WHO JOINS THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND WHY IN PRESENT-DAY POLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A060000220001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 13, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 14, 1961
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/08: CIA-RDP80T00246AO60000220001-0
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
gJL
This matNnlal contains lnfaematlan affecting the Ihtloosl Wean of the Onited States within the meaning of the iplonap laws. TWO
19, U.S.C. Oleo.. 700 and 794, the tranw'inion of Nnlation of which in any manna to an uuauthodasd pinion 1s prohibited by law.
COUNTRY Poland
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACC
Who Joins the Communist Party and Whj DATE DISTR. 44 AUG 1961
in Present-Day Poland 1e a3fc5 Fr~rn
Ch vcc, h `STa ~ rn Z crf NO. PAGES 1
C I a r t i i' v CL % S
The report is entitled Who Joins he
Communist Party and Why in Present-Darr Poland.
#1 X
$TAT[ X ARMY }[ NAVY g AIR X NSA r
(Notes w.shingtos dbhibetks tarieded by "X"j f{dd dbhibe$ s by "#".)
REFERENCES RD
USIA -1 x I JCS
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SUBJECT
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
Who Joins the Communist Party and Why NO. OF PAGES 8
in Present-Day Poland (Pb c-1 (~ ~s
1j I REFERENCES:
DATE DISTR. 20 July 1961
DOWNGRADED AT 12-YEAR INTERVALS-
NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECIeASSIPIED
DOD DIR 5200,10
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II. ftetors Bear-IM on the Defia t J4 3A LEA
Us die factor in the formation oa a firm a, -50X1-HUM
tads a am aaeang the moors and settled member, of society in ftland
today is the individual's own character which was shaped to a considerable extent
during the person's childhood and south.` B!" on the age of the individu&,1,v4 "1 IRA
p
.
Under either of Hesse eirea^astaaeses varioma other influences also played an
important role in shepiag obv owe All of this fa tOrs had an effect an the
individual's attitudes) sins tkat tsatdsd to AseestiiatIt strength or ucakueases
or a willindneaa to vaeilUate and compromises
2%&y tape ultimate deeiaion aaft
by the Polo who is faced ~$th tie ole lee of whether or not to join the Party
depends largely upon his a ility to withstand the powerful material and psycholo-
gical pressures which eentine to be exerted an him,. Por many middle-aged or
older Poles such a decision to fwprtlaer senpilcated t tlkai' r ? :' ;atix 'that -snot only
are '.hey personallyaffeoted together with their entire families, but also at
stake are the numerous aaaterial edvantege s which not as a powerful inducement for
then to adapt their ideals and beliefs to the so-called "present day reality.
In the final analysis, the lntnsaity of the perms desire to adhere to his
personal principles and hie willingwes s to make sacrifices for these aetuai1y
determine his ultimate course of motiem.
In the ease of the average Polish youth who had not been exposed to the pore-
19j9 religious or patriotic ii et C: ,r eidditi'bral 1a "ors come nto
play because his character is still in the presses of being formed. Here the
question is what influences are actually brought into action in this process,,
and how they melt together. The family, the church, and the school all play an 50X1-HUM
important part in the developsmt of today's Polish youth. Anti-co gist tar
with a instill many of their beliefs into their children.
the church as a factor exerts its influence not only directly
during church attendance and through the clergy, but also to a great extent through
the child's mother. While the father is frequently fully engrossed in the basic
problem of making a living, the mother is in a position and has the interest a50X1-HUM
active desire to pass on her religious beliefs.
war aituun im or dt part oi` the pest~ cem uniat
eriod
COiMI!'I~11TdA,I.
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W l111111 IM
Reding the sebo"s
WasUM2 of sears net a. =a f"M personality am
approach of ate teacher, or metbsr, but rather ' freim the sneral orientation of
the surrirlum and the entire "Moose "gnu. the youth 4a50X1-HUM
Pala^d today as a mat asmseata'slled element in swiety. ?l iaru attitudes and
behavior are get based on orientation toward:ths East or Westt they are simply
a confused p .duct of present ?*Usk society and its eaterialistia realities.
In the mtn.ds of young people, the eoapmist eduoatioaa and environment, with their
limited see" and perrspeetivee are sized with a desire for Western material
goods and moral valueso and a general longing for a better life. Young
Poles knew that people is the Westg old and young, live better, but they de net
understand why or hew they achieved such higher standards. The idea that this is
the result of iamdustrieuoness and bard work is difficult for them to accept brasuse
they know that identical application is Poland does not produce similar results.
In addition, the indoctrination which they received from their teachers tends to
instill in each student a mars or loans, predetermined attitude toward Western
youth. As a result of lack of possibility for improvement, the young poles have
lost practically all Initiative and ambition so that today they have reached a
state in which they are umable to give of themselves in order to help themselves.
At resent the ultimate goal for the young polo is to find a good "positio * -
not a job but literally a "position" from which, in addition to a nominal saZiary#
the incumbent can obtain frinngt benefits in the foam of .housing,, prestige, and,
above all, an opportunity to supplement his income through "private" transactions.
tears
intluenae, are *rotor force which would tend to curb the
wilftess of present-day y o u t h in P3and. IT= tbough v a r i o u s church, an-kr Mid
other elements in Poland have their am ideas as to what should be done
Lack of parental control is a staring factor in the development of the
materialistic attitude of Polish youth. The relaxation of discipline is consider-
ably sere pmrenounsed among the !Saber of inntelleatuali than it is among those
of werlmers. The latter tend to depwA upon each other pore closely and, as a
consetwnee, pos tal influenee as well as that of the Catholic church is sore
pronounced. In rush an envireamsat individual ideals and principles have a bet-
ter opportuni to survive and develop. Beyond this limited family and religious
towards an alleviation of the problem.
lazistenoe of any definite program di
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VQ1WtWA iatInmane, is definitely felt 1 Plana today.
This is pe meat StIM4W iapez ed thrown the Increasing funs of travel. aand ? visitors tan both diret 50X1-HU M
ion, and through wester participation in events
Bash- as the. Pbsnan Pair, Or the: Gather hs,e. atiminises the effect of western
radio because of 'ire techni'aal l &tNt h;e.
Western broadcasts never cam in clearly, and It was
ne oe scary to strain mad devote full attesti?n to hear them
C?iQ'II~iTIAL
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i ~.
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Basic and important changes occurred in Polish radio and television propaganda
after October 1956. Up to the political upheaval, news and related progihams had
been dull, and it was easy to distinguish truth from falsehood. After 1956, how- 50X1 -HUM
ever, the quality of news promwas ved considerably, All facts presented over
air were accurate
mush greater emphasis was placed on commentary, which
was also made more teres ng. The. propaganda was injected ; ` co the comments on
the news. Even though the interpretations were slanted and were subjective, this
was done in such a clever and sophisticated way that it was almost unrecognizable
to the average listener. In addition, new commentators appeared; well-known, ex-
perienced, topflight news analysts, with highly professional appearance and delivery.
When they discussed a topic it was diffioult not to believe them implicitly. Propa-
ganda of this type had not existed before in Poland, and it naturally had a strong
influence - particularly on young people and those with little knowledge about the
West or those who had no basis for makin ooh irons. anal~rsta
of this new group 50X1-HUM
PE>i INS, Mariana On television n.
WOJCICXI, fnus On television.
BRONJAh, fnus ( radio end television.
all four of these analysts reported many true facts, and
their.oomoentary was so clever that it was imnoseible to tell where the truth ended
and the lies began.
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There is one additional factor which has a powerful psychological impact upon
the attitude of Poles toward comsaniem. Even though this concerns particularly' the
younger people, it does not exclude many of the older elements as well. This is the
fact of the quo, the fact that the present regime has been in the saddle for
some 15 years and shows no signs of relinquishing its power. It is becoming mote and
more difficult to think of the present situation as being either extraordinary or
temporary. People are settled in their jobs and they have become accustomed to their
homes and apartments. Children 90, to school, they graduate, and as they mature they
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m5-
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begin work,, get married,, and in turn have children,, and they diem all in a netura
way. At present there is a whole new generation of Poles who have hmown nothing
but comaamiamf they may not be hap with its but they have no basis for com orison
with other system. In the face of this continued routine flow of life,, any course
but aaooaeeedation becomes difficult.
M. Vfeet of Joinj= the Party an Individual Attitude ,,and an Personal a~td
Scow Relartihies
lone a am Joins
MnY one can never ee with him again as one did before. He
become a different hmrsongirrespective of the cles