Where Do We Come from and Are Going: Essays on Totalitarianism, Human Rights, Democracy, the Philosophy of History, 1987-2026

Spanning from the 1980s to 2026, these collected texts honor Charter 77’s 50th anniversary by chronicling a journey from life under communism to civic reform. Interweaving personal trials, philosophical insights, and public debate, the narratives underscore the duty of bearing witness in Central Europe’s rebirth. This collection of texts, written between the 1980s and 2026, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Charter 77. Led by his participation in public debates between Charter 77 signatories and other residents of the community that restored democracy in Central Europe after 1989, veteran Czech diplomatic Martin Palouš believes that bearing witness is one’s duty, and that all testimony is important. Palouš’s meaningful encounter with philosophy, first within his family under communism, and later as a student of the philosopher Jan Pato?ka, led him to sign the Charter 77 Declaration and then become a “velvet revolution” politician, civil society activist, diplomat, NGO official, and, later, a university professor at Czech and American universities.