Hasidism and Politics : The Kingdom of Poland, 1815-1864.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Preface and Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Introduction -- List of Illustrations -- Note on Transliteration, Place Names, and Sources -- List of Abbreviations -- Maps -- 1. To 'Civilize' the Jews: Polish Debates on the Reform of Jewish Society, 1788-1830 -- 1. The Framework of the Debate -- 2. Diagnosis -- 3. The Goal -- 4. Measures: What are 'Civil Christians'? -- 5. What Does 'To Civilize' Mean? -- 6. Conclusions -- 2. Origins: Controversies over Hasidic Shtiblekh -- 1. Before the Kingdom of Poland -- 2. Nameless: The First Ruling on Hasidic Shtiblekh -- 3. Kitajowcy: Investigation in Plock -- 4. Michalki: Shtiblekh, Mikveh, and Burial Societies -- 5. Conclusions -- 3. The Great Inquiry, 1823-1824 -- 1. Hussites: The Beginnings of the Investigation -- 2. Hasidism Is Banned -- 3. Counteroffensive -- 4. Deputation: Stanislaw Staszic against the Tsadikim -- 5. Hasidism Delivered: Conclusions -- 4. Between Words and Actions -- 1. Big Politics, Small Politicians -- 2. Silent Turning-Point: Hasidism in the Politics of the Kingdom after 1831 -- 3. The Last Investigation -- 4. Ignorance, Inertia, Frustration -- 5. Who Profited? On the Ostensible Equality of Hasidism -- 6. Epilogue: In the 1860s -- 7. Conclusions -- 5. The Hasidim Strike Back: The Development of Hasidic Political Involvement -- 1. Beginnings: Berek Sonnenberg and his Circle -- 2. Offensive: Meir Rotenberg of Opatów -- 3. Triumph: Isaac Kalisz of Warka -- 4. The Third Phase -- 5. Digression: Corruption -- 6. The Local Context: Conclusions -- 6. Communal Dimensions of Hasidic Politics -- 1. Who? Agents of Hasidic Communal Politics -- 2. Whom? Protagonists -- 3. Why? Goals -- 4. How? Means -- 5. Local or Universal? -- 6. Conclusions -- 7. Haskalah and Government Policy towards Hasidism.

1. The Role of Hasidism in the Political Activity of the Polish Maskilim -- 2. The Role of Maskilim: Myth and Reality -- 3. How Did a Maskilic Shtadlan Differ from a Hasidic One? -- 4. Conclusions -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index.

This analysis of the political relations between the Kingdom of Poland and the hasidic movement shows that by creating advantageous socio-political conditions the government actually accelerated the growth of the movement, to the extent that unique features of Polish hasidism can be attributed to the impact of government policy. The study also demonstrates the unusually modern character of hasidic political activity, and charts its distinctive path of development in the Kingdom of Poland into 'anti-modernist modernity'.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.