The image of peasant culture in the political thought of selected people’s parties of the Second Polish Republic

Culture formed a significant element of political thought of every major political movement, both during the final years of partition of Poland, and after it regained its independence. The scope of interest of people’s parties covered almost everything that had a rural context, relating to the many millions of peasants. The present article analyzes the program assumptions of the Polish People’s Party “Piast” [Pol. Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe “Piast”], Polish People’s Party “Wyzwolenie” [Pol. Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe “Wyzwolenie”], Peasant’s Party [Pol. Stronnictwo Chłopskie] and the People’s Party [Pol. Stronnictwo Ludowe] relating to the aforesaid category of political sciences. These parties played a significant role in the history of people’s movement, influencing the shape of the recreated Polish state during the interwar bi-decade. The political thought of people’s parties aimed at bestowing the peasant’s culture with both autonomous, and nationwide value. These ideological assumptions were included in the political programs of people’s parties.

Wife, Geisha, or Suffragist? – An Image of Japanese Women in the Selected The Second Polish Republic Press in the 1930s

The Polish interwar press tried to bring its readers closer to the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. Many articles were devoted to Japanese women. Usually, it was done by mass magazines such as sensational “As” and travel-geographical “Na Szerokim Świecie” [On the Broad World] published by holding “Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny” [Illustrated Daily Courier], as well as Warsaw “Naokoło Świata” [Around the World], and women’s magazines, e.g., “Bluszcz” [Ivy]. A Japanese was presented either as a mysterious woman of exotic beauty and a mysterious soul, a wife devoted to the family, a victim of the patriarchal system, or an emancipate fighting for political, professional, and social rights. The mass magazines and women focused on the social situation of Japanese women, stressing that it was extremely unfavourable and, as an example, gave their unequal position in marriage. However, they added that their position had improved rapidly, although they still had a long way to go to emancipate. The interwar press tried to combat common stereotypes about the inhabitants of Japan. One was to say that all Japanese women are, by nature, perfect wives, mothers, and mothers-in-law, and the other that geishas are luxury prostitutes.