Автор аналізує погляди Міхала Бобжинського, висвітлені в синтезі «Dziejе Polski w zarysie»
(1879), на місце Польщі на мапі європейської цивілізації та його ставлення до руських територій,
які були інкорпоровані до єдиного політичного організму Речі Посполитої.
In her article author analyzes the views of Polish historian Michał Bobrzyński, covered in his synthesis
“Dzieje Polski w zarysie” (1879), dedicated to symbolic geography. Author questioning the place of Poland
on the map of European civilization in Michał Bobrzyński’s work, and compare it to the views of another
two Polish historians – Joachim Lelewel and Józef Szujski, which are perceived to be a Bobrzyński’s
ideological opponent and an ally. Author examines this statement through visions of that three authors on
Polish attitude of Rusin territories that were incorporated into a single political body of the Polish-
Lithuanian Commonwealth. Szujski’s views on the place of Poland in the palette of civilizations echoed with
the concept of civilization, developed by Lelewel, where Polish culture is seen as a periphery of Western
cultural space, which foundations laid in the ancient tradition and the Catholic Christian Church culture,
and which were not properly inherited by Poland. When Szujski seen Polish expanditure to the Eastern
territories as lost opportunity to establish contact with the West and neglecting of their domestic interests,
Bobrzyński explains Polish decline by weakening of its royal power and loss of cohesion. This does not
undercut the viability and strength of the victorious Polish civilizational mission in the East. The real reason
of purely domestic political nature Bobrzyński translates onto elite inattention to such important matters as
the Cossack problem, disorganization of society, and the consequent chaos. Therefore, aspects, which
Szujski interpreted as interference in organic growth, Bobrzyński contrary seen as the first signs of
civilization progress. This can be explained by the fact that Bobrzyński’s concept of “civilization” has not
cultural but political connotation. When Szujski drew attention to the fact that the activity of energetic rulers
sometimes has negative consequences for society, in Bobrzyński’s narrative the strong power and civilization
appear synonymous.
