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I have a Hebrew translation of a poem by Slovak poet Janko Jesenský, entitled "בחירות דמוקרטיות", or in English, "Democratic Elections". It was supposedly written in 1929, although I'm not 100% sure that's actually the case. I can't figure out where that poem is from, i.e. what publication or book, nor the context in which it was written (e.g. which elections). If anyone know more about it, please point me in the right direction.

The first verses (poorly translated into English) are:

The constitution here is clear
It is all new
Here, the citizen has but a voice
While the elected - a word

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I found a Russian translation in a Soviet edition of his poetry («Избранная лирика», 1981). The poem is from his 1945 collection Na zlobu dňa (On the topic of the day). The text is supplied with the place and date: Nitra, 17 July 1929. The date is corroborated by this online publication. Slovak Wikipedia says Jesenský held the office of grand prefect (veľkožupan) in Nitra and was active in political and social life.

The poem talks about empty promises of political parties, so this might imply the 1929 Czechoslovak parliamentary election (held on 27 October 1929). However, Jesenský was critical of Czechoslovakia’s political scene in his other works, such as the novel The Democrats, written in the 1930s. Sarah Hinlicky Wilson writes:

It helps to remember that Czechoslovakia (as it was at the time) was the only Eastern Bloc country with experience of democracy before Communism; but at the time of the story, it was little more than fifteen years into democracy and they were still figuring it out. It appears that Jesenský thought the competition and mutual slander were indecent and degrading, working against national unity instead of in its favor. Not to mention the very personal motivations he perceived for this, that, or the other politician to adopt certain views or campaign for a certain party.

Hinlicky Wilson adds that the first section of the novel, in English translation, is available online (with introduction and commentary), suggesting possibilities for further research.

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  • The Wilson quote seems to try to adapt the poem to fit a Western-liberal-democratist outlook; but be that as it may - sounds like a solid answer. Thanks :-)
    – einpoklum
    Commented Oct 20 at 12:33

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