What Was Bata's Zlin? The City as a Case of High Modernism

Abstract

The main goal of this contribution is sociological conceptualization of Bata's Zlin as a unique case of high modernist social planning. First, reasons for the necessity of newly conceptualizing Bata's Zlin as an original social and political phenomenon are spelled out. Second, a theoretical discussion of high modernism is advanced for that purpose. Third, Bata's Zlin is compared and contrasted to an ideal type of high modernism based on these variables. Finally, implications of the theory of high modernism for the case of Bata's Zlín are identified. It is recognized that Bata's Zlin did not fail in its goals to improve the human condition because of three main reasons: (1) the ability to incorporate practical knowledge into the plan, (2) the limited size of the high modernist scheme and (3) the fact that the project was not carried out by a state but by an entrepreneur.