Shades of Grey: Poland’s Example for a Middle East in Transition
Shades of Grey: Poland’s Example for a Middle East in Transition

Summary/Abstract: It is not at all clear if or how a country’s experience in systemic transition—from authoritarian to democratic rule—can serve as a lesson to another country in transition. Positivists would claim the 20th century provides a plethora of examples about how to conduct a transition. Sceptics would point at differences in each and every case: in the character and condition of the economy, a lack of adequate political structures or different cultural and historic backgrounds. Tunisia and Egypt, however, are at this extremely precarious point where they will understandably want to make decisions on their own but will be at the same time looking carefully at the experience and competence of others because the democratization process inevitably requires many practical solutions. The following study will show that there are certain specifics that make the Polish transition experience in 1989 relevant to the changes unfolding in Egypt and Tunisia, especially in the public sphere. It is not comprehensive,1 rather it tends to show good practices that were successfully, albeit turbulently, implemented in Poland in domains that need urgent reform in North Africa (constitution and economy) but, equally important, it will point out the deficiencies of the Polish choices that eventually led to both positively and negatively viewed outcomes.

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