An Apocalyptic Speech Outlining a Theory of Dictatorship: Carl Schmitt Inspired by Juan Donoso Cortés

Carl Schmitt's book Die Diktatur has become widely accepted in contemporary political science and constitutional law literature on the history of dictatorship. In practice, his study is an indispensable reference for studying autocracies. Thus, there is extensive literature on the legal aspects of the distinction Schmitt draws between "sovereign dictatorship" and "commissarial dictatorship." In the context of the Covid 19 pandemic crisis, there has also been a return of interest in his idea of the "state of exception," in which a dictatorship suspends liberties in order to protect the constitution. However, an overlooked theme in this constitutional literature is that Schmitt built his theory based on an apocalyptic speech by Juan Donoso Cortés: Discourse on Dictatorship. In 1849, after the Revolutions of 1848 in Europe, this Spanish politician delivered a theological-political speech that alludes to various metaphors to portray the history of the West as a parable for the end of time. In other words, Schmitt creates a constitutional theory built upon a speech by Donoso Cortés, whose purpose was to arouse political emotions of pessimism and counter-revolutionary feelings in his audience. My paper aims to analyze how Schmitt translates Donoso Cortés' dictatorship speech, which is full of metaphors and rhetorical devices to convince his audience of the necessity of dictatorship, into a constitutional theory. Three points in Donoso Cortés' rhetorical ideas strongly inspire Schmitt. First, the Spanish politician claims that Europe is declining and that the liberal and secular culture is the main culprit. This would have caused the retreat of the Christian faith and the increase of violence to dominate people. Secondly, liberal culture and socialism would have led Europe into a political conflict, which he presents as the opposition between order and revolution. For Donoso Cortés, the situation requires a response that is only possible with the choice of dictatorship from above ("the saber") against dictatorship from below ("the dagger"). Finally, the Spanish politician pessimistically notes that the era of monarchies has ended, leaving only democracy as the only source of political legitimacy. These three ideas, which Donoso Cortés develops in a rhetorical and apocalyptic manner, are transformed by Schmitt into a constitutional theory and his concept of political theology. Thus, the relationship between Donoso Cortés and Schmitt shows how an apocalyptic speech full of illiberal metaphors can be the source of inspiration for developing a constitutional theory of dictatorship.