Carl Schmitt and the mythological dimensions of partisan war

Abstract

I offer a reading of Theory of the Partisan that focuses on Carl Schmitt’s discussion of the ideological dimensions of war. Schmitt indicates that partisans are heavily mythologized figures that are partially constructed by politicians, military strategists, and intellectuals in an effort to incite and control “people’s wars.” The myths are open to appropriation and modification by states, intellectuals, and revolutionaries. These actors engage in an ideological struggle over myths and use them to ensure success in wars that depend on mass mobilization. Partisan myths are particularly valuable in moments of crisis, when states must go beyond the boundaries of conventional war to preserve their territorial boundaries. However, they are capricious weapons that are often turned on their creators.