Johan Rudolf Kjellén

Johan Rudolf Kjellén (13 June 1864, Torsö – 14 November 1922, Uppsala) was a Swedish political scientist and politician who first coined the term "geopolitics". His work was influenced by Friedrich Ratzel. Along with Alexander von Humboldt, Karl Ritter, and Friedrich Ratzel, Kjellén would lay the foundations for the German geopolitik which would later be espoused prominently by General Karl Haushofer. June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the modern city of Uppsala. ... Niccolò Machiavelli, ca 1500, became the key figure in realistic political theory, crucial to political science Political Science is the systematic study of the allocation and transfer of power in decision making. ... Geopolitics analyses politics, history and social science with reference to geography. ... Friedrich Ratzels photograph from the University of Leipzig Friedrich Ratzel (August 30, 1844, Karlsruhe, Baden – August 9, 1904, Ammerland) was a German geographer and ethnographer, notable for coining a term Lebensraum (living space). Ratzels Life Ratzels father was the head of the household staff of the Grand... Friedrich Heinrich Alexander, Baron von Humboldt, ( September 14, 1769, Berlin– May 6, 1859, Berlin), was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt. ...

Kjellén completed gymnasium in Skara in 1880 and matriculated at Uppsala University the same year. He completed his Ph.D. in Uppsala in 1891 and was a docent there from 1890-1893. He also taught at Gothenburg University from 1891 and was professor of political sciences and statistics there from 1901 until he received the prestigious Skyttean professorship of Eloquence and Government in Uppsala in 1916. A gymnasium is a type of school of secondary education in parts of Europe. ... Skara is a Municipality in Västra Götaland County, in western Sweden. ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Uppsala University Uppsala University (Swedish Uppsala universitet) is a public university in Uppsala, Sweden. ... Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. ... A docent (the word being derived from the Latin word docere, meaning to teach) is officially defined as a professor or university lecturer, but the term has been expanded to designate the corps of volunteer guides who staff many of the museums and other educational institutions in the United States. ... Gothenburg University Gothenburg University, or Göteborgs universitet, is a university in Gothenburg, Sweden. ...

A conservative politician, he was a member of the Second Chamber of the Swedish parliament 1905-1908 and of its First Chamber 1911-1917. Riksdag is also the Swedish name of the Parliament of Finland. ...

Kjellén's Ideas

Kjellén was Friedrich Ratzel’s student, and would further elaborate on organic state theory, coining the term “geopolitics” in the process.

The basics of his ideas were presented in 1900 in the book Introduction to Swedish Geography based on his lectures at the Gothenburg University. Kjellén's The State as a Living Form, published in 1916, is generally regarded as his most important book in relation to geopolitics. It outlines five key concepts that would shape German geopolitik: 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ...

1. Reich was a territorial concept that was comprised of Raum (Lebensraum), and strategic military shape;
2. Volk was a racial conception of the state;
3. Haushalt was a call for autarky based on land, formulated in reaction to the vicissitudes of international markets;
4. Geselleschaft was the social aspect of a nation’s organization and cultural appeal, Kjellén anthropomorphizing inter-state relations more than Ratzel had; and,
5. Regierung was the form of government whose bureaucracy and army would contribute to the people’s pacification and coordination.

Kjellén disputed the solely legalistic characterization of states, arguing that state and society are not opposites, but rather a synthesis of the two elements. The state did have a responsibility for law and order, but also for social welfare/progress, and economic welfare/progress Lebensraum (Living space) is an idea that was used to justify the expansionist politics of Nazi Germany. ... An autarky is an economy that does no trade with the outside world, or an ecosystem not affected by influences from its outside, and relies entirely on its own resources. ... International trade is the exchange of goods and services across international borders. ... This dog has been dressed in human accessories for humorous effect. ... In sociological theories, bureaucracy is an organizational structure characterized by regularized procedure, division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. ... A nations army is its military, or more specifically, all of its land forces. ... Legalism has several meanings. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Synthesis (from the Greek words syn = plus and thesis = position) is commonly understood to be an integration of two or more pre-existing elements which results in a new creation. ... Law (a loanword from Old Norse lag), in politics and jurisprudence, is a set of rules or norms of conduct which mandate, proscribe or permit specified relationships among people and organizations, provide methods for ensuring the impartial treatment of such people, and provide punishments for those who do not follow... Social welfare can be taken to mean the welfare or well-being of a society. ... Progress can refer to: The idea of a process in which societies or individuals become better or more modern (technologically and/or socially). ...

Autarky, for Kjellén, was a solution to a political problem, not an economic policy proper. Dependence on imports would mean that a country would never be independent. Territory would provide for internal production. For Germany, Central and South-eastern Europe were key, along with the Near East and Africa. Historical lands and provinces in Central Europe Central Europe is the region of Europe between Eastern Europe and Western Europe. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ...

Kjellén's Influence

General Karl Haushofer, who would adopt many of Kjellén's ideas, was not interested in economic policy, but would advocate autarky as well; a nation constantly in struggle would demand self-sufficiency.

It is clear that Adolf Hitler adopted policies in line with Kjellén’s five key concepts, whether or not his writing was directly transmitted to Hitler or not. The Nazi party would echo Kjellén’s concept of state integration into every aspect of life, especially concerning the provision of social and economic welfare. The Nazis would also target the same territories that Kjellén emphasized—they pursued economic domination throughout the former Austro-Hungarian states and the Balkans, monopolizing their output to the point where they could dictate the countries production, while dumping German industrial goods into their markets. Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945), a German politician who was the founder of the Third Reich (1933-1945), is widely regarded as one of the most significant and reviled leaders in world history. ... The Nazi party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ...

Further Reading

• Dorpalen, Andreas. The World of General Haushofer. Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., New York: 1984.
• Kjellén, Rudolf, Die Grossmaechte der Gegenwart. Leipzig, Berlin, 1914.
• Kjellén, Rudolf, Die politische Probleme des Weltkrieges. Leipzig, 1916.
• Kjellén, Rudolf, Der Staat als Lebensform. Leipzig, 1917.
• Kjellén, Rudolf, Die Grossmaechte vor und nach dem Weltkriege. Leipzig, Berlin, 1930.
• Mattern, Johannes. Geopolitik: Doctrine of National Self-Sufficiency and Empire. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore: 1942.