Tracing a stereotype: Russophobia in eighteenth-century Poland
The study aims to show that the Russophobia of the Poles was derived from a) territorial losses of the Polish nobles’ republic (Rzeczpospolita), military defeats as well as diplomatic failures, in other words, political factors; b) fundamental differences from the social structure of the neighbouring countries (royal power controlled by the nobles’ democracy vs. unlimited absolute power); c) religious, ideological antagonism. This last factor, which the study seems to focus on, concerned the conflict between Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic believers. The peace treaty of 1686 made by Poland and Russia secured the Russian czar’s right to guard and interfere in defence of the pravoslavs living in the Rzeczpospolita. When in 1733 the Polish parliament made discriminatory laws against non-Catholics, excluding them from military promotion, diplomatic service and even from running for office in parliament, using it as a pretext, Prussia and Russia made Poniatowski Polish ruler in 1764 against the will of the Poles. Under such pressure the Polish parliament withdrew all discriminatory legislation, and as a result resistance developed all around Poland, which, in turn, made Russia increase military pressure. Anti-Russian struggle was suppressed by the partition of Poland, but Russophobia as a sentiment against the major actor of Polish politics survived.
