www.ssoar.info The idea of freedom in Poland Stoklosa, Katarzyna Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Zur Verfügung gestellt in Kooperation mit / provided in cooperation with: Hannah-Arendt-Institut für Totalitarismusforschung e.V. an der TU Dresden Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Stoklosa, K. (2006). The idea of freedom in Poland. Totalitarismus und Demokratie, 3(2), 247-263. https://nbn- resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-310603 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Weiterverbreitung - keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Redistribution - no modifications). 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Sie dürfen dieses Dokument document in public, to perform, distribute or otherwise use the nicht in irgendeiner Weise abändern, noch dürfen Sie document in public. dieses Dokument für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke By using this particular document, you accept the above-stated vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, aufführen, vertreiben oder conditions of use. anderweitig nutzen. Mit der Verwendung dieses Dokuments erkennen Sie die Nutzungsbedingungen an. The Idea of Freedom in Poland Katarzyna Stokłosa Dr. Ka tar zy na Ab stract Sto kło sa, ge bo ren 1974 in Bar tos zy - Polen muss te im Lau fe der Ge schich te im - ce ( Po len ). Wis - mer wie der um sei ne Frei heit kämp fen : sen schaft li che zuerst nach den Tei lun gen und der na tio na - Mit ar bei te rin am len Wie der be grün dung 1918, dann wäh rend Han nah - A rendt - des Zwei ten Welt krie ges und schließ lich In sti tut für To ta li - wäh rend der kom mu nis ti schen Herr schaft. ta ris mus for schung Bei der Wie der er lan gung sei ner Un ab hän - an der TU Dres - gig keit 1918 wie 1989 stan den die Ver ei nig - den ( An schrift : ten Staa ten von Ame ri ka im Ver ständ nis Po - 01062 Dres den ). lens Pa te. Das führ te zur Ent ste hung ei nes Stu di um der Kul - My thos und zur Idea li sie rung der USA in tur wis sen schaf ten an der Eu ro pa - U ni ver si tät Po len. Der Bei trag un ter sucht das Frei heits - Via dri na in Frank furt ( Oder ). 2002 Pro mo ti - ver ständ nis in der pol ni schen Be völ ke rung, on zum Dr. phil. an der Eu ro pa - U ni ver si tät ver gleicht die ame ri ka ni schen und pol ni - Via dri na. Von 2003–2004 Lei te rin der Ar - schen Wer te mit ei nan der und be han delt ab - beits stel le Ost mit tel eu ro pa in der Deut schen schlie ßend die Wahr neh mung der USA in Ge sell schaft für Aus wär ti ge Po li tik ( DGAP ) Po len. in Ber lin. “Freedom” and “liberty” are the two central socio - political terms, which Americans constantly refer to. In the USA the discovery of freedom is deemed to be “a very special, unique, marvellous American gift to humanity.”1 While the word “freedom” is of Germanic - Celtic origin and refers to an affiliation with the community of the free, e.g. the tribe, “liberty” is derived from the ancient Roman tradition and originally refers to a high degree of personal independence in a hierarchically structured society. From the Polish perspective America has been a synonym of “freedom” for a long time. At the present the values of “liber- ty” are accentuated above all. Recently, since the beginning of the Second Gulf War Poland is perceived within Europe as a country between Europe and the USA. The American life style affects Polish political, economical and everyday life. This is connected to the Polish freedom movement and the Polish - American relations in the past on the one hand and the current security - concept at the time on the other. 1 Cf. Gerhard Besier, The Concept of Freedom in the Anglo - American World. In : TD, 2 (2005), p. 375–388, here 377 f.; Gerhard Besier / Gerhard Lindemann, Im Namen der Freiheit. Die amerikanische Mission, Göttingen 2006, passim. Totalitarismus und Demokratie, 3 (2006), 247–263, ISSN 1612–9008 © Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 2006 248 Aufsätze / Articles In an interview the former Polish foreign minister, Włodzimierz Cimosze - wicz, pointed out that he liked the “enthusiasm of the Americans, and the fact that they don’t complain much”.2 This view of America is very widespread in Poland. Especially the freedom of thought and action in everyday life is highly es- teemed by the Polish people. In Polish public opinion the United States are seen as a country of great opportunities, opportunities which were inaccessible to the Polish people for a long time, especially freedom and wealth.3 How do the Poles perceive the American “freedom” and “liberty” ? How deep is the Poles’ knowledge of the United States ? Does this fascination relate to an economic model, which they would like to adopt themselves ? In this article I will try to explain the pro - American attitude of the Poles in connection to the tradi- tion of freedom. The perception of the United States in the Polish society The Poles associate the USA with the following terms : wealth, great power, war (11th September ), hard work, a well developed economy, ally, freedom and democracy.4 The table 1 summarises the answers in percentage to the question : What do you connect with the United States ? A study carried out in January 2003 by the Warsaw based opinion research in- stitute CBOS revealed that 58 % of the Polish people perceived the Americans to be likable, 26 % of the respondents were indifferent towards the Americans, while only 12 % experienced feelings of dislike towards them. These results place the American people at the top of the Polish likeability rankings. Compared with results obtained in 1999 their popularity even grew by 4 %. In February 2003 a slim majority of 51 % were critical of the support the Polish government offered to the United States in connection with the war in Iraq. The Polish government had, along with several other nations, officially backed US actions in the form of the so - called “Letter of the Eight” and sent the troops into Iraq.5 A special emphasis must be placed on the fact that only 25 % of those questioned categor- 2 Agnieszka Niezgoda, On i oni [ He and they ]. In : Polityka, 31 (2005), p. 30–34, here 30. 3 Cf. Michał Wenzel / Krzysztof Zagórski, Między amerykańskim a europejskim mo - delem społecznym – wybory Polaków [ Between the American and the European Social Model – the Decision of the Poles ]. In : Lena Kolarska - Bobińska / Jacek Kucharczyk / Piotr Maciej Kaczyński ( ed.), Mosty przez Atlantyk ? Postawy Polaków, Czechów, Sło - waków wobec Stanów Zjednoczonych [ Bridges Over the Atlantic ? The Attitudes of the Poles, Czechs and Slovaks Towards the United States ], Warsaw 2005, p. 57–84, here 84. 4 Cf. Michael Fleischer, Europa, Niemcy, USA i Rosja w polskim systemie kultury [Europe, Germany, USA and Russia in the Polish Culture System ], Wrocław 2004, p. 126. 5 CBOS - Survey ( http ://www.cbos.pl ), January 2003. Stokłosa, The Idea of Freedom in Poland 249 Table 1 : Perception of the United States in the Polish society Terms Attributes Percentage wealth wealth, prosperity 33.5 superpower, force, big, a big country, superpower, force 29.7 enormity war, 11th September, aggression/ war/aggression interference, hegemony/domination, 25.4 power, World Policeman, NATO work, technology, dollar, money, economy 11.8 economy, capitalism ally, friend, partner, assistance, the the Polish perspective 9.3 country of dreams, “It is better.” democracy, freedom, opportunities, other characteristics 7.1 tolerance Source : Michael Fleischer, Europa, Niemcy, USA i Rosja w polskim systemie kultury [ Euro pe, Germany, USA and Russia in the Polish Culture System ], Wrocław 2004, p. 127. ically opposed this act, while 26 % strongly disagreed. 29 % of the Polish respon- dents supported the action of their government and 20 % had no definite opin- ion on this topic.6 The majority of the Polish public (52 %) sees no contradiction between a well functioning cooperation with the USA and integration in the European Union. This conviction is spread widely among politically active population. 46 % of the supporters of Poland’s accession to the EU believe that Poland should cooperate very closely with the USA. A year before the EU enlargement Polish public opin- ion did not see any inconsistency between a more intensive cooperation with the United States and a consolidation of the European integration. The majority wished that the European Union were founded on close cooperation with the USA.7 6 Cf. ibid., February 2003. 7 Cf. ibid., May 2003. 250 Aufsätze / Articles Polish Myths of America The great geographical distance between Poland and the United States assists the formation of myths. The myth of American wealth was always extremely wide spread in Poland. Over time this myth took on different shapes and meanings. Initially these impressions had an exotic and fairy tail character.