France's ongoing violence spiral

France has been dealing with multiple forms of violence for several weeks, with images of these incidents spreading worldwide. The situation involves protests driven by grievances related to deteriorating conditions in education and universities, as well as concerns about police handling of demonstrations.

Structural and revolutionary violence

Protesters argue that they are responding to what they describe as structural violence—systemic issues they claim affect their daily lives. This has led to what Dom Helder Camara called a "spiral of violence," involving structural violence, revolutionary actions by protesters, and repressive measures by authorities, which in turn can worsen the initial conditions.

Symbolic violence and its role

Alongside physical violence, symbolic violence plays a role in justifying or discrediting certain forms of force. For example, the idea of a "monopoly of legitimate violence," a concept from Max Weber, is used to support state authority, while actions like vandalism are often criticized as illegitimate.

Violence and public perception

All forms of violence involve an abuse of force that harms others' dignity, with no clear distinction between good and bad violence. However, public perception varies: structural violence is often invisible, while the violence seen during protests can be counterproductive, overshadowing the protesters' messages with chaos and fear.

The need for order

The violence of repression is seen by some as restoring order, which gives it a form of legitimacy. For protesters, the priority should be to neutralize those causing damage through vandalism. If they fail to do so, they may unintentionally help those advocating for order, security, and what some call invisible violence, potentially influencing upcoming elections.

Commentary by Frédéric Rognon

Frédéric Rognon, a philosophy professor, made this analysis. It is important to note that this commentary does not represent the editorial stance of Réforme.