Peasantry system in Poland - Did it consisted of three classes?

Hi!

From my limited understanding of Polish history, it seems that it consisted of three classes - one, the aristocrats, who were basically illiterate bullies who thought of themselves as a kind of asiatic mounted-horsemen, possibly mongoloid.

Then, the Jews, who they hired to do all of the accounting and administrative work, and...

then the vast majority of the blonde-haired peasants who were considered and treated basically as farm animals.

I'm no commie, but it seems that the majority of Polish come from this oppressed underclass and were never taught manners and reason.

I noticed that a lot of them in rural areas still worship little catholic idols by the side of the road and have strange superstitious believes.

Also I noticed that they have very primitive ideas on hygiene and health: no one here covers their mouth when coughing (as if germs are unknown) and very few males wash their hands after defecating.

I was also surprised that for a northern people, they seem to have a very strange fear of cold weather and get far more bundled up than people in the West would for similar temperatures.

Your overview is a bit too basic and simplistic, at least insofar as not ALL Polish aristocrats were drunken, illiterate bullies, as you seem to suggest! Don't forget about the szlachta, who after all, served as the basis of the Polish "upper middle class"!

The unassimilated, orthodox Jews lived more or less on the periphery of mainstream Polish society. Many never moved much beyond their shtettls until well into the 19th century.

Yes, but Lyzko, unless I misunderstand - The slachta guys WANTED Jews in Poland, and they wanted them precisely for their literacy - remember that back then Jews had to learn to read and write in order to study their talmud, whereas the Roman Catholic Church always wanted people illiterate so they could never read the bible (which is so much the opposite of what this church teaches).

I never suggested the contrary! All I was saying is that perhaps you were being quick to generalize the aristocracy, that's all:-)

Yes, I'm 100% sure you are correct, but my generalizations are based on ignorance - one, I don't speak the language - I am just trying to deduce things based on other facts - such as they seemed to view themselves as some kind of Turkic nomads instead of literate European aristocrats.

Uh-uh, watch the stereotyping again, not__Polish. "Turkic nomads"?? The Polish aristocracy??? It was Polish king Jan Sobieski who helped drive the Turks out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the 17th century, if memory serves me correctly!

Yes, everyone fought everyone back then. But from my understanding the slachta considred themselves asiatic, not European.

As with many other Slavic neighbors, the Poles DO also share distant Asiatic roots. What's your point exactly? Thus far, all I've been able to make heads or tails of a lot of rambling.

My thesis on Poland culture is the following - Most of the people here, at least 90%, live and think a lot like they did 100, 500, or even 1000 years ago, with certain modifications.

They have tendencies towards magical thinking, and are not really "European" in the sense of Post-Enlightenment sentiments.

Give it a rest, man!

I'm just trying to understand things. alot of people bash Americans, and a lot of the criticisms are very valid.

Self-reflection are a part of growth.

Without it you will stagnate.

Pardon, but the comparison made was with 'Mongolians", aka "Asians", and not with "Mongoloids" aka "retards"!!
All due respect:-)

There was no comparison of Poles to Mongols (what is wrong with being a Mongol, btw?)
I said that schlachta considered themselves asiatic (and they did.........)..............
Nobody disputes this.

If you want me to post about history, why would it go anywhere but the history section?
Is "history" only the officially-sanctioned Party-approved version?
Or is critical thinking not allowed here?

The problem with you two...is that you are too politically correct.
This behavior is seen amongst African Americans in the US, but not by Europeans or European Americans.
We are capable of self-reflection and are confident enough to discuss things without getting our feelings hurt.