I was rubbing my eyes a bit, and wondering what century the data was for.
Look at Germany and Poland there.
I can see the outline of East Germany - and of the Kaiserriech
Surprised? We're not. For a nice couple of elections we've clearly seen partition boundaries if we look at who votes for whom. The former Cogrens Poland and Galicia are definitely more conservative than the former post-German areas. The infrastructure remains even though the Germans are long gone.
This is best seen by the network of railroads.
Can you tell where Germany was, where Russia was, and where Austria was?
Interestingly, the whole of Congress Poland accounted for one-third of all industry and prosperity in the whole damn Russian Empire.
And Galicia was a complete shithole and the worst developed partition. Most Americans of Polish descent are descendants of those people who emigrated from Galicia.
Ironically, because before the partitions it was a very rich region, the richest in all of Poland, but that's because it was connected to the country on the part of the Carpathians where it should be. That's why the Austrians took it away.
Fortunately, we were able to fix it but only after more than a century of hard and persistent work.
So that one, thanks Austria, you've certainly civilized us.
Okay, and now my controversial opinion number two. The partition of Poland was an aberration and sheer bad luck combined with the King's lack of will to fight. Repeating this in every alternative history is not only the height of laziness but also stupidity. And Russia occupying Polish territory is also a symptom of laziness as the same with Germany.
And here is another controversial opinion, poking a spit. Namely, contrary to common opinion, it was not Germany who usually beat Poland, but Poland beat Germany. From over 11 wars between Poland and Germany. Germans won twice. Two fucking times. Almost all of which took place in the 11th century.
Another opinion is constantly making that Poland always has to go to PLC or something else. As if we weren't a despotic monarchy with a huge centralization until the times of the last Piast. No, Poland does not have to create something like Commowealth, it can always be simply France of the East without breaking up into districts ruled by feudal warlords.
It is enough for Casimir III to have a son.