Postmodernity as a Separate Civilization in the Light of the Civilization Concept of Feliks Koneczny

Abstract

The paper focuses on the transformation of civilizations as a change of culture and the alteration of the professed value systems. Feliks Koneczny – a Polish historian and history philosopher, an author of the original comparative civilization theory – outlined his innovative way of understanding the concept of Civilization and the laws which rule within. The article’s main thesis articulates that in the contemporary Western Europe, not only the structure of values is transforming, but simultaneously there exist two structures of values, which are antagonizing perpetually and which derive from two different Civilizations. Consequently, the antagonism implies a conflict between Latin and post-modern civilization. They both exist beside one another and also dictate the methods of social life functioning. According to one of the civilizational laws outlined by Koneczny in his theory, Civilizations tend to expand in every way possible. This consequently leads to conflicts and wars between them, whilst most of the time the younger civilizations win over the older ones. The contemporary civilization crisis is the very outcome of the clash of the Civilizations.