Solidarity and the Polish State: Competing Discursive Strategies on the Road to Power
Solidarity and the Polish State: Competing Discursive Strategies on the Road to Power
Author(s): Janine P. HoleSubject(s): Political history, Economic policy, Government/Political systems, Economic development, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Post-Communist Transformation
Published by: SAGE Publications Ltd
Keywords: Poland; Central and Eastern Europe; transition from Communism; Solidarity; socialism; democracy; economic reforms;
Summary/Abstract: Of all the transitions from Communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe, the Polish path seemed the most arduous and lengthy. From 1976 to 1989 the opposition fought to carve out a role for civil society and to limit the prerogatives of an entrenched Community party state. The turning point in this process took place in late 1987 and in 1988, when the fundamental lack of credibility of the state vis-a-vis society plunged the entire Polish system into a social and economic crisis. The workers' strikes of May and August 1988 seemed to be the final push to convince the Rakowski government and the Solidarity leadership to begin the Round Table talks and, ultimately, to free elections to a newly established Senate. [...]
Journal: East European Politics and Societies
- Issue Year: 06/1992
- Issue No: 02
- Page Range: 121-140
- Page Count: 20
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF