I have been fascinated by the lengths and widths it took the communist regime to plan out the organizing of materials for production into the amounts of goods that they then had until production would began again. The extreme need to be spot on with their calculations for their expected needs is emphasized by the fact that they had to sometimes barter with each other for resource. This alone peeked my interests. However, then to find out that even though they weren’t spot on most of the time; the lower levels of the totem pole had the brilliance to not let anything go to waste and would use the leftovers (and possibly some scraps they were able to get their hands on) to make other goods that they could profit on in some way.

I hope to put specificity on production in Poland, however I find myself looking into all sorts of avenues in order to fine tune my paper to have a more distinguished point and not so much a generalized objective.

The people wanted change. They craved it. It was in their subconscious every waking moment. Would large military action or any other kind of violent oppression stop them from bringing about this collapse of the totalitarian regime. Possibly, but not only was Moscow weaning the protectorates off of their military recourse, “Svetlana Savranskaya has been able to go through all of the Soviet politburo records from 1985 through 1991 and not find a single reference to the possibility of using force in Eastern Europe.” (Stokes 1993, 346)The people were also never letting it leave their minds. No. Nothing would stop the idea of Pluralism. As the economy slowed and the regime leaders grew fatigued and miffed over their situation. The people grew even more resentful and strained day by day. Anyone who has watched as another person got to eat that delicious looking desert, while they dined on a quite appeasing looking vegetable knows that hunger and thirst for change. Why are they getting that donut when all I get is a lousy celery stick. That same thought process was going through the minds of a reasonable amount of the citizens of east-central Europe. Why did the west (and a small amount of the east) get to have that nice-looking government and all we get is this façade of a utopian government. Their government looks like it lets them have a true voice and they have plenty of provisions like toilet paper. What do we have?  No really, what do we have? This utopia that we were promised is nothing but lies. These were probably the thoughts going through the minds of the people as they were realizing that Communism failed. These thoughts started long before the collapse in 1989, but certainly didn’t stop there as it continued until the final bricks fell down in Moscow a few years later. Most thought they were destitute, however they didn’t take the time to analyze Pluralism’s faults until after adopting the “process” and by then only sentimentality could set in. While Hyperrationalism was ultimately detrimental to them economically ; at least the people had certain livelihoods secure. They always had a place to stay and work to be done, but they didn’t realize that with the ability of true choice, among other things, also comes uncertainty of those livelihoods. “Workers are no longer the heroes of society, jobs are not guaranteed, public life seems to consist of one crisis after another, and young people emigrate to the West instead of staying at home.” (346) In the end, their lives are essential the same as before in their day to day activities. They live out their existence almost the same with having families, spending days with friends, learning a trade, and on and on the list goes. What changed is that the rest of the world was opened up to them. They got to fully and assiduously explore and interact with the West. Share in their unity (EU), in their technological advances, and in their triumphs and failures.

The people of Eastern Europe were not just a “battleground” between the East and West, but also the failed experimentations for Antirationalism and Hyperrationalism. This has led them to the most adaptable of governments, Pluralism. More commonly known as, but not entirely consisting of, Democracy. The people wanted reform, they wanted to do away with the stagnation, and they wanted their toilet paper (and other toiletries like tampons). The Pluralism of the West looked fantastic, but had its own issues. What now? They got their donuts and the nuances of the West, but ultimately they still squabble over the past and the niceties of the former totalitarian regimes. They seem to miss the point of why they wanted that change to begin with. While there is uncertainty in Pluralism there has not been an all-out-war, nor does it look like there will be one in the near future. While there is economic concerns from time to time, such as with Greece a couple of years ago, the penury of the past is that. The past. I hope that the people of Eastern Europe hold onto optimism for their opportunities in the future and not onto the pessimism of their pillaged past.

Stokes, Gail. The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Collapse and Rebirth in Eastern Europe. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.

What some would call a hood ornament for their truck, others called a pinnacle of Communist proficiency. However, East Germans had to wait in an upwards to two years before seeing their new Trabant as the Communist Party was incapable of manufacturing to the meet sheer level of demand. While it was seen as visionary to the east, the Trabant was ultimately mocked by westerner’s. One of the reasons for their scoffing was its use of Duroplast, which at the time seemed silly, as steel was much more accountable in their eyes. In the end, East Germans can have the last laugh though as present day automobiles are becoming more and more plastic due to costs and durability.

Professor T Mills Kelly, “The Trabant,” Making the History of 1989, Item #672, http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/items/show/672 (accessed January 28 2014, 9:37 pm).

Nicolae Ceaușescu had been making speeches for over a couple of decades. In fact, his speech on August 21, 1968 in defiance of the military actions taken by Moscow and a few of her allies in Czechoslovakia roused quite a considerable amount of support for not only himself, but for the Patriot Guards as well. However, when he took the balcony overlooking Palace Square (now Revolution Square) on December 21, 1989 things were not the same. He was giving his speech to the crowd that was brought in to be his claque, but it seemed that they were not taking orders anymore. After a few minutes of speaking, the crowd started to become recalcitrant and began chanting phrases. This led to hecklers coming out of the woodwork and taking potshots at him. Ceaușescu became confused to the contumacious mob. He tried to regain authority with raising his right hand slightly as if to calm the insurgent throng. It failed and he succumbed to the taunts and started to quarrel with people. It eventually led to his security forces withdrawing him into the building. His facial expressions during his bewilderment showed his vulnerability. This combined with the crowd’s unity and determination to stand for no more definitely helped lead to his ousting only a day or so later.

“Video of Ceausescu’s Last Speech, December 1989,” Making the History of 1989, Item #696, http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/items/show/696 (accessed January 28 2014, 9:17 pm).

Seeing the poster of Gary Cooper holding a Solidarity ballot and wearing their badge had to incite something within the minds and hearts of the Polish masses. Here was a man that looked determined and was ready for a showdown regardless of the consequences. The idea that the image is trying to display seems to be one that wouldn’t be in the same city let alone sitting on the other side of the table. The representation of America and it’s pluralistic ideals in contrast to what is known of the totalitarian regime of Polish Communist Party is incredibly strong for something that looks so simple and plain. Just a man walking somewhere with an item in his hand and something pinned to his chest. The impact that the Solidarity movement had on Poland, both the people and the regime, is easily seen by the elections of June 4, 1989. The avalanche of a landslide gave way to a completely new way of life for the people of Poland. It also showed that even through continual crackdowns and oppression, the regime could not quench the peoples thirst for major reform. To me, this poster is an excellent depiction of that much desired change.

Thomas Sarnecki, “Solidarity Poster  – “High Noon 4 June 1989″,” Making the History of 1989, Item #699, http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/items/show/699 (accessed January 28 2014, 9:28 pm).