The Cooperative Movement as a Catalyst for Changes in Social Attitudes in the Polish Lands in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century

The 19th century was a period of extremely rapid and profound changes in the Polish lands. The industrial revolution and the liquidation of the remnants of feudalism, that took place at that time, left their mark not only on economic life but also on social life. This period saw the development of capitalism as the basic form of the economic system. Many social consequences also resulted from it. The cooperative movement was initially a response to economic difficulties. It was to provide cheap purchases of basic food products, accessible and safe credit, and the possibility of developing small businesses. For this purpose, more cooperatives were established. However, it soon became apparent that the new conditions required not only economic but also social solutions. It was necessary to build a new type of society. The serfs had to change into citizens. Cooperatives turned out to be an ideal tool, it taught not only entrepreneurship but also supported pro-social attitudes, such as responsibility, conscientiousness and honesty. It built a sense of self-worth and attachment to the local community and, in the long run, also the national community. It also posed challenges to local elites, in order to maintain their status they had to demonstrate commitment and dedication to the local community. Their authority was not given once and for all. The cooperative movement turned out to be a catalyst for great changes in both economic and social life and without it it would have been difficult to build a civil society, especially in a situation where one did not have one’s own statehood and the country in which one lived was openly hostile to Poles.