Wizja Polski w świadomości chłopów
Streszczenie
The vision of Poland in the minds of peasants was overshadowed by memories
of soccage, exploitation of nobility, and power yielded by lords. They also had vivid
memories, especially those living in the Russian sector of partitioned Poland, of the
Kosciuszko insurrection — 1794 and, even more so, of the January insurrection in 1863.
Favouring more and more strongly the concept of free Poland along with development
of their social and national awareness, the peasants voiced in favour of the republican
and democratic Poland. Some others wanted a monarchy with a constitution and
parliament in Warsaw elected by the whole nation directly in secret vote on
principles of equality. Programmes of peasants' parties established in the Austrian
sector towards the end of 19th century and in the Russian sector at the beginning
of 20 the entury were giving support to reunion of Polish territories divided into
three sectors, and establishment of the Polish state in its ethnic boundaries. The
supreme state authority was to be represented either by the nominated king or the
president elected every few years. All peasants' parties aimed at abolishment of
big landed properties along different principles and establishment of a new agrarian
structure composed of small, independent farms. There was postulated development
of education, foundation of agricultural schools, common and free primary schools,
and generally accessible secondary and higher schools. There were put forward
proposals concerning equal civil rights for women, and equal pay for working women and men. There was voiced a principle of religious tolerance for all religions and
that of granting equal rights to ethnic minorities. The new Poland was to possess
close friendship ties with Lithuania and Rustsia. There were also projects of establishing
a federation of European states, and a utopian vision of Poland — as a big
co-operativo unit. Co-operative forms of organization, of production, trade, and
supply verified in practice found their permanent place in the economic model of
the People's Poland.
Thus the peasants supporting the struggle for independence of the coiintry and
characterized with a high degree of awareness wished to have a country with
social justice and equality, a future mother-country for all its citizens. With such
convictions they were joining the independence movement organized shortly before
the outbreak of th e 1st World War and during its course. This independence
movement, in turn, was providing a stimulus for other politically unaware peasants,
who were self-sacrificingly supporting the movement setting up the Polish Military
Organization. Regaining of the national independence in 1918 was welcomed with
joy by peasants, with the desire of working for their mother-country and reconstructing
it; they would ask their sons to join the Polish army hoping that they would
be better off in the new and independent Poland than in the country partitioned
by foreign powers. They were also expressed once in a while critical opinions to
the effect that the new Poland should not become a country of lords. The author
has based her article on programmes of peasants' parties, press correspondence and
memoirs of peasants.
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