By Erez Reuveni
January 2005

Poland, a country with a bitter history that labors beneath the weight of the realpolitik whims of European powers of the past, faces a bright and optimistic future. On March 1, 2004, Poland, along with four other former members of the Soviet bloc, joined the European Union, adding a final exclamation point to the country's leading role in ending the Soviet occupation of eastern Europe in 1989.

Following the so-called golden age during the 15th and 16th centuries, Poland fell prey to the vagaries of internecine power struggles between the emerging powers of Germany, Austria, and Russia. On several occasions, the country has disappeared entirely, swallowed up by its neighbors following various paroxysms of warfare and cynical, backdoor diplomacy.

The country fell under the thumb of the Soviet regime following the Second World War, with disastrous consequences for the country's nascent democratic institutions, already battered by the Nazi occupation and years of occupation by foreign powers. During the half-century of Soviet occupation, Poland's economy suffered, with basic necessities becoming both scarce and expensive. Solidarity, a labor movement in the 1980s, opened the world's eyes to the troubles of the Soviet bloc and, following a general relaxation of social controls in the Soviet Union under Gorbachev and the pressures of internal dissent, Poland's communist regime collapsed, ushering in the country's modern experiment with western democracy.

Modern Poland aims its compass squarely towards the west. The country's recent acceptance into the European Union promises greater opportunities for the people of this eastern European power. While the initial adjustment from state-controlled economy to privatized market economy was riven with unemployment, inflation, and debt, Poland emerged as the fastest growing economy in eastern Europe during the latter part of the 1990s, particularly in the machinery, iron and steel, and chemical industries.

Poland is also a full member of NATO. During the run-up to the war in Iraq, Poland was a staunch supporter of the American administration. Unlike many of Poland's neighbors, a majority of Poles supported supporting the war, garnering the country a reputation as America's European Trojan horse. Poland's attitude towards the United States and Iraq has often put Poland's leaders at odds with countries like France and Germany, especially in light of Poland's tough negotiating demands for entry into the European Union. However, Poland's efforts on the international stage reflect the country's history as an important member of the international community.

Poland's population is well educated and steering a course towards democracy and growth. While ninety-five percent of the population professes to be Roman Catholic, Polish religion tends to follow the general post-World War II trend of declining influence in day-to-day society. Similarly, while the predominant attitude during Communism reflected the national feeling that “whether I stay or Lay, I should get some pay”, post-Soviet Poles place a far greater emphasis on the importance of work. With the arrival of a full-fledged market economy, a greater number of Poles work harder, but also value their free time to a far greater extent.