Fuel for Domination

The panel discussion featured Robert Ciborowski, Rector of the University of Bialystok; Krzysztof Bosak, Member of the Polish Sejm; Marek Budzisz, Expert at Strategy and Future; Grzegorz Górny, Chairman of the Board of the Poland Great Project Foundation; and Krzysztof Gawkowski, Member of the Polish Sejm. The panel discussion was moderated by publicist Jan Rokita.

At the beginning of the discussion, the moderator recalled that factors related to economics, such as cheap fuel, have changed in the current situation. He then asked what the ways to build power in the modern world are.

According to Robert Ciborowski, the condition for economic power is technology. In the 19th century, power was created by businesses. Nowadays, countries that are able to impose technology become  powers, because technology is a consequence of the creation of the socio-economic system. For the development of technology, however, access to natural resources is essential. “Europe’s weakness lies in the fact that it has created a social system built on demographics,” pointed out Robert Ciborowski.

Krzysztof Bosak stressed that he has never been a liberal, because one does not have to be a liberal to defend a free market economy. “Power is built with political tools. Politicians need resources to finance political tools, and this leads to a deformation of the free market economy,” – Krzysztof Bosak stated. In his opinion, the European Union has joined globalization in the wrong way. In the long term, it is also inadvisable to elevate economic tools to political tools. In his view, the EU’s importance is diminishing and generating large costs. On the other hand, a state that does not control its fiscal policy becomes a dependent state.

According to Krzysztof Gawkowski, it is impossible to ignore ideology in building power. Debt and the search for equality provide a sense of security. “Europe must act together, it cannot act recklessly. Green energy is supposed to give Europe opportunities in the direction of technological development.” It is therefore important to build extra-budgetary resources to support in a crisis situation. Poland has a chance to play an integrative role in Europe.

According to Grzegorz Górny, religion and culture are currently in crisis. Europe is divided along the Iron Curtain regarding basic values, and everyone interprets the term “European values” differently. In this context, S. Huntington’s words that Turkey and Ukraine must make a civilizational choice.

Marek Budzisz reminded that in the current situation, it is difficult to abstract from the war in Ukraine. Russia seeks to turn Ukraine into a buffer zone (“Ukraine as Afghanistan and Poland as Pakistan“). Without a credible security order, there will be no end to the war. The question then remains, what kind of peace are we aiming for? In his view, it will be an armed peace similar to that of Israel. A division will occur regarding the world of values and political preferences. The EU will formally be maintained, but it will operate on two tracks.