MILAN ŠIKULA (1941 – 2018) PASSED AWAY
On September 2018, one of the most important Slovak economic theorists left us unexpectedly, the former director of the Economic Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, prof. Ing. Milan Šikula, DrSc. h. c.. Although the health of the professor has been fragile in recent years, the energy, optimism, and sense of humor that Professor Sikula has been abusing have decided not to be sad. The College of International Staff of ISM Slovakia in Presov has a living memory as Professor Sikula has fled from the hospital on an airplane to attend a conference organized by ISM in Prešov. Professor Šikula was also a guest of the important scientific conference of the Message of Joan Paul II organized by the Catholic University and the College of International Business of ISM Slovakia, held in Poprad.
Professor Milan Šikula was one of the most important Slovak economists, compared to great figures of economics, such as Hvezdoň Kočtúch. His entire life has turned leftward, we have known him as a left-thinking economist who has applied much to economic theory from the reference of Karol Marx’s work. For many years he was the director of the Economics Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, where he worked until his death.
Professor Šikula was one of the best Slovakian experts in globalization. Professor Šikula’s scientific interest was the research of the economic mechanism and international economic integration. He also worked on the theoretical questions of transforming an economic mechanism from a market model to a mixed model. He was the guarantor of the vision of the Slovak Republic. He was certainly known for his optimism, cheerfulness, his jokes. As a man he worked incredibly modestly. Like any successful scientist, he also had enemies who, unfortunately, spread nonsense after death, but others were not in other giants, see, for example, Einstein.
We considered his critical attitudes, often different from those of the official ones. Professor Šikula had a rare feature to quickly identify the indicators, he was able to quickly orient himself in changing economic mechanisms. Warned of many facts, he warned of excessive optimism due to the end of the recent economic crisis. He was aware of the context not only from an economic but also from a sociological point of view. He pointed out that it is not just about securing the funds for the unemployed but also about ensuring their quality of life in terms of reasonable activity for the unemployed, so that unemployment will not become a disaster for crime. Automated use of machines was perceived as a source of the possible increase in unemployment as well as the resulting decrease in consumption. In the first place, the unemployed person must have a meaningful activity, Professor Šikula thought. He also pointed to the face of technology that can restrain or even threaten the freedom of man. Public good work only considered the beginning of a possible solution to the problem. Professor Šikula warned directly of the prophets against the influence of multinational corporations, which command state bodies to the extent that the state is no longer a determinant of the economy.
Professor Šikula was among the friends and supporters of our magazine, our institution. He personally contributed his study to the Perspektívy Journal, was a member of her editorial board. His immense erudition, outlook, own opinion and advice will be missing in Slovakia. Cast his bright sight!