­the­violence­of­the­other­against­me,which­is­the­will­to­annihilate,­the­pure­expres-sion­of­the­will­to­dominate.­And­so­I­fall,­re-vealing­my­divided­human­condition­and­theextreme­ “friability”­ of­ my­ own­ existence.Faced­with­this­inability,­it­is­not­the­truth­thatescapes­ me,­ the­ rational­ awareness­ of­ thistruth,­but­the­existential­exercising­thereof,­theability­to­propose­it­as­an­experience­and­notas­ a­ defeated­ theoretical­ conscience.­ Man’smoral­conscience,­which­is­the­conscience­oftruth,­the­adoption­of­the­truth­of­actions­andrelations,­the­relationship­with­the­other,­is­al-ways­the­conscience­of­paradox­because­it­isaware­that­it­is­a­conscience­of­freedom,­for­ex-ample,­but­accepts­being­defeated,­ the­con-science­of­defeat­and­submission.­He­who­isable­to­transform­this­duality­into­tension,­intothe­ consciousness­ of­ agony,­ can­ retrace­ thepath­to­his­own­humanity,­his­own­freedom,can­free­himself.­

Thanks­to­the­demonic­genius­of­commu-nism,­rebellion­–­the­result­of­this­division­andan­act­of­responsibility­for­oneself­and­one’speers,­a­sign­of­liberation,­the­adoption­of­one’sown­humanity­and­the­humanity­of­the­other–­is­annihilated­by­means­of­a­rigorous­mech-anism,­by­means­of­threat­and­repression.­Re-bellion­thus­becomes­a­feeling­in­lieu­of­actionand­solidarity,­openness­in­the­fight­for­mean-ing­and­not­entrapment­in­terror­and­the­me-chanics­of­fear.­The­multitude­of­frightenedapprovals/acceptances­around­you,­their­pro-motion­as­humanity,­as­history,­simply­as­exis-tence,­ frighten­ you­ and­ reduce­ you­ to­ thedimension­ of­ an­ unusual­ gestuality­ and­ onthese­grounds­is­predicable­as­guilty­or­futile.The­paradox­of­a­ terrorised­world­ is­ that­ itsubsists,­biology­and­the­economy­allow­it­tocontinue­to­exist­in­the­form­of­a­society,­al-beit­society­itself­has­been­abolished.­And­thisparadox,­human­or­inhuman,­is­a­living­para-dox,­a­quotidian­paradox,­an­event­that­allowsexistence­to­consume­itself­and,­through­this,even­allows­of­the­possibility­of­exploitation­at

13) St. Augustine(2006) Confesiuni,

Book X, pp. 204-247,Nemira, Bucharest,translated by Eugen

Munteanu.

some­point­in­terms­of­rebellion­or­victory.­Rebellion­is­transformed­into­hope.The­humanity­“produced”­by­communism

is­a­ frightened­humanity,­ a­disastrous­massthat­secretes­the­sage­cowardice­of­survival.­Anation­is­mutilated­by­this­experience,­even­ifthis­features­resistance­or­opposition,­the­forceof­this­machine­being­far­too­strong­and­de-vouring.­All­the­same,­the­moral­order­of­indi-viduals­slips­through­the­net­and­manages­inplaces­to­become­ethos.­In­these­amorphousdialectics­of­the­living,­the­faces­of­the­people,although­gloomy,­manage­to­see­and­respondto­each­other.­It­is­neither­a­solution­nor­a­vic-tory,­but­simply­what­happens.­Man­subsistsmiraculously­ even­ in­disaster,­ and­commu-nism­is­disaster­and­decomposition.

The­rebellion,­the­consequence­of­agony,is­an­inner­act­that­seeks­a­gesture,­the­gesturebeing­my­message­for­the­other,­the­visible­ac-knowledgment­of­his­presence­in­the­realm­ofmy­freedom.­Rebellion­is­the­desire­to­co-optthe­other­in­the­openness­of­solidarity­in­orderto­reclaim­freedom­together,­that­is­to­returntogether­to­the­existence­of­good,­my­recogni-tion­and­that­of­the­other­as­the­tension­of­thereturn­to­the­fundament­of­existence.­In­thisestablishment­of­an­essential­relationship,­inthis­relating­of­one­to­the­other­in­order­to-gether­to­return­from­the­deviation­from­good,the­ethical­relationship­also­reappears­throughthe­ability­to­rediscover­the­face­of­the­other,not­as­another­form­of­threat­and­captivity,­butas­joy­and­the­certainty­of­a­presence­that­cer-tifies­good.­Living­in­fear­and­under­pressureI­forget­the­other,­as­in­the­annihilating­abun-dance­of­mere­materiality.­The­other­becomesan­abstraction,­a­ self­devoid­of­humanity,­anon-self­and­non-presence.­This­makes­it­pos-sible­to­instate­and­maintain­terror,­the­loss­ofmy­humanity­being­at­the­same­time­also­thestripping­ of­ meaning­ and­ presence­ of­ theother.­The­world­becomes­a­vacuum,­a­spacein­which­objects­are­manipulated­and­nothingmore,­a­space­of­realised­fictions,­of­objectu-alised­fictions.­In­the­vacuum­of­my­fear,­im-potence,­lack­of­solidarity­and­dissolution­ofthe­other’s­presence­appears­the­absurd­and

the­implacable­mechanics­of­my­reduction­toa­thing­by­the­political­powers­that­be,­whichthus­become­the­arbiters­of­an­imminent­des-tiny.­Politics­and­the­state­are­no­longer­instru-ments­but­irreconcilable­absurd­and­ruinousforces­of­fate­which­crush­me­and­countlesslives­besides.­And­this­phenomenon­is­terrify-ing­both­in­the­form­of­manifest­and­instanta-neously­ destructive­ violence­ and­ the­ socialmechanisation­and­uniformisation,­for­havingcrushed­all­resistance­it­holds­a­monopoly­oversocial­control.­Irrespective­of­the­victim’s­re-sponse­–­opposition,­resistance,­neutrality,­ac-ceptance­–­the­phenomenon­is­frightening­andpushes­man­to­the­limits­of­his­condition­as­abeing.

In­the­very­realisation­of­this­absurd­out-burst­of­ evil­ as­ a­nothingness­ that­ congealstime,­ space­ and­ consciences­ or­ non-con-sciences,­the­pain­of­an­essential­question­ap-pears­and­is­maintained­as­tension:­“How­canI­remain­human­until­the­end?”­Here­there­ap-pears­the­fear­of­the­end­of­my­own­humanity,which­is­different­from­the­fear­for­my­ownlife.­But­what­is­this­humanity­which­I­realiseI­may­risk­losing,­ending?­This­fear­itself­is­myundefeatable­humanity,­this­ability­to­fear­andto­question­my­moral­limits,­how­I­relate­tomyself­in­terms­of­the­fear­of­the­end,­of­agony,of­the­absence­of­God,­represents­my­human-ity,­my­human­ character.­ Therefore­ fear,­ interms­of­relating­to­myself,­to­my­own­human-ity­and­the­humanity­of­others,­is­the­transcen-dence­ of­ the­ self,­ my­ transcendence­ tofundaments­and­purposes.­But­to­what­am­Iable­to­transcend,­if­this­transcendence­exists?Only­to­my­origin,­which­is­also­my­funda-ment,­ to­what­ is­ eternally­ the­origin­of­ theworld­and­being.­My­thinking­always­remainsbehind­this­transcendence,­despite­conceivingof­it­and­recognising­it.

Thought­itself­form­parts­of­this­surpass-ing,­this­transcendence.­Paradoxically,­whatfounds­man­is­the­non-human,­God­himself,and­the­paradox­of­this­transcendence­is­that­it“ends”­in­mystery,­in­the­abyss.­“How­can­I­re-main­human­until­the­end?”­receives­the­onlypossible­ answer:­ by­ a­ founding­ in­ faith,­ in

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

33

Mihai­Gheorghiu

34

transcendence,­in­the­indemonstrable,­in­theunthinkable­of­the­abyss­that­brings­the­beingback­to­the­light,­turning­it­into­light.­There­isno­other­“sufficient­reason”­for­not­turning­ex-istence­into­calculation­or­possession14.­

What­is­freedom?­To­go­beyond.­But­be-yond­where?­Beyond­what?­Beyond­the­lie,­be-yond­ the­ “image­ of­ the­world”,­ beyond­ themathematical­proof­of­the­absurd,­the­captiv-ity­of­existence­trapped­in­the­system,­in­thedespair­of­the­mechanisms­that­function,­thecivilisation­that­civilises­and­the­reason­thatrationalises.­To­be­beyond­suffering­throughsuffering,­beyond­beauty­through­beauty.­Manhimself­is­a­beyond,­he­is­the­only­one­whothrough­his­being­is­beyond­the­world,­nature,fate,­and­only­in­this­way­is­his­freedom­thepermanent­realisation­of­his­own­essence­ofbeing­beyond.­But­beyond­is­not­protection,illusion­and­fiction,­but­correspondence,­seek-ing­and­finding­of­the­fundament.­Beyond­isnot­creation­or­self-creation,­it­is­not­the­ful-filled­history­of­victorious­humanity.­Man­isthat­transition­beyond,­for­this­beyond­is­andgives­humanity­and­also­gives­itself­to­human-ity.­The­transition­beyond­by­the­human­en-counters­transcendence­at­the­origins­becauseman­is­creation.­This­encounter­is­not­a­figureof­speech,­but­a­mystery­of­the­origin,­of­cre-ation.­A­mystery­of­creation­and­a­mystery­offreedom­because­man­is­beyond­evil,­but­alsobeyond­good.­Man­is­able­to­choose­to­be­be-yond,­in­the­nothingness­of­total­absence,­inthe­nothingness­of­ self-annihilation,­and­assuch­he­is­beyond­himself­and­beyond­God,God­in­this­case­being­“nothingness”.

Suffering­as­fear­and­dread­is­the­vehicleof­liberation,­of­return­to­oneself.­The­suffer-ing­is­the­experience­of­the­absence­of­beyond,the­experience­of­captivity­and­the­pain­of­notbeing­able­to­overcome­it.­The­malaise­of­theunderground­is­the­absence­of­suffering­fromcaptivity,­ is­ reconciliation­with­ the­enslave-ment­caused­by­the­departure­from­oneself,the­forgetting­of­oneself.­With­the­malaise­ofthe­underground­existence­becomes­the­plen-itude­of­ falsity­of­ forgetting.­Inexplicable­toreason,­the­Gospel­refers­to­man,­to­myself­as

a­man­of­the­underground.­From­out­of­theunderground­I­am­called­to­pass­beyond,­andthis­is­why­the­Gospel­is­suffering,­the­pleni-tude­of­the­suffering­of­man­and­the­world,­butalso­liberation,­transition­beyond,­acceptanceof­the­gift,­the­unveiling­of­the­face,­contem-plation­of­presence.­This­beyond­is­thereforenot­a­space­or­a­place,­but­simply­the­fulfil-ment­of­plenitude,­the­presence­of­light­that­ir-radiates­the­being,­for­creation­is­nothing­but“condensed­light”.­In­the­mystery­of­his­ownpresence,­man­is­able­to­recognise­the­pleni-tude­of­what­it­means­to­be­beyond,­for­herenothing­can­make­him­a­being,­here­he­is­fu-tile,­a­scandal­to­the­world,­a­permanent­defi-ance­and­a­permanent­threat.

Solidarity, identity and difference

The­world­and­the­other­are­beyond­me.­Be-yond,­in­my­relative­proximity.­The­presenceof­the­other­is­pure­otherness­in­the­first­in-stance,­a­sign­of­reality­and­opposition.­Theother­is­my­opposite­but­also­my­peer,­a­beingexisting­beyond­me­but­together­with­me­here,enduring­the­ordeal­of­self-becoming,­of­pres-ence­as­history.­I­and­the­other­as­another;­thetime­separating­us­ implies­ the­creation­andperpetuation­of­history.­My­relationship­withmyself­inexorably­passes­through­the­other,­hispresence­becomes­substantial,­irrevocable,­myhumanity­is­discovery­together­with­the­other,a­shared­being­in­opposition­and­struggle.­Theother­is­able­to­become­my­solitude,­my­anni-hilation­or­my­freedom.­I,­the­individual,­theunique,­am­divided,­my­humanity­is­directlyreflected­in­the­face­of­the­other.­I­am,­but­I­amwith­him,­be­it­as­part­of­a­historical­co-pres-ence­or­in­a­relationship­of­historical­becom-ing.­ Naturally,­ there­ exists­ somethingirre­­ducible­in­me,­my­own­personal­face,­butthe­irreducible­in­me­is­at­the­same­time­com-munion,­vision­of­the­other,­the­initiation­ofthe­ relationship.­Through­myself,­my­ innerself,­I­see­and­conceive­of­the­other;­he­existsthrough­me­and­I­exist­through­him,­and­the

14) See Marx’s text onatheism and socialismin Manuscripts: “Athe-ism, as a denial of this

inessentiality, has nolonger any meaningfor

atheism is a negation ofGod, and postulates the

existence of manthrough this negation;

but socialism as social-ism no longer standesin any nees of such a

mediation. It proceedsfrom the practically and

theoretically sensousconsciousness of man

and of nature as theessence. Socialism is

man’s positive self-con-sciousness no longermediated through the

annulment of religion,just as real life is man’s

positive reality,, nolonger mediated through

the annulment of theprivate property, through

communism.”, op.cit.pp. 92-93.

place­of­our­reflection­is­the­place­of­our­free-dom.

What­we­share­is­not­only­the­being­of­hu-manity,­but­also­the­becoming­in­time,­the­ter-ror­ of­ history.­ In­ the­ underground­ of­ ourfreedom­we­are­one­and­the­same,­confinednot­to­the­irreducible­but­to­repetition,­to­thesimilarity­of­eradication­and­absence.­We­areboth­ the­ same­ simulacrum­of­ the­ agonisedman,­the­fake­currency­of­history,­the­mortarfor­the­bricks­of­fiction.­In­this­communion­ofslavery­and­the­underground­we­are,­however,responsible­for­truth­and­freedom,­not­for­vic-tory­or­changing­ the­world­or­man,­but­ formaintaining­the­possibility­of­being­human.My­ultimate­response­is­my­ultimate­word­be-fore­God,­but­until­that­moment­I­live­ultima-tively,­and­in­being­aware­of­transcendence­mydaily­response­is­an­exercise­of­this­brief­burstof­light.­On­a­daily­basis­my­relationship­to­theother­can­be­described­in­terms­of­tension,­in-difference,­aggression­or­reflection,­but­this­re-lationship­does­exist­and­is­essential­–­it­says

something­about­both­of­us­and­something­toboth­us.­The­experience­of­the­underground­isthat­ this­ relationship­subsists,­but­only­as­adegradation,­ for­ freedom­ itself­ disappears,having­been­transformed­into­survival­and­thefear­of­freedom.­If­I­am­able­to­suffer­for­thisrelationship,­if­I­laugh­at­my­disfigured­faceand­realise­that­it­is­my­disfigured­face­in­hisface,­and­if­the­fear­of­the­end­is­greater­thanthe­fear­of­freedom,­then­I­can­retrace­my­stepsand­the­underground­is­ left­behind­me­as­atrace­ left­by­me­on­earth.­This­ is­when­ theother­becomes­presence­and­the­necessity­offreedom,­the­beginning­of­the­authenticity­ofthe­good.­The­other­may­at­any­time­discoverme,­and­I­can­see­myself­again­in­the­other,­justas­I­can­hide­or­deny­myself­in­the­other.­Theother­can­be­either­my­inferno­or­my­freedom.This­is­why­any­society­is­essentially­all­aboutthe­relationship­with­the­other,­the­establish-ment­ of­ this­ relationship­ and­ its­ practice.Communism,­like­any­form­of­nihilism,­buildsthis­relationship­in­terms­of­the­tension­of­pos-session­and­degradation,­which­is­precisely­theformula­for­an­underground,­that­is­the­lackof­ foundation­as­ the­retention­of­ the­originand­revelation­of­transcendence.­Communisthumanism­is­precisely­a­humanism,­and­thisis­ not­ a­ paradox.­Humanism­ is­ the­ “place”where­the­identity­of­man­finds­itself­as­iden-tity­rediscovered.­Communism­is­not­human,but­it­is­humanism­in­the­sense­that­the­humandefines­and­reconstructs­itself­as­the­rational-ity­of­all­possibility,­as­rejection­of­transcen-dence­ and­ tradition,­ as­ annihilation­ of­ thehomeland­and­as­the­productivity­of­the­mate-rial­plenitude­of­the­world­and­humanity.­Manis­thus­no­longer­weakness­and­the­delicate-ness­of­creation,­but­the­key­principle­of­thetotal­ construction­ of­ complete­ rationality.Communism­is­quite­justified­in­defining­andbuilding­itself­as­humanism,­for­it­wishes­tofree­man,­ in­ the­ tradition­of­ the­Enlighten-ment,­from­the­strongest­form­of­enslavement,that­of­transcendence,­that­is­from­the­“slav-ery”­of­questions­about­himself,­the­world­anddivinity.­The­Marxist­idea­can­also­be­found­inthe­early­writings­of­Lenin­and­Stalin,­and­the

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

35

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

Marxist­meaning­of­history­is­precisely­this,­theemancipation­of­man­(the­true­and­only­hu-manism),­ the­ emancipation­ from­ transcen-dence,­the­only­way­in­which­man­can­becomehuman.­Historical­communism­served­only­toemancipate­man­from­all­foundation,­all­roots.The­man­of­communist­humanism­is­uprootedpar­excellence.­He­is­the­man­whose­face­is­sonew­that­it­no­longer­resembles­anything,­it­isthe­face­of­the­absolute­producer,­of­the­slavewho­rises­through­production­to­the­privilegeof­domination15.­­

Freedom, authenticity and existence inthe tension of salvation

The­metaphysical­error­of­modern­man­did­notend­with­the­fall­of­communism.­This­in­noway­implies­that­the­fall­of­communism­doesnot­create­an­opening­in­our­destinies­and­doesnot­afford­us­the­opportunity,­not­only­histor-ical,­of­moving­towards­ourselves.­The­politi-cal­and­economic­violence­of­communism­isunbearable,­and­ the­uprootedness­of­man­ iseverywhere­present­and­therefore­also­wherepolitical­and­economic­freedom­exists.­But­canyou­really­be­free­in­a­world­that­turns­all­peo-ple­into­the­utensils­of­a­giant­universal­repro-duction­ and­ replaces­ the­ world­ with­ amechanical­ and­ fictional­ double?­Here,­ hu-manism­is­in­the­last­instance­the­same­desirefor­power­and­desire­for­denial,­the­same­im-mense­desire­for­solitude­of­the­emancipatedman16.­­Only­an­understanding­of­the­world­asan­epiphany­can­shield­man­from­his­completetransformation­into­an­instance­of­universal­re-production,­an­instance­of­instrumentalisation.When­the­world­becomes­an­object,­its­essenceis­defined­as­manoeuvrability,­experience­of­in-strumentalisation­and­manipulation­of­objectsin­the­space­and­time­of­a­productivity­accom-plished­as­freedom.­What­founds­this­produc-tivity­is­the­understanding­of­the­world­itself­asthe­objectual­materiality­of­an­infinite­repro-duction,­in­the­sense­in­which­the­world­is­theinfinite­appearance­and­disappearance­of­mat-

ter,­ infinite­production­and­ reproduction­ofmatter.­What­modern­science­posits­is­preciselythe­capacity­of­man,­through­experiment­andknowledge,­through­technology,­to­co-partici-pate­in­this­infinite­continuum­of­productionand­reproduction.­Man­becomes­increasinglyhuman­ through­ his­ technicality,­ which­ be-comes­co-participation­in­the­naturalness­ofthe­nature­of­the­world,­co-production­and­re-production­of­nature.­In­this­world,­human­parexcellence,­man­can­no­longer­free­himself­aswe,­but­only­as­I,­as­an­individual,­as­indissol-uble­uniqueness.­This­is­a­world­in­which­weno­longer­transpires­as­meaning­and­existence,for­ there­ is­ no­ longer­ any­ foundation­ andtherefore­also­no­communion,­but­only­organ-isation.­

In­the­experience­of­the­underground­cre-ated­by­communism­as­ultimate­and­eternalhumanism,­as­a­true­end­of­history­and­a­gen-uine­experience­of­the­limit,­I­can­still­returnto­myself,­for­this­suffering­triggers­searchingand­questioning.­In­this­suffering­I­also­seekthe­other­and­I­can­find­him­or­we­can­findourselves­together­as­part­of­an­experience­thatrebuilds­communication.­When­I­come­to­re-alise­ that­what­ is­ suffering­within­me­ is­notonly­my­self,­but­also­the­person­within­me­that“contains”­my­own­irreducible­self,­my­human-ity,­then­I­can­turn­to­God­and­to­the­other;­Iam­ready.­My­suffering,­my­agony,­is­also­myopenness,­my­breaking,­as­if­of­a­vicious­circle,of­my­definite­identity;­as­of­this­moment,­myidentity­is­no­longer­strict­and­monadic,­butprocessual­and­interrogative,­I­am­no­longertrapped­in­a­definition­of­the­others­or­of­soci-ety,­but­seek­my­own­face­and­an­existential­ex-perience­of­freedom.­

The­political­terror­of­communism­dehu-manises­both­the­victim­and­the­executioner,and­may­also­be­the­paradoxical­consequenceof­rediscovering­freedom,­as­the­experience­ofincarceration­of­so­many­people­confirms.­Atthe­epicentre­of­terror­you­can­perfect­yourselfas­humanity,­as­a­living­presence­of­the­pleni-tude­of­existence.­And­then­freedom­is­not­thefreedom­to­vote,­but­the­freedom­to­be­humanuntil­ the­ end,­ not­ to­ jump­ ship,­ to­ be­ irre-

Mihai­Gheorghiu

36

16) See Martin Heideg-ger (1988) Scrisoare

despre “umanism”, inRepere pe drumul

gândirii, Editura Politic\,translation and introduc-

tory notes by ThomasKleininger and GabrielLiiceanu, pp.297-343.

15) See NikolaiBerdyaev, Originile şisensul comunismului

rus, Dacia, Cluj, 1994.

ducible.­ Terror,­ which­ is­ absurdity,­ lack­ ofmeaning,­is­therefore­rejected­and­annihilatedthrough­freedom­and­foundation­in­transcen-dence­as­being­that­which­gives­being,­essenceand­ meaning.­ In­ this­ freedom­ that­ rebelsagainst­ terror­ and­ the­ underground­ manceases­to­be­the­failed­actor­of­history­and­astranger­to­the­being­of­this­world,­just­as­heceases­to­be­only­the­absolute­master­of­a­per-petually­manoeuvrable­existence­with­the­aimof­establishing­a­world­limited­to­the­object­ofa­ceaseless­action­of­making.­Contemporaryman,­the­absolute­subject­of­modern­history,is­a­subject­of­historical­action,­a­subject­whoacts­with­no­other­foundation­than­the­actionthat­simply­produces­effects­meant­to­solve­animpossible­equation­of­transformation,­effectswhich­fuse­together­to­form­a­faceless­world,­aworld­of­actions­and­effects,­of­production­ofany­kind­which­establishes­the­absence­of­anymeaning­other­than­that­of­utility­and­vitality.­

He­who­leaves­the­underground,­makinghis­way­out,­whether­by­his­own­action­or­asthe­mere­“accident’­of­history,­must­be­awarethat­utility­or­emancipation­is­not­fulfilmentand­rediscovery­of­the­human,­but­the­auxil-iary­of­an­existence.­This­ is­not­a­matter­ofconceiving­of­a­freedom­outside­of­the­histor-ical­world,­that­is,­an­illusion­opposed­to­an-other­ illusion,­ but­ of­ simply­ showing(indicating)­an­experience­and­not­a­doctrine,and­ any­ experience­ is­ also­ a­ thought­ thatknows,­an­existential­exercise­of­the­tension­ofinterrogation.­It­is­not­a­matter­of­turning­one’sback­on­the­firm­universe­of­survival,­of­needsthat­must­be­met,­of­the­bread­that­must­be­puton­the­table­or­shared,­but­rather,­it­is­a­matterof­all­ that­must­be­fulfilled­as­being­humanand­the­possibility­to­fulfil­them­as­a­man­ex-ercising­his­ irreducible­humanity.­Commu-

nism­itself­began­as­a­myth­of­the­bread­andcapitalism­is­nothing­but­a­technique­to­pro-duce­and­save­in­order­to­invest­with­a­view­toacquiring­comfort,­profit­and­knowledge.­Manmust­pass­through­the­“systems”­of­the­worldor­the­world­turned­into­a­system­so­that­hecan­live­as­much­as­possible­in­freedom­and­inthe­envisioned­truth­of­the­individual­in­orderto­defy­constantly­the­terror­of­his­being­pos-sessed­as­a­thing­by­different­powers.­This­im-plies­permanently­recasting­the­experience­oftension­between­truth­and­falsehood,­betweenfreedom­ and­ slavery,­ between­ me­ and­ theother,­between­the­world­and­transcendence,between­here­and­beyond,­between­the­worldand­Revelation.­

Surviving­Communism.­Escape­for­underground.

37

photo©Vlad­Columbeanu

38

Bibliography

Althusser,­ Louis­ (1970)­ Citindu-l pe Marx, Editura Politică,Bucharest.­­

Berdyaev,­Nikolai­(1994)­Originile și sensul comunismului rus,Dacia,­Cluj.

Berlin,­Isaiah­(2004)­Simțul realității,­Univers,­Bucharest,­2004,pp.­106-209.

Boétie,­Etienne­de­la­(1942)­­Discourse on Voluntary Servitude,or the Anti-Dictator,­­­­New­York:­Columbia­University­Press,1942;­Oeuvres­Complètes­d’Etienne­de­la­Boétie,­publié­avec­No-tice­biographique,­Variantes,­Notes­et­Index­par­Paul­Bonnefon,1892,­Bordeaux,­Paris.

Dostoyevsky,­Fyodor­Mikhailovich­(1968)­Însemnări din subte -rană,­ Opere,­ vol.­ 4,­ Editura­ pentru­ Literatură­ Universală,Bucharest.­

Engels,­Friedrich­(1966)­Domnul­Eugen­Dühring­revoluționeazăștiința­(Anti-Dühring),­Editura­Politică,­Bucharest.

Feuerbach,­Ludwig­(1961)­Esența­creștinismului,­Editura­Științi-fică,­Bucharest,­1961.

Furet,­François­(1996)­Trecutul­unei­iluzii.­Eseu­despre­ideea­co-munistă­în­secolul­XX,­Humanitas,­Bucharest.

Hayek,­Friedrich­A.(1993)­Drumul­către­servitute,­Humanitas,Bucharest.

Hegel,­G.­W.­Fr.­(1995)­Fenomenologia­Spiritului,­translated­byVirgil­Bogdan,­Editura­IRI.

Heidegger,­Martin­(1988)­Scrisoare­despre­„Umanism”,­in­Reperepe­drumul­gândirii,­Editura­Politică,­Bucharest.

Kołakowski,­Leszek­(2009)­Principalele­curente­ale­marxismu-lui,­vol.­I,­Fondatorii,­Curtea­Veche,­Bucharest.

Lefort,­Claude­(2002)­Complicația.­Recurs­asupra­comunismului,Univers,­Bucharest.

Marcuse,­Herbert­(1964)­One-Dimensional­Men:­Studies­in­theIdeology­of­the­Advanced­Industrial­Society,­Boston.

Marx,­Karl­(1978)­Economic­and­Philosophic­Manuscripts­from1844­ in­ The­Marx-Engels­ Reader,­ second­ edition,­ edited­ byRobert­C.Tucker,­Princeton­University,­W.W.­Norton­&­Com-pany.­

Marx,­Karl,­Engels,­Friedrich­(1969)­Manifestul­Partidului­Co-munist,­Editura­Politică,­Bucharest,­­9th­edition.

Marx,­Karl­(1966)­Capitalul,­vol.­I,­in­Karl­Marx,­Friedrich­En-gels,­Opere,­vol.­23,­Editura­Politică,­Bucharest.

Mises,­Ludwig­von­(1957)­Theory­and­history,­An­interpretationof­Social­and­Economic­Evolution,­Yale­University­Press.

Muravchik,­Joshua­(2004)­Raiul­pe­pământ.­Mărirea­și­decădereasocialismului,­Brumar.

Stalin,­Joseph­Vissarionovich­(1951)­Despre­Materialismul­di-alectic­și­materialismul­istoric,­Editura­Partidului­MuncitorescRomân,­Bucharest.

Pipes,­Richard­(2003)­Communism:­A­History­of­the­Intellectualand­Political­Movement,­Phoenix­Press,­Great­Britain.

Rothbard,­Murray­N.­(1990)­Karl­Marx:­Communist­as­Religious

Eschatologist,­ The­ Review­ of­ Austrian­ Economics,­ vol­ 4,1990:123-179.

Schmitt,­Carl­(1996)­Teologia­politică,­Editura­Universal­Dalsi.

Sombart,­Werner­ (1934)­ Socialismul­ german,­Editura­ Socec,Bucharest,­f.a.

Ulam,­Adam­B.­(2009)­Bolșevicii.­Triumful­comunismului­ înRusia:­O­istorie­intelectuală­și­politică,­Corint,­Bucharest.

Yannaras,­Christos­(2000)­Foamea­și­setea,­Anastasia.

Yannaras,­Christos­(2002)­Libertatea­moralei,­Anastasia.

Voegelin,­Eric­(1975)­From­Enlightenment­to­Revolution,­DukeUniversity­Press,­North­Carolina.