Lech Wałęsa i Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Twórcy III RP

Abstract

The article aims at presenting the personality of two political leaders - Wałęsa and
Mazowiecki. It was they who created the Polish Third Republic - the political reality after the
real socialism. Each of them performed a different role in the political system, and at the same
time they complemented each other. The first one was a destructor, the second - a creator.
Lecha Wałęsa, as a strong personality, was a perfect leader for the times of our “refolution”.
On the one hand he drives most of the society to destroy the old system in order for the new
one to rise - here he can be seen as a fanatic. And he was - a rational fanatic. When there
was a need to destroy, he destroyed, when he needed to stand down - he stood down, while
always retaining the chances for a “victory negotiation”. He could use his strong image for the
realisation of the common goal of “Solidarity” and the society - taking down the authoritarian
regime of the real socialism. The situation changed when he became the president of Poland
- that was a time of building a new system, and Wałęsa wanted to creat a system fit for him
- presidential democracy - but the expectations of the society and politics were different. He
lost the presidential elections of 1995. Today he is a symbol, an icon of Polish political and
social transformation and a good ambassador in the world. He is the only Polish politician to
become a renown leader, who gained international praise.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was a creator of a new country - a democratic country. He gave rise to the
contemporary democratic political, social and economic systems, accepted by the majority of
the population. This is why Tadeusz Mazowiecki should be seen as a national leader. What is
good for the citizen has to be good for the nation. He wanted the democratic rules to become
a habit. Mazowiecki has always been the man who “sewed”, searched compromise, against
using violence or force. He was an ideal decider for the times of building a new political, social
and economic systems, where the new authority needs to be “stitched” to the society, Poland
needs to be stitched to its neighbours (Germany), to Europe, to the West, which will mean
opening Poland to the West.