Sociální reformátor Bernard Bolzano
Social reformer Bernard Bolzano

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on the lesser-known, and often surprising, socio-economic dimension of the work of B. Bolzano. His timeless publication On the Best State remains the original, and to this day the only, comprehensive and systematic vision of a Czech utopia. It is not entirely fanciful, and economic aspects play an important role. The text presents B. Bolzano as a logical planner of a socially just state utopia, in which one can trace the visionary nature of the welfare state and the public sector, etc. He devoted attention both to the construct of a purposefully established state in the spirit of striving for the common good and formulated a whole series of economic and social proposals for solving current problems, some of which were ahead of their time; indeed, the common understanding of charity, which took decades to become reality. Bolzano did not limit himself to promotion (e.g. in exhortations) alone, and attempted to implement practical projects (an agricultural cooperative, a self-help savings bank, schools, etc.). Therefore, the question of whether B. Bolzano can be described as the predecessor of modern social policy can be answered positively.

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