Question

Discuss how Poland became a democratic country under the leadership of Lech Walesa.

Answer 1

(i) Poland was ruled by the Polish United Worker's Party in 1980. No other political party was allowed to function.
(ii) The government in Poland was supported and controlled by the government of the Soviet Union (USSR), a powerful communist state.
(iii) On 14 August 1980, the workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk went on a strike as the shipyard was owned by the government. All the factories and big property too were owned by the government. As the strike continued, Lech Walesa, a former electrician of the shipyard, joined the strikers. On becoming their leader and after the strike spread across the city, the workers demanded the right to form trade unions, release of political prisoners and an end to censorship on press.
(iv) On gaining popularity, the government gave in. A 21-Point Agreement signed between Walesa and the government ended their strike. A new trade union called Solidarity was formed which got immense popularity in Poland.
(v) It revealed widespread corruption and mismanagement in the government. The government soon imposed martial law in Poland. Thousands of Solidarity members were put in prison.
(vi) This resulted in another wave of strikes in 1988. The Polish government was weaker, the support from Soviet Union was uncertain and the economy was declining.
(vii) Another round of negotiations with Walesa resulted in an agreement in April 1989 for free elections. Solidarity contested all the 100 seats of the Senate and won 99 of them.
(viii) In October 1990, Poland had its first presidential elections in which more than one party could contest. Walesa was elected President of Poland. In this way Poland became a democratic country finally.