Abstract
This paper takes a very detailed look at the events leading up to and the reasons behind the collapse of Soviet-brand Communism in Poland. The essay begins in post World War Two Poland and then follows the adherence of the Polish people to the Catholic Church throughout the years of socialist rule. The writer looks at the creation and influence of Solidarity, the workers' union, and finally sees how changes in the Soviet Union allowed all of these factors to lead to the end of Communism.

From the Paper
"As the Holy Father of the international Catholic Church lies in a state of sickness, a tracheotomy in his throat and willing caretakers and hangers-on at his side, the worldwide media is all agog, cameras outside his window looking for a wave, wire-services and websites intent on the latest information and updates. Yet, these newshounds often forget who this man they know as Pope John Paul used to be and where he is from. Karol Wojtyla, the man who would become pope twenty-five years ago, is Polish."

Tags:collapse, communism, poland

Abstract
This paper compares the process of the collapse of Communism in the three states of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Poland and Hungary were most successful, but for entirely different reasons.

Tags:EUROPEAN STUDIES (HISTORY, CULTURE) / EASTERN EUROPE, RUSSIA, collapse communism poland

Abstract
The paper discusses how the 1980s ushered in a new era of politics, with President Ronald Reagan at the reins. The paper reveals that Reagan is credited with helping to speed the end of the Cold War by challenging the Soviets on several other fronts and siding with the dissident movement in Poland. The paper relates that less than a year after Reagan left office, the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War essentially ended in 1991. The paper looks at reasons for the swift collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

From the Paper
"Reagan is credited with helping to speed the end of the Cold War, which had preoccupied both nations for over forty years, at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars, and had resulted in the building of some of the most destructive weapons in history (Hoffman 2004). During the late 1970's and early 1980's, the United States underwent a revolution in technology that left the Soviets behind in the arms race. David E. Hoffman wrote in the June 06, 2004 issue of The Washington Post that the Soviet system was under pressure from "Reagan's defense buildup and deployment of medium-range missiles in Europe, the CIA-backed mujaheddin fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan and Reagan's proposed missile defense system, the Strategic Defense Initiative" (Hoffman 2004)."

Tags:Cold, War, arms, race, Berlin, Wall

Abstract
This six-page undergraduate paper investigates the reasons underlying the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union. The most important reason is national identity; others are economic reasons and political movements. To a degree, Gorbachev was a cause.

Abstract
The paper discusses how the fall of the communist systems around Europe had different effects and repercussions for communist countries and determined the historical evolution between economic success and disarray. The paper reveals that Poland and Yugoslavia now stand at practically opposing points of development. The paper looks at their respective systems of government and the economic factor. The paper demonstrates how Poland is a good example of the effects Western countries have had on its economic and political scene, whereas Yugoslavia represents a country still facing the chains of transition, with little European prospects.

From the Paper
"Overall, the first clear distinction is their positioning in relation to the international organizations and forums. Poland, on the one hand, is a solid member of the European Union, and its largest trading partner, according to official figures. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland, 2007)This historical outcome is the result of increased political efforts by the leadership in Warsaw to improve the visibility of their country in Europe. Thus, the political engagement of the Polish government made it possible for Poland to sign the European Agreement on 16 December 1991 "which established an associate relationship between the EC and the Republic of Poland." (Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland, 2007)"

Tags:economy, politics, European, Union, government

Abstract
The dissertation looks at the history of communism in Poland and its fall. The dissertation then looks at the economy of Poland, the main natural resources, the economy under Communism, the centrally planned economy, and the economy after the fall of Communism. The dissertation then moves on to looking at the processes of marketization and stabilization in Poland and the macroeconomic indicators for the crucial 1990-1991 period. The privatization process in Poland follows, and the subsequent structure of the economy is analyzed. The main markets supporting the economy, i.e., fuels and energy, industry, agriculture, fishing and forestry, banking and finance, and foreign trade are examined. Once the economic history of Poland has been discussed and analyzed, the dissertation then moves to looking at how Polish companies have reacted to ethical issues and changes in business standards since the fall of communism in 1989. This takes the form of looking, principally, at what constitutes ethical business in Poland, how ethical business is regulated and monitored in Poland, how changes have been made so far in business ethics in Poland since the fall of Communism, and how these changes relate to changes over the same period at an international level. A discussion of the merits of entering into the EU, in terms of business ethics, is also provided.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Poland?s Economy Pre-Communism?s Fall
Section 1.1. Poland?s Natural Resources
Section 1.1.1. Minerals and Fuels
Section 1.1.2. Agricultural Resources
Section 1.1.3. Labor Force
Section 1.2. The Polish Economy Under Communism
Section 1.2.1. System Structure
Section 1.2.2. Development Strategy
Section 1.3. The Centrally-Planned Economy
Section 1.3.1. Establishing the Planning Formula
Section 1.3.2. Retrenchment and Adjustment in the 1960s
Section 1.3.3. Reliance on Technology in the 1970s
Section 1.3.4. Reform Failure in the 1980s
Chapter 2: Poland?s Economy After the Fall of Communism
Section 2.1. Poland After the Fall of Communism
Section 2.2. Fall of Communism
Section 2.3. Marketization and Stabilization
Section 2.3.1. Required Short-Term Changes
Section 2.3.2. The Shock Strategy
Section 2.3.3. Initial Results
Section 2.3.4. Long-Term Requirements
Section 2.4. Macroeconomic Indicators for 1990-91
Section 2.4.1. Price Increases
Section 2.4.2. Impact on Productivity and Wages
Section 2.4.3. Statistical Distortions
Section 2.4.4. Agricultural Imbalances
Section 2.4.5. Causes of Decline
Section 2.5.The Polish Post-Communism Privatization Process
Section 2.6. Structure of Poland?s Economy: Post-Communism
Section 2.6.1. Fuels and Energy
Section 2.6.2. Coal
Section 2.6.3. Oil and Gas
Section 2.6.4. Power Generation
Section 2.6.5. Industry
Section 2.6.6. Light Industry
Section 2.6.7. Automotive Industry
Section 2.6.8. Construction Machinery
Section 2.6.9. Banking and Finance
Section 2.7. The State Banking System
Section 2.8. Banking Reform, 1990-92
Section 2.8.1. Insurance and Securities Reform
Section 2.8.2. New Financial Institutions
Section 2.8.3. Foreign Loans and Money Supply
Section 2.8.4. Foreign Trade
Section 2.8.5. The Foreign Trade Mechanism
Section 2.9. Post-communist Policy Adjustments
Section 2.10. The Role of Currency Exchange
Section 2.11. Foreign Investment
Chapter 3: Business Ethics in Poland
Section 3.1. Introduction
Section 3.2. What is Meant (and Understood) by the Term ?Business Ethics? in Poland?
Section 3.3. Developing Standards of Business Ethics in Poland
Section 3.3.1. The Polish Transition
Section 3.3.2. Difficulties in Adjusting
Section 3.3.3. Identifying the Problem: Polish Chamber Survey Results
Section 3.3.4. Setting Ethical Standards
Section 3.3.5. Letting Market Forces Work
Section 3.3.6. The Highlights from the Polish Chamber's Sample Code of Ethics
Section 3.3.7. Western Aid In Fighting Corruption
Chapter 4: Conclusions
Bibliography

From the Paper
"Poland's climate features moderate temperatures and adequate rainfall that enable cultivation of most temperate-zone crops, including all the major grains, several industrial crops, and several varieties of fruit (www.countrystudies.us/poland.htm). Crops are distributed according to the substantial regional variations in soil and length of growing season (www.countrystudies.us/poland.htm). The sandy soils of the central plains are most suitable for rye, the richer soil in the south favors wheat and barley, and the poorer soil of the north is used for oats (www.countrystudies.us/poland.htm). All parts of Poland favor potato cultivation; sugar beets, the most important industrial crop, grow mainly in the west and southeast (www.countrystudies.us/poland.htm)."

Tags:east, europe

Abstract
The paper compares and contrasts the rise of Communism in Yugoslavia and Poland. The paper examines the social-political support, the political allies, the political antagonists and revolutionary incidents against the communist regime. The paper highlights the similarities and notes that the only difference is regarding the fall of the Communist ideals.

Outline:
Rise of Communism in Yugoslavia
The Social-Political Support
The Political Allies
The Political Antagonists and the Association Thereof
Revolutionary Incidents Against the Communist Regime
Rise of Communism in Poland
The Social-Political Support
The Political Allies
The Political Antagonists and the Association Thereof
Revolutionary Incidents against the Communist Regime
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The historical events leading to the communist invasion of both territories, Poland and Yugoslavia were external influences and occurred as the aftermath of the Second World War when the Nazis were attempting to create a communist power block. The takeover was somewhat willing in Poland based on the manipulative skills of the Soviet Government while in Yugoslavia the Red Army had to force their way into the territory, in both cases, however, they had to force their authority to maintain control over the captured territory."

Tags:Red, Army, The, Marshall, Plan, invasion, takeover, Tito

From the Paper
"This research examines economic and political stability in Czechoslovakia and Poland from 1945 through 1993. Czechoslovakia separated into two sovereign nations--the Czech Republic and Slovakia--as of 1 January 1993. Thus, Czechoslovakia is treated as a unity in the greater part of this examination.

Background on Economics and Politics in Eastern Europe: 1945- ... "

Abstract
This paper explains that Slavenka Drakulic, in "How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed", tells of her experiences and her friends' everyday lives and political experiences living in communist Yugoslavia from a woman's perspective. The author points out that the reason for the collapse of communism, according to Drakulic's book, is the failure of communism to provide the basic necessities for the female half of the Yugoslavian population. The paper concludes that Drakulic believes that communism is more than an ideology or a method of government but rather a state of mind and habit, which has yet to be erased from the collective consciousness of those who have lived under it.

From the Paper
"Communism failed to provide freedom of expression and speech. Journalists who go astray and write negatively about the system are often given "tender persuasion" by the government. These persuasions cause journalists to self-censor themselves and cause paranoia and distrust for other journalists.
"The book also mentions on how Drakulic was in amazed bewilderment regarding the homeless people in New York and how she sees the injustices because of the "communist eye" that sticks to people who lived under communist systems."

Tags:feminist shortages, double standards, censorship, collective consciousness

Abstract
This paper looks at how international labour migration from Poland to Western Europe has proved to be an effective strategy in overcoming some of the multiple problems of transformation after the communist system collapsed. It argues that Poles generally have access only to the secondary sector of labour economy. It also examines how bilateral intergovernmental agreements, official statistical data and survey results suggest that the labour flows to the primary labour markets are limited due to the structural constraints of European economies as well as migration policies and regulations of receiving societies.

Outline
Abstract
Introduction
Chapter 1 Theoretical Framework
Segmented Labour Market Theory of International Migration
Some Empirical Applications of Segmented Labour Market Theory
Chapter 2 Historical Roots Of Migration From Poland
Basic Migration Features Before the Communist Period (Up To 1945)
Basic Migration Features During the Communist Regime (1945-1979)Liberalization of the 1980s
Changes Caused by the Transition Period. Migrations After the 1990s
Chapter 3 Analysis of Polish Access to the Economic Sectors of the Western European Labour Markets
Structure of the Analysis and Methodological Considerations
Migration Policy
Bilateral Agreements on Foreign Employment of Poles
Seasonal Work in Germany
Project-Tied Employment by Polish Companies in Germany
Polish Labour Presence In Other Countries Of Western Europe (Employment In Western Europe Beyond the Framework of Bilateral Agreements)
Push Factors Responsible For Current Migration Flows-Migrants Characteristics
Summary of the Results
Conclusions
Bibliography

From the Paper
"The complexity and diversification of international migration has resulted in the fact that there is no single theory or model which would be able to explain the phenomenon of migration satisfactorily and to capture dynamics of the process and conditions related to its various phases. However, different models were adopted in the attempt to reveal and predict various specific aspects associated with it. Among the most important theories which aim to explain causes of international migration, its development, and why it tends to sustain, are the neo-classical economics, the new economics of migration, segmented labour market theory, world system theory, social capital theory, and cumulative causation. The latter models accentuate different aspects of this phenomenon."

Tags:communism, eastern, europe, germany, liberalization