Poland, a country with a stable economy, is currently one of the fastest-growing nations in Europe. However, it was not always this way. From 1945 to 1989, it was a dark period in the history of Poland. The country suffered a lot during World War II. Post-war, the country came under the iron fist of the communist Soviet Union, which led to further destruction. For five decades, all major decisions of the so-called democratic Poland were being made by the Soviet Union sitting in Moscow. One of the most extensive scams of the government running Poland drove up the suffering of the Polish people, even fifty years after the war ended.
Division of Poland
Being at the mercy of the Germans and the Soviet Union, Poland was split to two in the year 1939, leaving the people divided. The areas under German occupation were inhabited by ethnic Polish people. The Soviet Union’s territories in Poland consisted of people of different ethnicity. Be it Nazi Germans or the Soviet Union, the aim was to exterminate Polish culture. Throughout their rule, the people of Poland were constantly subjugated. Mass executions became common and several people were sent off to Kazakhstan and Siberia to dwell in extreme conditions.
With the war nearing an end, the Nazis were driven out of Poland by the Soviet Army and Polish Armed Forces. The greater power passed orders to form a compromised alliance between the Soviets and the Polish government. However, the Provisional Government of National Unity was formed in Warsaw, without involving the original Polish government. With this began the rule of the communists in Poland.
Communist Rule in Poland
With the exit of the Germans, Poland’s borders were under the control of Yalta and Potsdam. The German-occupied territories in the north and west were now a part of Poland. The country was left with a territory 20% smaller than it had before the war. The physical devastation brought radical changes in people’s lives as well. A few years after the end of the war, there was mass migration throughout the country, many of which were forced upon the people.
In opposition to the Provisional Government of National Unity, the Polish Peasants Party (PPR) was formed. The Provisional Government was already the powerful one, and after the fabricated elections, the opposition party was destroyed. The Socialist party was then taken over by the PPR, following which Bierut formed the Polish United Workers’ Party. From 1949 to 1981, the party exercised absolute control over politics. With the reform of the old constitution, Poland was renamed the People’s Republic of Poland. Unfortunately, democracy was just for the name’s sake. The entire judicial and political systems were controlled by the Soviet Union, which meant communism. Every citizen’s life was under the watch of the government, with the Catholic Church being the only exception. All activities were closely monitored by the secret police, and anyone who went against the government was punished under the new laws.
Military Repression
In 1944, the Soviet Red army formed a cooperation with the Polish Army. Together they fought in multiple cities and towns, Lublin, Vilnius, and L’viv being the notable ones. However, this union did not last long. The Home Army was disarmed and many officers were arrested. The military, now controlled by the Communist Party, was not accepted by many. All those who opposed were immediately incarcerated. Hundreds of Polish officers who fought for the freedom of Poland were massacred when the Soviets entered Poland.
The Polish underground, who started small revolts, were also silenced by the Soviets. Many of their leaders were either killed or deported to the far-off lands of the Soviet Union, including the soldiers of the Home Army; around 40,000 people were deported from Poland.
Labor Camps In Poland
The oppression of the common people was also prevalent in communist Poland. During their rule, more than 50,000 people were forcefully sent to labor camps in the states under the Soviet Union. Within five years, more than 300,000 people were being retained in labor camps.
Thousands lost their lives in the prison and labor camps. The government even imposed more than 3,000 death sentences for political reasons. Peasants were punished harshly for not paying a share of their income to the authorities, and collecting fees and arrests became a common thing. The government made hundreds of laws that led to large-scale repression. The Polish people felt like an outcast in their own country. Poland was far from being a democracy with the communist PPR in power.
The Effect on the Economy
World War caused huge losses of money and manpower in all the countries that took part. Poland was no different. The nation lost about 38% of government property, which included large infrastructures and various industrial locations. The communists wanted to gain public support and brought about new land reforms. The move never reached the goal due to the corruption in the system. Soon, the major industries were taken under government control. Both public and private properties in the German-occupied areas were also taken by the government.
In 1947, communism and repression affected trade as well. Most private stores and wholesale businesses were liquidated. Mills, food processing plants, and metalwork enterprises were taken under control. Under the new monetary reforms, private businesses had to give up two-thirds of their income to the state. The law also did not allow any citizen to own foreign currencies or precious metals.
Next came the collectivization in agriculture. People who owned farmlands for generations now lived in uncertainty under the new laws. Peasants who revolted were suppressed with higher taxes levied on them. Within a few years, this policy was removed and cooperatives fell apart. While the government preserved control over Polish farms until 1989, the plan to create more cooperatives never succeeded.
The six-year period from 1949 to 1955 saw intensive industrialization attempts by the government. The consumption costs were raised to build heavy industries. Price hikes in basic commodities soon led to strong revolts from the public. Most of their income was being taken away due to these price hikes and high taxes. By this time, the country’s economy had been disrupted. The government had to take out loans from Western countries in return for political and social reforms. The economy somewhat recovered. However, the development was short-lived.
The reforms promised were never made because of high resistance from communist leadership and this led to Western nations refusing to fund Poland. Interest rates hiked, causing a fall in living standards for Polish people. People would queue for the smallest of things. The scarcity of resources and high prices reflected the failure of the communist government. Poland was in a deep economic crisis and it lasted until the late 1980s.
With no plans to uplift the economy, the government liberalized activities on the economy front. All businesses were given equal power. Within a year, the country saw hyperinflation due to liberalization. Corruption in every sector made lives even more miserable for the common people.
The End of Communism
By 1989, the communist government and its propaganda had failed severely. Protests and revolts became widespread. In mid-1989, the country had its first free elections. The old communist political system was thrown out of power, and after 50 years of repression by the Soviets, Poland finally formed its first independent and democratic government with Mazowiecki as Prime Minister.
The return of democracy started with the redevelopment of society. The control of the government in every aspect ended and people reacquired their independence. Western markets were allowed entry into Poland, and soon the economy started to improve. Corruption has still not been eradicated from Poland but has reduced significantly. The government now works for the betterment of people and not its selfish wants.
Conclusion
So the Big Government Scam starting with the falsification of votes came to an end after 44 years of the country living in total disaster. The people responsible for the disaster were never prosecuted. Watch out for the signs of the government procedures in your own country. If you see something suspicious – prepare for the worse. Lessons learned from history should not be repeated ever again.