Cultural roots of political conflict in Poland

Abstract

The author describes the foundation of political conflict in Poland, which has become increasingly intensive in recent years. He argues that it has cultural roots. It is a cultural conflict in the sense that the competing political blocks strive to force their rivals to follow their values and lifestyle. These blocks compete to acquire ownership of the entire institutional system within the state and the values it is based on. They also strive to build an entirely different model of the state than that supported by their opponents. The author claims that two camps have been formed with relatively distinct characteristics and deeply rooted cultural biases: traditionalist-conservative and liberal (like Weber’s ideal type). However, a significant number of citizens do not belong to either of them, but they are not the ones who have caused the dynamics of political conflict during the last decade.