Description
Book SynopsisThe Clash of Moral Nations is a study of the political culture of interwar Poland, as reflected in and by the May 1926 coup and the following period of “sanacja.”
Trade Review“Plach does an excellent job of convincing the reader that her select examples are valuable and insightful. This makes the book—an enlightening look at interwar Poland’s cultural politics—well worth reading by a broad audience.” * Slavic Review *
“(T)his is an outstanding analysis of the trauma experienced by Poles in the wake of the realization that independence, on its own account, would not be a guarantee of political stability and national unity.” * The Slavonic and East European Review *
“This is an important book, presenting a pioneering, fresh approach to the subject….” * American Historical Review *
“Offers insight into the ways in which the boundaries between public and private spheres began to be effaced even before the arrival of totalitarianism…. solidly researched.” * Journal of Modern History *
“The Clash of Moral Nations is sure to become required reading for anyone interested in 20th-century East European history.”
“This original and readable reassessment of the implications of the connection of politics with a powerful yearning for a far reaching purification of the national condition deserves a prominent place in the scholarly literature on the history of interwar Poland.” * The Polish Review *
Table of ContentsSeries Editor's Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Abbreviations xv Guide to Pronunciation xvi Introduction Three Days That Shook the Republic, May 12-15, 1926 1 1. Poland's Postwar Moral Panic 17 2. Poland Writes to Piesudski 48 3. Building the Army of Moral Action 76 4. Women's Activism during the Sanacja Period 102 5. The Play-Boy in the Sanacja Nation 133 6. Assessing the Spring of Miracles 158 Notes 165 Bibliography 225 Index 257
