On the renegotiation of constitutive borders: Textual criticism and interpretation of the story of the golden calf through the lens of democratic theory

Abstract

The Story of the Golden Calf draws a political border in a way that resembles contemporary authoritarian (as well as democratic) strategies of exerting power by means of social division. The division narrated in the Story of the Golden Calf appears to show systematic parallels with current practices of demarcation, particularly regarding discourses that superimpose political differences with moral and religious value judgements and interpret privileges as absolute. In view of recent political appeals to religious narratives for reasons of rhetorical polarisation as well as considering political and juridical practices that conceal the law, the critique of the religious foundations and antagonistic symbolisms of political violence seems to be pertinent. This article interprets the separation of the Levites from the rest of the people as a military action that establishes privileges through cruelty. Textual criticism and the analysis of the sacralisation of political differences from the perspective of political theology indicates in which way, the dance around the golden calf is a consolidation strategy that confronts the social instability caused by the obfuscation of the law and the absence of leadership. Finally, the article discusses to what extent the construction of social antagonisms are central features of collective identities and whether democracy has room for the renegotiation of social divisions.