Justifying the State

All logic is ultimately circular, relying upon an opaque sign which guarantees meaning to the rest of the system. All meaning of a system descends from and is in reference to this sign in a codependant spiral. In all discourses, this mechanism is present, with the God-signs of particular ideologies changing their exact contours, but still fulfilling the same function. The scientific conception of “reality”, the leftist notion of “purity”, the liberal notion of “freedom”, etc. In all of these cases, the central sign fulfills the axial function, around which the entire system of the argument depends, with the argument only being in reference to, with explication of this sign occurring either indirectly or in reference to another sign.

Such is the character of the State. First imagining society as a pyramidal structure in which the banner of the State is at the apex, the State forms itself as the sign which has its contours formed by being the embodiment of the State. All power-projection emanating from the State is thus occurring in reference to the sign which is of the State itself.

Via the Mandate of Heaven, this is the source of the State’s legitimacy. Unlike the liberal critics, who believe the sign guaranteeing the State to be an objective third party (reason, god, the people), which guarantees the instability of the state by giving it a foundation in something beyond, thereby deferring the meaning-creation capability of the State itself, the State derives its power from its own presence. By putting forth positive signs, the State makes itself into a God, with its meaning created by its mere existence. Only in this circularity, does the State justify itself, as only by being circular, can the State create itself as something not in deference to any higher authority.

Legitimacy is thus a false question, as it presupposes the State’s deference to a higher sign. The Mandate of Heaven is held by whatever party holds the power of the throne, thus making themselves into the State and giving themselves the position of authority that is from the State. This conflict is put into practice in the debate over the legitimacy of the CCP in holding the Chinese State. The Judeo-Christians constantly claim that the Chinese Communist Party is not in possession of the Mandate, as they supposedly break from some old tradition of Chinese rule. Such belies a Euro-Judaic-Rational understanding of authority however, with no comprehension of the Pagan Patchwork of self-referential State Authority. The Chinese Communist Party holds the Mandate of Heaven by being in power and holding in their hands control over the people, resources, and culture, of China, through the organs of power constructed as the Chinese State over millennia. The supposedly right wing position on China thus belies itself as the leftist position, requiring that the State justify itself to a rational order, assuming the same god of the rationals, the monotheistic judaic sign, to be the ultimate guarantor of authority.