Language Criticism as a Critique of Morals. The Unclaimed Legacy of Karl Kraus

Language criticism forms the basis of Karl Kraus’ works and his critique of fin-de-siècle Viennese society, its legal system, and its press. For Kraus, language and morals are inseparably intertwined: “Was there ever a stronger moral safeguard than linguistic doubt?”

This project was based on the idea that the connection between language criticism and morals is the key to a meaningful understanding of Kraus’ work as a whole. Having accepted this thesis, a contrast emerges that counters common impressions of Kraus as an astute satirist on one hand, and a conservative liberal or outright provocateur, on the other. Such a revised interpretation of Kraus provides a deeper understanding of his influence on thinkers such as Wittgenstein, Adorno, Benjamin, Brecht, and Kafka—an influence that has all too often been dismissed by literary critics as anecdotal or merely stylistic.

The aforementioned thinkers have commonly been perceived as being anti-moralists, moral sceptics, or advocates for exclusively negative criticism: All they can do is tear down existing theories, but they refuse to propose solutions of their own. A fresh examination of these thinkers, therefore, had to take into account the linguistic character of morality. This coupling of language criticism with moral critique presented an alternative to the liberal discourse on morals centered predominantly on human rights. It lent Adorno’s ‘negative moral philosophy’ renewed relevance for thoroughly comprehending Kraus’ “productivity of critical destruction.”

Fig. above: Portrait of Karl Kraus. Photo reproduced in a light print (detail). Photo: Charlotte Joel. Source: Austrian National Library, Picture Archives Austria, Stock number [Inventarnummer] Pf 7289:C (2) via Wikimedia