Title: Double-Track Asymmetry: Alliances of the Republic of Poland in the 21st Century
Abstract: In last quarter century, Poland has been one of foremost beneficiaries of post-Cold War international order. Its per capita GDP rose seven-fold and at a rate unknown since 16th century, what is called the golden age, and individual consumption has reached 70% of that of Western Europe. This was accompanied by unprecedented modernisation of state infrastructure and by development of human capital.1 These are unchallengeable facts, even if granting that errors have been made and even if one views with rational criticism post-1989 changes in Poland and in particular their consequences: uneven distribution of wealth, emigration running into hundreds of thousands of young people, or still-unresolved social problems, and inflamed internal policy conflicts. In international dimension, Poland has leftthe Russian (Soviet) zone of influence and become part of Western world in political, economic and institutional sense alike. It is now situated in a civilisationally attractive area that provides a natural environment for achievement of individual and social aspirations.What made this success possible was end of Cold War and international order that evolved after it which ensured for Poland about 30 years of uninterrupted development. The last time country enjoyed such an advantageous combination of internal stability and a high level of international security was 400 years ago. Even more surprisingly, for first 10 to 15 years after end of Cold War, Poland-economically and socially devastated, weak and lacking allies-came out of communist morass and develop, enjoying as never in its history a prolonged spell of tranquillity.Now we watch as this interlude draws to an end at an ever-faster rate and with increasingly unpredictable effects. The international order that evolved after end of Cold War is crumbling before our very eyes. Three elements of this order-the most important from Polish perspective-are being destroyed. First, unquestioned position of United States as sole global power both capable and willing to engage in maintaining peace in remote areas or secondary ones (to U.S. interests) is faltering. Second, we are experiencing decomposition of European Union, whose elites have yet to show themselves capable of diagnosing sources of EU's everdeeper internal crisis, not to mention developing and implementing means to overcome it. Third, after some 20 years of geostrategic decline, Russia has set out to rebuild its international position and to re-impose upon world logic of zones of influence, and in pursuit of this aim it does not hesitate to employ any method, be it from arsenal so ruthlessly used by Lenin and Stalin or from stock put at Putin's disposal by modern technology and open information societies of West. All three cornerstones of Poland's security and development in last quarter century are changing and in a manner extremely disadvantageous for Poland.At same time, Poland's internal situation is becoming increasingly complicated. The mounting internal policy conflicts are about foundations of state rather than differences-great or small-of political party programmes. The parties to this conflict perceive each other not so much as political contestants in a democratic political system but as from a Manichean perspective, a battle of good and evil-an approach that in fact denies rival right to attain its political aims on grounds they are prejudiced against other's fundamental values, to essence of Polish interests, or of Polish raison d'etat. Worse still, negative emotions that go with this conflict-ruthless determination, obstinacy, inability to compromise, and revenge-have been taking ever deeper root. The logic of a natural democratic cycle has given way to logic of revolutionary change. The fourth cornerstone of Poland's development in last quarter century-its internal political stability-is increasingly at risk. …
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot