Feliks Koneczny
Encyclopedia
Feliks Karol Koneczny ˈfɛliks ˈkarɔl kɔˈnɛtʂnɨ (November 1, 1862, Kraków
– February 10, 1949 Kraków) was a Polish
historian
and social philosopher. Founder of the original system of the comparative science of civilization
s.
in Kraków and began work at the Jagiellonian Library. After Poland regained its independence, he became an assistant professor
in 1919. In June 1920, after he had qualified and received the degree of doctor habilitatus, he became a professor at Stefan Batory University in Wilno. After retiring in 1929, he moved back to Kraków.
. Koneczny authored extensive monographs of Byzantine
and Jewish civilization
s, which he considered to be less developed
than the Latin civilization
of Catholic
western Europe. In 1948, after sixty years of research work Koneczny calculated that his written scholarly output encompassed 26 volumes, each of them being 300 to 400 pages long, not to mention more than 300 articles, brochures and reprints. His theory of civilizations might have inspired Anton Hilckman, Samuel P. Huntington
and others.
," "Jewish," "Chinese," and "Turan
ian". Three are medieval: "Latin," "Byzantine," and "Arab." The differences between civilizations are based on their attitude to law and ethics.
For example, Koneczny claimed that in Latin civilization, ethics is the source of law. If some laws are not ethical, then they are changed. Church is autonomous, independent and separated from the state. Individuality, self-rule and decentralization are highly valued. Government is judged on the basis of adherence to ethics. The law is of dual nature, divided into public and private spheres.
In Byzantine civilization, church is dependent on the state. In that type of civilization, in politics all means are justified to achieve the goal. Politicians follow ethics in private life, but in public they are judged by their skills, not by ethics. The legal government has absolute authority and its orders are not doubted. Germany under Bismarck was an example of that type of civilization.
In Turanian civilization, the government is the source of law and ethics and stand above the law and ethics. The ruler cannot be doubted. Koneczny considered Russia under Tsars as an example of this type of civilization.
Jewish civilization considers the law as the most important. The law is the source of ethics. The law cannot be changed. However, the same law can be differently interpreted, which leads to relativism of ethics. According to Koneczny, one of the elements of Jewish civilization is a belief in the superior role of one nation or race. Communist state
s are also products of Jewish civilization.
Koneczny claimed that civilizations cannot mix, and syntax of several civilizations leads to the victory of one of them, lower moral standards, or to a state of "un-civilization."
Koneczny did not tie civilization type to any particular race or nation. Hence, Poles could represent Turanian type of civilization (as, according to Koneczny, did Pilsudski's Poland) and Germans could represent the Jewish type. Shockingly, in his publication Hitleryzm zażydzony ('The Judaized Hitlerism') Koneczny claimed that Adolf Hitler
was an example of Jewish civilization type.. On the other hand, an ethnic Jew could represent Latin type of civilization.
Koneczny considered racism as something alien to Latin civilization, which he considered the highest type.
According to Koneczny, Europe in his time was a battlefield between three types of civilization: Latin, Turan and Jewish. He argued that Byzantine type of civilization had already lost the battle and was in deep crisis.
English Translation: Word (1.5 MB)
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
– February 10, 1949 Kraków) was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and social philosopher. Founder of the original system of the comparative science of civilization
Civilization
Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...
s.
Biography
Koneczny graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the Jagiellonian UniversityJagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Kraków and began work at the Jagiellonian Library. After Poland regained its independence, he became an assistant professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in 1919. In June 1920, after he had qualified and received the degree of doctor habilitatus, he became a professor at Stefan Batory University in Wilno. After retiring in 1929, he moved back to Kraków.
Works
His interests ranged from purely historical research to the philosophy of history, religion and philosophy. His pioneering works dealing with the history of RussiaHistory of Russia
The history of Russia begins with that of the Eastern Slavs and the Finno-Ugric peoples. The state of Garðaríki , which was centered in Novgorod and included the entire areas inhabited by Ilmen Slavs, Veps and Votes, was established by the Varangian chieftain Rurik in 862...
. Koneczny authored extensive monographs of Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Jewish civilization
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
s, which he considered to be less developed
Sociocultural evolution
Sociocultural evolution is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and social evolution, describing how cultures and societies have changed over time...
than the Latin civilization
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
of Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
western Europe. In 1948, after sixty years of research work Koneczny calculated that his written scholarly output encompassed 26 volumes, each of them being 300 to 400 pages long, not to mention more than 300 articles, brochures and reprints. His theory of civilizations might have inspired Anton Hilckman, Samuel P. Huntington
Samuel P. Huntington
Samuel Phillips Huntington was an influential American political scientist who wrote highly-regarded books in a half-dozen sub-fields of political science, starting in 1957...
and others.
Types of civilizations, according to Koneczny
Feliks Koneczny divided civilizations into about twenty types, of which seven types still exist. Four are ancient: "BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
," "Jewish," "Chinese," and "Turan
Turan
Tūrān is the Persian name for Central Asia, literally meaning "the land of the Tur". As described below, the original Turanians are an Iranian tribe of the Avestan age. As a people the "Turanian" are one of the two Iranian peoples both descending from the Persian Fereydun but with different...
ian". Three are medieval: "Latin," "Byzantine," and "Arab." The differences between civilizations are based on their attitude to law and ethics.
For example, Koneczny claimed that in Latin civilization, ethics is the source of law. If some laws are not ethical, then they are changed. Church is autonomous, independent and separated from the state. Individuality, self-rule and decentralization are highly valued. Government is judged on the basis of adherence to ethics. The law is of dual nature, divided into public and private spheres.
In Byzantine civilization, church is dependent on the state. In that type of civilization, in politics all means are justified to achieve the goal. Politicians follow ethics in private life, but in public they are judged by their skills, not by ethics. The legal government has absolute authority and its orders are not doubted. Germany under Bismarck was an example of that type of civilization.
In Turanian civilization, the government is the source of law and ethics and stand above the law and ethics. The ruler cannot be doubted. Koneczny considered Russia under Tsars as an example of this type of civilization.
Jewish civilization considers the law as the most important. The law is the source of ethics. The law cannot be changed. However, the same law can be differently interpreted, which leads to relativism of ethics. According to Koneczny, one of the elements of Jewish civilization is a belief in the superior role of one nation or race. Communist state
Communist state
A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...
s are also products of Jewish civilization.
Koneczny claimed that civilizations cannot mix, and syntax of several civilizations leads to the victory of one of them, lower moral standards, or to a state of "un-civilization."
Koneczny did not tie civilization type to any particular race or nation. Hence, Poles could represent Turanian type of civilization (as, according to Koneczny, did Pilsudski's Poland) and Germans could represent the Jewish type. Shockingly, in his publication Hitleryzm zażydzony ('The Judaized Hitlerism') Koneczny claimed that Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was an example of Jewish civilization type.. On the other hand, an ethnic Jew could represent Latin type of civilization.
Koneczny considered racism as something alien to Latin civilization, which he considered the highest type.
According to Koneczny, Europe in his time was a battlefield between three types of civilization: Latin, Turan and Jewish. He argued that Byzantine type of civilization had already lost the battle and was in deep crisis.
Works
Most in Polish; one book available in English translation.- Dzieje Rosyi. Tom I. (do roku 1449), Spółka Wydawnicza Warszawska, Warsaw 1917 (in Polish)
- Polskie Logos a Ethos, t. I–II, Księgarnia sw. Wojciecha, Poznań 1921.
- O wielości cywilizacyj, Gebethner & Wolff, Kraków 1935. English translation (abridged) On the Plurality of Civilisations, Polonica Publications, London 1962.
English Translation: Word (1.5 MB)
- Święci w dziejach narodu polskiego / Saints in history of polish nation, t. 1–2, Tow. Sw. Michała Archanioła, Miejsce Piastowe 1937–1939.
- Rozwój moralności / Extension of Morality, Tow. Wiedzy Chrześć., Lublin 1938.
- Cywilizacja bizantyjska / Byzantine civilisation, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1973.
- Cywilizacja żydowska / Jewish civilisation, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1974.
- O ład w historii / About order in history, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1977.
- Państwo w cywilizacji łacińskiej. Zasady prawa w cywilizacji łacińskiej / Land in Latin civilisation. Rules of law in Latin civilisation, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1981 (in Polish)
- Prawa dziejowe (oraz dodatek) Bizantynizm niemiecki / History laws (and bonus) German byzaninism, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1982.
- Dzieje Rosji / History of Russia. Tom III. Schyłek Iwana III / Decline of Ivan III of RussiaIvan III of RussiaIvan III Vasilyevich , also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and "Grand Prince of all Rus"...
. 1492–1505, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1984. - Zionism and Polish cause (in Polish)
External links
Further reading
- P. Biliński Feliks Koneczny (1862–1949). Życie i działalność. Ad astra, Warsaw 2001.