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Total Categories: 6
Schmitt held professorships at several German universities, including Bonn, Munich, and Cologne.
Answer: True
Carl Schmitt held academic positions at several German universities, including Greifswald, Bonn, the Technical University of Munich, and Cologne.
Carl Schmitt was born in 1888 and died at the age of 96 in 1984.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt was born in 1888 and died in 1985 at the age of 96.
Carl Schmitt's habilitation thesis in 1916 focused on developing his famous 'friend-enemy' distinction.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt's habilitation thesis, *Der Wert des Staates und die Bedeutung des Einzelnen* (The Value of the State and the Significance of the Individual), completed in 1916, focused on the state and the individual, not the 'friend-enemy' distinction, which was developed later.
Schmitt was a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church, never breaking from its doctrines.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt was a Roman Catholic, but he broke from the Church in the mid-1920s, indicating he was not a lifelong adherent without doctrinal breaks.
Biographers suggest Carl Schmitt's personal life was stable and had no discernible impact on his political theories.
Answer: False
Biographers suggest that Carl Schmitt's personal life was troubled and marked by significant psychological and relational difficulties, which they argue had a discernible impact on his political theories and actions.
Carl Schmitt died in Plettenberg, West Germany, at the age of 36.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt died in Plettenberg, West Germany, in 1985 at the age of 96, not at 36.
Who was Carl Schmitt?
Answer: A 20th-century German jurist, author, and political theorist known for critiques of liberalism.
Carl Schmitt was a prominent 20th-century German jurist, author, and political theorist recognized for his critical analyses of liberalism, parliamentary democracy, and cosmopolitanism.
Where was Carl Schmitt born?
Answer: Plettenberg, German Empire
Carl Schmitt was born in Plettenberg, which was then part of the German Empire.
What did Carl Schmitt's biographers claim about his personal life and its impact?
Answer: It was marked by extreme anti-semitism and self-destructive tendencies impacting his thought.
Biographers have suggested that Carl Schmitt's personal life was deeply troubled, marked by extreme anti-semitism and self-destructive tendencies, which significantly impacted his political thought and actions.
Carl Schmitt died in which year?
Answer: 1985
Carl Schmitt died in 1985.
In *The Concept of the Political*, Schmitt defined politics as a specific domain like economics or religion, focused on state administration.
Answer: False
In *The Concept of the Political*, Schmitt defined politics not as a specific domain but as the existential basis of human association, fundamentally characterized by the distinction between 'friend' and 'enemy'.
Schmitt argued that political concepts lose their meaning and become abstract when the context of friend-enemy conflict is removed.
Answer: True
Schmitt contended in *The Concept of the Political* that political concepts derive their meaning from concrete situations of conflict and become abstract and devoid of significance when the existential friend-enemy distinction is absent.
Schmitt's doctrine of the 'state of exception' was primarily intended to protect individual liberties during times of crisis.
Answer: False
Schmitt's doctrine of the 'state of exception' (*Ausnahmezustand*) was intended to justify the suspension of normal legal norms and the enhancement of sovereign power during crises, rather than to protect individual liberties.
The 'friend–enemy distinction' is central to Schmitt's concept of the political, representing an existential conflict.
Answer: True
Schmitt's *The Concept of the Political* posits the 'friend–enemy distinction' as the fundamental criterion for identifying the political, defining it as an existential confrontation.
The 'state of exception' (*Ausnahmezustand*) in Schmitt's theory refers to the normal, stable functioning of the legal system.
Answer: False
The 'state of exception' (*Ausnahmezustand*) in Schmitt's theory refers precisely to a situation where the normal legal order is suspended by sovereign authority, not to its stable functioning.
How did Carl Schmitt define 'the political' in *The Concept of the Political*?
Answer: The existential basis of identity, defined by the distinction between friend and enemy.
Carl Schmitt defined 'the political' in *The Concept of the Political* as the existential dimension of human association, fundamentally characterized by the distinction between 'friend' and 'enemy'.
What was Carl Schmitt's view on the nature of political concepts, according to *The Concept of the Political*?
Answer: They become abstract and meaningless without the context of friend-enemy conflict.
Schmitt argued that political concepts are polemical and derive their meaning from specific conflicts; they become abstract and lose their significance when the context of the friend-enemy distinction is removed.
What theoretical justification did Schmitt's 'state of exception' doctrine provide for the Nazi regime?
Answer: It legitimized the suspension of the rule of law and enhanced executive powers.
Schmitt's 'state of exception' doctrine provided a theoretical basis for the Nazi regime by justifying the suspension of constitutional norms and the concentration of executive power in times of crisis.
What is the core idea of Schmitt's concept of 'political theology'?
Answer: Modern state theory concepts are secularized versions of theological concepts.
Schmitt's concept of 'political theology' posits that fundamental concepts in modern political theory are secularized analogues of theological doctrines, revealing a continuity between theological and political thought.
According to Schmitt, what is the fundamental basis of state sovereignty and autonomy?
Answer: The ability to establish and maintain the distinction between friend and enemy.
Schmitt argued that the fundamental basis of state sovereignty and autonomy lies in its capacity to identify and confront an existential enemy, thereby establishing the 'friend-enemy' distinction.
What does the term *Ausnahmezustand* refer to in Schmitt's political theory?
Answer: A state of exception where normal legal norms can be suspended.
In Schmitt's political theory, *Ausnahmezustand* (state of exception) refers to a condition where the sovereign power can suspend ordinary legal rules to address an existential threat.
In his 1922 work *Political Theology*, Schmitt defined the sovereign as the entity that decides on the state of exception.
Answer: True
In *Political Theology* (1922), Carl Schmitt famously posited that the sovereign is 'he who decides on the exception,' defining sovereignty through the power to suspend normal legal order.
In *Political Romanticism* (1926), Schmitt critiqued Romantic conservatives for being too radical and revolutionary for modern politics.
Answer: False
In *Political Romanticism* (1926), Schmitt critiqued Romantic conservatives not for being too radical or revolutionary, but for being unrealistic and unfit for modern politics, particularly their aim to restore the *ancien régime*.
Schmitt's work *The Nomos of the Earth* (1950) argued that European nations failed to establish any meaningful global legal order.
Answer: False
*The Nomos of the Earth* (1950) argued that European nations, through the development of international law and the concept of the sovereign state, established a significant, albeit declining, global legal order that civilized warfare by limiting it to state actors.
In *Political Theology*, Schmitt argued that political concepts are entirely separate from and unrelated to theological concepts.
Answer: False
In *Political Theology*, Schmitt argued the opposite: that many significant concepts in modern state theory are secularized versions of theological concepts, revealing a deep connection between the two.
Schmitt praised liberal democracy in *The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy* for its transparent and rational public discourse.
Answer: False
In *The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy*, Schmitt critiqued liberal democracy, arguing that its reliance on rational public discourse was a facade for elite party politics and that its liberal tenets were fundamentally at odds with genuine democracy.
Schmitt's *The Nomos of the Earth* argued that the European sovereign state was a product of Occidental irrationalism.
Answer: False
*The Nomos of the Earth* argued that the European sovereign state was a product of Occidental rationalism and contributed to the establishment of a global legal order, not irrationalism.
In *Hamlet or Hecuba*, Schmitt used Shakespeare's play to explore theories of myth and politics.
Answer: True
In *Hamlet or Hecuba*, Carl Schmitt analyzed Shakespeare's play to develop his theories concerning myth, politics, and the figure of the avenger.
Schmitt's critique of Thomas Hobbes' state theory included the argument that Hobbes' state was a machine allowing for private disagreement, undermining its authority.
Answer: True
In his analysis of Hobbes, Schmitt argued that Hobbes' concept of the state as a 'machine' and his allowance for private disagreement on matters like miracles undermined the state's substantive authority and opened the door to liberal pluralism.
Carl Schmitt believed that liberalism's emphasis on individual rights and separation of powers was fundamentally compatible with the true nature of democracy.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt argued that liberalism's focus on individual rights and norms was fundamentally incompatible with the essence of democracy, which he defined as the identity of the rulers and the ruled.
In his 1922 work, *Political Theology*, what famous concept did Carl Schmitt define?
Answer: The sovereign as 'he who decides on the exception.'
In *Political Theology* (1922), Carl Schmitt famously defined the sovereign as 'he who decides on the exception,' highlighting the sovereign's ultimate authority to suspend normal legal order.
In *Political Romanticism* (1926), Schmitt primarily critiqued which group?
Answer: Romantic conservatives seeking to restore the *ancien régime*
In *Political Romanticism* (1926), Schmitt critiqued Romantic conservatives for their unrealistic aims to restore the *ancien régime*, deeming them unfit for modern political realities.
What was the main subject of Carl Schmitt's geopolitical work, *The Nomos of the Earth* (1950)?
Answer: The origins and decline of the Eurocentric global order.
*The Nomos of the Earth* (1950) analyzes the historical development, character, and eventual decline of the Eurocentric global order and its associated international law.
What was Schmitt's main critique of liberal democracy in *The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy*?
Answer: Its emphasis on rational discourse was a facade hiding elite deals, incompatible with true democracy.
Schmitt's primary critique of liberal democracy in *The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy* was that its supposed rational public discourse masked elite party politics, and that its liberal tenets were fundamentally at odds with genuine democracy.
In *The Nomos of the Earth*, what aspect of European history did Schmitt defend?
Answer: Its creation of global international law and the civilizing of war by limiting it to states.
In *The Nomos of the Earth*, Schmitt defended the historical achievements of European international law, arguing that it civilized warfare by confining it to sovereign states.
What did Schmitt's work *Hamlet or Hecuba* analyze?
Answer: The relationship between myth, politics, and the figure of the avenger.
*Hamlet or Hecuba* explored the interplay of myth, politics, and the figure of the avenger, using Shakespeare's play as a case study for political representation.
How did Schmitt critique Thomas Hobbes' state theory in *The Leviathan in the State Theory of Thomas Hobbes*?
Answer: He saw Hobbes' state as a machine that allowed private disagreement, undermining its truth.
Schmitt critiqued Hobbes' state theory, arguing that the 'machine' of the state allowed for private disagreement on matters like miracles, thereby undermining its substantive truth and opening the door to liberal pluralism.
What was Carl Schmitt's primary argument regarding the relationship between liberalism and democracy?
Answer: Its focus on individual rights was fundamentally incompatible with true democracy.
Schmitt argued that liberalism's emphasis on individual rights and norms was fundamentally incompatible with the essence of democracy, which he defined as the identity of the governed and the governing.
Carl Schmitt was primarily known for his contributions to democratic socialism and international peace movements.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt was primarily recognized for his critiques of liberalism and parliamentary democracy, and for his controversial association with Nazism, rather than for contributions to democratic socialism or international peace movements.
During the *Preußen contra Reich* case in 1932, Schmitt argued against the Reich government's authority to depose the Prussian state government.
Answer: False
In the *Preußen contra Reich* case of 1932, Carl Schmitt served as counsel for the Reich government and argued in favor of its authority to depose the Prussian state government, thereby supporting the actions leading to the *Preußenschlag*.
Upon Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, Schmitt believed this marked the end of Hegel's influence and the obsolescence of the bureaucratic state.
Answer: True
Following Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in 1933, Schmitt famously remarked that 'Hegel died,' signifying his belief that the bureaucratic state and its adherence to norms had been superseded by a more direct form of sovereign authority.
Carl Schmitt joined the Nazi Party in May 1933 and subsequently used his theories to legitimize the regime's actions, including the Enabling Act.
Answer: True
Carl Schmitt joined the Nazi Party in May 1933 and actively employed his legal and political theories to legitimize the regime's actions, including the Enabling Act of 1933.
In 1936, the SS publication *Das Schwarze Korps* praised Schmitt for his unwavering commitment to Nazi ideology and his rejection of Catholicism.
Answer: False
In 1936, the SS publication *Das Schwarze Korps* criticized Schmitt, accusing him of opportunism and questioning his ideological purity due to his Catholic background and perceived adherence to Hegelianism, rather than praising him.
The 'Preußenschlag' was a legal case where Schmitt defended the Prussian state government against the Reich government's actions.
Answer: False
The 'Preußenschlag' refers to the Reich government's deposition of the Prussian state government in 1932. Carl Schmitt acted as counsel for the Reich government in the subsequent *Preußen contra Reich* case, defending its actions, not the Prussian government.
What is the primary reason Carl Schmitt's legacy is considered controversial?
Answer: His intellectual support for and involvement with Nazism.
Carl Schmitt's legacy is primarily considered controversial due to his intellectual support for and active involvement with the Nazi regime during the 1930s and 1940s.
What was the 'Preußenschlag' in 1932, in which Schmitt played a role?
Answer: The deposition of the Prussian state government by the Reich government.
The 'Preußenschlag' in 1932 was the Reich government's deposition of the Prussian state government, an action supported by Carl Schmitt's legal arguments in the subsequent *Preußen contra Reich* case.
After World War II, Carl Schmitt fully cooperated with denazification efforts and was reinstated to his university positions.
Answer: False
Following World War II, Carl Schmitt did not cooperate with denazification efforts and was consequently prevented from returning to his university positions. He remained in his hometown and continued his scholarly work privately.
Carl Schmitt's *Theory of the Partisan* (1963) analyzed the transformation of warfare, focusing on the figure of the guerrilla fighter.
Answer: True
In *Theory of the Partisan* (1963), Carl Schmitt examined the changing nature of warfare, particularly focusing on the role and significance of the partisan or guerrilla fighter in modern conflicts.
Schmitt's *Theory of the Partisan* primarily focused on the strategic deployment of nuclear weapons in modern warfare.
Answer: False
*Theory of the Partisan* focused on the transformation of warfare through the figure of the partisan (guerrilla fighter) and the associated changes in enmity, not on nuclear weapons.
What phenomenon did Carl Schmitt analyze in his 1963 work, *Theory of the Partisan*?
Answer: The transformation of warfare due to the partisan (guerrilla) figure.
*Theory of the Partisan* (1963) examined the evolving nature of warfare, with a particular focus on the partisan figure and its implications for understanding modern conflict and enmity.
Carl Schmitt's theories have had minimal influence on political thought in 21st-century China.
Answer: False
Carl Schmitt's theories have exerted considerable influence on political thought in 21st-century China, providing intellectual justification for aspects of the ruling party's ideology and modernization efforts.
Schmitt's work is considered to have influenced neoconservatism and the Trump administration in the United States, particularly concerning executive power.
Answer: True
Schmitt's writings on sovereignty and executive power have been noted as influential on certain strands of US neoconservatism and the Trump administration, particularly in discussions surrounding executive authority.
Vladimir Putin and Russian political thinkers have shown no significant interest in Carl Schmitt's ideas.
Answer: False
Vladimir Putin and various Russian political thinkers have demonstrated significant interest in Carl Schmitt's ideas, finding resonance with his concepts of state power and critiques of liberal internationalism.
Professor David Luban observed a significant increase in references to Carl Schmitt in American legal databases starting in the 1980s.
Answer: True
Professor David Luban noted a substantial rise in the citation of Carl Schmitt's work within American legal databases from the 1980s onward, indicating a growing scholarly engagement with his theories.
How have Schmitt's theories influenced political thought in 21st-century China?
Answer: They provide intellectual justification for the Chinese Communist Party's rule and modernization.
Schmitt's theories, particularly his emphasis on state sovereignty and critiques of liberalism, have found traction in 21st-century China, offering intellectual support for the Chinese Communist Party's governance and modernization agenda.
Which US political movement and administration has Schmitt's work reportedly influenced, particularly regarding executive power?
Answer: Neoconservatism and the Trump administration.
Schmitt's ideas concerning executive power and sovereignty have been cited as influential on US neoconservatism and the Trump administration, particularly in legal interpretations during the War on Terror.
What trend did Professor David Luban observe regarding Schmitt's presence in legal databases?
Answer: A significant increase in references in American legal databases from the 1980s onwards.
Professor David Luban observed a notable increase in references to Carl Schmitt's work within American legal databases, particularly from the 1980s onward, indicating growing scholarly engagement with his theories.
Which specific legal status, used during the War on Terror, has been linked to Schmitt's writings on executive power and states of exception?
Answer: Unlawful combatant
The legal status of 'unlawful combatant,' used during the War on Terror, has been linked to Schmitt's theories on executive power and the suspension of legal norms during states of exception.