Suchergebnisse

The Governments of the Kingdom of Poland ( 1917–1918 ). Members and modes of functioningThe process of restoration of the Kingdom of Poland was started by the Act of 5th November 1916, issued by the governments of Germany and Austria-Hungary (after pushing out the Russian army from Polish territory and establishing the Regency Council). The foundations of Polish state administration were laid by the Regency Council through establishing Polish governments with Prime Ministers. The competencies of the government were delineated by the Act of 3rd January 1918 "about the temporary organization of the head authorities in the Kingdom of Poland". The act differentiated the executive power into the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministry and the Ministers themselves. The scope of Prime Minister's duties was defined the Patent of 12th September 1917 and the act of 03th January 1918. Neither of the documents made it clear, however, what authority, and according to what procedure, should appoint the Prime Minister. The new government was approved by the Regency Council only as requested by the already appointed Prime Minister. For sure it highlighted the independency of the "Ministers' President" from the rest of the government, whose work he supervised. During the time of the Regency Council five cabinets were established, including two provisional governments. Evaluating the cabinets, it should be highlighted that the cabinet of Jan Kucharzewski was the one which actively sought practical experience in managing the Council of Ministry, which later was used by their successors. Their other big achievement was preparation of a lot of projects of legal acts necessary for the development of the new Polish State. The cabinet of Jan Steczkowski continued this process, but after establishing the Council of State in June 1918 (whose role was overestimated) it slowed down in its work of overtaking the successive parts of country administration, and instead started establishing diplomatic offices, which turned out nothing but a faint attempt to show the illusory independency of the Kingdom of Poland. The cabinet of Józef Świeżyński struggled to demonstrate the independency of the Polish government in front of the German and Austrian governments, trying even to distance itself from the Regency Council. It is worth emphasizing the intense work of the provisional governments on taking over the state issues by Polish political subjects. Even though the possibilities of the first cabinets were very limited, they did establish the beginnings of Polish regular state administration and in this way educated the regular state administration officers for the future Polish State.

Wladyslaw Grabski government (from 23rd of June to 24th on July, 1920)(Summary)After establishing a new government with Prime Minister Wladyslaw Grabski, because of the fear from the Red Army coming closer to the border, one of the most signifying ideas was to create the Council for the Defence of the State, which could seize part of the Parliament duties and privileges. The Parliament bill, enacted rapidly, defined very wide authority of the Council, including passing regulations and ordinances, which ought to be fulfilled immediately. It was obligatory, that those ordinances, which needed to be fulfilled by Parliament, were to be approved during the next session. That means, the whole system of constituting the law by the Parliament was not restrained, but limited, because the Council got authority to make decisions and force governing bodies to act rapidly. The Council was not "a government", but it enabled to coordinate all state functions with an economic activity and the headquarters' work. Not violating the basis of political system, it was possible to intervene on all fields of state duties. The fact is, that establishing the Council for the Defence of the State weakened the government, as well as the Prime Minister's position. But also his fatuous decision about going to Spa for the meeting with British Prime Minister, with humiliating proposition of conditions of a truce, if only Russian invasion would be stopped, had weakened the position of whole government. Despite the Council for the Defence of the State, government still worked, and after the 1st of July it made eight sessions. Nevertheless, international politics pursued by W. Grabski, especially the case of a Spa meeting, considerably weakened the position of whole government, criticized for the whole period of its shortly existence, and even fought by left-centre factions.

Wladyslaw Grabski government (from 23rd of June to 24th on July, 1920)(Summary)After establishing a new government with Prime Minister Wladyslaw Grabski, because of the fear from the Red Army coming closer to the border, one of the most signifying ideas was to create the Council for the Defence of the State, which could seize part of the Parliament duties and privileges. The Parliament bill, enacted rapidly, defined very wide authority of the Council, including passing regulations and ordinances, which ought to be fulfilled immediately. It was obligatory, that those ordinances, which needed to be fulfilled by Parliament, were to be approved during the next session. That means, the whole system of constituting the law by the Parliament was not restrained, but limited, because the Council got authority to make decisions and force governing bodies to act rapidly. The Council was not "a government", but it enabled to coordinate all state functions with an economic activity and the headquarters' work. Not violating the basis of political system, it was possible to intervene on all fields of state duties. The fact is, that establishing the Council for the Defence of the State weakened the government, as well as the Prime Minister's position. But also his fatuous decision about going to Spa for the meeting with British Prime Minister, with humiliating proposition of conditions of a truce, if only Russian invasion would be stopped, had weakened the position of whole government. Despite the Council for the Defence of the State, government still worked, and after the 1st of July it made eight sessions. Nevertheless, international politics pursued by W. Grabski, especially the case of a Spa meeting, considerably weakened the position of whole government, criticized for the whole period of its shortly existence, and even fought by left-centre factions.