Karolina Wigura, a sociologist and historian of ideas at the University of Warsaw, and Jarosław Kuisz, editor-in-chief of Kultura Liberalna and a lecturer at the University of Warsaw’s Faculty of Law, argue that Poland’s experience in resisting communism offers valuable insights for modern societies facing a resurgence of authoritarianism.
What Poland can teach us about defending democracy
The academics note that Poland’s "political history is one of catastrophe, communism, and developing powerful antibodies against oppression." They highlight how, "in 2016, one year after the rightwing populist Law and Justice party won an overall majority in Poland," tactics reminiscent of the communist era, including informal pressure on media and civil society, re-emerged.
In response, Polish citizens drew on their historical "antibodies" - past experiences of resisting authoritarianism - to defend democracy through civic engagement, generational solidarity, legal vigilance, public resilience, and the development of long-term political alternatives.
As highlighted in The Guardian, the researchers stress that democracy must be actively defended and encourage societies, particularly in the United States, to learn from Poland’s experience in resisting oppressive regimes.
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Source: The Guardian/X/@theguardianfeed