Communist party budget (planning, expenses, control) on the example of Polish United Workers’ Party Cover Image

Budżet partii komunistycznej (planowanie, wydatki, kontrola) na przykładzie PZPR
Communist party budget (planning, expenses, control) on the example of Polish United Workers’ Party

Author(s): Marcin Żukowski
Subject(s): Political history, Post-War period (1950 - 1989)
Published by: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
Keywords: Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR); Polish United Workers’ Party finances; Polish United Workers’ Party budget; Polish United Workers’ Party estimates; Polish United Workers’ Party financial economy

Summary/Abstract: Polish United Workers’ Party was the core of the political system of the People’s Republic of Poland. It managed the large state administration, sought to oversee the public life of citizens and was part of the international communist movement. Therefore, identifying mechanisms governing the Polish United Workers’ Party is important not only for understanding the history of the party itself. It also allows for a deeper (multi-dimensional) knowledge of the history of People’s Republic of Poland. The article deals with methods of financing Polish United Workers’ Party developed by communists and still poorly known. It focuses on procedures related to budget planning, expenditure groups and different aspects of monitoring the implementation of budget plans. The author did not limit himself to reproducing the mechanisms showing how strongly centralized the group was. Based on a broad query he presented a number of significant estimates indicating the material costs of maintaining Polish United Workers’ Party. In order to get a broad comparative background, he also analysed the data on the finances of Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Socialist Unity Party of Germany, almost unknown in historiography. This way the reader can learn selected aspects of financing Polish United Workers’ Party and see where and to what extent they were similar to communist parties ruling in the Soviet Union and East Germany.

  • Issue Year: 27/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 49-68
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Polish