Lech Wałęsa i Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Twórcy III RP

Abstract

The article aims at presenting the personality of two political leaders – Wałęsa and Mazowiecki. It was they who created the Polish Third Republic - the political reality after the real socialism. Each of them performed a different role in the political system, and at the same time they complemented each other. The first one was a destructor, the second – a creator. Lecha Wałęsa, as a strong personality, was a perfect leader for the times of our “refolution”. On the one hand he drives most of the society to destroy the old system in order for the new one to rise – here he can be seen as a fanatic. And he was – a rational fanatic. When there was a need to destroy, he destroyed, when he needed to stand down – he stood down, while always retaining the chances for a “victory negotiation”. He could use his strong image for the realisation of the common goal of “Solidarity” and the society – taking down the authoritarian regime of the real socialism. The situation changed when he became the president of Poland – that was a time of building a new system, and Wałęsa wanted to creat a system fit for him – presidential democracy – but the expectations of the society and politics were different. He lost the presidential elections of 1995. Today he is a symbol, an icon of Polish political and social transformation and a good ambassador in the world. He is the only Polish politician to become a renown leader, who gained international praise. Tadeusz Mazowiecki was a creator of a new country – a democratic country. He gave rise to the contemporary democratic political, social and economic systems, accepted by the majority of the population. This is why Tadeusz Mazowiecki should be seen as a national leader. What is good for the citizen has to be good for the nation. He wanted the democratic rules to become a habit. Mazowiecki has always been the man who “sewed”, searched compromise, against using violence or force. He was an ideal decider for the times of building a new political, social and economic systems, where the new authority needs to be “stitched” to the society, Poland needs to be stitched to its neighbours (Germany), to Europe, to the West, which will mean opening Poland to the West.