This project has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
(Grant Agreement n. 669194)
Thanks to the technocratic outlook of the new party and government leadership, academic experts received an unprecedented degree of attention from policymakers. Throughout the decade, the academic institutions played a twofold role in policymaking: they provided human resources and expertise.
The number of academics in the decision-making bodies was very high in Poland in comparison with the other socialist regimes. Apart from the Planning Commission, which traditionally involved economics professors, other prominent academics entered the government and the PUWP. This was the case of Jan Kaczmarek, President of the Committee of Science and Technology and later Minister of Science Higher Education and Technology, and two personal advisors to the First Secretary, who continued their academic careers alongside their political activity. Interestingly, this combination was also typical at lower policymaking levels. For instance, the position of head of the special unit dealing with the European Economic Community (EEC) in the embassy in Brussels was given to Zbigniew Chrupek, an economist without any political experience. Similarly, both Stanisław Długosz and Ryszard Karski in the Ministry of Foreign Trade maintained close links with the Main School of Planning and Statistics. Moreover, graduate students from this institution smoothly entered the foreign trade apparatus, finding employment either in the Ministry of Foreign Trade itself or in one of the foreign trade enterprises.
At the same time, academic institutions served as a source of expertise. This was especially the case of research institutions. The government regularly commissioned reports from the Polish Academy of Sciences on various topics from the environment to demography. Its Komitet Badań i Prognoz Polska 2000 (Poland 2000 Committee) was tasked with regularly providing the government with prognoses concerning different aspects of Poland’s development. In international relations, this role was played by the Polish Institute of International Affairs. Reports prepared by its experts were regularly transmitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Moreover, the academics associated with the Institute often played active roles in building ties with Western politicians and experts, for instance by hosting international events in Warsaw. Moreover, some of them were part of the Polish delegation to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
From the 1960s, research institutions had called for closer engagement with the West. Academic publications and reports produced by economists regularly called for Poland’s participation in the ‘international division of labour’ to be improved, which implied opening to the global economy. Similarly, international relations experts praised the idea of peaceful coexistence and univocally recommended strengthening and cementing European détente. Both groups eagerly observed global integration processes and encouraged Poland’s active participation in international organisations. They quickly recognised the EEC as a new important political and economic actor and studied its development. At the end of the decade, academic publications openly criticised the socialist regimes’ policy of not recognising the EEC and called for relations with the organisation to be regulated.
At the same time, academics rapidly became aware of the dangers behind the policy of getting into debt. In both reports meant for policymakers and in widely accessible publications they described the adverse effects of this policy. In the second half of the decade, like bankers and experts in state bodies, they believed that Poland’s situation could be cured through closer cooperation with the West, involving joining the International Monetary Fund.
Given the significant margin of freedom of speech in Poland compared with other socialist regimes, academics regularly engaged in internal debates on the pages of academic journals, such as Foreign Trade, published by the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade, International Affairs, issued by the Polish Institute of International Affairs, and many others. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, topics widely discussed by economists included the socialist model of consumption and the question of motorisation in Poland. Throughout the decade, specialists in foreign trade and international economic relations eagerly debated mechanisms for improving the performance of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and ways to reinvigorate Poland's exports. These academic discussions were usually more than just theoretical considerations and offered actual policy proposals.
* This text summarises some of the research findings of PanEur1970s team member Aleksandra Komornicka, which are published as a chapter in PanEur1970s’ academic edited book. For a link to the e-book, please see Poland’s “Overview” webpage of this map.
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Memo: Notatka w sprawie kredytów na import z krajów kapitalistycznych rozwiniętych w okresie 1972-1975 [Memo on credit for import from the developed capitalist countries 1972-1975]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, V/100 | p. 150/223-176/246, "O" FIN.I.017-tjn-72, p.1-14 and appendix
Memo encouraging to take advantage of foreign credits and describing credit opportunities on the West.- Available here. |
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Report: Informacja o wstępnym projekcie planu perspektywicznego do 1990 [Draft perspective plan until 1990]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, V/122 | p. 10/10-134/232
A perspective plan describing the vision of Poland's economic development until 1990. - Available only in the archives https://www.aan.gov.pl |
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Report: Kierunkowe działania Ministerstwa Spraw Zagranicznych na rok 1971 [Ministry of Foreign Affairs Guidelines for 1971]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, V/92 | p. 562/615-603/657
The Politburo accepted the guidelines for the Foreign Policy prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similar reports outlining main foreign policy goals were prepared and accepted every year. - Available only in the archives https://www.aan.gov.pl |
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Report: Zasady polityki kredytowej w zakresie obrotw płatniczych z zagranicą w latach 1972-1975 [Principles of credit policy 1972-1975]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, V/93 | p.865/977-880/997, p.1-13 and appendix
Report encouraging to take advantage of foreign credits and describing credit opportunities on the West. - Available here. |
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Report: Koncepcje Rozwoju Gospodarczego Polski w latach 1971-1995 [Concepts of economic development of Poland 1971-1995]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, XIA/1172 | p. 3-57
Report advocating the policy of accelerated economic growth prepared for Edward Gierek. - Available only in the archives https://www.aan.gov.pl |
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Report: Możliwości i warunki kontynuacji strategii dynamicznego rozwoju Polski w latach 1976-1980 [On the possibility of continuing the strategy of dynamic development of Poland 1977-1980]
AAN, KC PZPR 1354, XIA/486 | p. 1-35
Report proclaiming a critical economic situation and calling for a revision of economic strategy from the early 1970s. - Available here. |
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Report: Zamierzenia w zakresie polityki licencyjnej w latach 1971-1975 na tle dotychczasowych wyników wykorzystania zakupów licencyjnych w krajach kapitalistycznych [Goals concerning licence policy in 1971-1975]
AAN, URM 290, 5.4/20 | p. 194-213
Report establishing a change in licence policy and calling for massive imports of Western technology. - Available only in the archives https://www.aan.gov.pl |
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Minutes from government meeting
AAN, URM 290, 5.4/71 | p.1-164, RM032-4-74
Dispute between Piotr Jaroszewicz and Stefan Jędrychowski. - Available only in the archives https://www.aan.gov.pl |
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Report: Stanowisko Polski wobec projektu porozumienia RWPG-EWG [Polish attitude towards CMEA-EEC agreement]
AMSZ, Dep. IV, 1/83, w.17 | DSiP.og.90/11-77
Report discussing the possible strategies of dealing with the EEC. - Available only in the archives https://archiwum.msz.gov.pl/ |
