Liberalizmo raida Lietuvoje: XIX a. pab. - 1940 m.

LTKnygą sudaro trys dalys. Pirma dalis skirta „Varpo“ atsiradimui, svarbesniems jo publicistams bei varpininkų srovės evoliucijai į liaudininkų srovę. Antra - varpininkų atšakoms: socialdemokratams ir viltininkams tautininkams. Trečia - katalikiškajai srovei. [Iš Įvado]

ENLiberalism primarily implies economic and political freedom and social progress. Its origin and consolidation are linked with the development of capitalism, which marked the end of the feudal epoch. In the beginning, complete noninvolvement of the state in the economic life was demanded, while later the state’s right to interfere was recognized, but this did not mean the renunciation of the principle of freedom and liberalism as well. The book “The Development of Liberalism in Lithuania” studies the evolution of liberal ideas from the late 19th.“‘cen- tury to 1940. One may define this as a boom period of liberalism in Lithuania. The books examines views and programs of political parties and personalities belonging to separate political trends and devotes most attention to the social economic aspect. The late 19th century saw the rise of the movement for the Lithuanians’ national rebirth. The first Lithuanian newspaper „Aušra“ (“The Dawn”) (1883-1886) appeared then. Another periodical „Varpas“ (“The Bell”) was launched in 1889 and published until 1905. Its publication was renewed several times later. „Varpas“ was founded by the association „Lietuva“ (“Lithuania”) set цр in Warsaw. The association had a program of its own which also became the program of „Varpas.“ One of the key figures of the „Lietuva“ association and the founders of „Varpas“ was Vincas Kudirka (1858-1899). The program of the „Lietuva“ association was of a liberal nature. Its goals were the development of education, the encouragement of the Lithuanians to undertake trades, commerce, and other businesses, amass and in their hands, and so on.In 1902, the „Varpas“ group served as the basis for the emergence of the Lithuanian Democratic Party which between the wars was called the Lithuanian Peasant Populist Union after several splits and reorganizations, and which considered itself the successor of the traditions of the „Varpas“ group. Some of the „Varpas“ adherents were more disposed toward the left and as early as the end of the 19th century merged with the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party set up in 1896. In general, „Varpas“ adherents had close relations with the social democrats for some time. The year 1907 witnessed the establishment of the newspaper „Viltis“ (“The Hope”). The periodical was founded by „Varpas“ breakaway right-wing figures who this way formed a group of „Viltis“ adherents which gave rise to the nationalist trend. The latter manifested itself in the Lithuanian Nationalist Union between the wars. Apart from the „Varpas“ advocates and their branches - the social democrats on the left and the „Viltis“ nationalists on the right - a strong Catholic trend existed throughout that period, represented by the Christian Democratic Party from 1905. These are the four key political trends bearing the names of the political parties representing them: the peasant populists, the social democrats, the nationalists, and the Christian democrats. The book is not concerned with the so-called revolutionary social democrats who later merged with the bolsheviks because they rejected liberal ideas.„Varpas“ followers and other personalities who belonged to the aforementioned key political trends which had actually originated from the movement for the Lithuanians’ national rebirth primarily sought political freedoms for Lithuania and its people. They demanded that the Russian administration cancel all restrictions: lift the ban on the Lithuanian press, allow the use of the Lithuanian language in schools, government institutions, and other public places, remove hindrances to the creation of associations, the organization of rallies, the establishment of political parties, the purchase of the desired amount of land, and so on. However, they did not confine themselves to these claims alone but they also demanded democratic elections and autonomy for Lithuania and its supsequent full political independence. Lithuanian social figures were perfectly aware of the fact that no political independence or national rebirth was possible without the Lithuanians’ control over the economy. History had it the way that the Lithuanians were largely peasants, while trade,' loan capital, scanty industrial enterprises, and estates were in the hands of other ethnic groups - Jews, Germans, Poles, and Russians. Therefore, the following principle became a highly prominent trait of Lithuania’s economic thought in the late 19th century: the Lithuanians should not content themselves with agriculture alone but they must also engage in commerce and trades, develop cooperation, set up credit institutions, and try to acquire the land of ruined farm estates offered for sale instead of resettled Russian colonists. For example, the Peasant Bank sold the land of indebted estates exclusively to Russian newcomers called “migrators” rather than to Lithuanian peasants. The explanation was that the opening of agrarian schools, the spread of agronomic information, and the imitation of the example of well-managed estates had primary importance. [...]. [From the publication]