The Inspirations for and the Conditions and Concepts behind the March Constitution

The article presents insights into the broader context of the enactment of the first full constitution of the independent Polish state after 1918. The study attempts to depict the inspirations that guided the creators of the political system in independent Poland and the ideas that were reflected in the constitutional drafts after 1918. The starting point for the considerations is a presentation of the outline of the political system established in the March Constitution; this is followed by an analysis of the factors that shaped this legal act and of the decision-making process that concluded with the Sejm Act of March 17, 1921.