Skip to main content
Taylor & Francis Group Logo
Advanced Search

Click here to search books using title name,author name and keywords.

  • Login
  • Hi, User  
    • Your Account
    • Logout
Advanced Search

Click here to search books using title name,author name and keywords.

Breadcrumbs Section. Click here to navigate to respective pages.

Book

The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

Book

The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

DOI link for The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe book

Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

DOI link for The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe

The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe book

Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe
ByVaclav Havel, John Keane
Edition 1st Edition
First Published 1985
eBook Published 21 June 2016
Pub. Location New York
Imprint Routledge
DOI https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315487373
Pages 228
eBook ISBN 9781315487373
Subjects Politics & International Relations
Share
Share

Get Citation

Keane, J., & Havel, V. (1985). The Power of the Powerless: Citizens Against the State in Central Eastern Europe (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315487373

ABSTRACT

Books of great political insight and novelty always outlive their time of birth and this reissued work, initially published in 1985, is no exception. Written shortly after the formation of Charter 77, the essays in this collection are among the most original and compelling pieces of political writing to have emerged from central and Eastern Europe during the whole of the post-war period. Václav Havel’s essay provides the title for the book. It was read by all the contributors who in turn responded to the many questions which Havel raises about the potential power of the powerless.

The essays explain the anti-democratic features and limits of Soviet-type totalitarian systems of power. They discuss such concepts as ideology, democracy, civil liberty, law and the state from a perspective which is radically different from that of people living in liberal western democracies. The authors also discuss the prospects for democratic change under totalitarian conditions. Steven Lukes’ introduction provides an invaluable political and historical context for these writings.

The authors represent a very broad spectrum of democratic opinion, including liberal, conservative and socialist.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

chapter |12 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|74 pages

The power of the powerless

chapter 2|13 pages

Spiritual values, independent initiatives and politics

chapter 3|15 pages

Catholicism and politics

chapter 4|9 pages

On the question of Chartism

chapter 5|7 pages

The human rights movement and social progress

chapter 6|11 pages

Prospects for democracy and socialism in eastern Europe

chapter 7|26 pages

Chartism and 'real socialism'

chapter 8|10 pages

Who really is isolated?

chapter 9|10 pages

The alternative community as revolutionary avant-garde

chapter 10|9 pages

Thoughts inside a tightly-corked bottle

chapter 11|10 pages

On not living in hatred

T&F logoTaylor & Francis Group logo
  • Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Cookie Policy
  • Journals
    • Taylor & Francis Online
    • CogentOA
    • Taylor & Francis Online
    • CogentOA
  • Corporate
    • Taylor & Francis Group
    • Taylor & Francis Group
    • Taylor & Francis Group
    • Taylor & Francis Group
  • Help & Contact
    • Students/Researchers
    • Librarians/Institutions
    • Students/Researchers
    • Librarians/Institutions
  • Connect with us

Connect with us

Registered in England & Wales No. 3099067
5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG © 2021 Informa UK Limited