The concept of myth has long been recognised as a tool for addressing existential uncertainties and imbuing human actions with meaning. In traditional societies, myths were not perceived as false but rather as narratives that helped make sense of the world through symbolic frameworks. This understanding shifted significantly with the emergence of political myth, a deliberate construct created to consolidate power and influence.

In this analysis, Joanna Włodarczyk examines the role of political mythology within the context of the Round Table negotiations and the subsequent Fourth Republic of Poland, with particular focus on the political period of 2005-2007. The Round Table talks of 1989, which facilitated Poland's transition from communism to democracy, became the foundation for competing mythological narratives about the nation's rebirth.

Through careful study of political speeches and election campaigns from 2005 and 2007, Włodarczyk explores how myths, often irrational in nature, become intertwined with rational techniques employed to propagate them. This duality reveals how political narratives are crafted to shape public perception and serve strategic objectives, often by simplifying complex historical events into archetypal patterns that resonate emotionally with citizens.

The analysis demonstrates how the concept of the "Fourth Republic" became a powerful political myth during this period, promising moral renewal and justice after what some political actors portrayed as an imperfect or compromised transition to democracy. By mythologising the past, particularly the Round Table negotiations, political forces attempted to legitimise their vision for Poland's future while delegitimising their opponents.

This research illuminates how political mythology functions in contemporary democratic societies, showing that despite increased secularisation and rationalisation of public life, mythical thinking remains a potent force in political discourse, shaping collective memory and national identity in profound ways.