Idea odbudowy niepodległego państwa jako monarchii w polskiej debacie politycznej po 5 listopada 1916 roku

Abstract

Directly after 5 November, 1916, a discussion regarding future Poland's political system was of a quite unilateral character, and, provided extreme left-wing voices are ignored, it de facto concerned the shape of future monarchy. It does not appear particularly astonishing. First, the monarchic form of government was determined in the Central Powers' declaration. As a guarantee of Polish state reconstruction, Germany and Austria -Hungary's political system solutions, naturally, had to be a point of reference to the concept of the Kingdom that was being contrived. What is more, it should be remembered that the then Europe was dominated by monarchies, even though France, which was one of the continental powers, had already functioned as republic for a long while. In spring 1917, republican tendencies, which despite their lengthy tradition had been weak during the war, in connection with the decline of the Tsar rule in Russia, became much stronger in Poland. This trend was to be sustained in months to come whereas the position of Polish monarchists was systematically diminishing along the changes in the political situation. The issue of the political shape of revived Poland seemed to be open in so far as military chances of Germany and Austria-Hungary, if not for victory, at least for compromise peace, were deemed serious. In the face of the Central Countries' defeat, and even more, revolution in Germany and demise of Habsburg monarchy, proclaiming republic in Poland was generally determined. Social moods in autumn 1918 were apparently conducive to solutions perceived as more democratic and progressive/modern.