The Greengrocer and Compassion in Time of War
The Greengrocer and Compassion in Time of War
Author(s): James F. PontusoSubject(s): Political Philosophy, Government/Political systems, Comparative politics, Sociology of Politics
Published by: SAGE Publications Ltd
Keywords: Václav Havel; compassion; Iraq; post-tyrannical students;
Summary/Abstract: This is a personal reflection on the effects of The Power of the Powerless on students living in post-tyrannical societies—the Czech Republic in 1993 and Iraq in 2010. Czech students read the essay as an indictment of Marxist ideology, one-party rule, bureaucratic stagnation, and their former educational system. Havel was a symbol of resistance, human rights, and courage. Iraqi students found a different lesson. The Power of the Powerless does not excuse tyranny, but it does explain the way people trying to live a normal life rationalize their compliance with repression. Havel’s essay made Iraqi students comprehend how complicated choices are under difficult circumstances. Perhaps, as its author intended, the essay proved upon reflection to be a source of compassion.
Journal: East European Politics and Societies
- Issue Year: 32/2018
- Issue No: 02
- Page Range: 310-314
- Page Count: 5
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF