Autocracy vs. Democracy

About the Event:

The presentation focuses on the essential principles composing autocratic civilizations and their usual association and even identity with theocratic legitimation. The variants of this civilization are extended to include aristocracy, divine right of kings, and monological “secularism.” While seemingly different from autocratic and theocratic civilizations, such secularism traces similar morphology with autocracy. Thus, various modern revolutions were and are not revolutions, but continuations of traditional autocracies. Democracy comprises a radical break with any traditional autocracy to the extent that it rejects any monological proclamations of infallible truths and admits the limitations of humans – they are fallible and require a dialogical space for public decisions concerning rules of public life. This revolutionary break is, in principle, secular and excludes theocratic traditions as tragic and anarchistic. The discussion includes the relevant characteristics of power.

About the Speaker:

Algis Mickūnas (born November 29, 1933 in Kirkliniai, Panevėžys county, Lithuania) is professor emeritus at Ohio University, one of the most famous Lithuanian philosophers in exile, recognised scientist at the international level, phenomenologist, writer, member of the Lithuanian Academy of Science, Honorary Doctor of the University of Vilnius, University of Klaipėda, Mykolas Romeris University, and Rafael Landivar University of Guatemala. He is an author of numerous articles and more than 40 books.

In 1944, he emigrated to the West and in 1949, to the United States. He served in the Korean War (1950-1953), where he was seriously wounded. From 1955 to 1964, he studied engineering at the University of Technology of Illinois, from 1959 to 1964, philosophy at the University of DePaul of Chicago. He continued his philosophical studies in Germany (1964-1966), in Chicago (1967-1969), and at University of Emory (Atlanta). From 1969, he gave lectures at the University of Ohio and from 1986, he acquired the status of professor there. As visiting professor, he taught at universities in India, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Guatemala, Lithuania, Peru, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and other countries. He is a founder of research centers, studies, or international studies in several universities. Research field: phenomenology, cosmology, sociology, history, political philosophy, anthropology, comparative studies of Western and Eastern civilization.

Language: English