The Polish Constitution of 3rd May, 1791
For centuries, 3rd May has always been one of the most important dates in the Polish
national calendar. This was the day the Great Sejm (Parliament) of the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, adopted the Constitution of 3rd May, the first of its type in
Europe and second oldest national constitution after the 1787 American Constitution.
This important document was
designed to redress the many
political defects of the Dual
Monarchy of the PolishLithuanian
Commonwealth
(Rzeczypospolita) at that
time. This system, often
referred to the “Nobles’
Democracy”, gave too much
power
to
the
nobility
(szlachta) and overtime this
had corrupted the politics of
the Commonwealth.
The process of adoption of
this historic document was
not smooth, it was preceded by protests and strong opposition, mainly from the Polish
nobility. Nevertheless, major reforms began first with the election of Stanislaw August
Poniatowski as the Commonwealth’s last king, thus displacing the prevailing anarchy
fostered by the country’s magnates and installing a more democratic constitutional
monarchy. Thereby, introducing elements of equality between the common people
and the nobility and placing the peasant class under the protection of the Government,
not the rich landowners, thus abolishing the worst abuses of serfdom in Poland.
Proclamation of the 3rd May Constitution. Painting by Jan Matejko
The Constitution also banned what was then referred to as Liberum Veto, which for
decades allowed any deputy (usually from the Polish nobility) to revoke any legislation
passed by the Sejm.
Unfortunately, Poland’s neighbours, Russia and Prussia, were not happy with
Poland’s adoption of a National Constitution or the notion of giving common people
democratic rights. Russia and Prussia formed an alliance and attacked and defeated
Poland. This was known as the First Partition of Poland. This alliance and the attack
on the Polish Commonwealth was supported by disgruntled Polish magnates and the
nobility, who both continued to oppose the adoption of the Constitution.
Sadly, the 1791 Constitution remained in force for only 19 months, being annulled in
1793. Soon after, the Second and Third Partitions of Poland took place and this ended
the existence of the sovereign Polish state.
For 123 years, Poland remained erased from the world map. Yet, the strong flame of
the desire for a free and an independent Poland kept burning strongly in the hearts of
the Polish people for all these 123 years with the Constitution of 3rd May always
remaining a symbol for the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty.