Communism, based on the ideas and teachings of Karl Marx, is a system in which everyone is seen as equal and wealth is distributed equally among the people. Communism was wide-spread in Eastern Europe throughout the 20th century and despite several attempts by different countries, Communism was prominent. The fall of Communism in Poland was brought upon the country after forty-four years of Communist rule. It was never unanimously supported and many fought to end it from the very beginning. Communism made its way out of Poland as a new political party arose, the Communists attempted to constrain the Polish from living their way, the Solidarity Party became more unified and longed for, and the Solidarity Party won the first supposedly free election. The Gdańsk Agreement, the formation of the Solidarity Party,
Lech Wałęsa, and the Workers' Defense Committee were the major components of the beginning of the fall of Communism in Poland. The Communist government saw that the Polish began to rebel against them and took action by outlawing Solidarity, imposing martial law and enforcing Communist rule. After the Polish Round Table Talks, Solidarity was re-legalized and was allowed to participate in the free elections.
The expulsion of Communism in Poland began in 1980 when the Gdańsk Agreement led to the formation of the Solidarity Party, led by Lech Wałęsa, which was strongly supported by the Workers' Defense Committee. In August of 1980, a worker's strike, consisting of approximately 16,000 workers in the Lenin Shipyards in Gdańsk laid down their tools and occupied the plant in Poland, led to a compromise known as the Gdańsk Agreement, in which the
Communist government agreed to many compromises with the workers. One...
... middle of paper ...
.... Embassy Warsaw, "Warsaw Embassy Cable, Bronislaw Geremek Explains Next Steps
Toward a Solidarity Government." Making the History of 1989, #406.
This document describes Bronislaw Geremek's explanation of the steps that leaders in
Poland were taking to form a new coalition government. This report points to the difficult task of forming a new government in the midst of political and economic crisis; it shows the cooperation that took place between the opposing sides; and it indicates the process by which communism was disintegrating in Poland.
U.S. Embassy Warsaw, "Warsaw Embassy Cable, Poland Looks to President Bush,"
Making the History of 1989, Item #379.
In this speech, American President Bush spoke about the future of Eastern Europe in which he blamed tensions between East and West on unnatural division of Europe.
World War II left the Soviet Union feeling uneasy; Stalin had lived to see his country invaded a total of three times. Stalin was determined to prevent further damage to his country, so he began creating a buffer zone by essentially forcing the countries of Central Europe to agree to a communistic government that was closely aligned with the USSR. Stalin created the Warsaw Pact in 1955, which bound Central Europe together. However, after Stalin died his iron grip was no longer available to keep the countries of Central Europe in line. Stalin’s successor Khrushchev was an advocate for loosening of the iron grip. Khrushchev believed in the idea that there was “more than one road to socialism.” It was Khrushchev’s policies in regards to socialism
Both supporters and opponents of the plan are concerned with the political instability produced by rival factions. The state governments have not succeeded in solving this problem; in fact the situation is so problematic that people are disillusioned with all politicians and blame government for their problems. Consequently, a form of popular government that can deal successfully with this problem has a great deal to recommend it.
...feelings prevailed over those of unification. The division inside the socialistic party put only one question in front of Europe - how will the bettering of the workers' lives come upon the continent, through gradual small reforms or through big and rapid revolution?
- They believed that they were surrounded by well-organized enemies (other political parties) they felt defensive about Liberalism, nationalism and popular sovereignty
During these times, Labor Union enrollment dramatically increased and Americans were searching for a panacea to their social and economic problems. It was at this time that groups of citizens, jobless and hungry, looked upon Communism favorably. These individuals longed for what seemed to be a utopian society, which they viewed in the USSR, where everyone was employed and cared for. Communist political parties sprung up everywhere, literature and newspapers in support of Communism proliferated. More and more, seeing the success and the promises, the enrollment in Communist parties increased.
Zabecki, David T. "Poland: World War II." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
satisfied and in doing so, they created a new and improved Poland. Previous to the formation of
Communism is an economic system where, in theory, ownership of everything (e.g. goods, industrial products, businesses, farm produce, etc.) is collectively by the Government and the payment of income is only based one’s need. In communism, individuals have little say or on say at all on what to produce, not even owning anything since ownership is only by the Government. Communism is a socio-economic structure based on classless, stateless society where the means of production are on common ownership. Therefore, communism is the idea of free society where there is no divisions, humanity is not oppressed, no need for Government or countries. A citizen earns according to their needs and gives according to their abilities to do so.
...e reforms, the revolts of Poland were not a bloody massacre as the first two, but effective displays of rejectment of the government. It was a union setup by a boat dock worker, which union were forbidden, to start strikes on the factories and industrialized areas. They smartly got the world media on them. This put the Soviet Union on the spotlight. The revolt was considered one of the greatest individual feats on the fall of communistic Russia. This in turn brought forth new policies and rights.
Poland first started to form in about 450 A.D when four leftover Slavic tribes called Polanie, Wislanie, Pomorzanie and the Mazovians joined together. Poland had consisted of these tribes which had become the people. Notably, when Poland first became a state, it was 966 A.D. This was when Ruler Mieszko I had accepted Christianity into the state, for himself and his people. He married Dobrava of Bohemia, and had helped the Polish country and rule grow. Throughout history, Poland has continued to grow, and fight its wars. Becoming democratic, debating monarchy, reunification, all of this was part of Poland's history. However, a major part of Poland's history was World War I and World War II. At one point, Poland did not exist on the map in 1914. Poland struggled World War I, but soon regained it's independence. But it got worse. World War II started when Hitler's Nazi group invaded Poland, as well as conflict from Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. Both groups wanted to destroy Poland, reduce it to rubble, and take away all that it was known for. Poland had very few troops, and when the Nazis and the Soviets joined together, Poland didn't stand a chance. At one point, with the help of allies and the United States, Poland was "rebuilt....
to assume the role of dictator. This was a phenomenon which was to become a
In the second half of the nineteenth century, after almost 30 years of general calm, the Polish people once again began protesting Russian rule. Meetings were held and discussions raged about reforms and emancipatio...
In the summer of 1980 Communist Poland was experiencing labor unrest at an unprecedented level. Living standards were still very low, the economy was stagnant, and food shortages and inflation were abundant. The Polish Communist Party was faced with nationwide strikes, and their tactics of buying off workers had failed because there were too many people striking. However, when the strikes spread to the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk on August 14th, everything was about to change. The strikers were backed by waves of support from other industrial centers, and the Communist Party was forced to negotiate with them. Under the leadership of Lech Walesa the strikers emerged victorious and the formation of an independent trade union called Solidarity was born.
It is beyond uncertainty that the Warsaw Uprising which took place 70 years ago in 1944 is one of the most significant, heroic and tragic events in the 20th century of Polish history. During 63 days of patriotic uprising many thousands of predominantly young Poles were killed in an imbalanced battle with the German occupiers. This investigation will focus on the areal support for the Home Army (AK) during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. The essay will discuss the causes and consequences of the action taken by the authority of Great Britain, United States of America and Soviet Union as well as the Polish government in exile regarding the Warsaw Uprising.
In western capitalist societies, communism is portrayed as a system that practices wealth distribution where everyone makes the same amount of money and own the same exact things with no competition. In reality Marx’s idea of communism gives people the chance to develop their skills and advance their potential to the fullest extent, that is actually denied under the capitalist class system. Marx agrees with rousseau that political and civil rights are important and gives the people more power but he takes it further and argues that in order for people to be truly free they must have control on their labor and their production by democratizing the economic and labor system.