95 lines
4.8 KiB
Markdown
95 lines
4.8 KiB
Markdown
**Józef Edward Abramowski** (1868 - 1918) was a
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[psychologist](Psychology "wikilink"),
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[sociologist](Sociology "wikilink"), [ethical
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philosopher](Philosophy "wikilink") and
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[anarcho-syndicalist](Anarcho-Syndicalism "wikilink"). He helped
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organised [cooperatives](Cooperative "wikilink") in Poland and was seen
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as a 'spiritual leader' of libertarian socialism in
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[Poland](Poland "wikilink"), inspiring the [Workers' Defense
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Committee](Workers'_Defense_Committee_\(Poland\) "wikilink") and
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[Solidarity](Solidarity_\(Poland\) "wikilink").
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## Life
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### Youth
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Edward was born to a wealthy family of [landlords](Landlord "wikilink")
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and spent the first 11 years of his life in
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[Ukraine](Ukraine "wikilink"). He moved to Warsaw,
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[Poland](Poland "wikilink") in 1879 and was privately educated, becoming
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increasingly interested in the philosophies of Marx, Darwin and Spencer,
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as well as the ideas of socialism.
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In 1885, he began physical and biological studies at the Faculty of
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Natural Sciences of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. As a student,
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he organised a socialist youth group and began smuggling in illegal
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left-wing books from abroad. From 1886 to 1889 he studied philosophy at
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the University of Geneva. He became increasingly radical, becoming a
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dedicated speaker and organiser, eventually dropping his studies. Upon
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his return to Warsaw, he began to spread critiques of
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[capitalism](capitalism "wikilink") and [private
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property](Private_Property "wikilink"), but became alienated by the
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socialists movements call for te
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### SDepression
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In 1893, he fell into a deep depression, but began to organise
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socialists in France, but soon contracted tuberculosis and went to
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Switzerland for treatment. He resigned from politics as he became
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increasingly cynical about [Marxism](Marxism "wikilink") and [trade
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unions](Trade_Union "wikilink"), but devoted himself towards studying
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psychology and sociology. He felt marxism lacked an understanding about
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human subjectivity and the necessity for a change in culture before a
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change in material conditions, leading him to
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[anarchist](Anarchism "wikilink") conclusions, he returned to Warsaw in
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1897 with this task.
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Abramowski now considered research reflection, public activity and
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dissemination of the new idea of ethics to be the most important task.
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In such works as: Problems of socialism, Individual elements in
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sociology, Program of lectures on new ethics or Ethics and revolution,
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he drew attention to the important role of ethical changes in social
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processes and the necessity of the priority of moral revolution against
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social changes, self-organization and change of human morality.
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In the years 1898-1900, Abramowski conducted a comprehensive activity.
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He was involved in the work of self-education circles and secret courses
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spreading independent education and independence, he undertook the
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initiation of ethically educating groups and promoting the slogans of
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moral renewal. He also organized communies proclaiming and implementing
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postulates of ethical life. During this time, apart from social
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activities, he also developed his psychological interests.
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In 1904 he published the dissertation Socialism and the state. An
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individualized, free and creative person is a basic value for him. This
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work also includes criticism of state socialism (and the state itself)
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and the postulate of stateless organization of society in the form of
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free associations.
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Abramowski also collaborated with the Polish People's Union, he wrote a
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progressive program for the village.
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After 1905, especially after the fall of the revolution, he devoted
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himself to the idea of cooperation, about which he wrote such works
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as: The principle of cooperative respubles, The importance of sharing
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for democracy, Social ideas of cooperatism and Cooperative as a matter
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of liberation of the working people. Abramowski advocated the
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liquidation of the state and replaced it with a cooperative relationship
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associating - on a voluntary basis - free producers, responding within
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the limits of their duties for shaping their own lives and consciously
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engaging in social life. He contributed to the formation of the
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Kooperatist Society, he was a co-founder of the cooperative magazine
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Społem. He also continued the ethical movement in the form of
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Friendship Associations. Last years of life Abramowski in the last years
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of his life
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In 1907 he co-organized the Polish Psychological Association, of which
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he became the first chairman. In 1910, Abramowski founded the first
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psychological studio in Warsaw, which was renamed the Psychological
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Institute. In 1915 he became the Chair of Psychology at the University
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of Warsaw. In 1917 he began lecturing on experimental metaphysics.
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## Death
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He became increasingly sick as he aged, and became seriously ill in May
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1918, dying on the 21st of June and buried in the Powązki Cemetery. |