The review of the main work of J.S. Bystron, one of the founders of sociology in interwar Poland, is intended to supplement our understanding of the world sociological tradition with information about the contribution of the Polish scientist to the development of this tradition. In addition, since the work of J.S. Bystron has not been trans-lated into Russian, it is necessary to outline the essence of the original concept of “megalomania” (social megalomania) created by the Polish scientist. Megalomania can take on both funny and harmless forms, as well as aggressive, ugly and pathological forms leading to imperialism and genocide. It is a cultural universal, an integral psychological aspect of ethnogenesis, embedded in the painful process of the birth of nation-al identity. The concept of megalomania is in little demand among the academic community, but it is actively integrated into the socio-political discourse. There is an obvious need to monitor its level and find ways to safely channel the aggressive and narcissistic symptoms of megalomania as a collective disease of our time.
Jan Stanislav Bystron; megalomania; national identi-ty; nationalism; sarmatism; messianism; perception of Bystron's ideas.