The Modern Crusade

Abstract

The paper deals with the communication, which the paper claims to be uni-directional, between the West (industrialized `capitalist' countries) and Eastern and Central Europe. Using the metaphor of economic enterprises as religious institutions and business administration as religion, the paper suggests that these organizations perform a crucial ontological role in modern societies. After the fall of communism in 1989 the values of capitalist modernity are transferred to the post-communist countries by guest lecturers and consultants taking part in assistance programmes and in other ways involved in the transition process. This is depicted by the use of the religious metaphor as missionary activity. The paper ends with a discussion of the unidirectional communication, which in dawning postmodern society is perhaps not the best way to a common, East-West construction of a new social reality.