Liberalizm, nacjonalizm i „kwestia żydowska” w Imperium Rosyjskim (koniec XIX – początek XX wieku)
Liberalism, Nationalism and the “Jewish Question” in the Russian Empire (late 19th – Early 20th Century)

Summary/Abstract: In the years 1910-13, Aleksander Świętochowski gained notoriety by publishing texts about the Semitic menace and heading a group of “progressive anti-Semites”. Świętochowski argued that he did not betray the ideals of his youth and declared that he was faithful to the principles of “national humanism” all life long. This article looks the attitude toward the “Jewish question” displayed by Świętochowski and his contemporaries who were the leaders of Russian liberal nationalism: Pyotr Struve and Vasily Maklakov. The author seeks to determine how the change of the Polish and Russian liberals to the “Jewish question” was connected with the turn-of-the-century emergence of Jewish nationalism. The vision of a nation based on the dominant role of a homogeneous national culture and equality before the law followed from the fundamental tenets of 19th century liberal ideology. The liberals were ready to admit the Jews to the national community provided they agreed to renounce their “distinctness”. However, that condition could not be met by the broad Jewish masses, which just happened to be undergoing a process of national radicalization. The clash with the reality, which meant the fierce rivalry between competing nationalist movements (including the Jewish one) exposed the inner weakness and inconsistency of the liberal project.

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