Poland: Command Planning in Crisis
The wave of strikes that took place in Poland in 1980 started as a protest against increases in food prices without corresponding adjustments in wages. The real cause was, however, much deeper. It was an expression of nonconfidence in the party and government leaders and their policies, and a protest against the system of planning and management which had not been able to secure improvements in the standard of living. The strikes were a sign that the workers, and the entire population, realized that Gierek and his group had no program and were not prepared to take the necessary risks to introduce bold systemic changes. There was general recognition that the economic situation would not improve without strong pressure from below without creating an emer-