Exploitation of Social Dispersion: The Socio-Political Experience of Post-War Poland

A Review of Borowiec, P. The politicization of socialdivisions in post-war Poland. [London]: Palgrave Macmillan, an imprint of Springer, 2024. 261 p.

Abstract

The monograph by Piotr Borowiec provides a comprehensive view of the social and political dynamics that shaped the post-war history of Poland. Carefully examining class, religious and regional divisions, the author resumes that the political leaders of both post-war and democratic Poland used existing social differences to consolidate their power and mobilize public support. The book highlights the negative consequences of exploiting social divisions for ideological advantage. The author offers a blueprint for understanding current political challenges, based on historical facts and parallels, as well as on empirical and theoretical achievements of scholars dealing with the structure of Polish society, which allows the reader to
take a fresh look at the features of the contemporary political landscape in Poland.