The experience of solidarity in Poland under communist rule and thereafter
Although Solidarność was the largest mass movement in the history of after-war Europe,
the experience of solidarity during that time in communist Poland has barely
been analysed. Drawing on historical accounts of the events in the 1980s and press
interviews with Solidarność members, this paper attempts to bridge this gap and identifies
key aspects of the experienced solidarity. It argues that the solidarity under communism
in Poland derived not only from the common enemy – the communist party
state – but was deeply rooted in Catholic social thought and the national identity. It
was driven mainly by ideas of protection of human dignity, mutual aid, participation
and a demand for “life in truth”. Since 2015, the new social policy has had initially
positive impact on income inequality, birth rates and poverty but must be accompanied
by further measures to obtain a long-term character
Keywords: Solidarność, solidarity, Poland, communist system, inequalities
Vol: 1/2021 - Article 2.1
