Pogłębiający się od połowy lat siedemdziesiątych kryzys gospodarczy był jednym z głównych czynników wybuchu solidarnościowej rewolucji. Powstanie Solidarności nie sprawiło, że problem zniknął. Solidarnościowi delegaci zdawali sobie z tego doskonale sprawę. Chociaż najwięcej emocji podczas zjazdu NSZZ „Solidarność” budziły kwestie polityczne, to wątki gospodarcze pojawiały się podczas obrad nieustannie.

Większość wypowiedzi delegatów odnoszących się do reform gospodarczych ograniczała się do ogólników na temat konieczności reform i nie precyzowała, jak miałyby one wyglądać. Większość postulatów delegatów miała lewicowy i socjalny charakter. Niezwykle rzadko pojawiały się pomysły liberalne, takie jak koncepcja Stefana Kurowskiego. Analiza dyskursu gospodarczego jednoznacznie pokazuje, że NSZZ „Solidarność” – jak na związek zawodowy przystało – forsował pomysły reform jak najmniej szkodliwe dla najuboższych grup zawodowych, widział potrzebę wprowadzenia działań pomocowych, a kosztami reform niejednokrotnie chciał obciążyć przedstawicieli nomenklatury.

The concepts of economic reform considered at the First National Congress of Delegates of the Solidarity Trade Union

The economic crisis, which had been started since the mid-1970s, was one of the main factors in the outbreak of the Solidarity revolution. The birth of Solidarity did not make the problem disappear. The Solidarity delegates were well aware of this. Although political issues aroused most emotion during the debates, economic themes were constantly present.

Most of the delegates for the congress speeches referring to economic reforms were limited to general statements about the necessity of reforms, without specifying how they were to look like. Most of the demands of the delegates were of a leftist and socialist nature. Liberal ideas, such as Stefan Kurowski’s concept, were extremely rare. The analysis of the economic discourse shows very clearly that, as befits a trade union, the Solidarity pushed through the reform ideas which were the least harmful for the poorest part of society, saw the need to introduce aid measures, and often wanted to burden the representatives of the communist nomenclature with the costs of the reforms.

Keywords: Solidarity, economy, National Congress of Delegates of Solidarity, PRL

The economic crisis, which had been started since the mid-1970s, was one of the main factors in the outbreak of the Solidarity revolution. The birth of Solidarity did not make the problem disappear. The Solidarity delegates were well aware of this. Although political issues aroused most emotion during the debates, economic themes were constantly present.

Most of the delegates for the congress speeches referring to economic reforms were limited to general statements about the necessity of reforms, without specifying how they were to look like. Most of the demands of the delegates were of a leftist and socialist nature. Liberal ideas, such as Stefan Kurowski’s concept, were extremely rare. The analysis of the economic discourse shows very clearly that, as befits a trade union, the Solidarity pushed through the reform ideas which were the least harmful for the poorest part of society, saw the need to introduce aid measures, and often wanted to burden the representatives of the communist nomenclature with the costs of the reforms.