The subject of war, whether as a global or regional conflict, has been present in Polish media for respective years. The debate on this issue intensified with the outbreak of a full-scale armed conflict in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the current and only permitted communicative accepted only the rations of 1 party.
There was no reliable analysis of the actual causes and background of the conflict and the geopolitical conditions that led to it. Everything was clear and simple as in the fairy tale – simply “bad Russia” attacked “good Ukraine”. In another words, Vladimir Putin woke up early in the morning on February 24, 2022 in a bad temper and for no reason gave orders to invade Ukraine. Nobody mentioned a conference in Bucharest in 2008, where it was decided to extend NATO to the East. No 1 considered the sources of backing for the events in Majdan and the resulting coup in 2014. No 1 has considered the persecution of the Russian population in east Ukraine. Finally, no 1 has recalled that the United States has, for far more insignificant reasons, carried out many aggressions and military operations to remind us, at least, of the invasion of Iraq or Afghanistan under the pretext of fighting global terrorism. Of course, I do not justify Russia's aggression against Ukraine, due to the fact that I believe that war is not a good way to resolve global conflicts. However, I am saying that the widely understood West contributed importantly to the war in Ukraine, and the scale of the hypocrisy of the United States and their allies was enormous.
In consequence to events outside the east border, almost the full Polish political class gave clear and unconditional support to Ukraine. Initially, this active the mass admission of Ukrainian people to Poland and providing all possible assistance. It is adequate to say that according to the November 2024 state: “through Polish institutions, especially the Government strategical Reserve Agency, for the first 2 years of the war 11 1000 tons of food products worth PLN 205 million and medicines worth PLN 60 million have been sent to our neighbour. The agency besides served donations to Ukraine, which came from 58 countries. The cargo hub has undergone goods from all over the planet worth over PLN 1.5 billion, 75 1000 pallets, over 55 1000 tons of goods" [1]. This includes the cost of wellness care for 1.2 million people called refugees for a full amount of PLN 3.3 billion, as well as the cost of accommodation and meals under the alleged "interim protection" between 2022 and 2023 for a full amount of PLN 7.4 billion. A separate issue was military aid to Ukraine worth over PLN 14 billion [2]. This support was dangerous adequate that it could have been treated by Russia as direct interference in the war conflict.
It should be stressed that since the annexation of Crimea, both politicians and publicists have started threatening society with the danger of Russian aggression. In a nutshell, the course of their statements assumed that Poland would be the next victim of Russian imperialism after the invasion of Ukraine. These claims were completely meaningless and logical, as there are no national or territorial conflicts between Poland and Russia. However, mass propaganda has produced tangible results. A large part of society believed in the "Russian danger" and began to deal with hostility to Russia. This was, of course, influenced by the reminder of historical disputes and the instigation of prejudices and sentiments rooted in society. Although the conflict continues in Ukraine, it can be expected to gradually expire, due to the United States' commitment to the mediate East war. The precedence for Trump is to support Israel, as confirmed by the aggression on Iran. Of course, there is simply a hazard of global conflict, but in rule the war epicentre is gradually moving to the mediate East.
Why, then, is there a request for a spiral of fear of war (especially the war with Russia) and the spread of collective psychosis? specified actions are a typical example of “the management of fear”. This is simply a proven sociotechnical method, utilizing collective fear to control and manipulate social groups. In the face of the actual or imaginary threat, it is easier for society to regulation effectively and to divert attention from real problems. In specified a situation, the authority may restrict civilian rights and freedoms by citing safety considerations. Citizens are deprived of their ability to control and account for their mistakes and abuses. The hazard object may be external or internal. In the past centuries, fear of witches was effectively developed, blaming them for all possible plagues – hunger, pestilence, natural disasters, etc. During the French Revolution, the alleged “scapegoats” were the alleged enemies of the people, in the 3rd Reich – Jews, and in the russian Union – mulattors, or agents of imperialism. After planet War II, a collective psychosis was unleashed by Senator Joseph McCarthy, who accused Communist sympathy of broad social circles and led to mass surveillance of citizens. Another example of fear management was hysteria associated with the alleged widespread threat of terrorism following attacks on the planet Trade Center. This threat became an excuse for human rights and civilian liberties, as well as aggression against another countries. We besides remember the panic associated with the artificially exaggerated Covid-19 pandemic and the widespread violation of law by the rulers. Of course, scaring approaching Armageddon and all kinds of cataclysms is simply a domain of various apocalyptic sects, so that it can be more effectively manipulated by believers. This is besides the case in the case of winding up a spiral of fear of war with Russia, or in planet War III.
Personally, I believe that surrendering to war psychosis is profoundly irrational, and asking questions about whether we are facing war is not much sense. Theoretically, anything can happen, including alien invasion. Moreover, the global situation is mostly unpredictable, and analyses of political commentators usually have a value lower than the predictions of the Jackowski clairvoyant, or divination from the fuzes. But even knowing that in six months' time, we will be able to prepare for war? I seriously uncertainty it. So alternatively of creating apocalyptic visions, let's do what we have a real impact on.
Michał Radzikowski
[1] Marcin Strembski: "Polish authorities have revealed the scale of their assistance to Ukraine" – www.onet.pl. – 09.11.2024,
[2] "Poland has provided Ukraine with military aid worth over PLN 14 billion" – www.bankier.pl – 19.11.2024.
Think Poland, No. 29-30 (20-27.07.2025)
