THE ROLE OF PROTESTANTISM IN THE DEMOCRATIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE VISEGRAD FOUR

Abstract

The article examines the influence of Protestant churches on the process of democratic transformation of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic & Slovakia after the fall of the communist regime. The author analyzes the specifics of the Protestant understanding of economic, social & political political spheres of life in the context of building a free market, civil society & democracy in post-Soviet countries. The reasons for their victories & failures in Eastern Europe, their potential, evolution and place in society are revealed. Conclusions are drawn about the problem of the development of Protestantism due to the influence of traditional record churches, xenophobia, secularization and violation of principles of religious freedom. Also their role in instilling society with Western models of behavior and the correlation between religious consciousness and crisis are conditioned.

Keywords

• visegrad four
• democratic transformation
• protestantism
• civil society
• market economy