Public opinion in Poland\u27s transition to market economy

Public opinion research has changed dramatically in the last ten years in Poland, in terms of its methodology, scope, and role in political change. During the first Solidarity era (1980–81), the genie of public opinion was let out of the bottle, and even martial law could not entirely put it back. Public opinion polling in the 1980s became more sophisticated and more common, and began to tackle increasingly sensitive political issues. Public opinion came to play a role in the political process, and to give the Polish population a sense of its own purpose and values. It also revealed the depth of antipathy to the communist regime and leadership and, in doing so, further eroded the already fragile legitimacy of the regime. When, in the late 1980s, the regime realized it could not succeed at winning back the allegiance, or at least acquiescence, of the Polish population, it agreed to negotiate with the opposition. The result was the emergence of the first noncommunist regime in Eastern Europe

Poland\u27s new trade unions

With the declaration of martial law in December 1981 and the formal banning of Solidarity in October 1982, the Polish regime created for itself a dilemma: how to provide a channel for participation by the workers without reactivating Solidarity and without allowing that participation to assume political dimensions. The Jaruzelski leadership professed a desire to achieve reconciliation and understanding in the aftermath of the heady days of Solidarity and the depressing denouement of martial law. One of the principal means to do this was through the creation of new institutions, allegedly independent, which would absorb some of the creative and participatory energy of Solidarity, without allowing a return to what the regime claimed had been political activities by the union

The U.S. No Longer Makes the Grade: Economic Inequality Put an End to the \u27American Century\u27

In his State of the Union address last January, U.S. President Barack Obama said that anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn\u27t know what they\u27re talking about. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, when in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, warned that unless Americans changed directions, they would see the end of the American century by 2015. As bright and capable as both of these politicians are, they are both whistling in the wind. The American century - the post-World War II era of U.S. global leadership and dominance - ended a decade ago, and it is not coming back. While that does not mean the cessation of American wealth and might, it does mark a significant transformation in U.S. society and economics, and the country\u27s place in the world. To cope with this transformation, Americans needs to recognize the nation\u27s relative decline

Stalemate and Apathy in Poland

Focuses on the leadership of Polish Prime Minister General Wojciech Jaruzelski during the 1980s. Claims made by the leader\u27s camp of the degree of stability and normalization achieved by the country in 1981; Issues of democracy, political participation and justice raised by the Solidarity party

Membership of the Polish United Workers Party

The Polish United Workers\u27 Party, like the CPSU, has faced a dilemma in its attempts to control its growth. The problem is in maintaining its leading, elite role while remaining fairly representative of the population, or at least of the working class. The difficulty in maintaining this balance has been compounded by the Party\u27s changing image of itself and its role

Solidarity, the Regime and the Public

This paper examines the extent to which Solidarity acted as a link between the population and the regime and as a representative of the interests of the workers. It looks first at the reasons for the emergence of Solidarity, and Solidarity\u27s subsequent embodiment of the society\u27s desire for a political and economic order more in line with the ideals of socialism, and more genuinely representative of the workers\u27 interests. It concludes by assessing the charges against Solidarity made by the martial law authorities, the extent of current support for the union and the regime, and the possibilities for a resolution of the stalemate

The MIDDLE CLASS: Increasingly Fond Memories of a Grim Past

Despite seemingly successful reforms in many post-communist countries, increasing numbers of people have been sliding from the middle class into poverty. Nostalgia for the late communist era is on the rise, and a new study warns that the perceived levels of social and economic decline surpass the actual ones-- which could spell trouble for the reformers

The Polish Party in Crisis, 1980-1982

Over the last three years, the Polish United Workers\u27 Party has suffered a major crisis, the most substantial crisis of any Communist party in any Communist party state. The disintegration of the party was at least partly responsible for both the development of Solidarity in the summer of 1980 and the imposition of martial law in December 1981. The lack of trust in the party and its authoritarian and unrepresentative character led the workers to demand an institution more responsive to their own needs. But the growth of Solidarity during 1981 and the continuing disintegration and fragmentation of the party led the military to preempt the leading role of the party in 1982

Solidarity Enters the Fray

The recent agreements between the Polish government and the Solidarity-led opposition are path-breaking developments