Between the Institution Instituted and the Instituting Institution: the Historical-Social Creation

Abstract

In this essay the relationship between the institution instituted and the instituting institution is explored as two powers that coexist in tension and that such situation contributes to the historical-social creation. Castoriadis explains that the historical-social institution teaches the individual from birth on the imaginary social meanings instituted. If it is a society where the emergence of meanings arises from self-creation and self-alteration, it will be a permanent work of instituting imaginary by individuals. On the contrary, if meanings become actions that tend to perpetuate themselves as they are, then what is produced is an imaginary instituted, closed, rigid, which prevents the re-signification of meaning. Between repetition and creation there is a crack that enables the creative expression of the historical-social. This proposal put forward by the Greek-French philosopher in his book Social Imaginary Institution is still valid. In these times of authoritarian resurgence, abandonment of democratic principles, once again the disconnection between the institution instituted and the instituting institution, the closure and the otherness becomes visible. Where are we? Between the institution established and the instituting institution it is urgent that social individuals assume the feat of historical-social creation as a democratic project of autonomy and freedom.