Poland and Lithuania: The Diverging Nations

Abstract

Both Gellner and Hobsbawm seem to downplay the importance of religion on nationalism. This ideographic study applies their theories to the Polish Solidarity and Lithuanian Sajudis nationalist movements during the Soviet period (1945-1989) and compares Catholic influences on both nationalist movements. Poland emerged with a dominant national identity that was devoutly Catholic and conservative, whereas Lithuania saw a surge of liberal nationalism with a sharply declined Catholic presence. This study argues that the Polish case leans more towards Hobsbawm’s Marxist theory regarding the invention of tradition, whereas the lack of Catholic support steered the Sajudis movement towards a more liberal approach to nationalism in line with Gellner’s theory on constructivism through industrialization.