Abstract

The author presents the manner of understanding the notion of a ’nation’ in Polish intellectual space at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The specific, historical and political situation of Poland brought forth an untypical answer to the question, ”What does it mean to be Polish?”. Such an answer is exemplified by the political thought of Stanisław Staszic. The author subjects particular writings of Staszic to scrutiny, demonstrating both the evolution of his thinking and the foundations upon which his interpretation of the concept of a ’nation’ was based.