Political Dissent and Opposition in Poland: The Workers' Defense Committee KOR

by Robert Zuzowski

Overview

Political dissent in Poland after World War II had changed considerably by the early 1980s. In the 1950s and 1960s it was characterized by spontaneity and lack of strategy; the opposite held true in the 1980s. The people of Poland became highly politicized and openly acting dissident organizations, hostile toward the communist state, flourished. Robert Zuzowski presents a comprehensive portrait of the unique pattern of dissent, exemplified by the Workers' Defense Committee KOR, which finally triumphed in Poland. He examines the rise of the opposition in Poland, a country which has experienced more political crises than any other East European nation.

Zuzowski argues that KOR, by introducing an innovative approach to political dissent in Poland, contributed significantly to the transformation of Polish politics. The volume also explores dissent in Poland during the two decades prior to the formation of KOR. The reasons for the formation of the Workers' Defense Committee are analyzed and its activities from its inception until the summer of 1980 are chronicled. The author then examines the Committee's relations with the Roman Catholic Church and dissident organizations. Concluding chapters discuss KOR's formal dissolution and the organization's influence on Polish political culture. This volume will interest students of communism and/or sociopolitical change, as well as all those concerned with East European politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275941383
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/23/1992
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

ROBERT ZUZOWSKI is Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He has published numerous articles in scholarly jourbanals in Australia, the United States, and Canada.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Dissent in Poland: 1956-1976
The Formation of KOR
KOR's Activity: September 1976-June 1980
The Roman Catholic Church and KOR
KOR's Relations with Other Dissident Organizations
KOR and Solidarity: July 1980-September 1981
KOR after KOR
Why Were There Organizations Like KOR in Poland?
Conclusion: The Significance of KOR
Appendix A: List of KOR Members
Appendix B: An Interview with Wolodzimierz Schilling-Siengalewicz, Former Chairman of the Seamen's and Deep-Sea Fishermen's Trade Union
Bibliography
Index