Luke
16th December 2010, 13:21
Think very few of you heard about that "incident"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Polish_1970_protests_-_Zbyszek_Godlewski_body.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd70t42sX2g
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_1970_protests
The clash lasted from 14 to 22 December 1970. The official death toll was 39, with another 1164 wounded and 3000 incarcerated ... not exactly Tienanmen .. but then Poland is 38 million country, not a billion one.
The reason for clash was raise of prices of meat by government, followed by raise on other foodstuffs.
Only aftermath of the events was change of top dignitaries of political bureau, for less hard-line ones.
Those "new masters" made pact with forces in the west, which resulted with taking giant debts, which were used to buy outdated western technology in attempt to jump-start disintegrating economy. They also secured contracts with western corporations.
This allowed for 10 years of relative peace and debt-sponsored "prosperity", which ended in 1981, with state in danger of defaulting on it's obligations to western banks.
In order to quench protests of western-sponsored "Solidarnosc" movement, martial law was declared, which lasted till 1983. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_in_Poland)
In 1988, facing wholesale collapse of soviet block, the government leaders arranged clandestine talks with "opposition" and Roman-Catholic Church, in order to "orderly transform government in order to avoid clashes like those of 1970". Both opposition and church agreed to not prosecute political leadership nor the "non-oppresive state agencies and employees".
This orderly transfer of power allowed many political fortunes to convert into financial ones. To this day most of "wealthiest 100" of Poland can be tracked to ties with former Security Service.
Those who ordered the shooting of protesters were attempted to put on trial few times, but were never found guilty.
------------------------------
While this seem a tale from small country long time ago, try to transplant the circumstances and methods to currently ongoing clashes.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Polish_1970_protests_-_Zbyszek_Godlewski_body.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd70t42sX2g
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_1970_protests
The clash lasted from 14 to 22 December 1970. The official death toll was 39, with another 1164 wounded and 3000 incarcerated ... not exactly Tienanmen .. but then Poland is 38 million country, not a billion one.
The reason for clash was raise of prices of meat by government, followed by raise on other foodstuffs.
Only aftermath of the events was change of top dignitaries of political bureau, for less hard-line ones.
Those "new masters" made pact with forces in the west, which resulted with taking giant debts, which were used to buy outdated western technology in attempt to jump-start disintegrating economy. They also secured contracts with western corporations.
This allowed for 10 years of relative peace and debt-sponsored "prosperity", which ended in 1981, with state in danger of defaulting on it's obligations to western banks.
In order to quench protests of western-sponsored "Solidarnosc" movement, martial law was declared, which lasted till 1983. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_in_Poland)
In 1988, facing wholesale collapse of soviet block, the government leaders arranged clandestine talks with "opposition" and Roman-Catholic Church, in order to "orderly transform government in order to avoid clashes like those of 1970". Both opposition and church agreed to not prosecute political leadership nor the "non-oppresive state agencies and employees".
This orderly transfer of power allowed many political fortunes to convert into financial ones. To this day most of "wealthiest 100" of Poland can be tracked to ties with former Security Service.
Those who ordered the shooting of protesters were attempted to put on trial few times, but were never found guilty.
------------------------------
While this seem a tale from small country long time ago, try to transplant the circumstances and methods to currently ongoing clashes.