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Krasnodebski, Zdzislaw
4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Poland's Germany complex
In the run-up to the European Football Championships, Polish tabloids have launched a vicious photomontage attack on the German team. Polish philosopher Zdzisław Krasnodębski explains that these attacks are the result of Poland's general stance towards Germany. "What we see here is a conglomeration of Polish complexes and frustrations, its sense of being treated unfairly, of imbalance, and ultimately a sense of powerlessness. We try to overcome these negative feelings by expressing them through games and entertainments that lack any real meaning. This virtual war serves as a substitute for state action. ... It is a bid to escape politics, escape responsibility, and flee to a world of ersatz battles. Many Poles refuse to recognise that there are fundamental problems with Poland's position in Europe, with our neighbours, with the discrepancies between Poland and Germany regarding such matters as policy towards Russia, ... and even with our perception of reality. They will demand the ratification of any European treaty and approve all proposals put forward by Germany while using football as an ersatz for war."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Print media, » Sport, » Germany, » Poland
Poland confronts its past
Zdzislaw Krasnodebski challenges the notion that the current focus on the enmeshment in the secret service in Poland was set into motion "from above and on the orders of the Kaczynski brothers". Rather, it is a societal necessity, he suggests: "First of all, it is about a sense of justice, which, when damaged, erodes the state's legitimacy and leads to cynicism. After 1989, many Solidarity activists were living in poverty and oblivion. Their tormentors had it easy. Only now are many everyday heroes receiving high accolades from the president. Secondly, it is about telling the truth. We want to know how the mechanisms of power and force in the People's Republic of Poland functioned, and what led to the decision for transformation in 1989. Thirdly, it is about transparency in public life. There is evidence that many persons after 1989 were exposed to pressure and blackmail. Fear and dependency influenced politics and the economy."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » History, » Weltanschauung, » Poland
The elites and the Kaczynski brothers.
In a conversation with Jacek Zakowski, Bremen-based sociology professor Zdzislaw Krasnodebski, who advises the Kaczynski brothers and was the guiding intellectual force for the "Fourth Republic", bemoans the lack of far-reaching social reforms in Poland. He blames Polish society and in particular the elites for failing to support such reforms. "We're confronted with a destructive alliance here. Since the elections, the Kaczynski brothers have been attacked mercilessly by a large part of the elites and the media. The pressure is provoking emotional reactions from the politicians. These reactions, in turn, increase the resistance and aversion of the elites, and this in turn leads to more emotional reactions. A vicious circle of emotionality has been created."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Poland
Assessment of Aleksander Kwasniewski's Presidency
Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski's ten years in office come to an end on Thursday. According to Zdzislaw Krasnodebski, Kwasniewski sybolises today's Poland. "Kwasniewski stands for the Poland that emerged after the Round Table Agreement of 1989; for its successes, ambitions and hopes, but also its weaknesses, unsolved problems and darker aspects. The Third Polish Republic could not have had a better president." Krasnodebski sees Kwasniewski's transformation from an apparatchic into a true statesman as symbolic of Poland's transformation and the Western ambitions of its elite. However, he also points to the many scandals which have plagued Poland's political elite since 1995 and in which Kwasniewski was also involved to a various extent. "His political ties and certain dubious acquaintances from the past have prevented him from implementing far-reaching reforms to the system and state institutions. He leaves this great challenge to his successor."
» more information (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Poland
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