Bobko
7 Feb 2023
History / The great mistakes of Poland's history? [216]
I found a NYTimes article from the archive, for April 12, 1864.
Source: nytimes.com/1864/04/12/archives/the-czars-proclamation-of-emancipation-in-poland-the-epoch-of.html
There you can see, that already then observers perceived that this was an attempt by the Russian Emperor to prevent the Polish peasantry from rallying behind the aristocracy (although obviously tied to the reform in Russia, three years prior).
Excerpt:
The Emperor, in this great and wise measure, has struck the mortal blow to the Polish Revolution. He has met revolution by a counter-revolution. He has liberated Poland. He has withdrawn the Polish struggle from the field of European sympathies. The millions who, on the 15th of April, shall stand up freemen, are so many supporters of the Russian Government, and pledges of its continuance in Poland. The Polish aristocracy are attacked in the house of their friends.
A similar thought process was in operation in Prussia and Austria, it seems. Each despot was competing with the other in how much freedom they could grant their Poles. In this context, it is no surprise that Polish peasants didn't really give two sh!ts about what their national "elite" wanted from them. Every single occupier was offering better terms than their ancient masters.
Here's another interesting excerpt from the 1864 article:
On the 15th of April, by a recent ukase of the Czar, every serf in Russian Poland is to be at once and forever set free from all bondage. He is to own the cottage and the plot of ground which he has been occupying, his time and labor are to be his own, and he is liberated from all claims to service and obligations of labor which his master may have possessed over him. For this great emancipation, he has only to pay to the Government a tax, by which "loyal masters" are to be remunerated. More than this, the Polish serf is to become at once a self-governing citizen. He is to elect his own village officials, his mayor, and sheriff, and justice of the peace -- a privilege which Prussia has never yet granted to the Prussian Poles.
I found a NYTimes article from the archive, for April 12, 1864.
Source: nytimes.com/1864/04/12/archives/the-czars-proclamation-of-emancipation-in-poland-the-epoch-of.html
There you can see, that already then observers perceived that this was an attempt by the Russian Emperor to prevent the Polish peasantry from rallying behind the aristocracy (although obviously tied to the reform in Russia, three years prior).
Excerpt:
The Emperor, in this great and wise measure, has struck the mortal blow to the Polish Revolution. He has met revolution by a counter-revolution. He has liberated Poland. He has withdrawn the Polish struggle from the field of European sympathies. The millions who, on the 15th of April, shall stand up freemen, are so many supporters of the Russian Government, and pledges of its continuance in Poland. The Polish aristocracy are attacked in the house of their friends.
A similar thought process was in operation in Prussia and Austria, it seems. Each despot was competing with the other in how much freedom they could grant their Poles. In this context, it is no surprise that Polish peasants didn't really give two sh!ts about what their national "elite" wanted from them. Every single occupier was offering better terms than their ancient masters.
Here's another interesting excerpt from the 1864 article:
On the 15th of April, by a recent ukase of the Czar, every serf in Russian Poland is to be at once and forever set free from all bondage. He is to own the cottage and the plot of ground which he has been occupying, his time and labor are to be his own, and he is liberated from all claims to service and obligations of labor which his master may have possessed over him. For this great emancipation, he has only to pay to the Government a tax, by which "loyal masters" are to be remunerated. More than this, the Polish serf is to become at once a self-governing citizen. He is to elect his own village officials, his mayor, and sheriff, and justice of the peace -- a privilege which Prussia has never yet granted to the Prussian Poles.