Ideology in a socialist state : Poland, 1956-1983

Author/Creator:

Taras, Ray, 1946- author

Publication/Creation:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1984

Format:

Book

More Details

Additional/Related Title Information

Full Title:

Ideology in a socialist state : Poland, 1956-1983 / Ray Taras

Series Titles:

Cambridge Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet studies ; 41
Cambridge Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet studies ; 41.

Subjects/Genre

Genre:

Electronic books

Subjects:

Poland--Social conditions--1945-1980
Poland--Politics and government--1945-1980

Description/Summary

Summary:

Ideology in a Socialist State describes the changes in the ideology of Poland's rulers from the October events of 1956 to the lifting of martial law in 1983. Ideology has been one of the most debated and equivocal concepts in social science, yet this is one of the first attempts to examine it in a systematic, longitudinal and empirical way. Dr Taras analyses how central principles of Marxism-Leninism (the leading role of the party, party influence on trade unions, the church, culture and science) were interpreted by Poland's political leaders. Ideological change, he suggests, represents the chief means adopted by, the regime to respond to a postwar cycle of crises. The rulers' ideology is also linked to political developments in other socialist states (the 1968 Czech reform movement, Soviet doctrinal shifts). Taras concludes that as a result of both external and internal factors, ideology in Poland underwent a combination of transformations, innovations and reification that has produced a new hybrid and highly unstable ideology - Leninist Marxism of People's Poland. This puts the tumultuous Polish events of 1981-3 into historical perspective and focuses on the response of the party leadership to the challenge of Solidarity, and of martial law.

Language:

English

Physical Type/Description:

1 online resource (x, 299 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

General Note:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Local Note:

Available to current Emory faculty, students and staff.

Additional Identifiers

Catalog ID (MMSID):

9937691017002486

ISBN:

9780511551581