Outspoken Polish philosopher and one-time communist frozen out for his trenchant views
Michael Simmons
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 22 July 2009 18.54 BST
Article history
Kolakowski warned against philosophers who lacked self-doubt
From the confines of a number of academic armchairs, on either side of the iron curtain, Leszek Kolakowski, the Polish-born philosopher and one-time communist, who has died at the age of 81, understood better than most the true nature of communism in practice. He had joined the Polish Workers' party – as the communists called themselves – while a teenager as it took power after the second world war, and went on to become one of its most distinguished luminary teachers. Twenty-three years later, as he began to speak out at the time of the Prague Spring of 1968, his ideas were so trenchant that he was forced to leave the party and his home country to start a new life, teaching on related themes in Britain and the US.
But even in exile, it was soon apparent that his deeply critical views got through to his homeland and remained hugely influential. Adam Michnik, one of the leading intellectuals of the Solidarity era, writing from his prison cell, described him as one of the most prominent creators of contemporary Polish culture.
The Guardian
Michael Simmons
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 22 July 2009 18.54 BST
Article history
Kolakowski warned against philosophers who lacked self-doubt
From the confines of a number of academic armchairs, on either side of the iron curtain, Leszek Kolakowski, the Polish-born philosopher and one-time communist, who has died at the age of 81, understood better than most the true nature of communism in practice. He had joined the Polish Workers' party – as the communists called themselves – while a teenager as it took power after the second world war, and went on to become one of its most distinguished luminary teachers. Twenty-three years later, as he began to speak out at the time of the Prague Spring of 1968, his ideas were so trenchant that he was forced to leave the party and his home country to start a new life, teaching on related themes in Britain and the US.
But even in exile, it was soon apparent that his deeply critical views got through to his homeland and remained hugely influential. Adam Michnik, one of the leading intellectuals of the Solidarity era, writing from his prison cell, described him as one of the most prominent creators of contemporary Polish culture.
The Guardian
No comments:
Post a Comment