Kołłątaj's Forge

The Kołłątaj's Forge (Polish: Kuźnica Kołłątajowska) was a group of social and political activists, publicists and writers from the period of the Great Sejm in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

[7][8] Kołłątaj put forward the manifesto of the Forge in a series of anonymous letters to the Marshal of the Sejm, Stanisław Małachowski.

[3][5][6] Kołłątaj criticized the dysfunctional politics of the Commonwealth, which were dominated by powerful magnates, and called for various reforms such as the strengthening of executive (royal) power, improvement of the state's military, elimination of liberum veto, universal taxation, and the emancipation of underprivileged classes (primarily, burghers and the peasantry).

[2] The Forge writers were particularly adept at ridiculing their political opponents; so in addition to serious treaties, articles and letters, they often published satirical pamphlets.

The Forge had strong ties to the bourgeoisie of Polish cities and towns, and to a significant degree was able to influence and control their demonstrations.