Parties and party systems in Poland. — The case of Solidarity and AWS

Abstract

Parties and party systems in Poland. - The case of Solidarity and AWS. This article attempts to shed light on the rise and development of political parties and party systems in the CEECs. It begins with outlining the main features of party and party system development in Poland since 1989 seen in the context of different stages of post-communism. The aim is to present a broad overview and to reach a better understanding of the changes in parties and party systems in CEECs — and especially in Poland. The first more general overview will be followed by a more detailed study of the trade union Solidarity, the election alliance AWS and finally the party formation RS AWS. As we shall see, the debate on the role of Solidarity has been intense and many-sided. Seen over the last 22 years Solidarity can be considered as a trade union, an anti-communist liberation movement, a broad anti-communist movement party, a cartel type party with governmental responsibilities and after the 2001 election as a party and trade union without representation in the Sejm. At the 2001 national election AWS lost representation in the Sejm. A variety of explanations has been put forward. One of the major arguments in this article is that explanations of the evolution of Solidarity has to be found on the structural and institutional as well as on the policy level and, maybe most significantly, on the actor-behavioural level due to the anarchic culture on the Right.