1. Poland
Chapter 7, Section 5

2. DATELINE…GDANSK, POLAND, 1980
After World War II, Poland was a poor country because they were under communist rule.
Strikes and riots broke out in 1980.
Riots also occurred in 1976.
Strikes broke out because of increases in food prices.
Strikers demanded the right to form unions.
Economy continued to decline throughout the 1980s.
Government borrowed money from other countries but was unable to repay the debt.

3. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC STRUGGLES
The strikes and riots of the 1970s and 1980s weren’t the first time Polish citizens protested their government.
Communists took control of the government after World War II:
Set wages
Set price controls

4. SOLIDARITY In 1980, labor unions across Poland joined Solidarity.
The trade union was led by Lech Walesa.
Originally, goals were to increase pay and improve working conditions.
Later, set sights on bigger goals.
Free elections.
End to communist rule.

5. SOLIDARITY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =PogLjTtOBWk
Solidarity had over 10 million members!
Government fought back.
Suspended the organization.
Cracked down on protesters.
Arrested thousands of members, including Walesa.
=PogLjTtOBWk

6. A FREE POLAND
Economic conditions continued to worsen in the late 1980s.
Communist government asked Solidarity leaders to help.
Communists agreed to Solidarity’s demands for free elections.
Elections were held in 1989, and Solidarity candidates were elected.
Communists lost power.
Lech Walesa became president.

7. A NEW CONSTITUTION Poland is now a parliamentary republic.
Approved a new constitution in 1997.
Guarantees civil rights, such as free speech.
Balances powers held by:
The president
The Prime minister
The parliament

8. PARLIAMENT Made up of two houses:
Upper house or senate—100 members
Lower house—460 members
Prime minister is usually a member of the majority party.
Seats are reserved for representatives of small German and Ukrainian ethnic groups.
All Polish citizens get a voice.

9. CHANGING ECONOMY Switched from a command economy to a free economy.
Command—Government controls businesses.
Market—Businesses are individually owned.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)— Monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period
Prices were no longer controlled by the government.
Trade faced international competition.

10. INFLATION Shops could now sell goods that weren’t available before.
The problem was that prices rose about 80 percent.
Peoples’ wages could not keep up with inflation.
Polish businesses that couldn’t compete with high-quality foreign goods went out of business.
Created unemployment.
Overall standard of living fell.

12. AN IMPROVING ECONOMY
Eventually, more Polish businesses became successful.
People found work.
Inflation began to drop.
By 2000, Poland didn’t need economic aid from the United States!

13. CENSORSHIP
Under Communism, the Polish media was controlled by the government.
Outlawed information that did not support or praise Communism.
Many writers could not publish their works.
Some writers became dissidents.
Dissident—A person who openly disagrees with a government’s policies.

14. POPE JOHN PAUL II Born 1920 Died 2005
First non-Italian Pope in 456 years.
Served from 1978 to 2005—or 26 years.
Italians were very proud to have a Polish pope.

15. SUPPORTING THE ARTS Writers: Publications sold tax-free.
Actors, screenwriters, and directors:
Movie theatres repaid their costs for showing Polish movies.
Public-sponsored television stations:
Free-market advertising.
Television taxes.

16. QUESTIONS