%0 Journal Article
%T College enrollment in the period of Stalinism as exemplified by the Poznań voivodeship
%A Jankowiak, Stanisław
%J Archival and Historical Review
%V 2019
%R 10.4467/2391-890XPAH.19.003.14932
%N Vol. VI
%P 53-71
%K college admissions, enrollment, entry exams, preparatory course, socialist intelligentsia
%@ 2391-890X
%D 2019
%U https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/przeglad-archiwalno-historyczny/article/rekrutacja-na-studia-wyzsze-w-poczatkach-stalinizmu-na-przykladzie-wojewodztwa-poznanskiego
%X 
	Systemic transformation following the Second World War brought a new philosophy of education. For the communist authorities, the most important goal was to provide the country with new, socialist workers, who were aware of their role in the process of reconstruction. Therefore, political criteria took precedence over any others. The political objective was to create a new “intelligentsia” comprising workers and peasants who would understand their role in the fight for socialism. In order to achieve that objective, rules of high school and college enrollment had to be revolutionized. Political and social engagement were to be the decisive factors in college admissions — not knowledge. Young people were also meant to be allowed to make up for the time lost because of the war — however, this particular demand does not raise any questions. Political objectives did not translate into practice in all cases. Despite clear guidelines and the key role of security offices when reviewing the candidates, the social composition of students did not change radically. This does not mean that the communist policy did not do any harm to some talented young people who were precluded from gaining college education for class reasons.