Philosopher Darendorf Ralph: biography, photos and interesting facts

Darendorf Ralph is a well-known philosopher and sociologist of German-English descent. Also famous for his work in political science, as well as participation in public life. He held the post of the head of the German Sociologists Society, he was in the Bundestag, he was the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Parliament. He was one of the founders of the university in Constanta.

Youth of Darendorf

Darendorf Ralph was born in 1929, on May 1. His father Gustav was in the Social Democratic Party of Germany, represented it in the German parliament. However, in 1933 he lost his job, as he publicly opposed the law on granting emergency powers to the government. Thanks to this bill, the power in the country actually passed to the government of Adolf Hitler. Father Darendorf not only publicly opposed this bill, but also voted against him in parliament. After the final coming to power of the Nazis, he was arrested and lost his job.

During the Second World War, Ralph's family moved to Bukov. At school, a 14-year-old future sociologist actively participated in the campaign against Nazism, compiled leaflets. His father worked underground during those years. However, he was arrested again after the failure of the "conspiracy of generals," when on July 20, 1944, an unsuccessful attempt was made against the Fuehrer. As a result, most of the participants in the German Resistance were executed or repressed.

Arrest

Darendorf Ralph was detained in 1944, but because of his youth he was not sent to prison. For a long time he was kept in a camp near the village of Shvetig, until he was liberated by Soviet troops.

Ralph's father was an ardent opponent of the unification in the Soviet zone of the German Social-Democratic Party with the German Communists. Moving from Berlin to Hamburg, the family of the Darendorfs was helped by the British military. 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 in political courses, which were specially organized for the Germans who were in the British occupation zone.

Higher education

To receive higher education, Dahrendorf Ralph began his studies at the University of Hamburg. There he studied classical and modern philosophy. In 1952 he defended his thesis, assessing the teachings of Karl Marx.

Then he moved to London, where he began to study sociology. He studied at Popper and Marshall, the latter held the post of graduate student.

In 1956 he defended his thesis, the topic of his study was unskilled labor in British industry. In addition, sociologist Darendorf Ralph studied classes and their conflict in the realities of industrial society. In 1957, this work was introduced to obtain a doctorate.

In his first works, Darendorf criticized Marx and his ideas. From 1957 to 1958 he held the position of trainee at the Center for Research on Behavioral Sciences in Palo Alto.

Political career

Darendorf Ralph, whose biography was originally associated with the German Social Democratic Party and the socialist union of German students, is still more 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 70's. In those years, sociologist Darendorf Ralph, whose photo was very popular at that time, became famous, thanks to discussions with the leaders of the 1968 movement. One of his opponents was Rudy Duchke - a German Marxist politician and sociologist, who was at the head of the West Berlin student movement.

In 1968, Darendorf was elected to the parliament of Baden-Württemberg. Politics put forward liberals. However, he soon abandoned the mandate himself, becoming a member of the Bundestag - the German Federal Parliamentary Assembly.

In the government of Willy Brandt, Darendorf was the parliamentary secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1970 he moved to Brussels as Commissioner of the European Economic Society. In his charge were issues of world and European trade, as well as international relations.

Scientific and teaching work

In 1974, he moved away 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 two years he worked at the University of Constance, after - in New York. From 1987 to 1989 he headed the college as a rector at Oxford University. In parallel, he held the post of pro-rector of the university.

In 1982 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire from the hands of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. For citizens of Britain, this is equated with a noble title. Since 1988, he took English citizenship, was promoted to peers 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 Darendorf Ralph received the Sigmund Freud Award. His scientific works were appreciated. In 1997, he won the Theodor Hoys Prize, the commission noted his humanitarian and socio-political work.

Work in the Nauman Foundation

Today the Naumann Foundation works in over 60 countries. Basically, in the states of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. The headquarters are located in Potsdam at Truman Villa.

The main themes of the fund that Darendorf advocated 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. It is also accompanied by democratic and macroeconomic processes through cooperation with institutes and research centers.

Scientific works

The philosopher Darendorf 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 the conflict is inevitable in any management system.

The basis of the social conflict, in his opinion, lies in different social positions among different people. Some have the power and the ability to manage, most of them do not have such privileges. The consequence of this confrontation is the escalation of internal contradictions in society, "Darendorf said.

There is injustice in the final distribution of power, this is especially true if there is no working vertical social elevator in society.

How to deal with conflicts in society?

Darendorf believes that it is possible to solve the problem of social conflicts in society. Moreover, they need to be regulated and redirected to the right track. The main role in this is assigned to 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 the social conflict. The first step is to recognize your own interests by opposing groups. The second is unification. And the third, most important, is the redistribution of power. The result of each conflict should be social social change.