„Naujojo humanizmo“ visuomenės organizacijos modelis: politinė vaizduotė ir atmintis
“THE NEW HUMANISM” MODEL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF SOCIETY IN LITHUANIA: POLITICAL FANCY AND REMEMBERANCE

Summary/Abstract: Intellectual Catholics of younger generation (such as Antanas Maceina, Pranas Dielininkaitis, Fabijonas Kemėšis, and others) propagated the “new humanism” model of the political organization of society in Lithuania in the interwar period. Neither authoritarianism nor liberal democracy, where power is transferred to parties and ambitious leaders, were acceptable to the Lithuanian Catholic intellectuals of the younger generation. In their opinion, this situation of the “new humanism” society should be overcome by a synthesis of a parliamentary system and authoritarianism (Kemėšis), based on the conception of an “organic democracy”. According to this conception, it would be useful to introduce constitutional restrictions on the powers of the Seimas (parliament) ant to expand the powers of the executive authorities. The procedure for elections to the Seimas and its representation had also to be changed. Because in their struggle for political parties groups of society set against each other, they cannot be considered serious candidates to represent the interests of the voters in the Seimas. These political functions may be successfully performed by a corporation. In order to ensure a better expression of the interests of individual and seperate autonomous communities, it was proposed to elect deputies of the Seimas not as representatives or parties, but as representatives of corporations (organisations of employers and workers) as well as independent candidates, all of whom would be elected in a free and secret ballot. This method was proposed to overcome the disadvantages of the parliamentary system, to ensure a more competent and impartial management of the state’s affairs. On the other hand, it was expected that after the realisation of the improved variant of corporate representation in the Seimas and an involvement of the independent experts into the governing elite, a more professional governing of the state would be gradually achieved, and these experts would “dilute” the Seimas and in such a way reduce the possibility of the dictatorship of the corporations. The young intellectuals admitted that the inevitable struggle between corporations with different interests could result in the appearance of dictatorial persons who in the name of the protection of national interests would seek to subordinate society to their interests. There are favorable conditions for a totalitarian system in the “new humanism” society, especially in the social economic sphere where the social justice for the distribution of wealth can be ensured only by the centralized power. The latter may be restricted only by organic democracy of the Lithuanian state, cherished by the young intellectuals The intellectual Catholics of young generation were enthusiastic maximalists full of energy and resolution to establish justice, but there was no political force capable of realising their ideas in the conditions of that period.

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