Jochen Schmon
@jochenschmon.bsky.social
PhD candidate @nssrnews.bsky.social // 2nd Faculty @brooklyninstitute.bsky.social // History of Political Concepts // Critical Theory
https://www.jochenschmon.com
https://www.jochenschmon.com
In their rejection of slavery as a "private" matter, I argue that abolitionists inaugurated the true quarrel between the ancients and the moderns—making possible radical conceptions of patriarchy and capitalism as different, but interrelated forms in which the "tyranny" of slavery exists
September 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM
In their rejection of slavery as a "private" matter, I argue that abolitionists inaugurated the true quarrel between the ancients and the moderns—making possible radical conceptions of patriarchy and capitalism as different, but interrelated forms in which the "tyranny" of slavery exists
Here, I focus on 18th century abolitionist writings, theorizing them as acts of translating the muted demands of the Caribbean slave revolts into the imperial public spheres—the very sites of empire that would also become the discursive staging ground of radical feminist and proletarian movements
September 30, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Here, I focus on 18th century abolitionist writings, theorizing them as acts of translating the muted demands of the Caribbean slave revolts into the imperial public spheres—the very sites of empire that would also become the discursive staging ground of radical feminist and proletarian movements
Reposted by Jochen Schmon
September 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Instead of “environmental side-effects” or the economy’s “external byproducts,” it is the “ability to impose pollution on others as another aspect of class power—and the inability to refuse it a form of unfreedom in its own right”
August 27, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Instead of “environmental side-effects” or the economy’s “external byproducts,” it is the “ability to impose pollution on others as another aspect of class power—and the inability to refuse it a form of unfreedom in its own right”
Against the "naïve materialism" that is so-called new materialism and the "moral naturalism" of much Marxist ecology & social reproduction theory - for a critical denaturalization of social relations without "dematerializing" them
August 27, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Against the "naïve materialism" that is so-called new materialism and the "moral naturalism" of much Marxist ecology & social reproduction theory - for a critical denaturalization of social relations without "dematerializing" them
March 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Is the liberal-republican ‘common good’ not the good of the oligarchs, with the rich continuing to be rich & the poor continue to be poor? The good of democracy is not the good of all, for the poor's good is the wrong to all the other parts that are merely—and only—the rich 10/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Is the liberal-republican ‘common good’ not the good of the oligarchs, with the rich continuing to be rich & the poor continue to be poor? The good of democracy is not the good of all, for the poor's good is the wrong to all the other parts that are merely—and only—the rich 10/10
Shays’ Rebellion as the return of the repressed oligarchic unconscious of the Federalist debate: Popular struggles against economic inequality exposed the oligarchic nature of liberal republicanism in its constitutional exclusion of the majority from government 9/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Shays’ Rebellion as the return of the repressed oligarchic unconscious of the Federalist debate: Popular struggles against economic inequality exposed the oligarchic nature of liberal republicanism in its constitutional exclusion of the majority from government 9/10
The majority of citizens, which are poor, could not be politically trusted with their “rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property” (Madison)—an implicit reference to demands of the Massachusetts Peasant Rebellion led by Daniel Shays 8/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The majority of citizens, which are poor, could not be politically trusted with their “rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property” (Madison)—an implicit reference to demands of the Massachusetts Peasant Rebellion led by Daniel Shays 8/10
Liberal Republicanism & the Constitutionalization of Oligarchy: Federalist proponents were not only perfectly aware of the oligarchic possibilities of their Constitution, but they even preferred to pave the way for the rich for public office as the ‘most virtuous’ citizens 7/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Liberal Republicanism & the Constitutionalization of Oligarchy: Federalist proponents were not only perfectly aware of the oligarchic possibilities of their Constitution, but they even preferred to pave the way for the rich for public office as the ‘most virtuous’ citizens 7/10
Antiquity conceived the rich as incapable of virtuous government, for modern liberals and republicans they are the ‘incarnation of virtuous character’—and thus the part of the citizenry most likely tending to govern in the common interest 6/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Antiquity conceived the rich as incapable of virtuous government, for modern liberals and republicans they are the ‘incarnation of virtuous character’—and thus the part of the citizenry most likely tending to govern in the common interest 6/10
Liberalism’s oligarchic unconscious: Adam Smith not only naturalizes, against the ancients, oligarchic desires as the ‘human condition’ but even claims the individual pursuit of economic self-interest as the ‘invisible’ condition for the achievement of the ‘common good’ 5/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Liberalism’s oligarchic unconscious: Adam Smith not only naturalizes, against the ancients, oligarchic desires as the ‘human condition’ but even claims the individual pursuit of economic self-interest as the ‘invisible’ condition for the achievement of the ‘common good’ 5/10
Ancient & modern republicans see economic inequality as the central antagonism. But while oligarchy is seen as internal danger (republics only authorize ‘a few’ to rule, thus open to the rich) democracy is an external threat (republics always exclude ‘the many’ from ruling) 4/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Ancient & modern republicans see economic inequality as the central antagonism. But while oligarchy is seen as internal danger (republics only authorize ‘a few’ to rule, thus open to the rich) democracy is an external threat (republics always exclude ‘the many’ from ruling) 4/10
We reconstruct the oligarchic unconscious in Aristotle’s ideal Mixed Regime where, similar to modern republics, the ‘virtuous few’ should rule impartially against the direct participation of the rich (oligarchy) and the poor (democrats) 3/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
We reconstruct the oligarchic unconscious in Aristotle’s ideal Mixed Regime where, similar to modern republics, the ‘virtuous few’ should rule impartially against the direct participation of the rich (oligarchy) and the poor (democrats) 3/10
Based on Federalists & A. Smith, we offer a conceptualization of liberal republicanism as the modern constitutionalization of oligarchy—threatened by Shays’ Debt Rebellion, to be prevented was a ‘pure Democracy’ always resulting in the poor ruling over the rich 2/10
March 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Based on Federalists & A. Smith, we offer a conceptualization of liberal republicanism as the modern constitutionalization of oligarchy—threatened by Shays’ Debt Rebellion, to be prevented was a ‘pure Democracy’ always resulting in the poor ruling over the rich 2/10
March 19, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Is the liberal-republican ‘common good’ not the good of the oligarchs, with the rich continuing to be rich & the poor continue to be poor? The good of democracy is not the good of all, for the poor's good is the wrong to all the other parts that are merely—and only—the rich 10/10
March 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Is the liberal-republican ‘common good’ not the good of the oligarchs, with the rich continuing to be rich & the poor continue to be poor? The good of democracy is not the good of all, for the poor's good is the wrong to all the other parts that are merely—and only—the rich 10/10
Shays’ Rebellion as the return of the repressed oligarchic unconscious of the Federalist debate: Popular struggles against economic inequality exposed the oligarchic nature of liberal republicanism in its constitutional exclusion of the majority from government 9/10
March 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Shays’ Rebellion as the return of the repressed oligarchic unconscious of the Federalist debate: Popular struggles against economic inequality exposed the oligarchic nature of liberal republicanism in its constitutional exclusion of the majority from government 9/10
The majority of citizens, which are poor, could not be politically trusted with their “rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property” (Madison)—an implicit reference to demands of the Massachusetts Peasant Rebellion led by Daniel Shays 8/10
March 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The majority of citizens, which are poor, could not be politically trusted with their “rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property” (Madison)—an implicit reference to demands of the Massachusetts Peasant Rebellion led by Daniel Shays 8/10
Liberal Republicanism & the Constitutionalization of Oligarchy: Federalist proponents were not only perfectly aware of the oligarchic possibilities of their Constitution, but they even preferred to pave the way for the rich for public office as the ‘most virtuous’ citizens 7/10
March 19, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Liberal Republicanism & the Constitutionalization of Oligarchy: Federalist proponents were not only perfectly aware of the oligarchic possibilities of their Constitution, but they even preferred to pave the way for the rich for public office as the ‘most virtuous’ citizens 7/10