Poland into the 1990's

The dramatic pace of change currently taking place in Eastern Europe has thrown Poland's recent history somewhat into relief. However, there can be no doubt that Poland has had a very turbulent passage towards democratization, and was the first East Europe country to hold "free" elections, resulting in half the seats in the lower house going to Solidarity. As it enters the 1990s, Poland still faces serious economic problem, which could result in further unrest: there is more food in the shops but it is now too expensive for many Poles to buy. In this focus on Poland, the editors have commissioned a set of articles from Polish social scientists, all of whom live and work in Poland. Each area dealt with is looked at in the context of the current situation and desirable policy shifts in the 1990s.