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Totalitarianism can no longer exist

RELATED STORIES

The alignment of political powers in 1980 and in 1990
Jacek Kuroń Social activist
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[Q] The authorities in '81 broke the agreement, they didn't keep their word. Do you think that now they...

If we are going to talk in terms of marital issues, love, then of course we can have a chat but then it won't be a conversation about politics. My understanding is that if I've made a date with a girl, I can wonder whether she'll keep her word or not. In politics, however, I suggest that categories of that kind are not taken into account because the essence of politics lies in the distribution of power. The problem is: what is the distribution of power? In 1980 they initially gave in because that's how the distribution of power looked and they weren't able to break this. Then, they prepared to alter this by the use of arms, after which it transpired that although they had altered it a little, it was still not enough to solve the problems. They didn't solve the problems so, of course, they can try to change things using force once again but they already know that this will be futile.

[Q] Władze w '81 roku złamały porozumienie, nie dotrzymały słowa...

Jak zaczynamy rozmawiać w kategoriach małżeństwa, miłości, to oczywiście możemy sobie porozmawiać, ale wtedy nie będzie to rozmowa o polityce. Ja rozumiem, że jak się umawiam z dziewczyną to mogę rozważać, czy ona dotrzyma słowa czy nie. W polityce proponowałbym takich w ogóle kategorii nie brać pod uwagę, ponieważ istotą polityki jest układ sił. Problem polega na tym: jaki jest układ sił? Otóż w 1980 roku oni naprzód ustąpili, bo taki był układ sił, że go nie mogli złamać. Potem się przygotowali do zbrojnej zmiany układu sił. Potem się okazało, że wprawdzie go zmieniają trochę, ale nie na tyle, żeby rozwiązać problemy. Problemów nie rozwiązują. W związku z tym, oczywiście, oni mogą jeszcze raz próbować siłą zmienić układ sił, ale już sami wiedzą, że to niczego nie przyniesie.

The late Polish activist, Jacek Kuroń (1934-2004), had an influential but turbulent political career, helping transform the political landscape of Poland. He was expelled from the communist party, arrested and incarcerated. He was also instrumental in setting up the Workers' Defence Committee (KOR) and later became a Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

Listeners: Jacek Petrycki Marcel Łoziński

Cinematographer Jacek Petrycki was born in Poznań, Poland in 1948. He has worked extensively in Poland and throughout the world. His credits include, for Agniezka Holland, Provincial Actors (1979), Europe, Europe (1990), Shot in the Heart (2001) and Julie Walking Home (2002), for Krysztof Kieslowski numerous short films including Camera Buff (1980) and No End (1985). Other credits include Journey to the Sun (1998), directed by Jesim Ustaoglu, which won the Golden Camera 300 award at the International Film Camera Festival, Shooters (2000) and The Valley (1999), both directed by Dan Reed, Unforgiving (1993) and Betrayed (1995) by Clive Gordon both of which won the BAFTA for best factual photography. Jacek Petrycki is also a teacher and a filmmaker.

Film director Marcel Łoziński was born in Paris in 1940. He graduated from the Film Directing Department of the National School of Film, Television and Theatre in Łódź in 1971. In 1994, he was nominated for an American Academy Award and a European Film Academy Award for the documentary, 89 mm from Europe. Since 1995, he has been a member of the American Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science awarding Oscars. He lectured at the FEMIS film school and the School of Polish Culture of Warsaw University. He ran documentary film workshops in Marseilles. Marcel Łoziński currently lectures at Andrzej Wajda’s Master School for Film Directors. He also runs the Dragon Forum, a European documentary film workshop.

Tags: political powers, authorities, agreement, politics, distribution of power, martial issues

Duration: 1 minute, 3 seconds

Date story recorded: 1987

Date story went live: 12 June 2008