Lithuanian State System Vision Of The New Sanctuary Movement In 4th Decade Of 20th Century

Fourth decade of 20th century in Europe can be described as a period of crises of democracy and liberalism. Developement of democracy in newly formated national states in East Central Europe was interrupted by the lack of democratic traditions, intelectuals, of their agrarian society and world economic crises of 1929. Democracy was changed by authoritarism and totalitarism in these states. In the context of economic depression and in the wave of political – ideological radicalization European intelectuals tried to find out solution of this problem. The idea of organic, corporate state which had to be synthesis of liberalism and authoritarism, reborned in their minds. At the beginning of 4 decade new generation of Lithuanian catholic intellectuals started to act in Lithuanian political mind. In that period, after the graduation of Western universities they returned to Lithuania. Relaying on modern European political tendencies and theories they made theoretic solutions to find the ways of modernization of Lithuania. Lithuania at that time was ruled under an authoritarian A. Smetona’s regime. So having no possibility to act in practical politics, they firstly made theoretic offers how to modernize Lithuanian culture and public life. This generation grew up in independent Lithuania, and did not feel any sentiments to postwar democratic euphoria. It was reason why their projects on modern state vision were met warmly by regime and was criticized by the liberals and democrats. The most important thing in their newly projected state was the respect of authority. They idealized dynamic and strict ruling personalities, and understanding liberalism as an anti-Catholic ideology they ignored possibility of try to put any forms of liberalism in their ideal state administration. The centers of their movement were „Naujoji romuva” („The New Sanctuary”) journal and newspaper „XX amžius” („Twentieth Century”). After long discussions they formatted ideal regime of Lithuania named this projest: declaration of organic state. It was published in „Naujoji romuva” („The New Sanctuary”) 1936. But because of its philosophic background and metaphysic stile their ideal state model was not fully understood in Lithuanian society. Even authors could not agree what this regime is like to. Despite that they talked much about democratic, based on laws, social justice and Christian state model but sometimes their project was more similar to authoritarian and totalitarian regimes than to democracy. Firstly, political parties were ignored in their projected state. Secondly, the importance of parliament was minimized. Thirdly, the elections to parliament had to be organized by the corporations. And the offers of solution of social matter were similar to totalitarian regimes. At the end of 4 decade they understood that their ideal organic, based by corporations state model is not truly democratic they stopped to talk about it.Švietimo akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta