A term „violence”, despite transformations of the meanings, has always been connected with relations between genders, and as such, what it means in a given society to be a woman and a man and which economic, social and psychological relations have been assigned to these categories. At least since the 18th century, unequal share of the power between men and women has been justified with, among others, a different share of “passion” and different potential of violence. A real power ready to use violence should be focused on the men side while a tasks of women should be neutralizing men’s readiness to use violence, achieved by subjecting themselves to men. For thousands of years military battles have been almost exclusively a man’s privilege. Even 100 years ago, women did not have a right to vote even in western countries with the longest democratic traditions. Today, giving a woman the highest office in a state is not unusual. So can we talk about a fall of the patriarchy and replacing men by women even in such man fields as war and military battles?

The author presents the constitutional aspects of the general duty of defense of the Fatherland in accordance with Polish law. The article is based on a comparative legal analysis of the provisions of the Constitution relating to the above-mentioned issue and, supplementarily, of the Act on the general obligation to defend the Republic of Poland. The work is theoretical and legal. At the beginning he analyzes the history and evolution of the concept of general duty of defense from the period of independence to the present day. The following part of the article presents the issue of the general duty of defense from the subjective and objective point of view. The author also presents normative acts which, apart from the constitution, regulate the issues of the general duty of defense. In addition, it indicates a number of entities that perform tasks in the field of defense, powers and competences.

The influence of military reforms on the formation of the democratic system in Spain (1975–1996)

This article discusses the key military reforms in Spain from 1975 to 1996 and their significance in the country’s transition from Franco’s dictatorship to a democratic regime. Following General Franco’s death in 1975, Spain faced the challenge of transforming its authoritarian political system into a stable democracy. One of the most critical elements of this process was the reform of the military structures, which played a pivotal role in maintaining the old regime. The article analyzes significant changes in the Spanish armed forces, including the adoption of a new military criminal code, reforms related to compulsory military service, and steps towards the professionalization of the army. It also examines the impact of these reforms on civil-military relations, particularly in reducing hostile sentiments towards the military and increasing its popularity and acceptance among citizens. The article highlights the role of King Juan Carlos as a key mediator during the transition period, who managed to persuade the military to accept democratic changes. Military reforms contributed to limiting the military’s ability to intervene in internal politics, which was crucial for consolidating the new democratic regime. These reforms led to the Spanish army ceasing to act as a political arbiter and focusing on its primary defense tasks, which significantly impacted the stabilization and development of democratic Spain.