The phenomenon of democracy in the context of boundary civilization of Ukraine and the USA
Natalia Kovalchuk, Doctor of sciences in Philosophy, professor, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Ukraine
Abstract
The goal of this article is representation of analogues processes of the democratic tradition formation in the history of Ukraine and USA in context of their border status. A border man, a pioneer and a cowboy, in many aspects became represented American and a founder of the American democracy. Ukrainian border man was a Cossack, which in XVI-XVII century became representative type of their people. A ground of democracy in Ukraine was Cossack’s communities, in the USA – English communities. Further development of democracy in Ukraine required big cities as a basis of state building. Big changes in democratic development of big cities were linked with introduction of the Magdeburg right. Principles of the American democracy were founded in the big cities of the Northern coast. American cities were independent assembles, where, as in Ukraine, citizens used local rights, had their courts, liberty. Ukraine got their independence against Poland during the Ukrainian national liberation struggle; USA got it during American revolution their liberty and independence against United Kingdom. The development of democracy in Ukraine and USA was linked with ideas of Enlightenment. Developed individualism of Ukrainians was influenced by ethics of «intellectualism». System of education in USA and Ukraine began since the prime school, then colleges, which opened the road to the universities.
Keywords
democracy, free individuality, historical parallels, border status of Ukraine and USA
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