Metaphysics of Cooperation: Edward Abramowski's Social Philosophy. With a Selection of His Writings

The Metaphysics of Cooperation presents the intellectual achievements of the Polish associative socialist and pioneer of social sciences, Edward Abramowski. The volume is divided into five sections, each of them containing an analysis of the Polish philosopher's work according to the issues he dealt with: sociology, ethics, politics, cooperativism, and psychology. Each part also contains a selection of his writings. The intention is to show Abramowski's works in the context of global intellectual history and bring them into conversation with current political debates. Abramowski makes fraternity or cooperation the main concepts of his social metaphysics. The Polish version of cooperativism can be inspiring both for contemporary researchers and political activists in post-economic-crisis Europe. It also opens up a space for creating more democratic political and economic institutions.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Notes on Contributors A Notes from the Editors Bibliographical Note Introduction   Bartłomiej Błesznowski, Cezary Rudnicki Part i Sociology  Sociology of Associations Edward Abramowski between Socialism and Sociological Theory   Bartłomiej Błesznowski Edward Abramowski’s Writings Issues of Socialism I  The Principle of Social Phenomenon ii  The Sociological Issues Individual Elements in Sociology Socialism and the State ii  The Doctrine of the Revolution Part ii Ethics  The Metamorphoses of Subjectivity, the Transitions of the Social The Ethics of Edward Abramowski   Cezary Rudnicki Edward Abramowski’s Writings Ethics and Revolution Friendship Unions i Friendship Unions ii Experimental Metaphysics v  Human Identity. The Ideal of Fraternity vi  The Question of Will vii  The Life Ethics of Friendship Part iii Politics  Revolution from Below Edward Abramowski’s Stateless Socialism and Possibility of Prefigurative Politics   Kamil Piskała Edward Abramowski’s Writings Workers’ Revolution Issues of Socialism iv  Ethical Questions and the Politics of Revolution Socialism and the State v  The Politics of Stateless Socialism A General Conspiracy Against the Government 1 We Declare That We Will Fight! ii  What Is Freedom? iii  How Should We Fight? iv  How Should the Conspiracy Be Conducted v  The Fight in gmnias vi  This Let Us Remember! Part iv Cooperativism  The Free Creators of Life The Cooperativism of Edward Abramowski   Aleksandra Bilewicz Edward Abramowski’s Writings The Cooperative as a Matter of the Liberation of Working People  Introduction i  The Economic Principle of Consumer Cooperative ii  The Benefits of a Consumer Cooperative iii  Consumer Cooperative Federations and Institutions iv  Consumer Cooperatives’ Production v  People’s Associations in Cooperation with Consumer Cooperatives vi  The Ideas of Cooperativism  The Signifiance of Cooperativism for Democracy The Consumer Cooperative Places National Trade in the Hands of the People The Consumer Cooperative Places Production and National Resources in the Hands of the People The Consumer Cooperative Places Education and Health in the Hands of the People The Consumer Cooperative Teaches Self-government and Freedom Associations and Their Role i  On Associations in General (What Is an Association?) ii  Forms of People’s Associations The Principle of the Cooperative Commonwealth 1 The Principle of the Cooperative Commonwealth 2 The Nature (Form) of the Cooperative Commonwealth 3 Governance in a Cooperative Commonwealth 4 The Law of the Cooperative Commonwealth 5 The Concept of Human and Civil Rights in a Cooperative Commonwealth 6 The Notion of Life in a Cooperative Commonwealth 7 The Antagonism of the State and the Cooperative Commonwealth 8 Socialism and the Cooperative Commonwealth 9 The Cooperative Commonwealth and Politics Part v Psychology  The Subconscious Origin of Ethics Edward Abramowski’s Psychological Theory   Lena Magnone Edward Abramowski’s Writings The Sources of Subconsciousness and Its Manifestations i  The Problem of Method x  Aesthetic States xi  Religious States xii  Things Beyond Thought Afterword: All the Best!   Andrzej Mencwel Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Edward Abramowski (1868-1918) was a Polish philosopher, pioneer of psychology and theorist of the socialist cooperative movement. Bartomiej Besznowski is Assistant Professor of Sociology and the author of several articles and books about the intellectual history of Polish cooperativism, including Cooperativism and Democracy. A Selected Works of Polish Thinkers. Cezary Rudnicki is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and the author of several articles on contemporary continental philosophy and a book Ethics Against Morality. Foucauldian Studies of Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.