mafketis
23 Oct 2015
News / Poland Parliamentary elections 2015 [1060]
How long have you been in Poland? I was here in the early 90s and there is _no_ comparison. I was also in a research project that brought me in contact with the underclass then and if you don't think there's been _huge_ progress then you're dreaming.
What seems to have happened in Poland is that those living more precarious existences had informal family-and-friend based networks to help them and did not have a big consumer mentality because this wasn't long after communism where there wasn't anything to consume. And a large majority of Polish people then knew how to make and live on a household budget. The networks seem to be breaking down, they've had a taste of consumerism and budget skills have largely been lost. That all spells discontent.
I totally get why they're upset and want a change (ruling parties in parliamentary systems almost always lose support over time). I think that PO has done a reasonably okay job (not great but Poland has avoided the worst of the ongoing economic crisis so far and that should count for something). But I really don't think PiS is about the economy. It's about shifting blame (turning Polish people against each other, look Polonius3 who despises Poles who aren't poor and pious enough for his taste).
Economically I don't think PiS has any strategy beyond promising election sausage that they won't be able to deliver (hopefully they won't deliver because they'll drive the whole country into Greece-dom if they get their way).
You do interact twith the very rich but open your eyes and look at the lot of most Poles. Of course Poland has developed (thanks to EU money ;)) over the past few years but the whole Polish population have not benefitted from all this. Only let's say 10% of the population live "properly"
How long have you been in Poland? I was here in the early 90s and there is _no_ comparison. I was also in a research project that brought me in contact with the underclass then and if you don't think there's been _huge_ progress then you're dreaming.
What seems to have happened in Poland is that those living more precarious existences had informal family-and-friend based networks to help them and did not have a big consumer mentality because this wasn't long after communism where there wasn't anything to consume. And a large majority of Polish people then knew how to make and live on a household budget. The networks seem to be breaking down, they've had a taste of consumerism and budget skills have largely been lost. That all spells discontent.
I totally get why they're upset and want a change (ruling parties in parliamentary systems almost always lose support over time). I think that PO has done a reasonably okay job (not great but Poland has avoided the worst of the ongoing economic crisis so far and that should count for something). But I really don't think PiS is about the economy. It's about shifting blame (turning Polish people against each other, look Polonius3 who despises Poles who aren't poor and pious enough for his taste).
Economically I don't think PiS has any strategy beyond promising election sausage that they won't be able to deliver (hopefully they won't deliver because they'll drive the whole country into Greece-dom if they get their way).