Ritual, Politics,

and Power - David

I. Kertzer
BOOK REVIEW
Student: Robert Cristian Sandu

Chapters
At the beginning of each chapter, the author attaches a
different story related to the problem he is going to address.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

The Rites of Power

Flaming Crosses and Body Snatchers
Legitimacy and Mystification
The Virtues of Ambiguity
The Ritual Construction of Political Reality

Introduction
David I. Kertzer analyzes the importance of symbolic rituals
in politics.
The research is based on the author's extensive experience
analyzing the symbols of the most diverse political regimes,
from different tribes in Africa, to the political regimes in
countries such as Brazil, USA, Italy, etc. throughout several
centuries thus obtaining a global vision and discovering a
certain pattern that applies to all modern societies.

The first chapter emphasizes the importance that the

ritual has in modern political life.
As a result, rituals can be discovered in aspects like:
a. the birth of a political party
b. Presidential inauguration
c. the meetings of the American Congress
d. National anthems

 The author argues that the ritual is used in

order to cement the status quo and also to
legitimize change being used both by kings
to consolidate authority and by the
revolutionaries with the intention of
overthrowing monarchies.

The 2nd Chapter

Focuses on analyzing how the ritual influences the
organizational aspect of politics
How some rituals become ways to symbolize the
membership of a certain political organization (clothing,
gestures, oaths etc. )
Symbols become the way through which people relate to
one organization or another
Also, the authority inside these organizations is
highlighted through symbols

The 3rd &4th Chapter

In the next 2 chapters the author talks
about rituals as means of effective
legitimization and describes them as having
the role of strengthening the status quo
and produce solidarity among members
through shared values

Chapter 5 & 6
The ritual seen as a valuable tool in building the political
reality
Understanding politics is conditioned by the
understanding of rituals
Rituals are considered a powerful and complex
phenomena
Rituals are considered arenas designed for political
battles, that have their own power

Chapters 7&8
The ritual is considered a way through which any
political difficulties can be resolved, it can defuse
political pressures and it is seen as means of
addressing threats
The ritual can create some kind of popular
solidarity as is the case of the French Revolution
when a real consensus was missing
Or it can be used to legitimize new regimes and
institutionalize them as is the case of Nazism

The 9th Chapter

In the last chapter the author tries to make the
reader understand that there is not a single
system of symbol that gives meaning to politics
but a mixture of symbols that ultimately give
meaning to the political universe

 The main argument of the book is the value of

the symbolism in modern politics
The authors approach is not based on the
examination of the extraordinary, instead he
identifies the symbolism of the real political life,
the one that everybody knows
He sees rituals as means of beautification of
politics (page 15)
Kertzer considers that rituals and symbols help
us understand the human existence and build

 Another concept that the author analyses is the

political organization that cannot be imagined
without considering its specific symbolism, which
gives it a certain identity and continuity.

Kertzer gives the example of the power struggle

inside political systems that is represented by
symbolic rituals, meant to send a message to the
opposition but also to the society

Conclusion
David Kertzers book has become an important point of

reference for understanding the characteristics symbols in

global politics mainly through clear and concise examples
that his point of view.
His book makes the transition between politics guided by
rational decisions to a new understanding of politics, based
on symbols and rituals and that makes people relate to.
An useful tool in understanding contemporary politics.