Abstract
Even under the authoritarian political system, the Association of Polish Journalists was able to achieve a certain level of independence. Journalists sought to use any possibility to expand the area of their freedom; however, the more possibilities arose, the bigger were differences of opinions about the ways and means of democratization. Contemporary arguments between diverse journalists’ associations in Poland reveal how difficult it is to separate a common concern for professional journalism from political divisions.
Highlights
This article is an attempt to explain why journalists’ associations in contemporary Poland are divided, discordant, and weak
This article is based on the hypothesis that one of these causes is an old tradition formed long before 1989, which induces trade unions and associations to act as political actors
In contemporary Poland these divisions remain, but they even led to an inversion of roles
Summary
This article is an attempt to explain why journalists’ associations in contemporary Poland are divided, discordant, and weak. Such a state is probably due to a number of different causes. One of the associations, which in the past distinguished itself in resistance against the authoritarian rulers of the country, presently supports restricting the principles of democracy. Another association created under the martial law and backed by the military authorities tries to defend democratic institutions which are at stake
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