Ralf Dahrendorf is a well-known philosopher and sociologist of German-English origin. He also became famous for his work on political science, as well as participation in public life. He held the post of head of the German Society of Sociologists, was a member of the Bundestag, was the State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry from Parliament. He was one of the founders of the University of Constanta.
Youth of Dahrendorf
Ralf Dahrendorf was born on May 1, 1929. His father Gustav was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and represented it in the German Parliament. However, in 1933 he lost his job, as he publicly spoke out against the law on granting emergency powers to the government. Thanks to this bill, power in the country actually passed to the government of Adolf Hitler. Dahrendorf's father not only publicly opposed this bill, but also voted against it in Parliament. After the Nazis finally came to power, he was arrested and lost his job.
During World War II, Ralph's family moved to Bukov. At school, the 14-year-old future sociologist actively participated in the campaign against Nazism, compiled leaflets. His father worked underground during these years. However, he was arrested again afterthe failure of the "conspiracy of the generals", when on July 20, 1944, an unsuccessful attempt on the Fuhrer took place. As a result, most of the members of the German Resistance were executed or repressed.
Arrest
Dahrendorf Ralph was detained in 1944, but due to his youth he was not sent to prison. For a long time he was kept in a camp near the village of Schwetig until he was liberated by Soviet troops.
Ralf's father was an ardent opponent of the unification in the Soviet zone of the Social Democratic Party of Germany with the German Communists. The English military helped the Dahrendorf family move from Berlin to Hamburg. There, Ralph passed the exams and received a diploma of secondary education.
In 1948, Ralph left Germany, moved to England, where he began to study at political courses that were specially organized for the Germans who were in the British occupation zone.
Higher education
Dahrendorf Ralf began to get higher education at the University of Hamburg. There he studied classical and modern philosophy. In 1952 he defended his dissertation, evaluating the teachings of Karl Marx.
Then he moved to London, where he began to study sociology. Studied under Popper and Marshall, with the latter he served as a graduate student.
In 1956 he defended his thesis, the topic of his study was unskilled labor in British industry. In addition, the sociologist Ralf Dahrendorf studied classes and their conflict in the realities of industrial society. ATIn 1957 he presented this work for his doctorate.
In his first works, Dahrendorf criticized Marx and his ideas. From 1957 to 1958 he was an intern at the Palo Alto Center for Behavioral Science Research.
Political career
Ralf Dahrendorf, whose biography was originally associated with the German Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Union of German Students, is still better known in politics as a conductor of liberal ideas.
In 1967 he became a member of the Free Democratic Party. Actively worked on the reorientation of the party in the early 70s. In those years, the sociologist Dahrendorf Ralph, whose photo was very popular at the time, became famous thanks to discussions with the leaders of the 1968 movement. One of his opponents was Rudi Dutschke, a German Marxist politician and sociologist who led the West Berlin student movement.
In 1968, Dahrendorf was elected to the parliament of Baden-Württemberg. The policy was put forward by liberals. However, he soon abandoned the mandate on his own, becoming a member of the Bundestag, the German federal parliamentary assembly.
Dahrendorf served in the government of Willy Brandt as Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Foreign Office. In 1970 he moved to Brussels as Commissioner of the European Economic Society. He was in charge of issues of world and European trade, as well as international relations.
Scientific and teachingwork
In 1974 he retired from politics and public life, concentrating on scientific and teaching work. He became head of the School of Economics in London, where he worked for 10 years. Then he worked for two years at the University of Konstanz, after - in New York. From 1987 to 1989 he was Principal of the College at the University of Oxford. At the same time, he also held the position of vice-rector of the university.
In 1982 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. For citizens of Britain, this is equivalent to a title of nobility. Since 1988, he took English citizenship, was made a peer for life and received a baronial title in the London district of Westminster.
Until 1987 he headed the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, associated with the Free Democratic Party of Germany. Becoming a British citizen, he joined the Liberal Democratic Party - the third British political force.
In 1989, the philosopher Ralf Dahrendorf received the Sigmund Freud Prize. His scientific works were appreciated. In 1997, he won the Theodor Heuss Prize, the commission noted his humanitarian and socio-political work.
Working at the Naumann Foundation
Today, the Nauman Foundation operates in more than 60 countries around the world. Mainly in the states of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. The headquarters is located in Potsdam at the Truman Villa.
The main themes of the fund that Dahrendorf promoted are freedom,property, civil society and the rule of law.
Its main goals are to strengthen civil society. This is achieved, first of all, by a certain influence on the level of discussion in society. Also accompanied by democratic and macroeconomic processes through cooperation with institutions and research centers.
Scientific work
Philosopher Dahrendorf Ralph, whose biography is closely connected with modern science, is well known as a researcher of the theory of social conflict. The scientist notes that conflict is inevitable in any management system.
The basis of social conflict, in his opinion, lies in the different social positions of different people. Some have power and the ability to control, while most do not have such privileges. The consequence of this confrontation is the aggravation of internal contradictions in society, Dahrendorf notes.
Injustice arises in the final distribution of power, this is especially pronounced if there is no working vertical social elevator in society.
How to deal with conflicts in society?
Dahrendorf believes that it is possible to solve the problem of social conflicts in society. Moreover, they need to be regulated and redirected in the right direction. The main role in this lies with special public institutions, which need to develop an appropriate sequence of actions for each of the parties.
There are several points in the solution of social conflict. The first step is to recognize your own interests.opposite groups. The second is association. And third, and most importantly, the redistribution of power. Every conflict must result in social change.
