Poland

1. Poland Eastern Europe Chapter 5 section 1 Pgs. 174-180

2. Objectives • Find out about Polish traditions. • Learn about economic changes that have taken place in Poland since the collapse of communism. • Understand the future challenges that Poland faces.

3. Key Terms • Shrine • A holy place • Capitalism • An economic system in which businesses are privately owned and operated • Entrepreneur • A person who develops original ideas in order to start new businesses

4. Poland’s Traditions • Catholicism has been a Polish tradition for hundreds of years. • Communist govt. tried to stop/discourage religious beliefs and traditions • Underestimated the strong faith and belief in the Roman Catholic Church • 90% of Poles are Catholic • 1978 a Polish priest was selected as Pope • Pope John Paul II served until he died in 2005

5. Pope John Paul II

6. Polish Orthodox • Not everyone is Catholic • Polish Orthodox makes up the minority • They have their own religious traditions • Planting wooden crosses of various sizes each year on the hillsides of northeastern Poland

7. Judaism in Poland • More than 3 million Jews used to live in Poland • Where did they go? Why? • During the Holocaust, about 85% of the Jews were killed by Hitler’s army • A small percent still live in Poland today • Their numbers are only in the thousands

8. Polish Language • Many past rulers tried to ban the use of Polish over the years • Communists did not ban it but did force Polish school children to learn Russian • Polish language survived • Spoken by the majority of the population • It links Poland with the other Slavic nations of Eastern Europe

9. Economic Challenges • Communism ended in 1989 • Capitalism adopted • Economic system where businesses are privately owned • Poland went from communism, where everything is owned by the govt., to capitalism almost overnight.

10. Capitalism • January 1, 1990 • Ended govt. control of prices • Froze taxes and wages • 1991 • Set up a Polish stock market • These steps helped to transition Poland from communism to capitalism

11. Economy • Foreign Investment • Many foreign countries began to invest in Poland businesses • Privatization • Private businesses increased and helped the economy • Started out selling in booths on the streets • Began to by/rent storefronts • More than 2 million private businesses in Poland

12. Economy • Consumer Goods • Poles have access to more goods than when they lived under communism • 1989 only ½ people had TV • Now almost every Polish home has a TV • Many Poles have cell phones and wear Western fashions

13. Economy • Farm Life • Under communism, most farms remained privately owned • Govt. always bought the produce and meat • Provided them with a reliable income • After communism, this income varied. • Hard on farmers to change from communism to capitalism

14. Future Challenges • Pollution • Coal-mining and steel production • Destroyed most of the forests in southern Poland • Increased cancer rates • By 2003, reduced many forms of pollution by 50%

15. Future Challenges • Unemployment • High unemployment rate • Under communism, people were guaranteed jobs • No such guarantee with capitalism • Many Poles move to other European countries • About 1/3 Poles emigrate • Poles hope that joining the EU will help to create a more stable employment rate