Kohr, Leopold

▪ 1995

      Austrian-born social philosopher (b. Oct. 5, 1909, Oberndorf, Austria—d. Feb. 26, 1994, Gloucester, England), expounded on "the beauty of the small," particularly in his major work, The Breakdown of Nations (1957). Kohr's philosophy, which was based on the premise that human stability and prosperity are best served by small-scale political, social, and economic institutions, was later popularized in E.F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful (1973). Kohr studied law and economics in Innsbruck, Vienna, and London. In 1938 he moved to North America, where he taught economics at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. (1946-54), and the University of Puerto Rico (1955-73). He later settled in Britain and lectured on political philosophy at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth (1968-77). Kohr blamed widespread modern problems such as crime and poverty on the rise of "national and urban giantism," which had replaced earlier city-states, and he fiercely opposed the political and economic unification of Europe. His other books include Development Without Aid (1973) and The Inner City (1988).

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