Mýtus republiky - Identita a politický diskurz raně novověké polské šlechty – Květina Jan (2020)

In contrast to the traditional narrative of Polish historical identity, which is usually burdened with many stereotypes that cast the local noble ancestors in the roles of arrogant feudal lords, fanatical Catholics, romantic warriors, or Dionysian drinkers, this book presents a more realistic image of the Polish noble world, which has been more or less unknown to the Czech reader until now. It seeks to understand the mentality of the aristocratic elites of the 16th and 17th centuries through a 'dialogue' with those who shaped it through their political activity and literary creation, namely the noble 'citizens': the world of their political ideas suggests that the key principle of Polish collective self-identification at the time cannot be sought in ethnic or class attributes, but rather in the symbolic space of a just republic, defined by a unique understanding of freedom, equality, and the common good. While in the first two parts of the book the author examines the possibilities of situating the contours of contemporary Polish thought and the related political culture within the framework of the tradition of European republicanism, the third part offers a unique detailed insight into the ideological world of three noble politicians and writers – Stanisław Orzechowski, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, and Łukasz Opaliński. It is precisely in...