What Was Solidarity

SOLIDARITY: WHAT WAS IT?

Global Conflict and the Crisis of Diplomacy

CONTENTS:

Introduction 2

Part I: Historical roots of Solidarity 3
Part II Solidarity- main contributors 6
Part III The role of the Church, the people 9
Part IV Opponents 10

Conclusion 11

Bibliography 13

Introduction

Rebellion, insurrection, protest, movement, revolution are only few of many ways in which scholars describe actions of Solidarity. Those actions, which took place during the Soviet regime in Poland, largely pertained to the collapse of the communism itself as well as to the end of the Cold War. But what exactly Solidarity was? A union? A party? Was it a spontaneous movement or perhaps an unpopular strike of a working class? Why has it come into being in the first place? Who created it and who hated it?   And finally why and what did it win? The aim of this essay I to answer all of these questions.
In part one of this paper, I will try to talk about the historical roots of solidarity, from the period of turbulent insurgencies of the XVIII century, until the ineffective communist rule during the Second Polish Republic. I will try to explain the background for the possibility of the rise of the most formidable, yet non-violent revolutionary movements that have appeared in Europe after the World War II
In part two I have concentrated on the Organization itself. I introduce its main members, their impact on the structure as well as challenges they had to face.
In part three I examine the role of the Church on the popularity of the movement as well as the reaction of people on Solidarity in general.
Finally, I will write about the opponents of Solidarity, what was their reaction to the insurgency and how did they behave until the end.
In conclusion I examine the impact Solidarity had on a national as well as an international platform. Lastly, I build a definition of Solidarity, which is based on the proofs...