Z badań nad zjawiskiem korupcji w nowożytnej Rzeczpospolitej XVII-XVIII wieku

The author of the article deals with the issue of corruption in the Republic of Poland between the 17th and 18th centuries. He starts with a definition of the notion of corruption and the spheres of life it covered. Subsequently, he makes an attempt to counteract corruption aiming at eliminating it from a social and political life. Despite all these attempts, it turned out to be impossible to eliminate corruption so tightly connected especially with a political life of the Polish-Lithuanian country. The issues of committed abuses during the parliamentary session and actions taken by the city, the representatives of which used corruption to realize their postulates in the Parliament are described. It also presents the examples of corrupting the rulers of the Republic of Poland, as well as its closest co-workers. One should notice that both the kings and the court used the same methods in their realization of political conceptions. Corruption actions taken by the foreign governments aiming at paralysing the Polish-Lithuanian politics and weakening the position of the country were regarded as especially dangerous for the Republic of Poland. The actions of corrupting the clerks making the foreign diplomats know many secrets of the Republic of Poland were alarming. The dissolution of the Parliament, paid by the foreign governments aiming at a political and military weakening of the Republic of Poland, and, thus, making it impossible to conduct the reform of the country had a tragic influence on the political history. Finally, the article also presents the issue of a political corruption functioning in during the interregnum when the associates in the battle for the Polish crown were being recruited by means of money

Sejmiki koronne wobec problemów wewnętrznych Rzeczypospolitej za panowania Michała Korybuta Wiśniowieckiego (1669-1673)

In his work the Author researches the Crown assemblies’ (i.e. sejmiks’) attitude toward internal conflicts that the Republic of Poland had to deal with at the time of short but turbulent reign of King Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (Michael I). However, Wiśniowiecki’s reign was influenced by a destructive pro-French policy of the so-called Malcontents party, who aimed to dethrone the king, and thus elect a candidate who would be designated by Louis XIV of France. Another obstacle that Michał Korybut had to surmount was the Ukrainian conflict between a pro-Polish Cossack hetman, Michał Chanenka, and Piotr Doroszenko, a hetman who strove for a separation between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland. Doroszenko viewed himself as a Turkish subject, which was connected with the aggressive Turkish policy that ultimately led to a war and consequently to a defeat that the Republic of Poland suffered in 1672. The scope as well as other aspects of the research are limited to the Crown territory, which was the Author’s intention. The book is divided into five chapters. Chapter one, comprising five subchapters, transcends the reign of Michał Korybut. The historic narrative delineates the time of John II Casimir (Jan Kazimierz) and Ludwika Maria reign, when the first pro-French party was formed. This newly-formed party was to pave the way for introduction of political reforms which in fact did harm to the privilege of the nobility which was a free (royal) election. The death of Ludwika Maria and the abdication of John II Casimir (Jan Kazimierz) created a need to elect a new candidate to throne. The election of 1669 highly surprised those who favored foreign candidates, as the nobility preferred Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki over the foreigners. The election was opposed by the pro-French camp with Primate of Poland Mikołaj Prażmowski and Crown Hetman and marshal Jan Sobieski. The Malcontents Party, who were favored by Louis XIV of France, aimed to paralyze political plans of the young king and to dethrone him. However, the nobility who stood up for their „own” king was his ally. The chapter makes use of laudas and assemblies’ instructions on the basis of which it depicts the Crown assemblies’ attitude toward anti-royal opposition. The chapter presents chronological development till 1671. Chapter two also falls into five subchapters. It depicts the most dramatic events that took place during Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki’s reign, and concerns the dissolution of two subsequent assemblies (sejmiks) summoned in 1672. The situation prevented from taking any defensive actions that would repel Turkish attacks, which finally led to taking over a significant fortress – Kamieniec Podolski, and to signing a treaty in Buczacz that sanctioned the loss of Podolia and Ukraine by the Republic of Poland. The internal conflicts in the Polish-Lithuanian state became even more complicated, for in 1672 they led to establishment of three confederacies, two of which were pro-royal – in Gołąb and Kobryń; whereas one was anti-royal – in Szczebrzeszyn. Further actions entailed the confederate gathering in Warsaw called by Michał Korybut, which started its sessions on January 4th, 1673. The sessions made it possible to hold talks with the Malcontent party, which paved the way for its transformation into sejm and reaching a national agreement. Chapter three splits into four subchapters which discuss reforms postulated by assemblies (sejmiks) and aimed to improve the political system. Presented at the beginning are bills introduced at Crown assemblies by the monarch, and then – the assemblies’ reaction to a reformatory agenda proclaimed by the court as well as postulates that issued as effects of a creative reflection by Crown assemblies. Chapter four deals with monetary issues. It is divided into six subchapters, the first of which presents a reformatory agenda of improving the monetary system issued by the court. The subsequent subchapters illustrate the views of Crown assemblies on the reasons for the monetary crisis, sanctions for people responsible for that situation, and solutions proposed to remove sub-standard coins from circulation. Two subchapters of chapter five investigate the military issues. The first one presents the assemblies’ attitude toward issues of defense as well as awkward questions of funding the army due to areas of voivodeships and lands aroused tensions between the nobility and hetmans, as well as the army itself. The soldiers who did not receive any money would raid and make illegitimate requisition over the civilians’ possessions. The second subchapter discusses the issue of fortifications. Their role – including the borderland fortifications located in Podolia and Ukraine which were within the range of direct Turkish attacks – was of crucial importance. This was observed by king Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki as well as by the assemblies, especially those located in areas prone to Tatars raids. The author provides an appendix which includes twenty-two attachments (e.g. prices of articles, old weights and measures, prices of luxury items, approximate prices of items, soldiers’ pay in 1673, indirect taxes values (szelężny and czopowy), and certain currency exchange rates

Finansowe kulisy walki o polską koronę po abdykacji Jana Kazimierza a przed elekcją Michała Korybuta Wiśniowieckiego w świetle raportów dyplomatów elektora brandenburskiego (1668-1669)

In the presented article, the author has concentrated on the presentation of the backroom activities of the brandenburgian elector's diplomats who resided in the Republic of Poland in the years 1668-1669. The main diplomats of the elector Friedrich Wilhelm Hohenzollern in that time were: Johann von Hoverbeck,Joachim Scultetus, Eusebius Brandt and Friedrich Jena. In the article there is shown an elaborate diplomatic game and actions using money and given promises to acquire political allies who would declare themselves for a candidate to a Polish crown - prince Philip Wilhelm Neuburg - supported by Friedrich Wilhelm Hohenzollern and Ludwik XN. Branderburgian-Prussian diplomats were leading talks, meeting the former king, Jan Kazimierzand officials of high rank to test their opinion and eventually pull them on their side. There is shown in the article that one of the ways to acquire political allies in the election fight was corruption used by foreign diplomats. The author, using the archival sources has presented diplomatic activities, in which money or a promise of a grace or an officewas a price for received support or service. It was possible to examine what sums of money were offered in these political auctions and to whom they were given, how people who were interested were increasing prices by themselves, sometimes playing on both sides. There is presented a game of elector Friedrich Wilhelm's diplomats, tending not only to corrupt magnates and important officials on the election time, but also they were trying to gain long-range aims by winning persons in high positions in the authority and officialhierarchy and on this way to gain precious and secret information about Polish politics. The political result of the election was unexpected, as the nobility has rejected foreign candidates to choose the native one - 19th June 1669 the prince Michał Korybut Wiśniowieckiwas elected to be a king of Poland. A big group of nobility were showing hostility toward backroom activity of senators and diplomats and a corruption used by them. It is worth to pay attention that the estimation of a new monarch by the elector's diplomats was very quick. They decided that a choice of him would not be unprofitable for the elector what was a very clear proof that the Friedrich Wilhelm'spolitics toward Poland was negative.In the conclusion, the author presented the then estimation of the corruption issue and opinions of contemporary academics who investigate this problem

XVIII-wieczne projekty naprawy polskiego pieniądza : projekt Józefa Kostki Rostkowskiego z 1760 roku

The subject of the present article is a monetarist project of the Oryszkowce starosta Józef Kostka Rostkowski. The project was a reaction to the King’s program of reforms included in August III’s Univelsal calling the Sejm of 1760. Józef Kostka Rostkowski proposed the setting up of the Company with the seed capital of 10 million tynf contributed by: the king August III, Republic of Poland’s Treasury, Prior of the Order of Saint Paul the Hermit in Częstochowa, and by 9.800 noblemen, to enable the silver mines out of order as well as the Crown’s Mint manufacturing Polish currency. The capital was to have an annual interest rate of 10 per cent for 10 following years, after which a dividend was supposed to be paid. Even though the project also assumed its implementation in course of extra‑parliamentary action, in practice it was not implemented

Study of interfaces chemistry in type-II GaSb/InAs superlattice structures

There is a considerable interest in type-II GaSb/InAs superlattice system due to several modern applications including infrared detectors. In these studies X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) have been used to extensive characterization of the surface and interface of GaSb/InAs superlattice. Application of XPS and SE techniques provide precise information from topmost layers of structure and allow excluding presence of GaAs-type interfaces in GaSb/InAs superlattices. Simultaneously, these results indicate that InSb-type or GaInSb-type interfaces have been detected in the structures studied

Ludzie i wydarzenia

[Ludzie i wydarzenia związane z Uniwersytetem Śląskim

Surface passivation of (100) GaSb using self-assembled monolayers of long-chain octadecanethiol

The passivation of (100) GaSb surface was investigated by means of the long-chain octadecanethiol (ODT) self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The properties of ODT SAM on (100) GaSb were characterized by the atomic force microscopy using Kelvin probe force microscopy mode and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The chemical treatment of 10mM ODT-C2H5OH has been applied to the passivation of a type-II superlattice InAs/GaSb photodetector. The electrical measurements indicate that the current density was reduced by one order of magnitude as compared to an unpassivated photodetector

Mobile based vibration monitoring and its application to road quality monitoring in deep underground mine

Road quality is an important issue in everyday life for all car owners. This issue seems to be critically important in underground mines, where LHD machines are used for material transport. One of the biggest problems for LHD operation is relatively quick tires degradation. One of possible reasons might be road surface quality, indeed. However, driver's skills as well as ways of machine operation (loading, acceleration, breaking...) might also play a crucial role. Nowadays, many of machines are equipped with onboard monitoring system that allows to monitor basic parameters (speed, torque, temperatures, pressures etc.) at some predefined components. To complete the picture, we propose to use proposed already (but not for mining applications) vibration measurement for road roughness evaluation. To measure vibration acceleration is relatively easy task (we used simple smartphone here), unfortunately method of parametrization and concluding about road quality is still a challenge in mining case. In this paper we have presented a short communication related to first experimental work and some ideas how to deal with this problem using statistical tools for signal modeling

Les coulisses pécuniaires de la bataille sur la couronne de Pologne après l’abdication de Jean Casimir et avant l’élection de Michel Korybut Wiśniowiecki à la lumiére des rapports des diplomats d’électeur de Brandenburg (1668–1669)

In the presented article, the author has concentrated on the presentation of the backroom activities of the brandenburgian elector's diplomats who resided in the Republic of Poland in the years 1668-1669. The main diplomats of the elector Friedrich Wilhelm Hohenzollern in that time were: Johann von Hoverbeck, Joachim Scultetus, Eusebius Brandt and Friedrich Jena. In the article there is shown an elaborate diplomatic game and actions using money and given promises to acquire political allies who would declare themselves for a candidate to a Polish crown - prince Philip Wilhelm Neuburg - supported by Friedrich Wilhelm Hohenzollern and Ludwik XN. Branderburgian-Prussian diplomats were leading talks, meeting the former king, Jan Kazimierzand officials of high rank to test their opinion and eventually pull them on their side. There is shown in the article that one of the ways to acquire political allies in the election fight was corruption used by foreign diplomats. The author, using the archival sources has presented diplomatic activities, in which money or a promise of a grace or an officewas a price for received support or service. It was possible to examine what sums of money were offered in these political auctions and to whom they were given, how people who were interested were increasing prices by themselves, sometimes playing on both sides. There is presented a game of elector Friedrich Wilhelm's diplomats, tending not only to corrupt magnates and important officials on the election time, but also they were trying to gain long-range aims by winning persons in high positions in the authority and officialhierarchy and on this way to gain precious and secret information about Polish politics. The political result of the election was unexpected, as the nobility has rejected foreign candidates to choose the native one - 19th June 1669 the prince Michał Korybut Wiśniowieckiwas elected to be a king of Poland. A big group of nobility were showing hostility toward backroom activity of senators and diplomats and a corruption used by them. It is worth to pay attention that the estimation of a new monarch by the elector's diplomats was very quick. They decided that a choice of him would not be unprofitable for the elector what was a very clear proof that the Friedrich Wilhelm'spolitics toward Poland was negative. In the conclusion, the author presented the then estimation of the corruption issue and opinions of contemporary academics who investigate this problem