Publication Details

Abstract

The development of modern-day man in Europe in the last two centuries passed through extreme opposite changes, in which onesided emphasis was laid either on subject or on object. These changes branched out into other basic discrepancies, which then had, in our modern history, far-reaching disharmonie consequences that concerned not only the sphere of thought but the social sphere as well. From a historical viewpoint, the present author considers economic liberalism, nationalism and socialism as basic historical powers that formed society in two last centuries. Eventually, the influence of economic liberalism and nationalism becomes, however, socially and morally detrimental, which caused most bloody disasters twice in this century. Outstanding Western scientists, such as A. J. Toynbee, Bertrand Russell, R. F. Behrendt, H. Zbinden and many others had already carried out a critical self-questioning. Therefore, the main present tasks of Europe and socialism are to overcome these onesided fluctuations and attain a correlation of subject and object, of parts and the whole, of the material and spiritual, individual and collective, utilitaristic and ethical, national and international. As far as the other parts of the world are concerned, the author emphasises the acceleration of the enormous growth in birth-rate, nonproportional world economic distribution and lack of food, and he sees the dynamism of our time in a great world-wide process of equalization. The difficulties and dangers of such a process are then depicted with regard to the pluralism of different cultures and their developmental stages. However, any narrower solution would only lead into new stalemates. That is why the world and man can be saved from destruction, hunger and poverty only by those countries that are best prepared for such a task, i, e., the whole Europe with North America in the closest cooperation on basic problems of mankind, regardless of the differences in the social order. Scientific-technological revolution would be of the most efficient help. Its social consequences for mankind are considered as hopeful.