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ChapterI.Poland’smarketeconomyintheinterwarperiod(1918-1939)
ersinPolandduringtheinterwarperiod.Slogansquestioningclass-based
determinismwerepopularamongallpoliticalgroupslabelledasright-wing
andthosewhosepoliticalpostulatesadheredtothedoctrineoftheCatholic
Church.Amongthem,themostpowerfulpoliticalplayerswere:theNational
Democracy,theChristianDemocracyaswellasconservativegroupswhich
primarilygatheredrepresentativesofthelandedgentryandaristocracy.In
addition,theideaofsolidarismwasalsosupportedbyagreatshareofthe
Polishclergy(ofdiversepoliticalviews)aswellasthelayrepresentatives
ofsocial-economicCatholicthinkingassociatedwiththeLublinUniversity
andthePrimate’sSocialCouncil.
TheeconomicprogrammeofthePolishChristiandemocrats,represented
mainlybytheLabourParty(StronnictwoPracy),adheredtotheidealsofsoli-
darism.Themovementwasestablishedin1937throughthemergerofthree
politicalgroups:thePolishChristianDemocraticParty,theNationalWork-
ers’Party,andtheUnionoftheformersoldiersofHaller’sArmy(Związek
Hallerczyków).Characteristically,theyalldeclaredrespectforprivateprop-
ertywhich,theybelieved,shouldonlybesubjecttoastate-wideeconomic
plan,withbreakingupofvastestatesandredistributionofexcessivewealth
-aspostulatedinpapalencyclicals.Itwasthedutyofthestatetomaintain
oversightoverbusinesscartelsandcredit,thoughwithoutexcessiveinter-
ventionismandbureaucracy.Hence,themostimportanteconomictasks
ofthestatewere:nationalisationoflarge-scaleindustry,divisionofland
propertyintomedium-sizedlots,supportforlocalcooperatives,andelimi-
nationofunnecessaryintermediaries.Christiandemocratsalsodemanded
fairfamilyremuneration,increasesinworkers’paybasedonashareholding
system,socialenfranchisement,eliminationofanonymousproperty(usu-
allyofaforeignorigin),protectionofsocialrights,andexpansionofpublic
investments.
Importantly,representativesofthiskindofthinkingintheinterwarperiod
perceivedtheirownnation,Poles,asthesolebeneficiaryoftheabovemen-
tionedeconomicpolicieswhileSlavicminoritieswereguaranteedlimited
autonomyandonlywhentheydemonstratedfullloyaltytowardsthePolish
state.WhilebeingquitecriticaloftheGermanminority,thesegroupsdid
notreallydevelopaclearpositiononJews.Itwasnotuntil1938when,inthe
faceofanescalationofethnicconflictsinEurope,theLabourParty(distanc-
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