The Gdańsk Liberals – an Exemplification of Polish Pragmatic Liberalism

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to present the ideology and socio-political program of the Gdansk liberals. Subsequently, an attempt will be made to incorporate the concept of the Gdansk liberals in the party program of the Liberal Democratic Congress (Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny). The introduction focuses on the definition of intellectual formation called the Gdansk liberals. Further the author introduces the basic ideas, the political program (system of state, privatization as an attempt to create a middle class, regionalism, and the issue of “liberal revolution”). The article ends with reflections on the relationship of Gdansk’s liberals to Congress.