POLAND FALL OF COMMUNISM

1980-1995

Alexey Arbuzov, Frederique Kramer, and

Riccardo Stanzani

C

ommunist leader: Wojciech Jaruzelski

E

lected in 1981

D

ictator: imposed martial law in Poland between

December 1981 to July 1983

M

ade the decision to crack down on the

“Solidarity problem”, fearing Soviet

intervention, although in hindsight documents

show the USSR had no plans to intervene

PROBLEMS IN POLAND BEFORE 1989

CONSUMER PROBLEMS1980’S

Empty Shops Long linesRationing

T

he USSR’s threatening pressure was a major cause of martial law in 1981

G

orbachev’s reforms stimulated resentment in the Polish government: • Glasnost – made the Polish want lesser restrictions on media • Perestroika – created resentment, disbelief and doubt in economic

reforms• Stoppage of intervention helped dissenters in gathering support with

far less fear of reprisal

RUSSIAN INFLUENCE

STRIKES

D

issatisfaction of Polish workers coalesced into strikes

G

reat strikes and protests in 1956, 1970, and the largest in 1980

1

980: Gdansk strike, resulted in Gdansk agreement

S

triking workers unite, Walesa becomes leader, forming the union of

Solidarity

F

ounded in Gdansk in August 31st, 1980

I

ndependent self-governing trade union

P

olish government attempted its destruction with enforcement

o

f martial law in 1981

M

edium of communication between workers and

g

overnment (expression of needs)

F

or the most part an underground organization

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Solidarity

GDANSK AGREEMENT

P

oor economic conditions in the long term created dissent across the country

R

ise in meat prices sparked revolts that paralyzed Poland

T

he strikes resulted into government giving into their demands

B

rought democratic changes into communism system

I

ndependent unions were allowed to form, allowed more control

T

he largest, Solidarity, began as one of these unions but slowly

tra

nsformed into a form of political party

M

artial law crushed opposition, and killed 100 people

B

anned pro-democracy organizations, and banned

their leaders

9

0 people killed

M

artial law severely effected normal life

MARTIAL LAW

T

ook place in Warsaw, February 6 – April 4 1989

P

olish government talked with Solidarity in an attempt to defuse growing

social unrest

ROUND-TABLE AGREEMENT

-Pay raises and indexation-Future pluralist elections-The limit of the future president's competence-The limit of competence for the future Sejm and Senate-The access to mass communication media by opposition forces

-Legalization of independent trade unions-The introduction of the office of President (thereby annulling the power of the Communist party general secretary), who would be elected to a 6-year term-The formation of a Senate

What They Wanted What They Got

I

n April 1989 Solidarity was able to participate in parliamentary elections

S

olidarity won majority in the Sejm and captured 99 out of the 100 available

seats in the Senate

C

ommunist candidates were unable to secure even the minimum number of

votes to capture the seats that were reserved for them

CREATION OF SENATE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/papa/poland1980.htm

http://www.gdansk-life.com/poland/solidarity

http://www.globalpolitician.com/26239-poland-communism

http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/exhibits/consumerism-in-poland/

http://www.historyguide.org/europe/jaruzelski.html