Citizen, welcome to Part V of the traveling revolutionary series.
Kościuszko- you probably have seen his name before. Join me on an adventure to Poland to find out about this man involved in three revolutions, who remained a voice for the oppressed wherever they were.
This part doesn't take place in France, it takes place in Poland. In this history opinion piece, I hope that you will come to love Kosciuszko as much as I.
We shouldn't delay citizen, quickly, we are about to have our country invaded by three sides!
Before we embark on this journey with my opinions on this uprising keep in mind- it is 1795.
Russia, Prussia (Germany), Austria and Poland are referred to- and I'm not referring to the nations today.
Alas, here we must go! Let's see what the Polish Empire is up to!
Where are we?
We are in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the most powerful countries in history. At one point it held all the land in between Germany and Russia and even managed to take over Russia.
So over the years, this massive empire weakened, and its neighbor emerging empires (Austria, Russia, and Prussia) were looking at this multi-ethnic empire of Poland for their own land.
Weak leaders and political polarization led to the weakening of Poland and the country was gradually eaten away.
Or was it??
Think the Polish people would settle for this?
Mowimy Nie! (we say no).
The liberum veto also comes into play. Through this veto, anybody in the Sejm (Congress) who doesn't like a law can just veto it.
Oh citizen look at the anarchy
"You know I don't like this law so NOBODY is going to pass it!"
"Well just to spite you I will veto YOUR proposal"
As you can tell, revenge, spite, and wonderful partisanism is coming into play.
Our PLC (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) desperately needs reform but because of petty partisanism the country is literally falling apart and our neighbors are already taking us over.
Anyway, with gradual weakening of the empire and hey look we got a constitution! Isn't that great citizen? Huzzah!! Selfdom is also abolished. Uhhh ohh nevermind the neighbor countries don't like this, quick let us get out of this cafe-- I think that's an Austrian spy.
Here we are in the main square of Krakow, and look who is being sworn in to lead the fight against the partitioning of Poland? That's Kościuszko!
He is swearing to protect the Constitution and defend Polish freedom!
So citizen here is 5 reasons why Tadeusz Kościuszko was amazing and you should study him.
Romance gone wrong.
Alas! He was deeply in love with this one woman, but couldn't marry her due to social status. So they decided to elope. Oh the tragedy when the girl's father found out and tore them apart (after beating Kosciuśzko up).
Straight out of a Shakespearian drama.
He didn't See Borders.
He spoke Polish fluently (obviously), studied in France and spoke French fluently, learned how to speak English fluently when arriving in the US to help in the American Revolution. He knew no borders. He fought for everybody's freedom; "for our freedom and yours" became his and Poland's motto. He fought for the rights of those enslaved to be set free, and the rights of those serfs in Poland to be free.
He wanted unity.
He was a believer in religious freedom and believed that everybody should be treated equally without regards to religion or race. In a world where many people spoke these ideas, he lived it- helping slaves find freedom, and helping the people of minority religions be protected.
He had an interesting character.
A man of honor and courage, but also very human. A figure who lived in multiple countries and cared for the rights of man, a figure who stood before Catherine the Great and refused to denounce Poland. He respected all and fought for equality. George Washington had 11 different ways to spell his name and Kościuszko was totally chill with it!
He connected the world for liberty.
Kościuszko helps us to see the larger story of humanity. He was somebody who studied in France and saw the revolutionary growing there, somebody who came to America and helped my homeland win its independence from Great Britain. He designed our forts, he called out inequalities in America, and Poland as well. Finally, as somebody who returned to Poland and helped Poland fight for their rights and their new democratic Constitution against three absolute monarchist regimes threatening to conquer Poland- Kościuszko is a large piece in the puzzle of history, and his adventures show how three different nations had a lot more in common than you may think.
Ahh! Citizen the rebellion has begun!
Kościuszko has declared before Poland, before the world;
Not to use these powers to oppress any person, but to defend the integrity of the borders of Poland, regain the independence of the nation, and to strengthen universal liberties.
Are you coming, citizen? The peasants have cast off their chains and are armed with warsycles ready to defeat the three major empires that want to put them back into serfdom.
Come on citizen! Tonight we charge!
Oh no!! We are being overpowered, viva la Liberte!! What is this I hear? Jacobins? Oh, no.
So citizen, as you know the French Revolution was highly dramatized by monarchs across Europe who were afraid of losing their heads, so they started this whole rumor that us here in Poland want to guillotine the king.
Well... I'm sure some people might but the monarchist propaganda is missing a major point- this is Poland. Our struggles here are a bit different, we are trying to maintain our independence and our new pro-democracy constitution against three major empires that want to impose their absolute monarchist regimes on us. Will we let them?
Alas, citizen, I promise before you that I shall always support human rights and liberty, and we must cast off these chains.
Absolute monarchy has no liberty, only corruption, and tyranny. Even what started out as good gets corrupted when power is in the hands of one.
Oh no dear citizen, we must run into Switzerland!! faster!!
What happened?
We lost. Poland was partitioned between three monarchies.
In the 123 years of being partitioned, Poland had many more revolts such as the November Uprising (of which I was in a film about ) and the January Revolution.
After WW1 they gained independence.
Yes, I do believe this rebellion was justified. It did not work, but we can't see the future and see what won't work. We had to at least try to fight for liberty, especially against three monarchist regimes.
So this concludes our journey, now we return to 21st century Poland and are at a hipster cafe.
What adventure would you like to go on next?
Oh and I forgot something!
Kocham wolność. Niech żyje Republica
(I love liberty. Long live the Republic)
Until next time citizen!
Do widzenia!