The road to freedom - reflections on the Round table

Suppression of an independent movement, and solidarity is beyond doubt acknowledged as such, did not resolve any of the crucial problems of the ruling power in Poland. A declining economy coupled with utter apathy of the society necessitated changes, but the authorities were not prepared to implement them. Additionally, the bankruptcy of the Soviet Union forced those in power to seek internal rather than external solutions to Poland's problems, hence the idea to make some changes in the principles of the system's functioning without impairing its essence. The pivotal element of the plan was to maintain in practice the monopoly of the Polish United Workers' Party on power by introducing new elements (President, upper house of the parliament) with a concurrent enticing of moderate opposition which was predisposed to engage in talks with the authorities, into shared responsibility for the situation in the country. Although the agreement negotiated at the Round Table seemed to favor the authorities, who hoped to postpone further changes for another four years, reality turned out quite differently, as the society supported the opposition. A reconstructed ruling coalition created a new, non-Communist government, thereby effecting a transformation of the political system.