Temný kontinent Evropa ve 20. století – Mazower Mark (2019)

Mark Mazower presents Europe not as a continent of ancient states and nations, but as something in many respects very new, constantly “inventing” itself through the often turbulent and chaotic political changes of the 20th century. Modern democracy and the closely connected nation-state are essentially the result of experimentation. Three ideologies—liberal democracy, communism and fascism—believed themselves destined to reshape society, the continent and the world into a “new order of humanity”. Their struggle to define the new Europe lasted for most of the previous century. Liberal democracy dominated Europe after the First World War, but two decades later it was already, so to speak, dying away. The year 1989 marked democracy’s victory over communism, yet this victory would not have occurred if communism had not previously inflicted a general and crushing military defeat on National Socialism. It was therefore by no means predetermined that democracy would ultimately triumph over fascism and communism, just as it remains unclear what kind of democracy Europe is capable of and willing to build. This is a gripping story with unexpected twists, rather than a record of progress moving steadily towards inevitable victories. The contents are in Czech.