Solidarity’s Day of Reckoning

On October 13, the Polish nation will go to the polls in what may be the most important election in its history. By this I do not mean that the outcome of even a single seat in the National Assembly is in doubt. The winners were chosen months ago and will face but token opposition. What is at stake is the future of Solidarity. The union’s leadership has called for a mass boycott of the election. Success would demonstrate that the union is still a significant power in Poland and might usefully intimidate the Jaruzelski regime. Failure would be taken as a sign of Solidarity’s weakness and would license even sterner measures to bring Poland back into line, probably including a long-expected attack on the Church.

Solidarity’s strength cannot be taken for granted. A combination of external repression and internal dissension, as well as the gradual demoralization of the Polish people, has severely weakened its ability to mobilize resistance. It is universally acknowledged, even among Solidarity leaders, that the union has been losing support steadily since martial law was lifted in July 1983. This boycott is the first major Solidarity action in a year to have the united and enthusiastic support of all the Solidarity leadership, radical and moderate, underground and public. Sharp internal divisions have been used to explain this year’s two failed general strikes and what some regarded as the ineffective reaction to the murder of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, an outspoken supporter of Solidarity, by the secret police. This time there will be no excuses. If the union fails, Poland will have little standing between her and the appetites of her masters.

FL

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Frank I. Luntz

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On October 13, the Polish nation will go to the polls in what may be the most important election in its history. By this I do not mean that the outcome of even a single seat in the National Assembly is in doubt. The winners were chosen months ago and will face but token opposition. What is at stake is the future of Solidarity. The union’s leadership has called for a mass boycott of the election. Success would demonstrate that the union is still a significant power in Poland and might usefully intimidate the Jaruzelski regime. Failure would be taken as a sign of Solidarity’s weakness and would license even sterner measures to bring Poland back into line, probably including a long-expected attack on the Church.

Solidarity’s strength cannot be taken for granted. A combination of external repression and internal dissension, as well as the gradual demoralization of the Polish people, has severely weakened its ability to mobilize resistance. It is universally acknowledged, even among Solidarity leaders, that the union has been losing support steadily since martial law was lifted in July 1983. This boycott is the first major Solidarity action in a year to have the united and enthusiastic support of all the Solidarity leadership, radical and moderate, underground and public. Sharp internal divisions have been used to explain this year’s two failed general strikes and what some regarded as the ineffective reaction to the murder of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, an outspoken supporter of Solidarity, by the secret police. This time there will be no excuses. If the union fails, Poland will have little standing between her and the appetites of her masters.