Download The value of work

Urszula Swadźba
Instytut Socjologii
Uniwersytet Śląski
Katowice
From the society of real socialism
to a market society:
Changes in the value system of
the Polish society
Introduction:
Therefore, the lecture presents changes in
the values of work, family and religion
within the Polish society.
p The analysis will be conducted on the basis
of both research by the author and that of
other Polish sociologists.
p
Plan of presentation
p
p
p
p
"The small stabilization" - the values of the Polish
society during the late 50s and the 60s.
„The relative liberalization” - the value of work,
family and religion in the 70s.
"Times of perpetual crisis" - the value of work,
family and religion in the 80s.
The period of systemic transformation (90s and
1st decade XXI century) - the value of work,
family and religion.
Heritage of the value system:
The Polish society in the period of real
socialism inherited a value system
from the interwar period.
Three factors influenced its structure:
p The ethos of the peasant.
p The noble heritage.
p The Catholic Church.
"The small stabilization" - the values of the
Polish Society during the late 50s and the 60s
p
p
The studies thus indicate the high importance of family and
religion as values in the Polish society, and a low
importance of the value of work.
Work experience was an extension of home and friends
rather than a place of effort, work and competition.
The relative liberalization
in the 70s
p
p
p
p
The period of the 70s was a time of awakening
the consumption needs of society and a further
improvement of material conditions of the
population. There was a rapid rise in wages and
consumption.
Initially, public sentiment improved with the
improved economic situation.
This period meant a relative liberalization of the
system, greater openness of borders and contact
with the rest of the world.
A turning event was the election of Karol Wojtyła
to the papacy in 1978. This influenced the
awareness of the Polish society and its values.
The value of work in 70s
p
p
p
p
Workers mostly
termed work as an
instrumental value
Material motivations
occurred in the
majority of the
workers.
There was also a small
group who classed
work in terms of social
utility.
The autotelic sense of
work was mostly
characteristic for elite
groups of intellectuals.
The value of family in the 70s
p
p
p
The value of family
was associated a
sense of safety and
support in life.
Strong ties within the
family was
accompanied by a
strong disintegration
of social relations in
other sections of
society.
For young people, the
family was in fact the
primary source of aid.
The family became a
prerequisite for
independent living.
The value of religion
in the 70s
p
p
Religion also played an
important role in the
system of values. Studies
have shown that in Poland
there were at least 80% of
people claiming to be
believers with religious
tradition.
The process of socialization
had a positive impact on
the transmission of
religious values. The family
had a special meaning in
the transmission of
religious values.
Summarizing the period of the 70s, it
can be stated that:
p
p
p
p
p
On the formation of the value system of the
society, socio-cultural factors of the surrounding
reality in which the older and younger
generations lived had a great impact.
The younger generation of the 70s grew up in
times of “small stabilization”, where living
conditions were much better. The relative
prosperity in the times of Gierek asserted the
basic needs of families.
Socialization influenced the values of the Polish
society. The value of family and religion was
transferred.
The Catholic Church played a large role in society,
despite secularization of the state.
Work was recognized as a value, but only as a
means to a stable family life.
"Times of perpetual crisis„
- in the 80s
p
p
p
The decade of the 80s
began with strikes and the
rise of Solidarity. On 13
December 1981 martial
law was introduced.
After a period of strikes in
1980 and 1981 and the
creation of Solidarity, the
state of consciousness of
the Polish society changed.
It was a time of perpetual
crisis, encompassing all
spheres of social activity.
The value of work
in the 80s
During this period,
due to common
defects in materials
and goods, the
ethos of work
continued to decay.
p In the mid-80s
among Polish
sociologists
formulated the
thesis of "contraideology of work„.
p
The value of family
in the 80s
p
p
p
Family still remained
an important value,
and its creative
potential in relation to
other values remained
indisputable.
It was also pointed out
that family during the
crisis, could cope
better with the
system.
The material condition
of the family
worsened.
The value of religion
in the 80s
p
p
What was very
characteristic of the
period of the 80s was
that religion as a value
was then discovered
by people who had
previously been
alluded by religion and
the Church. Atheism
was no longer in
vogue then.
In the 80s sociologists
noted high rates of
participation in
religious practices.
The period of the 80s was characterized by
changes in the values of family, work and
religion.
p There
was a general decay and
erosion of the value of work.
p The family consolidated its value.
p There was the growing
importance of religion in society,
both faith and religious practices.
The period of systemic transformation the value of work, family and religion
p
p
p
p
In the 90s after 45 years of real socialism, Poland
entered a period of systemic transformation. The
Round Table agreement led to the division of
political power and allowed unfettered
development of political parties.
The economic reform known as the Balcerowicz
reform, introduced by the government of
Mazowiecki began a gradual transition to the
market economy.
At the same time the democratization of political
and social life began.
The standard of living of people who were well
educated, active or who had a good job or own
initiative raised. At the same time there was a
large group of people who were excluded, not
able to cope in the new reality and remained in
the sphere of poverty.
The value of work – 90`s and 1st
decade XXI century
p
p
p
Processes at the time
(privatization and
unemployment) allowed for
the believe that work will
be a valued commodity.
In the first years of
systemic transformation
work was not yet an
important part of
treatment.
Research on youth showed
the lack of developed
values of work and
confusion especially among
the younger generation
who had just entered into
The value of family – 90`s years and
1st decade XXI century
p
p
p
During the period of
systemic transformation
the position of family in the
system of values did not
change.
The value of the family
should be looked at from
the perspective of the
processes taking place in
itself.
The effect of globalization,
the opening to the "west",
migration of the young
generation and
transmission of patterns
existing in the countries of
residence. At the same
time in the life of the Polish
society, individualism and
tolerance to other forms of
life and behavior began to
The value of religion – 90s and 1st
decade XXI century
p
p
p
Years of systemic
transformation was a
period of change of religion
as a value.
All the presented
sociological studies show
that religion is an
important value in the live
of Poles. of attitudes
critical of religious
doctrine.
Most Poles believe in God
and Christ, but the
relationship to individual
content of faith is different.
In particular, this situation
Summarizing the value of work, family and religion
90s and 1st decade XXI century
p
p
p
p
The first stage was the nineties family was an absolute value for
the whole Polish society, no other values could compete with it as
it was both recognized and realized.
During the 90s and the first five years of this millennium,
including the death of Pope John Paul II, declarations of faith and
participation in religious practices remained at a high level and
religion played a relatively strong role in the lives of individuals
and families.
2. The second phase of evaluation of work as a value was during
the first decade of this century. Work was a highly appreciated
value. Family continued to be highly valuable, but not as highly
recognized.
For the second stage of religion as a value the ten years following
the death of the Pope - a Pole. The declaration of faith remained
at the same level, but decreased in intensity of religious practices
in certain social categories. Moral permissiveness increased, which
in turn led to the creation of personal moral standards and
religiousness.
Summary
p
p
The Polish society in the period of real socialism, those
living in poverty did not have the opportunity to realize the
value of work. At the same time throughout the period of
real socialism there was a strengthening the family values
and religion. These values served compensational functions
in the hostile socio-political space. Difficult material
conditions, reinforced by the ideology and practice of real
socialism strengthened these two values, whereas it
definitely weakened work as a value.
Only systemic transformation forced a different path of
development. The value of work strengthened, the value of
family and religion remained at similar levels. However,
studies show their different content, for the Polish society,
as moving towards individualistic and libertarian values.