The Seeds of Triumph : Church and State in Gomulka's Poland

The book points to the church-state conflict in Gomulka's Poland as the catalyst for events over the following decades, and as paving the way to the dramatic changes that took place in 1989.

The Roman Catholic Church has played a unique role in the history of Poland in the twentieth century: the people and the Church drew closer and closer together during Nazi rule, the Stalinist period and the somewhat milder, though strongly anti-religious and repressive Gomulka regime (1956-1970). The power struggle between the Church and the communist government did in fact play a role in shaping world politics, the Polish Church having been the force behind the opposition movement in Poland. Against this background, a Polish pope appeared and made a major contribution to the collapse of communism.

The Seeds of Triumph, the most comprehensive recent book on the opposition of Church and State in post-war Poland, compares the characteristics and consequences of this relationship during three different periods: the first and second periods of Gomulka's rule, and the Stalinist era between the two Gomulka periods. It examines the balance of power, studying to what degree the Church and other factors in the political environment influenced governmental policy-making. The author disproves the common stereotype, held at the time, that domestic conditions played only a marginal role. In examining the regime's policies, she covers the legal background, the general policy characteristics, the specific policies implemented during the period, and the role of the individual actors, most notably the pivotal role of the two main protagonists, Cardinal Wyszynski and Wladislaw Gomulka.

In her landmark study, Diskin makes a significant contribution to the study of authoritarian systems and greatly enhances our understanding of the centrality of the Church in recent Polish history.

The Roman Catholic Church has played a unique role in the history of Poland in the twentieth century: the people and the Church drew closer and closer together during Nazi rule, the Stalinist period and the somewhat milder, though strongly anti-religious and repressive Gomulka regime (1956-1970). The power struggle between the Church and the communist government did in fact play a role in shaping world politics, the Polish Church having been the force behind the opposition movement in Poland. Against this background, a Polish pope appeared and made a major contribution to the collapse of communism. The Seeds of Triumph, the most comprehensive recent book on the opposition of Church and State in post-war Poland, compares the characteristics and consequences of this relationship during three different periods: the first and second periods of Gomulka's rule, and the Stalinist era between the two Gomulka periods. It examines the balance of power, studying to what degree the Church and other factors in the political environment influenced governmental policy-making. The author disproves the common stereotype, held at the time, that domestic conditions played only a marginal role. In examining the regime's policies, she covers the legal background, the general policy characteristics, the specific policies implemented during the period, and the role of the individual actors, most notably the pivotal role of the two main protagonists, Cardinal Wyszynski and Wladislaw Gomulka. In her landmark study, Diskin makes a significant contribution to the study of authoritarian systems and greatly enhances our understanding of the centrality of the Church in recent Polish history. The Seeds Of Triumph Points To The Church-state Conflict In Gomulka's Poland As The Catalyst For Events Over The Following Decades And As Paving The Way To The Dramatic Changes That Took Place In 1989. It Argues That The Role Of Pope John Paul Ii, Gorbachev And Walesa In The L980s Should Not Overshadow The Long-term And Profound Influence Of Cardinal Wyszynski's Clash With Gomulka. The Book Focuses On The Balance Of Power Between The Communist Regime And The Polish Church During The First Decades Of The Post-war Era And Proves That The Church Remained A Significant Power Even During The Darkest Days Of Stalinism. The Events And Dynamics Of The Later Communist Era And Of Post-communist Poland Are Discussed In An Extensive Epilogue. The Research Is Based On A Wide Variety Of Sources And Employs An Original, System-approach Analytical Framework.--book Jacket. Hanna Diskin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [289]-307) And Index. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables Preface List of Abbreviations Introduction 1. The First Period of Gomulka's Rule 2. The Stalinist Era 3. The Second Period of Gomulka's Rule 4. Conclusion 5. Epilogue: The Post-Gomulka Era Notes Bibliography Interviews (1977-1997) Index