SELECTED ASPECTS OF THE IMPACT OF HISTORICAL CRISES ON THE FORM OF THE POLITICAL REGIME OF ANCIENT AND EARLY MODERN TIMES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE CONCEPT OF JACOB BURKHARDT (1818–1897)

Abstract

The article is sanctified to opening of influence of “historical crises” on the form of the political mode of period of antiquity and early New time within the framework of conception of the Swiss historian of culture Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897). General description of meaningfulness of scientific heritage of the Swiss scientist is given. Jacob Burckhardt, prominent Swiss historian of culture, got a wide fame, foremost, due to classic work “Culture of Renaissance in Italy”. However creative interests of scientist were considerably wider, reflected, besides other, in a course lectures on the range of problems of motive forces of world history. Concept of “historical crises” opens up Burckhardt in a few variations. The authors of the article carry out the attempt of comparative analysis of influence of historical crises on the form of the political mode of ancient period and in the epoch of early New time within the framework of interpretation of Burckhardt. The scientific heritage of Jacob Bukhardt, undoubtedly reflected in his course of lectures, is of considerable interest in terms of his assessment of the political regime. This happens within the framework of broader issues related to his assessments of the historical development of the state, religion and culture. It comes from the extremely rare phenomenon of genuine historical crises within the framework of world history. In general, in his opinion, the historical development is progressive. Burkhardt’s statement of the loss of freedom in the implementation of various variations of the “despotic regime” is also important. For him, the bearer of the European mental and academic culture of the 19th century, the criterion of the presence or absence of freedom is important. This moment in the course of lectures allows you to better see the significance of the key ideas of his main work, “Culture of the Renaissance in Italy”. The authors state the importance of familiarizing the issue under study within the framework of Ukrainian historiography with certain aspects of the scientific heritage of Jacob Burckhardt, since this will allow, among other things, to better see the features of the concepts of O. Spengler and A. Toynbee.