Crazy 1990s in Poland - transition from communism to capitalism - stories

If people rely on 500+, they are still working class. There is no shame in that.


Yes. This is so obvious as to be absolute common sense. Unfortunately Poland is infested with 'libertarian' Aynrandies who despise altruism, equality and anything other than hedonistic greed.

Yep, still worshiping at alter of dead ghouls like Reagan and Friedman. And this is where PO and Konfederacja converge, On the opposite end of the economici ideology spectrum, where PiS and Nowa Lewica/Partia Razem converge.

Who knows next election, PiS and Lewica form a vague alliance and take power. Kaczynski comes out as gay and authorises civil unions and other gradual measures in social policy.

Woaaah, wait a minute, but where is that "good change" that was promised by PiS?? :D


It is a given in rich Western countries that can afford this.


So, the state has enough money for PiS to sponsor your family's overseas holiday or TVP or Rydzyk's business plans or expensive furniture for the ministries, even more expensive planes for the government and raises and bonuses for politicians or over 4 mln for Black Eyed Peas at the New Year's Eve concert, but it doesn't have enough money to help Polish kids who want to kill themselves? Could you explain this to me?

Them yes, Razem and PO,no.

If PiS stopped their virtue signalling to the rural, religious poorly-educated elderly, they would improve hugely. That demographic is shrinking, so courting them will not lead to long term gains.

Did you see that fool mouthing off about the New Years Concert?

116111.pl seems to be doing a great job, was there an goverment run alternative?


I wrote that economically PiS and Razem/Lewica converge somewhat.

@amiga500, yes, 116111.pl has been doing a great job for 14 years in this country and is very trustworthy and PiS government decided to not fund it anymore since 2022. Those government funds weren't big enough anyway.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the problems of psychology and psychiatry in Poland in general, and child psychology and psychiatry in particular, are concerned. There was a case some time ago when a 15-year-old girl was raped in a psychiatric hospital in Poland by an adult male patient - she was put there because there was not enough space in a psychiatric ward for kids. Earlier two 13-year-old girls were raped in the same hospital. Is this what a rich, developed, civilised country looks like, according to you?:

uwaga.tvn.pl/reportaze,2671,n/15-latka-zgwalcona-w-szpitalu-wczesniej-zostaly-tam-skrzywdzone-dwie-13-latki-oficjalna-strona-progr,295572.html

Maybe you should start watching TVN after all?

The economist who gave the name to the reforms which transformed a communist country into a capitalist one was Leszek Balcerowicz. Hence, the Polish language adopted the term: Balcerowicz`s Plan.

To some people he was a saviour, to others - monster.

polishhistory.pl/the-balcerowicz-plan-an-economic-leap-into-the-unknown/

THE BALCEROWICZ PLAN: AN ECONOMIC LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN
1989 - THE BEGINNING OF THE POLISH ECONOMIC REFORMS
Three decades ago, parliament passed a package of bills rebuilding the Polish economy - they came to be known as "The Balcerowicz plan". The dispute over the assessment of these reforms has been ongoing since 1989. One thing is certain - it was a pioneering operation that allowed for a rapid transition from communism to capitalism.

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One of the greatest Poles and as usual it starts with a P: Plan Balcerowicza.

What the hell is wrong with you? He still believes and is spouting his outdated and obscene theories even today, besides he was just the face and merely a note taker, he pretty much did what the Jeffrey Sachs and the americans told him.

One example which comes to my mind is connected with this thread. It was a chuckle of history that many Poles rejected the initial capitalist shock and voted for the left parties aka former communists in the coming elections through 1990s. In 1993 repainted communists won the national and in 1995 the presidential elections. Only a few years after abolishing communism! That was a shame but clearly shows the disappointment with the capitalist transformation.

Former communists won over 20% votes and created the gov with the peasant party. Solidarity parties had more voters but were conflicted with each other and in political disarray.

The photo which symbolizes the chuckle of history - the infamous spokesman of the communist gov from the most tragic years of the martial law is rejoicing his buddies` victory:

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Interestingly, this time he didn't show his ears, only his tongue.

Not only Solidarity but also his commie buddies rebuked him for being so arrogant. They didn`t accept that giant bottle of champagne to avoid unnerving their opponents even further.

Fortunately, it's not champagne but Schloss Wachenheim sparkling wine.

In Poland all German sparkling wines are called champagne tu unnerve those arrogant Frenchies. :):):)

Yes, I remember these generalizations, e.g. during communism, every off-road vehicle was a "GAZIK", just as today every off-road vehicle is called a Jeep/Dżip

What do you all have against these French people? Beautiful country, great wines, underrated cars for people.

Go hang around on a French board for a year or so (any history or politics forum, whatever). That will teach you to ask stupid questions. :D


Nobody has anything against the landscapes, wines or cars.

huh?

In communist Poland there was only one TV game show called Great Game. Everybody watched it coz there was no other. It required immense knowledge on expertise level.
In 1990s new programmes appeared. Instead of intellectual Great Game, simpletons could watch less demanding game shows. One of them was Wheel of Fortune. It was so popular that I even played this game with my students in class.

Wojciech Pijanowski hosted it for many years.

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Which is 1992. But my PC was 286 and after two years I realised it was too weak to play some new exciting games on it. I regretted not buying a 386 but I can`t blame myself for my proverbial meanness aka frugality.


Nostalgia which is fully satisfied coz I still play games from 1990s: The Patrician, Civilisation 1, Panzer General, Imperialism etc etc What about you???

Don't have much time for games but I sometimes still play the ones you mentioned, as well as Castles 2, Dune 2, Colonisation and old RPGs (Ishar, Eye of the Beholder, Betrayal at Krondor).

Yes, I forgot to mention it. I played all 3 Houses just before holidays.


I vaguely remember this game.

I was lucky with games coz as a teacher I was able to share them with my students and borrow new ones from them.

1990s had its dark moments when I got a big unpleasant surprise from my compatriots.

One of such surprises was the return of communists to power a few years after the system had collapsed. Many people lost work and personal safety during the transition time and liberal govs did little to help them. The disappointed part of the society voted for former communists now renamed as socialists, in vain hope they would take care of the jobless and needy. It happened during national elections in 1993. I swallowed that bitter pill and didn`t call them homo sovieticuses yet.
However, I did when in 1995 ex communist apparatchik Kwaśniewski was elected President. That was too much for me and I was really shocked coz people supported him after his debate with Walęsa during which the latter acted in a rude way to Kwaśniewski. So it didn`t matter that Kwaśniewski had once fully supported the communist regime and justified its crimes against the opposition, it was enough that Wałęsa refused to shake hands before the debate. Only this.

That was the first time in my life when I started analysing the problem of homo sovieticuses in Poland. And they weren`t oldies as one could presume. No, people my age, so relatively still young.

Here, communist propaganda guru, Urban, enjoying the democratic elections won by his buddies in 1993.

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And for us too.

Oh, the irony! You conveniently have an ADHD episode whenever anyone writes something you disagree with, yet here you are delivering a novel of your own! :)


The real surprise is that for once you didn't mention the target of your derangement syndrome! :)

Did you change medications or did you up the dosage? :)

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SLD was a single party and the opposition to them was fractured and tended to bicker among themselves rather than govern. SLD had the kind of structure and internal discipline to function like a western party (once freed of the need to pay lip service to the soviets).

in 1995 Wałęsa had no real record to run on besides alienating almost everyone with his constant need for undignified arguments...

Kwaśniewski acted more like a president and that's why he won.

Sad truth: The person that led the revolution is generally not someone you want to be in charge afterward.

I deserve a Noble Prize in literature! Ha!

!
Really? Well, some poster`s amnesia in the forum has probably passed onto me. Ha!

Polish or English?

Doesn`t matter. It matters that Poloniusz envies my literary skills. Ha!

Polish TV started broadcasting a programme called Morze/ Sea in 1988 and they did it until 1997. The programme dealt with topics concerning the Baltic Sea, e,g. fishing industry, the development of harbours etc. It bored most viewers to death.
However, it sported an amasing intro which made many kids hurry home from street football matches to see it and listen to as well. I can read this fascination with the intro in today`s comments.

The program had a distinctive opening sequence, which was a fragment of the Australian Pirate Movie ( 1982) with The Pirates' song "Victory" in the background .

I don`t remember it. At the time it was aired, I was already an adult and kid topics like pirates were my least concern.