Gangsta King

'Gangsta King' is a term originally coined by Haz in a livestream that took place February 3rd 2023, titled "My GROUNDBREAKING political theory". It refers to rulers and leaders in the 21st century who — by their form of exercising authority, statehood, and sovereignty — go against universal enlightenment liberalism. The term is meant to invoke names such as Gaddafi, Maduro, Putin, Xi, Assad or Kim Jong Un.

Theoretical underpinnings

The term serves as a serious political statement presented in a jocular manner, a running theme in Infrared thought, which partly inspired by Zizek considers memes a serious conveyer of meaning.

Premodern sovereignty

Mandate from Heaven. Divine right of Kings. Right by inheritance.

The break from premodern sovereignty

The beginning of the end for premodern politics started in the citystates of Italy. In Italy, forms of accumulation began to emerge that operated outside the feudal order. One such system was the various mercantile banks during the 14th and 15th centuries. Families like the Medicis began to deligitimize heriditary or religious claims to power by simply growing their wealth.

Challengers of premodern rulers by change in material conditions. 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton. Hegelian/Zizekian concept of the fall.

Machiavelli and Us, by Luis Althusser.

Enlightenment and the Universal state. Open societies.

Malign sovereignty - The so called tyranny and authoritarianism

After this break, it was no longer politically viable to go back to old forms of sovereignty in the eyes of liberalism.

The term is also meant to invoke a critique of the established view on tyranny.

Draconic law. Julius Caesar, book by Parenti.

Dialectic between oligarchy and tyrant. Cultural revolution. The red terror.