In the Path of Vydūnas: Moral Values and Social Engineering as the Tool for the Welfare State Creation

Abstract

The article analyses the relationship between democracy and technocracy invoking Lithuanian philosopher Vydūnas’ view on the role of moral values playing in the state. Investigating projects directed to the welfare state creation the author asks how much these projects are technocratic in the narrow sense – performing with the help of knowledge of nature sciences, engineering, economics and other, and what role in these projects moral values play. The author distinguishes two types of projects – technocracy in the narrow and in the wide sense. The latter is defined as social engineering based on the interdisciplinary discussion of experts on the questions linked with moral values. The main theses defended are the following: democracy ant technocracy as the methods of governance should not be contrasted; technocracy could not replace democracy which is the system defending freedom of the individual person; moral ideals (freedom, equality, justice, seeking of common good) are the basic guide in the sphere of values for the social engineering directed to the creation of welfare state.