The problem of ownership in the conceptions of the political opposition in Poland in the years of 1981–1989

The paper presents views concerning a desired – according to various activists and oppositional parties – shape of property relations in Poland and rules to distri- bute the national product and to manage it, which are related to the former. Apart from one shared feature – the recognition of the necessity to introduce changes in the matter – the particular views differed in a number of respects, first and foremost in the proposed direction of changes – from social ownership as the main direction of the transformation, to a multi-sector economy, an economy dominated almost entirely by the private sector including restrictions on ownership to a total privatiza-tion and the absolutely free market. The particular authors perceived also differently the ways and institutional frameworks by means of which the changes recognized as desired were to be introduced. The particular parties’ conceptions were also inter-nally diversified, partly incoherent and, at least in part, changeable. A series of views on the issues were expressed within the framework of “Solidarity”, gathering many economists whose opinions differed. Apart from this, the paper relates also, among others, the views by “Solidarność Walcząca” (The Fighting Solidarity), by the or-ganization of “Wolność – Sprawiedliwość – Niepodległość” [Freedom-Justice-Independence], by Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej [Confederation of Independent Poland], Liberalno-Demokratyczna Partia “Niepodległość” [Liberal-Democratic Party “Independence”], groups invoking the social thought of the Church as well as ever more prominent liberal groups. In conclusion, one may state that the opposition as the formation which at a cer-tain point intercepted power in the state, did not have any commonly shared conception of the changes, did not dispose of an adequate programme (which was also the case in respect to other issues) being, in this sense, unprepared to take over the rule of the country