poland (solidarity)

• why did protests begin in 1980

  • one party system - few rights
  • no trade unions
  • propaganda was constantly lying
  • 1979 was the worst year for industry
  • raised prices but kept wages same
  • raised price of meat - ordinary people now in poverty
• what were some of the 21 demands in 1980 august

  • trade unions
  • right to strike
  • freedom of speech
  • increase in pay by 2,000
  • full supply of food for markets
  • day-care centres for children
• why did the gov clamp down on it in 1981

  • was acting as a political party
  • split into factions - very radical
  • leaders couldn't control all its members
  • poland was going chaos (unemployment, inflation, rationing)
  • USSR began training exercises on border to intimidate
  • USSR needed to make sure movement did not spread
• describe events in 1981

  jan - 9.4 million members

  feb - prime minister resigned, jarulzelski took over

  march - negotiations between jarulzelski + lech walesa began

  sep - sent a "message to the working people of eastern europe" claiming to campaign for all E.E

  dec - solidarity suspended, walesa + leaders arrested, martial law begins
• what happened in 1989

  april - economy worsens and workers strike, solidarity legalised

  june - solidarity wins elections, first non-communist government in E.E
• solidarity successful due to solidarity's strengths

  • lech walesa was very careful in negotiating not to draw attention of USSR
  • strong support in industries important to gov
  • support of roman catholic church
  • 1 million comm members joined + 80% of workforce joined
  • never used violence
• solidarity successful due to government's weakness

  • were playing for time hoping solidarity would split up so they could introduce martial law
  • Solidarity was v popular in the West, USSR had to be more careful with actions
• significance of solidarity

  • highlighted failure of communism to bring good standard of living
  • showed inefficiency + corruption
  • communism could be defeated by people power
  • communism only survived through use of force/threat, otherwise it was v weak