I completely approve of the projects mentioned in your letter of 15 August [1978].[1]
Nevertheless, I note that they are in perfect contradiction – without the least attempt at an explanation – with the theses that you inopportunely put forth in your letter of 1 June [1978].[2]
Thus I would like to know the reason that motivated those analyses, which were so strange:
(a) direct pressure from the authorities?
(b) indirect pressure from the authorities, but politely presented through the insinuations of the very suspect Doge?[3]
(c) the pure pleasure of contradicting Cavalcanti, an activity to which you have too often been devoted, to the detriment of better activities?
In the expectation of reading a response to this remarkable problem,[4]
Cavalcanti[5]P.S. I have just received the books. Thank you. I would love to have a copy of the 1977 pirate edition of [The Society of the] Spectacle.
[1] See our translation of this letter.
[2] See our translation of this letter.
[3] Aliberti Mignoli, Sanguinetti’s attorney. Cf. Sanguinetti's recollections concerning "The Doge", in which these questions are addressed.
[4] Sanguinetti responded on 24 September 1978.
[5] Guy Debord.
(Published in Editions Champ Libre, Correspondence, Volume II, November 1981. Reprinted in Guy Debord Correspondance, Volume 5: January 1973 - December 1978, Fayard, 2005. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! August 2012. Footnotes by the translator, circa August 2012 and May 2013.)