The mental experience of european civilisation and the challenges of the 21st century

Abstract

This article is devoted to study of European civilization`s mental dynamics and European spiritual heritage role in the modern global transformations. The author shares Huntington's point of view, that one of the most prominent conflict lines of our time is the conflict of civilizational identities. Professor Popkov emphasizes, that every tradition, every feature of communications, every individual and social reaction to events, every model of behavior, bears, to one degree or another, the imprint of the corresponding civilization. Moreover, each civilization is a school of trials and overcomings, a path to the formation of psychological pattern that distinguishes one summation of nations from another. In this aspect, he considers the historical role of European civilization. The author shows how, while going through the most acute historical trials, from the era of the Western Roman Empire collapse, through world wars and upheavals up to the present time, European civilization acquired new psychological qualities, new mental levels, and new approaches to reality. One of the most valuable acquisitions of European historical experience is the Peace of Westphalia, the basic principles of which to this day retains high relevance and significance. Having arisen as a result of the attritional Thirty-Year war, this treaty managed to develop a world order formula, that could be prevent the outbreak of new wars for many years to come. With the corresponding political will of the rulers. Although this order was destroyed as the result of large and small wars series, nevertheless the original model remains unsurpassed and can be applied at present. But already in a new historical, geopolitical and mental context. The author considers the prospect of a new (not an interstate but an intercivilizational) Westphalian peace as an alternative any of superpowers attempts to establish monopolistic dominance. It is at this stage the leading role of Europe as the cultural matrix of the entire West civilization is growing. Europe capable to give not only to the West, but to the whole modern world a new existential meaning, based on the catalog of overcome historical tests. Moreover, the political design of European civilization can be a sample (with all the inner contradictions) of a competent and balanced distribution of all participants in the pan-European program roles. The author claims, that specific mental and psychological code of European civilization lies in the ability of Europeans not only to learn lessons from their history, but also to turn them into a source of innovation and development.