Erica Lagalisse - The Political Party: On the Carnavalesque as Tactic

Political movements and festivals are explored through the lens of Mikhail Bakhtins concept of the carnavalesque - a space where social hierarchies are temporarily suspended. This analysis links anarchist fundraising strategies to these collective, playful, and symbolic reversals, suggesting that such events can be seen as a form of sanctioned release. Critiques of this approach emerge by examining how commodification can affect these gatherings. The discussion moves from the history of how substances like opium were politicized to address working-class populations, to contemporary concerns about the legalization of substances like cannabis as a tool for venture capital. The tension between authentic collective experience and the commercialization of leisure reveals the challenges of maintaining a political project within a capitalist structure.