This paper attempts to analyze the distinction of friend and enemy in the Colombian armed conflict, exploring the causes of its emergence, examining the most intense phases of enmity during the conflict and evaluating the possibilities of reconciliation.
Colombian history has been heavily marked by a longstanding internal armed conflict of decades, accompanied by a remarkable political, and even moral discourse of the friend and the enemy. The distinct phases of the distinction between friend and enemy have reflected either a political tension between the involved actors, or a brutal confrontation that has led until the present time to a devastating outcome. However, the radicalization of the enmity, especially characteristic of the last decades, has attenuated with the enhanced desire of peacebuilding in the country. In this sense, the Peace Accords of 2016 can be considered as an important milestone towards peaceful coexistence and as a vital step in the reconsideration of the friendenemy distinction.
In order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the Colombian armed conflict from this theoretical framework, some of the most important aspects of its emergence, development and resolution will be analyzed in accord with core arguments of the Concept of The Political and the Theory of the Partisan of Carl Schmitt. On one side it is attempted to determine if the typical friend-enemy distinction of the German political theorist can be applied to the Colombian case. On the other hand, it should be analyzed on what extent the FARC, seen as the public enemy, reflect the partisan nature and personify the absolute enemy characterized by Schmitt. Likewise, it should be evaluated if the different phases of the friend-enemy distinction, directly connected to a degree of political tension and enmity, can also be found in the development of Colombian armed conflict throughout its prolonged history.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Carl Schmitt: War as extreme manifestation of hostility and partisanship as personification of the enemy
2.3 Prospects of reconciliation: turn from absolute enmity into real enmity
3. Colombian internal armed conflict as result of the enmity between guerrilla groups and the State
3.1 Ideological emergence of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as enemy of the State
3.2 Evolution and development of the armed conflict in Colombia: radicalization of the enemy
3.3 Peace agreement of 2016 between FARC and the national government: challenges of reconciliation
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the applicability of Carl Schmitt's friend-enemy distinction to the Colombian armed conflict, specifically analyzing the emergence of the FARC, the radicalization of the conflict into "absolute enmity," and the prospects for reconciliation following the 2016 peace agreement.
- Theoretical framework of Carl Schmitt’s concepts of "the political" and "the partisan."
- Historical analysis of the emergence of the FARC as a public enemy of the Colombian State.
- The role of paramilitary structures in the radicalization of the conflict.
- Evaluation of the 2016 peace agreement as a mechanism to transition from absolute to real enmity.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Differentiation between friend and enemy: explanation of the emergence of conflict
The differentiation between friend and enemy lacks a normative connotation, as well as a subjective understanding. Any economic, moral and subjective significance of the concept that may emerge as the psychological expression of unsympathetic feelings and personal preference - resulting from individual experiences – should, therefore, be subtracted from both concepts. The perception of the enemy must also be external to any understanding originated from an economical or moral rivalry connected to resentment, since the enemy is not equal to an opponent (vgl. Schmitt 2015: 27). Schmitt highlights the fact that the differentiation between friend and enemy also derives in the arrangement of groups, which not necessarily unleashes discord, nonetheless, this needs to be weighed like a real possibility. In this vein, the enemy personifies just the eventual, but real possibility of confrontation, and therefore the antagonist of the public sphere, which converts him into the public enemy. Coming back to the aforementioned grouping, is the State as a whole, and as an organized political unit, the one that establishes the differentiation between friend and enemy.
While neither English nor German languages allow a semantic distinction between the public and the private enemy, Latin proportionates a differentiated terminology for both perceptions of enmity. Hostis represents the public enemy, also characterized in the military context as the opponent of war. Inimicus, on the other hand, suggests a personal attachment, thus it may be translated like the private enemy (vgl. Nippel 2003: 61-63). Considering the possibility of confrontation between the so-called enemy and the group which considers itself the friend, the concept of enemy acquires a political connotation and reveals the most extreme and intense dichotomy.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the paper, focusing on applying Schmittian political theory to the historical trajectory of the Colombian armed conflict.
2. Carl Schmitt: War as extreme manifestation of hostility and partisanship as personification of the enemy: Examines the theoretical foundation of friend-enemy distinctions and the transition from real to absolute enmity.
2.3 Prospects of reconciliation: turn from absolute enmity into real enmity: Discusses how neutralizing the threat of annihilation can facilitate a transition toward a less intense, "real" enmity.
3. Colombian internal armed conflict as result of the enmity between guerrilla groups and the State: Analyzes the structural roots of the Colombian conflict and the formation of the FARC within this political dichotomy.
3.1 Ideological emergence of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as enemy of the State: Details the historical origins of the FARC during the period of "the Violence" and their shift toward becoming an anti-State entity.
3.2 Evolution and development of the armed conflict in Colombia: radicalization of the enemy: Explores how the conflict intensified, leading to extreme violence and the use of irregular combat methods by both guerrillas and paramilitaries.
3.3 Peace agreement of 2016 between FARC and the national government: challenges of reconciliation: Evaluates the 2016 peace process, focusing on the difficulties of ensuring truth, justice, and lasting coexistence.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, noting that the transition away from absolute enmity is a critical step for peace in Colombia.
5. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources used to substantiate the theoretical and historical arguments presented.
Keywords
Carl Schmitt, Colombian armed conflict, FARC, friend-enemy distinction, absolute enmity, real enmity, partisanship, peace agreement 2016, political theory, conflict resolution, civil war, radicalization, Hostis, reconciliation, transitional justice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work investigates the Colombian internal armed conflict through the lens of Carl Schmitt’s political theory, specifically focusing on the friend-enemy distinction.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the emergence of guerrilla groups, the radicalization of the state-guerrilla conflict into absolute enmity, and the role of the 2016 peace agreement in potentially restoring political dialogue.
What is the central research question?
The paper asks whether Schmitt’s theoretical framework can be applied to explain the Colombian conflict's history and if his concepts offer a viable path toward reconciliation and non-violent coexistence.
Which methodology does the author apply?
The author utilizes a theoretical-deductive method, applying core concepts from Schmitt’s "The Concept of the Political" and "The Theory of the Partisan" to historical events and case studies in Colombia.
What is analyzed in the main part of the text?
The main body examines the history of the FARC, the subsequent escalation of hostilities involving paramilitaries, and the complex process of negotiating peace between the Colombian government and the insurgency.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as absolute enmity, the partisan, political dichotomy, reconciliation, and the specific socio-political context of the Colombian civil war.
How does the author define the shift toward "absolute enmity" in Colombia?
The shift is defined by the dehumanization of the opponent, where the goal ceases to be political negotiation and instead becomes the physical annihilation of the enemy, fueled by "monsterization" and irregular violence.
What role does the 2016 Peace Agreement play in the author's argument?
The author views the 2016 agreement as a potential inflection point that attempts to move the conflict from a state of absolute enmity—where violence is the only tool—back toward a "real enmity," where political debate can resume.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Daniela Forero Nuñez (Autor:in), 2020, Carl Schmitt’s distinction between friend and enemy in the Colombian armed conflict, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1035665
