Open AccessThe beginning of revolution of the ”Solidarity” in Poland as seen by the Swedish media (August–September 1980)
Author(s) -
Paweł Jaworski
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
revista română de studii baltice şi nordice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2067-1725
pISSN - 2067-225X
DOI - 10.53604/rjbns.v9i1_2
Subject(s) - solidarity , meaning (existential) , communism , political science , cold war , soviet union , economic history , trade union , economy , political economy , law , sociology , history , international trade , economics , psychology , politics , psychotherapist
This article is a case study on the role of media during the Cold War era. The aim is to present the effects of the ventures of Swedish journalists in Poland during the strike of summer 1980 and in its aftermath when the Polish authorities decided to accept the creation of a new trade union independent from the communist regime. How these events were interpreted and what kind of the future was predicted? The article will demonstrate that the creation and development of ”Solidarity” Trade Union was received with a great interest in Sweden as well as in other western countries. Besides, it proves that this interest was a result of the course and the meaning of internal changes in Poland. Their scale and the non-violent means by which they were reached surprised and impressed numerous foreign observers.