Nation-building and Nation-preserving Activities in Polandin the Age of Transformation and European Integration Cover Image

Nation-building oraz nation-preserving w Polsce w dobie transformacji i integracji europejskiej
Nation-building and Nation-preserving Activities in Polandin the Age of Transformation and European Integration

Author(s): Tomasz Grzegorz Grosse
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Instytut Studiów Politycznych PAN
Keywords: nation-building; nation-preserving; systemic transformation; European integration;

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to show the centuries-old tradition of Polish elites working for nation-building and nation-preserving purposes. It dates back to at least the 18th century. The nation-preserving formula was developed in the 19th century, that is, during the partitions, when the Polish nation did not have its own statehood. In the first part of the article, I describe the specificity of Poles’ historical experiences, primarily after the partitions that took place at the end of the 18th century. I try to indicate three main approaches to nation-building (and nation-preserving) activities during this period. In the next part of the article, I try to show that this tradition lasted during the period of political transformation and European integration. While the nation-building approach, related to the reconstruction of sovereign statehood, democracy and a political nation, was dominant in the first case, the nation-preserving policy was observed more often, especially among the right-wing elites, after joining the EU, primarily due to the experiences of subsequent European crises.

  • Issue Year: 48/2020
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 99-123
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: Polish
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