Every man, who performs many social roles all day, asks himself from time to time who he is, what his individual identity is, and how he ranks in collective relations (on the background of the group – from household to society and country to country). Is he liable for certain events or is he just a mute witness to history?
The most crucial origin determining our affiliation is geography. Everyone is subject to any degree of topophilia. It is simply a deep emotional relationship, attachment, peculiar love for the place of his birth, upbringing, residence, and even worship and exaltation above others. For this reason, a permanent place of residence and a sense of community with relatives determines membership of a national or cultural group occupying a circumstantial territory.
A binder for national and territorial identity is nationality expressed in possession of citizenship status. It gives political powers, which include primarily acting in the creation of public authorities. Active and passive electoral rights enable citizens to participate in the selection of their representatives, but besides to stand for elected positions. This is the most crucial aspect of empowering citizens, although it frequently remains a fiction. Because it is not the citizens themselves, but the institutions that mediate between them and the authorities that truly decide on the selection of candidates and the results of the elections. They are primarily political parties, but sometimes besides that various interest groups and force groups, including churches, modify the form of electoral lists.
There was a reason in the language of political discipline that the word “electoral democracy” (choice) appeared, giving a peculiar paradox. To varying extents the formal conditions for elections are met, but power is of a "superior" nature, i.e. it exercises governments without looking outside and without succumbing to interior opposition. The second treats as an agent of abroad influence, which leads to an expanding regulation of the political rights of competition. Elections are, in principle, not utilized to appoint representatives of citizens, but to pass on "syphernical" or full and unlimited rule. It leads all pseudo-democracy to dictatorship.
Each election is simply a period of identity enhancement. People mention more frequently to collective identity. individual identity becomes little important. However, the importance of belonging to a group – supporters and even “confessors” of a organization and its leadership is growing. By referring to herd instinct, people regain a sense of performance and impact on events. They feel this fleeting power that disappears right after the election. After all, they do not actually have any part in creating a fresh government, selecting staff, or directing a policy in accordance with the general interest. The most crucial thing is the business of the winning bakery.
The electoral mobilisation of citizens is accompanied by activation of various cognitive functions. First of all, there is emotional recognition of our own political preferences, little frequently trying to realize (often just trying, without the desired effect), what the effects will be for ourselves and their loved ones. Under the influence of intense indoctrination, propaganda and agitation, various motivational processes are being launched, readiness to sacrifice and to take risks for the sake of its own political camp. There is simply a tendency to favour their group, and to depreciate rival groups.
The phenomenon of group narcissism can besides be observed. It is the consequence of chronic activating the group identity of those who seem to be actual patriots, but are underestimated and disproved by others. It seems that voters were peculiarly delicate and overly delicate to any signs of criticism or underestimation. There were various inferiority and undervalue complexes, as well as the desire to compensate for the humiliations experienced or imagined.
The constant, but frequently unreflective, emphasising “polskość” and the request to defy threats from “foreign” shows not only the feeling of private and uniqueness of their own group, but besides the feeling of others' disregard. Psychologists show how group narcissism increases the propensity to aggression against abroad groups or actually threatening the existing political power arrangement (Wiesław Łukaszewski and others, Identity. The tough question is who am I?, Sopot 2012).
The ambivalence of these voters towards themselves is astonishing. On the 1 hand, they want to be of themselves, but on the another hand, they deny the same right to their political opponents. They do not accept the fundamental rule of political pluralism and the actions of the rulers in the interests of the full civilian community, not just in the interests of the "natives". In the doctrine of the ruling right-wing, Poland is owned by 2 tribes that fight each other, and the common good is an abstract concept. The winner in the election has the right not so much to "distribute the spoils", but to take them completely. And it's not going to aid to invoke the constitution, due to the fact that the electorate will again legitimize it as the winning organization wishes.
The problem with the electorate is all the more so that any intellectual, technological or artistic elites faced each other, or even against each other, alternatively of working together for a "historical compromise". National consent in practice is unattainable, but it is possible to dialog the disputed tribes and search for what unites Poles and Poles, not what makes us different and quarrel.
With the denouncing of the state's mafization, i.e. the possessing of it by the reigning party-oligarch Camaryla, people must be made aware at all levels of social life, from families to the fact that Poland is going down the slope as in the 18th century. People of light, as in the Stanislaw era, must protest loudly, even erstwhile it triggers the ostracism of their environment. We forgot that even among bishops there were specified as Ignacy Krasickiwho were able to rise awareness of the threats of citizens. The fact is, they didn't prevent the crash. Sovereign dominance, financial control and clientelism lead to impunity of power, and apathy and social consent let the progressive demolition of both public institutions and the principles of social morality. Everyone gets depraved.
The deficiency of authority, ready to mediate between fighting political camps is the consequence of the failure of (atrophy) work for the state and its fate. Neoliberal capitalism has liberated in many people with a respectable social standing or a professional identity of “late”. It means that these individuals are constantly ready to engage in social and political life, but alternatively take a waiting, indifferent and even distant attitude. frequently on the basis of “my cottage from my country”. “If you are silent and not in trouble, you have peace of mind” (Monika Frąkowiak, Deform of democracy, October 2023). Not without meaning are conformist and opportunistic attitudes, which are the consequence of comfort, cowardice, and impoverishment.
In this way, a unusual relation between political forces and the most educated and conscious part of the electorate has developed in Poland. For various apanases and approval to “do careers”, or simply for “holy peace” Polish intellectuals from different sides of the political spectrum, and what is most painful, the Rectors of the largest Polish universities, senates and faculty councils, all made specified a deal with the authorities that in return for measurable benefits (for themselves and their backgrounds) they affirm the Komrador political regime. They do not head its nationalist-cleric and anti-democratic character. They pretend that democracy in Poland is so established that we are not in danger of reciting authoritarianism. They're in a catastrophic error!
As the text arises just before the election, it is hard to justice how human attitudes and behaviour will change after the results have been announced. Regardless of who will gain power, intellectual elites must debate on a number of topics and problems that did not come out at all during the election campaign. But will they be able to meet the challenge? Will they triumph again for caterly selfishness, and will the interests of the civilian nation be laid on the altar of cynical political games?
It seems that politicians from no option will be able to reconstruct political cooperation in the state on terms of respect for their own identities, with simultaneous concern for the common good. Therefore, in a time of conflict at different levels of social life, individual must remind people that we live in an increasingly interdependent world, requiring solidarity and empathy, not exclusion and hostility. So where is the search for “literary class leaders” if many communities have embraced apathy and degrengolade?
Poles will not save either prosperity or freedom if they negate all values that enable Poland to benefit from the achievements of the civilizational planet present through their contaminantness, resentiments and megalomania. Therefore, it is time to end the qualification of nations as friendly and hostile, to quit obsession and fear for conciliation, reconciliation. International safety cannot be based solely on megalomaniac armaments and dubious alliances, much more on war-torn states. The safety of each individual country is conditioned by neighbouring normality and affirmative communication (dialogue), which anyone can test on the example of their own local experiences. So why do Poles like the feeling of Russia and Germany, as if they did not realize that in the long run, provoking drugs would end in a real painful clash?
Security needs to be built by knowing your identity. It is not unique or missionary (all the prometeisms have been discredited since the "anthemurale", or "a suburb of Christianity", until today), but the ability to accommodate, pragmatically adapt and bring their affirmative values to the resources of the human community.
If for a minute to consider what Poland has to offer to the planet today, the answers could prove to be embarrassing to the rulers and embarrassing to the rulers. They offer primarily existential fear, expressed in prejudices and objections to another nations. Reminiscing historical wrongs to others and referring to the mythical perfect past, with no account of our own mistakes and remorse for Sarmatic stupidity, superstitious religiousness and obscurant ideology, have become a distinguishing feature of our country's anachronistic image and infamous reputation in the world.
Among many Polish voters, the dominance of identity, based on religion in promises, is peculiarly surprising. People in reality assessments run distant from facts. They're gullible and naive. They have a very superficial and primitive view of the world. They send their children to a weaker school, but they don't see it. They don't head ideologicalizing public life. Uncritically, they believe in government media. There is any inexplicable intellectual dementia, which involves failure of historical memory. No 1 is affected by “gomulkowszczyna” in the modern edition, or “situational comic”, resembling the old times of Edward Gierek: “Is that what you want? - We do! Go like sheep to slaughter? Yes, sir!
Elections are a celebration of democracy. They give an chance to test themselves in political competition, in which candidates, representing rational programs, competent, superb and capable people, should win, guaranteeing their fitness to carry out postulates and electoral declarations.
Elections are besides a test of civic maturity. Regardless of who becomes the winner and who is the loser, after announcing the results, 2 processes must be stimulated, which, for the common good, let rational and pro-state thinking. On the 1 hand, the favoritism of the winning group must end, and on the another hand, the depreciation of opposition groups must cease.. If these lessons do not lead to negative experiences, politicians of all options and voters supporting them, deepening polarity and hostility will inevitably lead to disaster. possibly not to civilian war, but to dictatorship for sure. How about both?
Electoral identity treated as a origin of hostility and aggression is the most harmful manifestation of the recognition of individuals and groups in society. The task of the intellectual elite should become a fresh "work from scratch" to reconstruct people's religion in the ability to communicate for the common good. It is crucial to teach people from the early years of school education that intergroup conflicts have mostly subjective sources. They are active in misconceptions of their own group and resentment and hostility towards others or strangers. Problems with self-esteem and various cognitive aberrations depend on both man and situational conditions.
I wonder how they'll respond to a possible failure in an existing defender's election status quo, and how they will dynamicize their identity supporters of change erstwhile yet they can implement it. Will the aggressiveness of government bloc supporters revealed during the election run turn into boycott actions and civilian disobedience to fresh power? So is the victorious camp prepared to deal with the hostility of a large part of the society, aroused by the losers' frustrations?
The fresh authority faces a titanium challenge to rapidly consolidate its political and organisational facilities and to proceed with the announced reforms. The urgent request to exchange authoritative staff and halt harmful public media activities can be the first step towards success. It will not be possible to hold the restoration of the regulation of law in public institutions, including courts, with simultaneous concern for preventing collapse and economical crisis.
The settlements for abuse of power and average crimes will take more time, but the most crucial thing will be to build a moral program to reconstruct and calm moods. Talking about reconciliation of conflicted political camps is alternatively a "godly wish". More crucial will be the mobilisation for respective common goals for Poles. These should include: restoring the division of authorities, cutting off the Church from state funds, transparency of public positions and criteria for filling state-owned companies, disidentification and value of education and the liquidation of institutions that massacre the past of Poland (IPN). The rulers must redefine the Polish national interest, both in a neighbourly and allied context. Poles should express their Europeanness again by participating in a referendum on the clear demarcation of the competences of the state and the form of the European Union, which Poland wants to belong to. The consequence of the referendum would give the arguments of Polish diplomacy in discussions about reforms of this inclusive phenomenon.
However, if the current government agreement persists after the elections, the worst course of his policy will be to show triumphism. This will deepen the division in society and trigger an aggressive reaction of its parts. May the resignations of the most crucial generals in the army not mean the announcement of the rebellion of the full army, saying not so much obedience to democratically elected power, but opposition to the politicization and instrumentalization of the army.
A sense of continuity of power can give the rulers a fresh acting force to construct a social identity around opportunities that give the experience to date. Above all, contempt for political opponents will should be abandoned. The current social programmes will request to be reviewed so as not to exceed the economical viability of Rubicon. Finally, a fresh global strategy will be needed to reconstruct sustainable relations with the largest Western forces, but besides with China and Russia.
Conflictive governments undermine interior and external security. The management of the continuous crises provoked by the power itself must give way to the competent government of the state. State doctrine is needed, taking into account the welfare of the general public in the form of strengthening democratic culture alternatively than its destruction. The increasing hazard of the collapse of neoliberal capitalism should make the rulings aware that the alternate to rational democratic governments can only be brutal ("bruna?") governments with utmost prowess.
Prof. Stanisław Bielen
