The Principles of Economic Transformation in Poland after 1989 According to President Lech Wałęsa: A Research in Economics and Security Studies

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to present the principles underlying the economic transformation in Poland after 1989 according to the President of the Republic of Poland, Lech Wałęsa. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research method applied was analysis and synthesis of materials from the Archives of the President of the Republic of Poland in Warsaw. This approach is located in research in the field of economics, with appropriate references to social issues, and thus is related to the subject matter of security studies. Findings: The empirical results show that the main principles underlying the economic transformation in Poland after 1989 included: the consistency of political and economic reforms, rapid privatisation and reprivatisation, internationalisation of trade, establishment of state institutions to support economic transformation, promotion and protection of the national character of the economy, protective measures for the economically weakest groups. In the process of systemic transformation, little reference was made to the power of national memory. Practical Implications: With the fall of communism in Poland and the political transformation in 1989, an economic transformation was needed – a transition from a centrally controlled economy to a market economy. In the course of political and economic reforms, one of the greatest obstacles in the process of transformation turned out to be the mentality of a society oscillating around a totalitarian system, the inefficacy of legislative processes and the application of foreign, not Polish solutions. Originality/value: Selected unique and unpublished sources were used for this study. These are texts summarising the activities of the President and the circles surrounding the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland and the Presidentʼs Political Services Office.