The history of political system and law in Poland WP-PR-HP-ćw

During the course, students will learn about the origins and evolution of numerous political and legal institutions. In particular, they will gain knowledge of the diverse sources of law, the history of parliamentarism, constitutionalism, the organisation of public administration, the functioning of local government, and the administration of justice. They will learn about a range of institutions of substantive and procedural law as they have taken shape throughout the various periods of the development of Polish law, and about their functions. They will familiarise themselves with the views of legal scholars on the aforementioned issues. They will master historical and legal terminology.

Term 2025/26_Z:

1. The Kingdom of Poland under German and Austrian occupation. The occupation administration. The proclamation of two emperors and its consequences. Analysis of the act of 5 November 1916 in terms of content and form. International repercussions. The Provisional Council of State and its work. The Regency Council. The Council of State.
2. Decree on the Supreme Representative Authority of the Republic of Poland. Provisional Head of State. Legislative Sejm. The Small Constitution of 1919.
3. The March Constitution.
4. The August Amendment. Its role in the process of unification and codification of law.
5. The April Constitution. Originality of constitutional solutions (in comparison with previous constitutions of the Second Polish Republic). The special position of the President of the Republic.
6. Reconstruction of state authorities in exile in France in 1939.
7. Public administration in the two occupation zones (Soviet and German) in Poland.
8. The formation of the political system of People's Poland - the KRN and its first acts of 1944; the PKWN and its Manifesto. The popular referendum, elections to the Sejm [Sejm Ustawodawczy] and the Small Constitution of 1947. The Constitution of the Polish People's Republic.

Term 2026/27_Z:

(in Polish) Dyscyplina naukowa, do której odnoszą się efekty uczenia się

law

(in Polish) E-Learning

(in Polish) E-Learning (pełny kurs) z podziałem na grupy

(in Polish) Grupa przedmiotów ogólnouczenianych

(in Polish) PO/S2 - obszar nauk społecznych - II stopień

Course coordinators

Sławomir Godek

(in Polish) Opis nakładu pracy studenta w ECTS

ECTS DESCRIPTION: 1. Participation in seminars – 15 hours 2. Preparation for seminars – 30 2. Preparation for the assessment – 45 TOTAL ECTS CREDITS: 3

Subject level

elementary

(in Polish) Punkty ECTS

3 points

Learning outcome code/codes

PR_U01 PR_U05 PR_U07 PR_U09 PR_K01 PR_K03 PR_K04

Type of subject

obligatory

Preliminary Requirements

Learning outcomes

PR_U01 – The student interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events
PR_U05 – The student links the knowledge acquired in various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena
PR_U07 – The student produces written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
PR_U09 – The student produces oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective

PR_K01 – The student refines and supplements their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions
PR_K03 – The student engages in group work, collaborates and takes on various roles within the group, and participates in the preparation of social projects, taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects
PR_K04 – The student sets priorities in a specific legal action undertaken independently or as part of a group.

Assessment criteria

PR_U01

Grade ‘dst’: The student interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events at a basic level
Grade ‘dst+’: The student interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events at a level above the basic level
Grade db: The student, at a good level, interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events
Grade db+: The student, at a level higher than good, interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events
Grade ‘bdb’: The student flawlessly interprets historical legal texts and sources of law in the context of specific legal events

PR_U05

Grade dst: The student links their acquired knowledge of various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena in a basic manner
Grade dst+: The student links their acquired knowledge of various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena to a degree beyond the basic level
Grade db: The student links their acquired knowledge of various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena to a good standard
Grade db+: The student links their acquired knowledge of various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena to a standard higher than good
Grade ‘bdb’: The student flawlessly links their acquired knowledge of various fields of law to the description, explanation or assessment of historical phenomena

PR_U07

Grade ‘dst’: A student at a basic level produces written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade ‘dst+’: A student at a level above basic produces written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade db: A student at a ‘good’ level produces written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade db+: A student at a level higher than ‘good’ produces written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade bdb: A student produces flawless written analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective

PR_U09

Grade dst: The student, at a basic level, produces oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade dst+: The student, at a level above basic, produces oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade db: The student, at a good level, produces oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade db+: A student at a level higher than ‘good’ produces oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective
Grade bdb: A student produces flawless oral analyses of legal issues from a historical perspective

PR_K01

Grade dst: The student improves and supplements their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions to a basic level
Grade dst+: The student improves and supplements their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions to a level beyond the basic
Grade db: The student improves and supplements their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions to a good extent
Grade db+: The student improves and supplements their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions to a degree exceeding the good level
Grade bdb: The student has significantly improved and supplemented their knowledge of the historical development of legal norms and institutions

PR_K03

dst assessment: The student demonstrates a basic level of engagement in group work, collaboration and taking on various roles within the group, as well as participation in the preparation of social projects, taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects
Grade dst+: The student demonstrates more than a basic level of engagement in group work, collaboration and taking on various roles within the group, as well as participation in the preparation of social projects, taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects
Grade db: The student demonstrates a good level of commitment to working in a group, collaborating and taking on various roles within it, and participating in the preparation of social projects whilst taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects
Grade db+: The student demonstrates more than a good level of commitment to group work, collaboration and taking on various roles within the group, and participation in the preparation of social projects, taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects
Grade bdb: The student demonstrates a high level of commitment to group work, collaboration and taking on various roles within the group, and participation in the preparation of social projects, taking into account legal, economic and historical aspects

PR_K04

Grade dst: The student identifies priorities to a basic extent in a specific legal action undertaken independently or in a group
Grade dst+: The student identifies priorities to more than a basic extent in a specific legal action undertaken independently or in a group
Grade db: The student identifies priorities to a good degree in a specific legal action undertaken independently or in a group
Grade db+: The student identifies priorities to a degree exceeding the good level in a specific legal action undertaken independently or in a group
Grade bdb: The student identifies priorities flawlessly in a specific legal action undertaken independently or in a group.

Bibliography

Required reading:
J. Bardach, B. Leśnodorski, M. Pietrzak, Historia ustroju i prawa polskiego, Warszawa 2009.

Complementary books:
M. Kallas, Historia ustroju w Polsce, Warszawa 2019.
D. Makiłła, Historia prawa w Polsce, Warszawa 2019.

Konstytucje Polski, t. 1-2, red. M. Kallas, Warszawa 1990.
M. Kallas, A. Lityński, Historia ustroju i prawa Polski Ludowej, Warszawa 2000.
A. Ajnenkiel, Konstytucje Polski w rozwoju dziejowym 1791-1997, Warszawa 2001.
S. Płaza, Historia prawa w Polsce na tle porównawczym, cz. 1-3, Kraków 2001-2002.
T. Maciejewski, Historia ustroju i prawa sądowego Polski, Warszawa 2008.
Konstytucyjna historia Polski, red. D. Makiłła, Warszawa 2024.

Term 2025/26_Z:

Main books: (1. J. Bardach, B. Leśnodorski, M. Pietrzak, Historia ustroju i prawa polskiego, Warszawa 2001; 2. M. Kallas, Historia ustroju Polski, Warszawa 2007; 3. D. Makiłła, Historia prawa w Polsce, Warszawa 2008).

Complementary books: (1. A. Ajnenkiel, Konstytucje Polski w rozwoju dziejowym 1791-1997, Warszawa 2001; 2. M. Kallas, A. Lityński, Historia ustroju i prawa Polski Ludowej, Warszawa 2000; 3. Konstytucje Polski, t. 1-2, red. M. Kallas, Warszawa 1990; 3. T. Maciejewski, Historia ustroju i prawa sądowego Polski, Warszawa 2008; 4. S. Płaza, Historia prawa w Polsce na tle porównawczym, cz. 1-3, Kraków 2001-2002; 5. W. Uruszczak, Historia państwa i prawa polskiego, t. I 966-1765, Warszawa 2010).

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Law - full-time master studies

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of WP-PR-HP-ćw in USOSweb