The purpose of this article is to explain the collapse of communism in East-Central Europe, the willingness of the USSR to accept that collapse, the role of Poland in this process, and the likely nature of future relations between Poland and the USSR. The East European revolutions of 1989 had common roots in the failure of communist regimes to gain legitimacy or to respond effectively to the growth of popular demands for political participation and increased economic welfare. Also, the shifts in Soviet policy associated with << new thinking >> encouraged reform in the regime and, when events went far beyond anything envisaged in Moscow, precluded direct Soviet intervention. Developments in Poland after the late 1970 set the stage for the revolution of 1989 by demonstrating the PUWP's inability to resolve problems and by witnessing the growth of independent political groupings. Despite martial law General Jaruzelski was unable to suppress opposition or to implement successful reforms. Finally, in early 1989, Jaruzelski had to accept Solidarity as a partner in reform. Despite an electoral system expected to continue PUWP control, Solidarity emerged victorious in the June elections and dominated the government established in September 1989. During its first sixteen months in office the new gouvernment introduced radical economic and political reforms. By fall 1990 Solidarity split into competing factions, with Lech Walesa representing the labor union elements within Solidarity and Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki the intelligentsia. After his victory in the presidential elections in early December Walesa retained most of those within the Mazowiecki government who had been committed to radical economic reform. Independent Poland has introduced changes in its foreign policy as wide-ranging as those in the domestic sphere. It has emphasized its autonomy from the USSR, focused on strengthening political and economic ties with Western Europe, and played an important role in the demise of both the Warsaw Pact and Comecon. The drastic drop in trade - primarily as a result of Soviet inability to meet export commitments - introduced a serious problem in relations in 1990. Despite centuries of conflict between Poland and Russia/USSR, there are many reasons to hope that future relations between the two countries can be normalized. To this point, though they have asserted their independence from the dominance of the USSR, the new Polish leaders have made clear their desire to work with the USSR to establish relations that are indeed mutually beneficial.
