Archive for: Текстови објављени у часопису Култура на страном језику

The unity of freedom, science and nation, viz. liberalism, positivism and nationalism, as well as his belief in two fundamental principles – freedom and justice, were the two lodestars of Vladimir Jovanović`s entire political work and his life credo. Although he was strongly inclined to the continental liberalism, he corrected it with Millian liberalism and embracement of the Westminster system, thus avoiding the radicalism of the French role model, which was followed by the prevalent majority of socialist and Marxian-oriented Serb intelectuals in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Vladimir Jovanović firmly belived that liberty was the right whose exercise must not be blocked out by the ideal of equality. As a positivist, he appreciated Herbert Spencer’s theory of evolution, organic interpretation of society and analogy between the natural and the social domain, according to which social phenomena could be reduced to natural laws. Under Mazzini’s influence he made a synthesis of liberalism and nationalism. Vladimir Jovanović`s son Slobodan Jovanović pointed out that unity of freedom, science and nation was not founded in science itself, but in rationalist philosophy. Liberalism, positivism and patriotism were not only concepts of Vladimir Jovanović`s political theory, but also ideological basis for his active political work.