Philosopher on the throne. Edvard Beneš and the philosophical foundations of practical activity

• Authors: Jakub Marek
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The study deals with the political-philosophical standpoints of Edvard Beneš. The thesis of the study is that Beneš’s declared political principles stem directly from his philosophical views, which he already partially formulated in the period prior to the First World War, especially in his dissertation thesis titled The Origin and Development of Modern Political Individualism (Původ a vývoj moderního politického individualismu). The study shows that the formulation of Beneš’s political stances was strongly influenced by his analysis of the modern understanding of individualism. Beneš sides with 18th century contractualism, especially appreciating Locke. The study understands Beneš as a thinker and politician who reacted to the moral crisis of the first half of the 20th century, and who attempts to implement a renewal or educational process for the creation of a new Europeanhood. Beneš conceived his politics as an attempt to actualise ideas in a particular social situation.

Keywords

EN

Edvard Beneš; Jan Patočka; T. G. Masaryk; political philosophy; democracy; political idealism; individualism

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Filosofický časopis (Philosophical Journal)
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 69
• Issue: Special_Issue_1
• Pages: 187-199
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Jakub Marek

• Filosofický časopis, redakce, Filosofický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic