Polish reconstruction loutish total modernization in 1945–1989

Abstract

After 1944, the introduction of a “communist” modernization model began in Poland. Its features were top-down imposed transformations in the political, economic and social spheres. It was the communist authorities that decided about the direction and shape of civilizational transformations. The subject of modernization was a party bureaucracy practically not subject to social control, especially since society in this system was subject to civilization changes. The modernization was to be of a total character, closely linked with the construction of a new socialist system. The adopted Soviet model of modernization was of a mimetic nature, drew from Western standards, but introduced only selected elements, matching the different political and social relations and the principles of manual control of economic life. The transformation of modernization from 1945–1989 was based on the political, social and economic transformation after 1989. The government of Tadeusz Mazowiecki took over the economy which is a hybrid of the socialist version combining the so-called ownership of the socialized (in the majority of cases) with the erosion of the influence of state competence and the growing private sector. Modernization processes in Polish People's Republic took place in the new system context, they were inscribed in subsequent economic plans, in a central planning scheme, which in time was less and less efficient. In spite of this, the country was made industrialized and the economy became more economical, education was popularized, socialization of health care was created, the foundations of the consumer society were created.

Keywords

• modernization
• the people's republic of poland
• real socialism
• centrally planned economy
• industrialization
• urbanization