All historic events seem to need a definition in terms of where they start and end. The collapse of communism in Poland was played out in full view of the world's media. The establishment of the Solidarity movement could well be treated as the starting point of this process. The alternative date could be that of the conclusion of the round table talks or even the first genuinely free elections. For Poland, 1989 was a time of change.
I initiated a debate on this subject at this year's Hay festival. Timothy Garton Ash, well known to Guardian readers, and Slawomir Sierakowski, a young editor of a challenging leftwing publication in Poland, were asked to tell the audience when they thought the history of communist Poland had come to an end and the transformation in accordance with the liberal democratic model and free market principles began. Both speakers grappled with the problem created by the power of symbols, which tend to trap us in a timewarp and prevent us moving on to understanding the complexities of present day politics in Poland. The belief that the Polish pope destroyed the evil communist regime is a cliche beloved by the Conservatives as much as it is by the left, which was profoundly critical of the communists' lack of respect for human rights. It was my aim to lead the speakers away from such stereotypes.
Read Full Article »