“It is instructive to see how the party that one might have thought was simply a transitory instrument for the emancipation of the working and popular classes thus becomes a fetish.” (Alain Badiou, In Praise of Love, p. 71)
that one might have thought（某人可能会认为）是插入的主谓结构。
主干部分：the party … becomes a fetish（这个政党变成了一种迷信对象）。
中间的定语从句 that one might have thought was simply a transitory instrument for the emancipation of the working and popular classes（某人可能原本认为只是解放工人阶级和大众阶级的临时性工具的政党）对 “the party” 进行限定说明。
that 为定语从句的主语 was simply a instrument
可以用一些更口语化的方式来替换 “thus”：
Wherefore should I stay alive amid the disillusionment if my melancholic heart languished in silent repression! How bittersweet this lovely story is whenever I reminisce about the plot sympathising with me!
It is the opinion of this Department that the discovery of lands unknown to civilization even when coupled with a formal taking of
possession1, does not support a valid claim of sovereignty, unless the discovery is followed by an actual settlement of the discovered
country.(Charles Evans Hughes 1924)
possession: the state of having or owning sth
- take possession of = 正式占有、取得控制权
- The new government is taking possession of the land.
（新政府正在接管这片土地。）- You cannot legally take possession of the property (= start using it after buying it) until three weeks after the contract is signed.
- 契约签署三周以后，你才能合法取得这份产业的所有权。
On 8 June 1950,the Soviet Union sent a memorandum to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina stating that “the Soviet Government cannot recognize as legal any decision regarding the regime of the Antarctic taken without its participation.”
主干部分：
The Soviet Government cannot recognize any decision.
（苏联政府不能承认任何决定。）
“taken without its participation”
- 过去分词短语（“taken”），相当于定语从句 “which was taken without its participation”。
- 说明 “any decision” 的特征（即：这个决定是未经苏联参与的）。
Dwight D.Eisenhower issued identical notes to these governments proposing that a treaty be concluded to ensure a lasting free and peaceful status for the continent. 虚拟语气
~ sth (with sb) (formal) to arrange and settle an agreement with sb formally and finally 达成，订立，缔结（协定）
They concluded a treaty with Turkey.
他们同土耳其缔结了一项条约。
A trade agreement was concluded between the two countries.
两国之间签署了贸易协定。
——Dwight D.Eisenhower 1958
“proposing that a treaty be concluded”
- “proposing” 是 现在分词，表示补充说明 “identical notes” 的内容，相当于 “which proposed that…”。
- “that a treaty be concluded” 是 虚拟语气的宾语从句，因为 “propose” 后面从句的谓语要用 should + 动词原形（可省略 should）。
- “be concluded” 采用 被动语态，表示条约“被缔结”。
“to ensure a lasting free and peaceful status for the continent”
- “to ensure” 是 不定式短语作目的状语，解释缔结条约的目的是什么。
- “a lasting free and peaceful status”（一个持久的自由与和平状态）是 名词短语，修饰 “the continent”（该大陆，指南极洲）。
Footnotes
-
sometimes taking is used as a verb. - The army’s taking of the city was swift and decisive. （军队迅速而果断地占领了这座城市。） The taking of hostages is a serious crime. （劫持人质是一种严重犯罪。） ↩