An Apocalyptic Speech Outlining a Theory of Dictatorship: Carl Schmitt Inspired by Juan Donoso Cortés

Carl Schmitt’s Die Diktatur (1921) and Politische Theologie (1922) have been widely discussed in political science constitutional law literature. His distinction between commissarial sovereign dictatorships makes these works indispensable references for studying autocracy. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic crisis, his idea decisionism, which he summarized adage ‘sovereign is who decides on state exception,’ attracted international attention. However, literature largely overlooks that Schmitt based decisionist theory dictatorship theology an apocalyptic speech delivered by Juan Donoso Cortés 1849, after 1848 revolutions Europe. alluded to various metaphors presented history West as a parable end time. early writings reveal engagement with legal but how expanded this decisionism into expressed Theologie, has not explained yet. Through analysis personal manuscripts from 1920s, I show reading Cortés’s Speech Dictatorship important source inspiration criticizes parliaments liberalism. My paper divided two sections. First, will explain influence works. Second, present first time unpublished Spanish politician. conclude developed basis dictatorship.