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Poland Social and Political Transformation
Throughout the later nineteenth century, profound
social and
economic forces operated on the Polish lands, giving them
a more
modern aspect and altering traditional patterns of life.
Especially in Russian Poland and the Silesian regions
under
German control, mining and manufacturing commenced on a
large
scale. This development sped the process of urbanization,
and the
emergence of capitalism began to reduce the relative
importance
of the landed aristocracy in Polish society. A
considerable
segment of the peasantry abandoned the overburdened land.
Millions of Poles emigrated to North America and other
destinations, and millions more migrated to cities to form
the
new industrial labor force. These shifts stimulated fresh
social
tensions. Urban workers bore the full range of hardships
associated with early capitalism, and the intensely
nationalistic
atmosphere of the day bred frictions between Poles and the
other
peoples remaining from the old heterogeneous Commonwealth
of Two
Nations. The movement of the former noble class into
cities
created a new urban professional class. Mirroring a trend
visible
throughout Central Europe, antisemitic sentiment mounted
visibly,
fed by Poles competing for the urban livelihoods long
regarded as
Jewish specialties.
These transformations changed the face of politics as
well,
giving rise to new parties and movements that would
dominate the
Polish landscape for the next century. The grievances of
the
lower classes led to the formation of peasant and
socialist
parties. Communism gained only a marginal following, but a
more
moderate socialist faction led by Józef Pilsudski
(1867-1935) won
broader support through its emphatic advocacy of Polish
independence. By 1905 Pilsudski's party, the Polish
Socialist
Party, was the largest socialist party in the entire
Russian
Empire. The National Democracy of Roman Dmowski
(1864-1939)
became the leading vehicle of the right by espousing a
doctrine
that combined nationalism with mistrust of Jews and other
minorities. By the turn of the century, Polish political
life had
emerged from the relative quiescence of Organic Work and
entered
a stage of renewed assertiveness. In particular, Pilsudski
and
Dmowski had initiated what would be long careers as the
paramount
figures in the civic affairs of Poland. After 1900
political
activity was suppressed only in the Prussian sector.
Data as of October 1992
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