It happened in the 20th century (59)
On 27 November 1949, the United People’s Party (ZSL) was founded, a satellite of the ruling Polish United Workers’ Party (PPR), which had been formed less than a year earlier by the merger of the PPR and the Polish Socialist Party (PPS). The ZSL was formed by the merger of the PSL, which had been shattered by communist repression, and the so-called ‘Lublin’ People’s Party.
From the moment they took power, the communists were determined to control the peasant movement at all costs and to restrict or even eliminate circles inconvenient to the totalitarian regime. Examples of this were the rigged elections of 1947, the repression of peasant activists and, as a result, Stanislaw Mikołajczyk’s flight from Poland.
The creation of the ZSL effectively completed the process of liquidating the Polish People’s Party, including Stanisław Mikołajczyk’s supporters. The creation of a new political party, completely dependent on the PZPR, was intended to demonstrate the authorities’ special concern for peasant circles. In reality, the aim was to support the communists’ efforts to collectivise agriculture and control the centrally planned agricultural economy. It should be added that the ZSL had little influence on the political life of the country, given the omnipotence of the PZPR
Jozef Niećko of the former PSL took over as president of the Supreme Council, and Władysław Kowalski, an avowed Marxist and former activist of the Independent Peasants’ Party and the People’s Party became president of the Supreme Executive Committee.
Between 1985 and 1989, ZSL leader Roman Malinowski was speaker of the Sejm. ZSL representatives took part in the Round Table talks and were also part of Tadeusz Mazowiecki’s government.
Flag of the United People’s Party (ZSL) section in Zębowice, Opole Voivodeship in 1951. /pl.wikipedia.org/
The United People’s Party existed for almost 40 years. It was dissolved in the wave of change that swept through Poland after the June 1989 elections. The Polish People’s Party was founded on the basis of the dissolved party and is still active today.
RAFAŁ LEŚKIEWICZ
Historian, archivist, IT manager. Director of the Office of the Spokesperson of the Institute of National Remembrance. In the past, he headed the archival department of the Institute of National Remembrance and the Central Information Technology Center. Author, co-author and editor of over 160 scientific, popular science and journalistic publications.
Source: DlaPolonii.pl
