Post Communism in Poland

Poland

Polish Antipathy towards the Soviet Union

After the conclusion of the Second World War, the victorious Allies were showered with the spoils of their success in the conflict. The victorious nations - the Soviet Union, United States, Great Britain, and France -- were left to decide what to do with the war ravaged countries that remained throughout Europe and Asia. The major question on the minds of the leaders and politicians remained: how to divide up the crumbled nations of the broken continent? When dividing up the spoiled nations, the job was broken into different geographical tasks: Europe, Asia, and the third world countries (Gaddis, 1997).

In February 1945 the leaders from the big three countries - Franklin Roosevelt (President of the United States), Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of Great Britain) and Josef Stalin (Soviet Premier) met in the City of Yalta to discuss how to divide Europe (Judge & Langdon, 1999). The Soviet Red Army had already occupied Poland and established a Soviet-sponsored provisional government (Judge & Langdon, 1999). The Polish people were in favor of being run by a Soviet-sponsored government or of being recognized as a central Soviet state.

With the war in Japan far from over, Roosevelt believed that conceding Poland to the Soviet Union would help gain Russian support against the Japanese (Judge & Langdon, 1999). Churchill and Roosevelt tried to obtain the best arrangement they could on Poland, but it would be a futile process as the Soviets would go on to occupy Poland (Judge & Langdon, 1999). Historically, this is noted as the point that the Western leaders sold out the Poles to the Soviets. The Polish citizenry and political leadership were left upset that they were just given to the Soviets as a bargaining chip in World War II.

The Yalta Conference essentially made the country of Poland a Soviet territory. The three powers decided to recognize the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. In 1945 - as promised by Stalin - Poland would hold democratic elections (Dziewanowski 1987). The elections, controlled by the Soviets, were a fraudulent act used to claim Soviet legitimacy over Poland (Dziewanowski 1987).

With the Soviet sponsored government in place, the Polish people would be officially part of the communist network. The citizens of Poland were angry at being sold out to the Soviets and would develop feelings of antipathy toward the Soviet Union. The feelings of antipathy would cause superior conflict between the Polish people and the Soviet-sponsored state. The communist-backed Polish Provisional Government of National Unity would have to intervene to try to end the antipathy that the population of Poland felt towards the Soviets.

The steps taken by the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity were meant to stop antipathy, and succeeding in suppressing anti-communist views with the threat of violence and the creation of the Polish Constitution of 1952. This was used to ease the transition of Poland into a central Soviet state, and was coupled with an interjecting of Soviet influence into the daily lives of their citizens -- what was in essence an effort to try to make the Polish people more appreciative of the Soviet Union.

Suppression through Violence

During the Cold War there were two ideologies around the world for government and for way of life. One was the capitalist system that promoted democracy and freedom; the second was a socialist system that promoted communism and equality for all in society (Gaddis, 1997). When a country became communist, they would do so with guidance from the Soviet Union and would establish a socialist system as both a government and a way of life (Gaddis, 1997).

The Polish Provisional Government of National Unity was completely under the control of the Soviet Union (Kersten, 1991). Many top Polish government officials spent time training and developing communist skill sets and ideologies. The Soviet Union believed that, by teaching others the way of communism, they would continue the process of implementing it into their societies (Dziewanowski1987). Furthermore, the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin would not tolerate any non-communistic viewpoints. Stalin often had people with non-communist views disposed of through murder or relocation (Dziewanowski1987). There was no room, according to Stalin, for any differing ideology in the Soviet-controlled countries. Dissenting views would be a problem, and the Polish people remained angry and held onto conflicting viewpoints about the Soviet Union and Stalin.

When taking control over Poland, Stalin made it perfectly clear that the only ideology the Polish people would follow would be that of communism (Dziewanowski 1987). The Soviet Union took control of the elections in Poland, thus demonstrating that the Soviet system of communism and socialism would be the only life for the Polish citizens (Dziewanowski 1987). There were two ways the Soviets knew how to be successful imposing influence or will on another county, and these ways existed through brute force or anti-communist legislation. The actions taken by the Soviets were often of force and completely unacceptable to many of the Polish citizens.

Under Soviet influence, the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity would begin a process of eliminating anti-communist viewpoints. After the elections in 1947 the communist Polish Provisional Government of National Unity controlled 417 out of 434 seats in the parliament, thus forcing the established Polish government official out of office. By using force to control the elections, the communist government of Poland had controlled 96% of the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. The Western powers did not protest leaving the anti-communist leaders in Poland powerless -- and this is a point that has remained contentious among the Polish to this day.

Either through force or through legislation (Polish Constitution of 1952), the communist viewpoint would be the supreme law of the land in Poland (Kersten, 1991). One way of forcing people to covert to communism was through salami tactics. Salami tactics allowed communists to legally dismember any person or group that provided opposition. It thus became a tactic that gave the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity and the Soviet Union absolute control over Poland. With people in Poland fearing dismemberment, they were left to remain quiet and accept communism or to flee the country for freedom elsewhere.

The salami tactics used against Jozef Pilsudski (a major force in Polish politics) ended his reign of political influence. The tactics helped to rip Pilsudski's Polish Socialist Party apart and eventually allowed it to fall into the communist regime (Kersten, 1991). At first Pilsudski's party split into two factions, but later through legislation and force, became fully in supportive of the communist opposition. This activity forced Pilsudski and others in his party to flee Poland (Kersten, 1991). When the citizens of Poland saw that established political officials were fleeing or being executed, they were further enraged at the communist regime.

With the salami tactics in full effect, there would be little - if any - opposition to the communist Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. Polish reality would fall to a position of rule under the influence of Stalin as a central Soviet state. Stalin was known to have anti-communists executed or sent to prison camps in which they would live a life of hard labor until their deaths (Dziewanowski 1987). Many anti-communist parties and their supporters were forced to become communist or to flee Poland in fear of their lives or freedom.

Stalin's system of suppression was also adept at using military force when necessary to express communist views. The Soviet Union's Red Army was a well trained and massive militia that reported directly to Stalin himself (Dziewanowski 1987). If a group wanted to demonstrate an anti-communist or anti-Stalin viewpoint, the Red Army would likely be called into duty. Stalin's brute force controlled many European countries. This strategy was effective because of the fact that many opposed to Stalin were fearful of both him and of the threat of brute force that he brought down on others (Dziewanowski 1987).

Although the Polish people were angry and did not want to be a part of the central Soviet state, the first step taken by the communist Polish Provisional Government of National Unity to stop antipathy against the Soviet Union was to drown out the voice of any who dared to oppose them. This was done through brutal force. In September 1980 the Solidarity was formed; this was the first non-communist political party in Poland. The Solidarity was created as a social movement against communism, and they displayed civil resistance in an attempt to change the culture that encompassed workers rights.

Polish Constitution of 1952

The second step taken by the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity to stop antipathy against the Soviet Union was to enact the Polish Constitution of 1952. The constitution was also known as the July Constitution or the Constitution of 1952 because it was signed into law on July 22, 1952. The Polish Constitution of 1952 was modeled after the 1936 Soviet Constitution. The model posited several key features, including a definition of the communist party, a proclamation of freedom of religion and a recognition of social and economic rights. The country of Poland was a central Soviet state by law and the people in Poland were appalled.

The first feature was a brainchild of Stalin, and officially recognized the communist party. Under the Polish Constitution of 1952, there would be no other parties allowed to oppose the communist party. Thus any political affiliations or gatherings not in support of the communist party would be met with salami tactics or other methods of brute force. For the many Polish citizens that were opposed to being part of a communist-sponsored state, they would have to meet politically or in contention of communist ideals secretly.

The Polish Constitution of 1952 recognized the communist party and stressed a system in which the party would be reorganized into one political unit. This called for a direct election of government bodies. This was much like the election many of the Polish people remembered in 1947. The separation of powers system was replaced with a legislative branch of government. The Soviet Union called this a dictatorship of the proletariat, and left the Polish people without a voice in the shaping of their government.

In the Polish Parliament the executive branch was known as the Sejm. The Sejm would control the judiciary and the executive branch of the government. This would end the election process of implementing a judiciary and executive branch. Any thought of democracy would be crushed and the idea of power in one place was established as the communist way. Without a way to assemble or to legally create a non-communist political party, the Polish people were feeling isolated and were forced into communism.

The Sejm of the Peoples Republic of Poland began with 425 fledged members. There was one deputy to represent 60,000 citizens in each designated area. Members of the Sejm could vote on budgetary issues and national plans. The Sejm became the sole ruling body in Poland once the Senate of Poland was abolished in 1946 by the Polish people's referendum. The executive branch gave power to the Council of Ministers and the State Council. The council was elected on the first session of the Sejm. The members would serve four-year terms as either deputies or as non-deputies. The council was the Head of State and represented the People's Republic of Poland in foreign relation and ratification of international treaties. It also voted on military issues and could grant citizenship or invoke a pardon. The council had no legislative powers and therefore could not enact any laws. This worked to keep any upstart Polish politician from trying to combat the central Soviet state.

The second component of the Polish Constitution of 1952 was freedom of religion. When this was enacted in the Soviet Union many churches were reopened, thus creating job opportunities in the form of religious work. Stalin believed in a system in which people could seek out religion based on their personal beliefs. Many communists opposed this act, but Stalin believed that by giving the people freedom of religion they would in turn be happier.

The third component of the Polish Constitution of 1952 was the recognized collection of social and economic rights. This was the component of the constitution that was intended directly for the citizens of Poland. Stalin believed that people should benefit from a socialist system, and this was part of his social and economic rights plan. Although the Polish people did not agree, the plan was enacted anyway.

With the recognition of social and economic rights, the communist government believed it was helping to improve society. It also believed that the Polish communities would eventually be supportive. The rights included the right to work, rest; rights of leisure, health protection, care for the sickly and old, and rights for housing, education, and cultural benefits. A citizen in a socialist system was given the right to work, although there was not much pay difference between the higher and lower jobs. People in Poland were angered that they would not be a part of a free market capitalist system.

Stalin believed that industry was the way of the future (Kenez, n.a.). In the communist system, rural farmers were brought into cities to work in industry. Many jobs in the city became available as factories were being built. This would lead to a boom in industry and would lead to Poland becoming more urbanized. With so many people moving to the city there would soon be a housing shortage. The Polish farmers who stayed in the rural areas would be the happiest because they could work without much interruption from the government.

In the Soviet Union's system of socialism, medical care and education were believed to stalwarts and necessities. With every citizen being provided health care, the communists believed they would be pleasing the people, but the Polish people wanted freedom and choice. Socialism offered a system of health care that was universal. The health system would also provide care for the elderly and the sickly members of society. Every citizen in the country of Poland would be able to receive health care. These were positive alternatives for a society that wanted them, but the citizens in Poland wanted the opportunity to create their own way of life.

The educational system would be equally as beneficial to the citizens of Poland. A social system of education provided everyone in Polish society an equal and fair opportunity to receive an education. At a certain point in the educational system, students would be picked into career fields that they would excel in. Under a socialist system of education, it was determined that everyone in society would have a role or part to play. The education system would be in place to help find a role for everyone in society, thus equal contributions would be made throughout society.

The communist Polish Provisional Government of National Unity believed that a system closely resembling the Soviet Union would be beneficial to the citizens of Poland (Kersten, 1991). The people of Poland were in complete disagreement. The Polish Constitution of 1952 was a way for the government to make life better for people (Kersten, 1991). By granting freedom of religion and social and economic rights, the government believed that the citizens should be happy to be contributing members of a socialist society - but the citizens were angered and outraged by the socialist policies. The constitution granted the citizens opportunities to work, a universal healthcare system and the opportunity to be educated, and in turn to learn a skill to help contribute to society successfully (Kenez, n.a.).

Soviet Influence

The third step taken by the communist Polish Provisional Government of National Unity to stop antipathy against the Soviet Union was to interject Soviet influence in the daily lives of their citizens. With the interjection of the Soviet lifestyle, and of the benefits of a socialist way of life, the citizens of Poland would relinquish their antipathy toward the Soviets. This was the thought process, but it was soon learned the Soviet lifestyle was not wanted. By giving the citizens a better way of life politically, socially and economically, the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity would try to decrease antipathy against the Soviet Union. By trying to influence society with Soviet ideologies, the communist Polish government further angered the population base.

Politically, the people of Poland could become contributing members of the communist party. The communist party and socialist lifestyle offered better lives according to the Soviets. The Soviets believed a single party system was a better way of government, but the Polish people adamantly disagreed. This would avoid disputes and gridlock and be a more efficient government, argued the Soviets. A single party system favoring communism would bring equality and opportunity to the people of Poland. The communist sponsored government did not take the ideas of freedom and democracy into account, though this was what society was calling for.

Another political influence the Soviets would introduce was in the form of military protection and intelligence. The Soviet Red Army was massive and brought fear to many. As a part of the Soviet empire, Poland would receive protection and training from the militia. With the military expertise and strength, they would also bring a system of intelligence. The Soviet system of intelligence was the best in the world (Kenez, n.a.). The opportunity to receive a highly organized system of intelligence and to have the training and expertise in those areas would be most beneficial to the Polish society. Although a novel idea, the Polish people would have been happy to develop their own army to protect their own way of life.

Politically speaking, the Polish people would also benefit from the Soviet influence on the police force. The Soviet's KGB was one of the best organized and most efficient forms of police in the world (Kenez, n.a). The ability to train and work with the Soviet KGB would dramatically improve the Polish police force. With the training received and the influence of the KGB, the Polish police officers will become more effective in performing their jobs. Many citizens, however, thought that the Western influence may have been equally as effective in developing a strong law enforcement system in Poland.