Political Drama in Poland: The Use of National Symbols

Abstract

I The opposition in Poland of the late 1970s grew out of popular discontent. 'Solidarity', which became its embodiment, has been regarded as a labour union, a democratic opposition to the communist system, or, in Marxist terms, as a historically evolving class movement, albeit in a self-limiting revolutionary form. In other interpretations, 'Solidarity' has been described as an emanation of Polish Roman Catholicism, and as the created social space with which all disenfranchized groups could identify. Above all, 'Solidarity' was a multi-dimensional movement. It arose from the alienation of the majority from participation in the economic and political decision-making processes. It consisted of a variety of interest groups the workers, the peasantry, and the intelligentsia. The success in uniting this diversity into a mono-vocal movement lay in 'Solidarity's' ability to restructure the discourse of the conflict in terms of nationalism and patriotism and to appropriate their symbols. Through the appropriation of national emblems the anthem, national colours, and images of historical events the opposition was able to control the symbolic sphere and consequently successfully de-legitimated the government as the representative of the Polish people. Claiming to be the sole representation of the nation, the movement portrayed itself as indigenous and inherently Polish, while the government in power was depicted as of foreign origin. Although socialism took deep roots in the conscience of many Poles and became embedded in daily activities and in people's expectations vis-a-vis the state, communism and the communist party were painted as culturally alien to Polish society. The state based on such an ideology was in many representations portrayed as immoral.