Political and Economic Determinants of Social Policy Evolution in Poland after 1989

System Transformation In Poland And The So-Called “Balcerowicz’S Plan”

Political and economic transformations at the end of the 1980’s and the beginning of the 1990’s forced the countries of Central and Eastern Europe to build a democratic system for the purpose of ensuring stable and democratic governments. Such system had to rely on the principles of sovereignty of nation, distribution of power, and state under the rule of law, as well as ensure functioning of unrestricted political pluralism. In other words, political transformation was related to the need of making radical system changes: from a socialist state relying on the key position of the communist party (monocratic system) to a democratic state, based on the principle of free election of state bodies (pluralist system) (Jaskiernia, 2010, p. 263).