Could It Save Itself? The Republic in the 18th Century

Visitors are invited to a series of lectures entitled "Could It Save Itself? The Republic in the 18th Century", which will be concerned with the challenges faced by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the final period of its existence. Distinguished experts in the history of the 18th century will talk about selected aspects of social and political life which were the objects of interest of the Enlightenment-age reformers (their actions – although successful – did not save the state from collapse).
Lectures in the Royal Łazienki

Visitors are invited to a series of lectures entitled "Could It Save Itself? The Republic in the 18th Century", which will be concerned with the challenges faced by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the final period of its existence. Distinguished experts in the history of the 18th century will talk about selected aspects of social and political life which were the objects of interest of the Enlightenment-age reformers (their actions – although successful – did not save the state from collapse).

The lectures will also reveal the flawed aspects of the 1st Republic, including those brought on by pressures of the neighbouring powers. The audience will have the opportunity to answer the question whether the Republic could save itself, and what caused its failure to do so.

In addition, the lectures will help see today’s Poland from a historical perspective, from which it will be possible to identify current political and social issues of the 21st century – both positive ones and those which leave us concerned – that have roots in the pre-partition Poland.

The series "Could It Save Itself? The Republic in the 18th Century" has been prepared by the Royal Łazienki Museum in cooperation with Professor Zofia Zielińska from the Institute of History of the Warsaw University.

LECTURE SCHEDULE:

21 September 2016 – Dorota Dukwicz, Ph. D., Was the 18th Century Republic a Sovereign State?

16 November 2016 – Professor Wojciech Kriegseisen, Condition of the Underprivileged. Townsmen, Peasants, Dissidents

7 December 2016 – Jakub Bajer, Ph. D., Royal, State, Magnate – Faces of Polish Diplomacy in the Stanislavian Era

11 January 2017 – Professor Anna Grześkowiak-Krwawicz, Liberum Veto: A Real Fight Against the Mythical Ideal

22 March 2017 – Urszula Kosińska, Ph. D., Memorable Polish Sejms of the 18th Century and their Destruction at the Hands of Neighbouring States

5 April 2017 – Maria Czeppe, Ph. D., In the Face of Difficult Choices – Outstanding Personalities of the 18th Century Republic

24 May 2017 – Professor Richard Butterwick-Pawlikowski, Why the Great Sejm Has Earned Poles’ Recognition (And Not Only Poles’)

07 June 2017 – Urszula Kosińska, Ph. D., Decalogue of the “Stanislavian Renaissance” – from Stanisław Konarski to the Constitution of May 3.