WAITING FOR THE AXE TO FALL - CARLYLE PLACE IN THE STUDY OF CRISES OFAUTHORITY

The aim of this paper is to bring into the comtemporary discussion of crises of authority an ignored pre-Marxist approach best manifested in the writings of Thomas Carlyle and in the related ideas of Alexis de Tocqueville. Both stressed the importance of a nation's ''collective u nconscious'' or value orientations in maintaining political legitimacy . If these erode, a 'crisis in incubation'' ensues, when authority is passively accepted until a major problem triggers a full-fledged crisi s. The conjectural importance of this approach is indicated by brief c omments on the possibility of a new type of crisis in the post-modem, post-industrial society.