Parallel Polis

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Parallel Polis is a socio-political concept created by Czech political thinker and dissident Vaclav Benda in connection with the informal civic initiative, Charter 77. Benda and other philosophers sought to build a theoretical framework for social events in dissident circles.

Contents

Social structure

The alternative culture, or underground, was described in Parallel Polis in 1978 for the first time. [1] A political scientist, Benda noticed the emergence of a new social structure in artistic and intellectual circles as a tool to escape the totalitarian communist regime and detected the following pillars of the new "field":

These patterns of the parallel structure are not a closed set; on the contrary, they occur on all fronts of the resistance against the authoritarian state. The aim of the Parallel Polis, according to Vaclav Havel, Ivan Martin Jirous, Milan Šimečky and other dissidents who discussed the concept, should be an independent society not oppressed by laws and decisions of representatives of public authorities—a society based on its own values, which are not forced by the central authorities.

The concept has been revived by scholars who met at the University of Washington and now work at other academic institutions. [2] They posit that Benda's idea is being practiced on the Internet, which facilitates parallel institutions. In 2014, a physical space inspired by the idea opened in Prague's Holešovice district. [3] [4] Since then, individuals inspired by the idea have started a similar physical space in Bratislava, [5] and further physical spaces are expected to open in Vienna and Barcelona. [6] The venue serves as a think tank for individuals interested in ideas of innovation without a central authority. The goal is building parallel structures on a voluntary basis with an effort to remain state-free. The venues also operate as cafes that only accept cryptocurrency payments. [7] The space gained media attention for acts of political activism, such as a boycott of Electronic record of sales in Czech Republic after it was put into effect, [8] or after receiving a statement from the Czech National Bank prohibiting the use of the word "coin" for a symbolic metal coin connected to a virtual Bitcoin. [9]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Taylor, Flagg (2015-02-01). "On Czech Dissent". Society. 52 (1): 87–92. doi:10.1007/s12115-014-9861-3. ISSN   0147-2011. S2CID   145209596.
  2. ↑ Lagos, Taso; Ted M. Coopman; Jonathan Tomhave (May 22, 2013). ""Parallel poleis": Towards a theoretical framework of the modern public sphere, civic engagement and the structural advantages of the internet to foster and maintain parallel socio-political institutions". New Media & Society. 16 (3): 398–414. doi:10.1177/1461444813487953. S2CID   206727704.
  3. ↑ Cuthbertson, Anthony (2014-11-03). "World's First #Bitcoin Only Café Launches in Prague @Paralelni_polis #hackers". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  4. ↑ Ševčík, Pavel. "Paralelni Polis - Paralelní Polis - Paralelní Polis". www.paralelnipolis.cz. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  5. ↑ "Website of Paralelná Polis Bratislava". www.paralelnapolis.sk. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  6. ↑ "Website of Polis Parallela Barcelona". www.polisparallela.cat. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  7. ↑ "Bitcoin v Paralelní Polis. Program, postoj Polis k EET - E15.cz". E15.cz. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
  8. ↑ Šíp, Martin. "Vyjádření Paralelní Polis k EET - Paralelní Polis neakceptuje a nikdy nepřistoupí na pravidla EET". www.paralelnipolis.cz. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  9. ↑ Šplíchalová, Iveta. "ČNB zakazuje PP používat slovo mince. Po EET je tu kauza mince". www.paralelnipolis.cz. Retrieved 2019-12-08.

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