Hannah Arendt and the search for an imanent and secular source of authority

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to show the relevance of Hannah Arendt's reflections on the possibility of finding a source of authority in politics that does not refer to something that is above that sphere. At first, we will seek to define authority and its importance. Secondly, Arendt's attempt to locate a source of authority in an imanent domain will be investigated. Finally, the spontaneous political organization of the councils will be pointed out as an attempt to resolve the issue of authority, insofar as it seeks to reconcile it with equality. For this path, the works of Arendt, specially Between Past and Future, and specific comentators will be analyzed.