Periodic rituals as a tool for the integration of the political system after the May coup

After the May Coup Piłsudzki began the transformation of the political system in the direction of authoritarian solutions. Due to the lack of ideology, and also the need of public participation in political life, it was necessary to create mechanisms for the integration of the political system. The best tools for this purpose were periodic rituals – skillfully made by the ruling camp. They con­nect citizens between themselves and with government representatives . Analyzing the problems discussed in the pages of newspapers connected with sanacia, we can see the life cycles defining events in the Second Republic. These included name day of Jozef Pilsudski (19 March), Independence Day (November 11) and parliamentary elections. At that moments compeers of Piłsudski mobilized the whole society to work together, celebrate together, and seemingly involve in the public life of the country. Outside of these moments the system was free from political mobilization. The journalists analyzed the situation of Polish, mentioned merit and urged to be active.

Although the headlines showed very solemn, glamour celebration of name day of Pilsudski and Independence Day, they were a unique event. Besides poems, memories, articles glorify Marshall and distinguished soldiers in the fight for independence, there was no opportunity for the active participation of citizens in the celebrations. Except these individuals who laid flowers and take part in the official ceremony in Warsaw, the people accompanied apathy and lack of commitment. The most exciting period of political life however were elections. In this period appeared many articles analyzing and criticizing politics and party’s activity in Poland. Otherwise the elections time political life was relatively calm, sometimes disturbed by occasional ventures.

It would seem that the function of the Chief of State is of purely historical significance and connected with the role played by Józef Piłsudski in the restoration of Polish statehood one hundred years ago. Recently, however, the concept of the Chief of State appears as a publicist figure regarding Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS). In this essay, the authors would like to evaluate the accuracy of such a comparison. According to their observations, the labelling the current PiS leader as the Chief of State is definitely inadequate. It follows from the fact that his contemporary influence on the functioning of the state is not supported by either personal services or performing state functions. It is based on mythical categories, built on emotions and instruments of historical politics, rather than on real systemic circumstances.