105
Litvinism, West-Russism and the Belarusian Idea. The XIXth – the Beginning of the XXth Century
Authors of publications proved, that all questions vital for the area should be solved in
view of interests of all ethnoses of Belarus and Lithuania
32
; they condemned Great Russian
and Great Polish chauvinism
33
, declared the necessity to fight chauvinism among Belaru-
sians and Lithuanians
34
, etc. A. Lutskevich urged all “citizens of the area” to work for the
welfare of the area and for the welfare of the oppressed people. The above mentioned Be-
larusian newspapers were ideological competitors of “Nasha Niva”. They propagandized
the democratic direction of Regional ideology or
the democratic variant of ideology
of the “state” type nation
.
However, the regional position of “Vechernyaja Gazeta” and “Kurier Krajowy” can
hardly be considered a separate variant of the Belarusian national idea. Available sources
analysis allows to speak about
the exclusively pragmatical use of regional ideology by
Belarusians which allowed to considerably expand the social and ethnocultural base of
ideology propaganda of the Belarusian Revival. This ideology created excellent opportuni-
ties for the establishment of relations with representatives of other national movements.
In fact, the regional idea was a way to strengthen the positions of Belarusians in a national-
cultural and political life. For instance, the absence of prospects of further development of
the Polish movement in the Belarus-Lithuania area was used to explain the propaganda of
the necessity to establish mutual understanding between Poles and Belarusians
35
. Heads
of the Belarusian movement were convinced that Lithuanian and Belarusian Poles are ex-
clusive successors of Polonized Lithuanians and Belarusians. Accordingly, the conclusion
was that the Polish public should work only for the sake of development of consciousness
and culture of Belarusians and Lithuanians. “Belarusian deviation”
of regional ideology of
Anton Lutskevich and other figures of the “Nasha Niva” environment is quite obvious.
However, the conservative-liberal direction of regional ideology became an ideologi-
cal basis for the development
of
a conservative variant of the Belarusian national idea.
Roman Skirmunt, one of the main ideologists of this regional direction, played a great role
in it. He differed from the majority of conservative Krajowcy because of his expressive
liberalism in political issues and because of his aspiration to publicly distance himself from
Polishness as a national-political category.
Already in 1907 Roman Skirmunt initiated the creation of the interethnic Regional
union as a conservative-liberal party the structure of which should include an indepen-
dent Belarusian political organization (alongside with Polish and Lithuanian ones). Yet
such a party was not founded as the majority of land owners who were from Lithuanian
and Belarusian Poles and who supported the initiative of R. Skirmunt, perceived regional
ideology only as a means to protect their own property in the conditions of fast radicaliza-
tion of social relations and aggravation of national relations.
Still, R. Skirmunt’s regional ideas and post-revolutionary liberalization of the “Nasha
Niva” environment representatives alongside with their sympathies for regional ideology
encouraged the establishment of contacts between them. Historical literature contains
some data proving that during the interrevolutionary period through the mediation of
princess Magdalena Radzivill there were meetings and negotiations between R. Skirmunt,
106
Ales’ Smolenchuk
on the one hand, and Lutskevich brothers, V. Ivanovsky and A. Vlasov, on the other
36
.
Certain mutual understanding was reached and it allowed to provide for, at least, financial
support of cultural initiatives of the former BSH members.
Roman Skirmunt did not give up his attempts to create the Belarusian conservative
or conservative-liberal party. V. Gadlevsky said that in the spring of 1917 he tried to orga-
nize “the Belarusian Landowners’ Party” and to involve representatives of former magnate
clans in the work to be done for the welfare of Belarus
37
. In February 1918 he almost
reached his goal having founded in Minsk the Belarusian People’s Representation. It was
a political party in opposition to the Hramada National secretariat. However, the situation
was tragic because R. Skirmunt could not find mass support of his political position in
Belarus. As Evsey Kancher noted in 1918 lower classes did not want to follow Skirmunt
and among the propertied classes there were very few organized people who considered
themselves Belarusians
38
.
In 1913 the development of one more variant of the Belarusian national idea began.
It was named
“clerical-patriotic” by Anton Lutskevich
39
. In the program article of the
first issue of the newspaper “Belarus” the editors declared, that “they would always stand
on Christian-Catholic ground, protecting the cause of Christianity and Belarusianness”,
respecting other nationalities
and religious beliefs
40
.
This variant of the national idea was quite peculiar as it united national culture, edu-
cation and Christian belief. The newspaper popularized the development of national con-
sciousness among Belarusians-Catholics, encouraged Catholic clergy to use the Belarusian
language in religious services, and was aimed at social harmony and an evolutionary way
of society development. This is what newspaper editor Boleslav Pachobka wrote in one
of his articles: “The true Belarusian is the one who says: I am Belarusian, I love my father-
land and mother tongue and I work as much I can for the sake of it”
41
. In another article
he justified the necessity to introduce the Belarusian language into the Catholic Church
and to use literature published in the Belarusian language in the carrying out of religious
services
42
. The editors called upon Belarusians to become active in their historic creativ-
ity, defended the idea of the Belarusian national unity of Orthodoxes and Catholics, and
fought with Russification and Polonization of Belarusians
43
.
The publication of “Belarus” was an attempt
to connect Christian Democratic
ideology with the Belarusian national movement and the ethnic-language vari-
ant of the Belarusian national idea
.
In conclusion it is necessary to note, that the Belarusian national idea was developed
on the basis of the Belarusian cultural tradition. Both “Litvins” and “Western Russians”
contributed to its creation. The Belarusian national-cultural Revival at the beginning of
the XXth century developed a characteristic typical of the majority of nations in Cen-
tral and Eastern Europe. National ideology was dominated by the ethnic-language variant
which was consistently popularized and defended by “Nasha Niva”. However, the aspira-
tion of Belarusians to leave the borders of this is quite remarkable. Under the powerful
influence of Polish and Russian cultures Belarusian politicians actively used opportunities