Bronislaw Misztal

Between the State and Solidarity: one movement, two interpretations the Orange alternative movement in Poland*

The movement known as Orange Alternative emerged in Poland in early 1980s and it continues to operate even though the original conditions of the socialist reality changed. From a relatively small and vanguard form of street theatre it grew to a form of manifestation of ones discontent with the world of symbols. A similar movement exists in Hungary. In this work the Orange phenomenon is analyzed as a form of response to dichotomous organization of social space in the preand post-revolutionary period in Eastern Europe.

Poland after Solidarity: Social Movements versus the State.

The unexpected emergence of the Solidarity movement in Poland has focused Western attention on conflicts within socialist states. The rapid truncation of Solidarity and the rise of a new image of the state as a militarized, relatively autonomous, repressive apparatus has left several theoretical questions unresolved and raised some new ones. This volume draws from historical and political accounts of the events that haunted Poland between 1980 and 1984, providing a complex sociological explanation of the major processes that occur within the state-society sphere of relationships. In part one, the authors examine the conflict between social movements and the state in Poland: the history of Solidarity, the nature of the political conflict between Solidarity and the Communist state, the institutionaliza-tion of the means of control by the party over society, the functioning of civil society, and the mediating role of the Catholic Church. In part two, the authors treat issues that go beyond Solidarity: the scope of state autonomy, legitimacy conflicts within socialist and capitalist states, other social movements in Poland, and the philosophical symbolism of Solidarity.

Power to the people : democratization around the world

Introduction The New Interstate System Cold War Superpower Spheres and Dictatorships Oil Crisis and Dictatorship in Southern Europe Debt and Dictatorship in Latin America Democratization in Latin America Growth and Democratization in East Asia Crisis and Reform in the Soviet Union Democratization in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union Debt and Divestment in South Africa Democracy and Development.

Social Movements of the Core and the Periphery

This article focuses on the theoretical foundations of the sociological approach to social movements as it developed in the mid-1980s. It is argued here that within a certain stream of world-system theory there is sufficient theoretical space to consider the new movements, which occur (or would occur) at different places on the globe, and which address the state. The premises, propositions and conclusions of world-system theory are distinguished and analysed in the light of their explanatory utility regarding social movements. Current criti cism of the theory is also considered, and suggestions are articulated about potentially new perspectives on social movements. Following this, theories of the state and of social movements are evaluated as to the exactness of their respective explanations. In the concluding remarks, we argue that the social movements approach, if properly amended, may detect the seeds of social change long before they actually reach the surface of society.

The State's Capacity to Change: The Case of Poland and the Philippines

The processes which occurred in the Philippines in 1986 were perceived as similar to the ones which took place in Poland in 1980-1981. This perceived similarity is based on some aspects of the state structure and on the fact that in both cases society rebelled against the regime. By looking into the two cases we analyze the repressive regimes as being a product of a specific constellation of political, social and economic processes which emerge on national and international levels. We focus on the interaction between civil society and the state in the authoritarian context. Among the structural determinants which has precipitated the fall of Marcos regime we see: absence of successor to Marcos in his own ranks, disenchantment of the middle classes, support of the catholic church and the aggregated fear of the communist takeover. In Poland, on the other hand, the delegitimization of the state, fading of the official ideology and rupture in economic plans have led to the emergence of social movement which, however, was completely unable to capitalize on such structural processes as disenchantment of various social groups. Consequently, the monolythic myth of Solidarity was destroyed. THE EVENTS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 1986 have focused the world’s attention on the Philippines. The first days after Mrs. Corazon Aquino’s victory, because of the climate of joy and hope it produced, were frequently compared with the very first period in Poland after Solidarity was created (September, 1980). Perceived similarities between the Polish and Philippine cases stem from two factors. The first is an ideology, or normative theory used by the respective regimes in order to make their grip on and control over society more effective. In both cases the rulers used state apparatuses to forge the solidaristic, functionally-interrelated society. In the organic-statist tradition this has been achieved by applying corporatist policies. Organicstatism as an ideology can be located somewhere in the middle between command socialism and classical liberalism (Stepan 1978). The latter implies

Politics and religion in Central and Eastern Europe : traditions and transitions

Tables and Figures Preface Traditions and Transitions: Reflections on the Problems and Prospects for Religions in Eastern and Central Europe by Roberto Cipriani Religio-Nationalist Subcultures in the Soviet Union: Comparisons and Conceptual Refinements by Hank Johnston Religion in Post-Communist Countries: A Comparative Study of Religiousness in Byelorussia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia, and Poland by Irena Borowik The New Europe and the Value Orientations of Young People: East-West Comparisons by Luigi Tomasi From Glasnost to Dukhovnost?: The Commonwealths Alienation Crisis by Patricia Ann Wasely Lomire Religious and National Identity of Russians by Natalia Dinello Churches, Politics and Society in Post-Communist East-Central Europe by Ivan Varga Religion, Communism, and Democracy in Central Europe: The Polish Case by Patrick Michel The Crash of the Sacred Canopy in Polish Society: A Systems Theory Approach by Enzo Pace The Church as Catalyst in East Germanys Freedom Movement by Karen C. Hartley Germanys Reconstruction: The Role of the Eastern German Evangelical Church before and after Reunification by Robert E. Beckley, H. Paul Chalfant, and D. Paul Johnson Social and Ethical Aspects of the Development of the Slovak Evangelical Church in the 20th Century by Vasil Gluchman Medjugorje and the Crisis in Yugoslavia by Gerald E. Markle and Frances B. McCrea Bibliography Index

Uncontrolled Processes in the Socialist City: A Polish Case Study

A key issue for contemporary urban sociology is the concept of collective consumption. This concept refers to certain processes that are significant for the analysis of advanced capitalist societies. According to Peter Saunders, collective consumption should be considered mainly within the &dquo;context of the tensions between private sector profitability and social needs.&dquo; 1 The socialist societies, however, do not create a developed private sector, and market forces are no longer an economic regulator. The principal factor of social organization is the state. The political party-the Communist t

The Petite Bourgeoisie in Socialist Society

Questions surrounding the existence of the petite bourgeoisie in socialist society arouse considerable controversy. To avoid purely semantic misunderstanding therefore it might be as well to state at the outset that this paper will consider the following problems: 1. Is the petite bourgeoisie in socialist society a class or a stratum? 2. What are the relationships between the petite bourgeoisie and other adjacent social groupings in socialist society? 3. Does belonging to a particular social group result in the acquisition of a set of cultural features which affect people’s thinking?

Images of barriers to social development in Polish sociological thought

This article examines the image of barriers to development and change of socialist society, as seen by Polish sociologists. The question of planning and directing social development is of crucial meaning for socialist ideology. Therefore revealing how the ideal type of socialist society confronts both the reality of social pressures and of political restraints illuminates the state of the theory of socialist society. Three types of theories are examined here: general (Marxist) social theory; social structure theory and theory of social systems. The reasons for which the issue of socialist development does not hold independent epistemological status are then analysed.

The Explanatory Utility of Major Sociological Theories Developed in Poland 1970-1980

This paper deals with the sociological theories that developed in Poland during the height of societal expectations for better life and a brighter future. However, the decade of 1970-80 already contained seeds of crisis. The mainstream sociological theories that are analysed here neglected many of the alarming features of the socialist society already to be seen. Instead, the proponents of those theories actively supported the political enterprise of the existing power élite. As a result, those major sociological theories have little explanatory utility, since they are not an adequate tool of cognition for the actual existing socialist society. The non-mainstream approaches, on the other hand, although being far more critical, did not bear features of sociological theory either.