Próby modernizacji świadomości społecznej w PRL

Abstract

Modernization of various aspects of collective life is undoubtedly one of those issues which attract the attention of virtually all political actors although the postulates formulated in this area are sometimes characterized by considerable variation. In the case of the People’s Republic of Poland, its main impulses were undoubtedly the end of World War II, the necessity of rebuilding the country, and the seizure of power by the Communists, with a particularly important role played in this regard by their enthusiasm and optimism concerning modernization, as well as a clear fascination with the achievements of the Soviet Union. No less importance can be attributed to the communist paradigm of development, according to which any modernization changes were a necessary condition for consolidating the political power. Modernization of social awareness, consistent with this frame, was not to be an objective in its own right but played a very important role in the communist modernization scheme. It should be noted that the way of interpreting the objectives of modernization activities in the sphere of social awareness, characteristic of this conceptual environment, did not change significantly until the end of the 1970s despite the modifications taking place there under the pressure of social and political circumstances. Actions aimed at implementing these objectives, however, did not yield the expected results while they aroused the expectations and desires which the existing and increasingly anachronistic system could not satisfy.