Are “new” elites coming back? …
… The war of Law and Justice (PiS) government with nomenklatura and elites in post comunist Poland.
My brief essay about a diffrent look of PiS Party and sociology on the term of “elite” and “nomenklatura” and how it affected PiS’ election in 2007.
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In Poland’s October 2007 election, the liberal Civic Platform Party overthrew Jarosław Kaczynski’s Law and Justice Party (PiS).
One of the reasons why PiS lost the election was its hostile attitude towards some groups of people (intelligence, homosexuals, nurses, doctors, rich), prominent individuals (Władysław Bartoszewski, Lech Wałęsa, Adam Michnik), institutions and media (such as Gazeta Wyborcza TVN24 that were called “Układ” (first used by PiS chairman J. Kaczynski, means “connections”; “links” in pejorative meaning) or “Łże-elity” (word created by Ludwik Dorn, prominent PiS member which means literally “lie-elites”) and “Nowa nomenklatura liberałów” (“New liberal nomenklatura”- this describes Platforma Obywatelska - Civic Platform).
From the Jarosław Kaczyński’s point of view the period before 1989 was the time of “darkness” and state dependency on Soviet Union and Polish communist government. According to Kaczynski, after the Round Table talks and transformation in 1989, Poland was still the dependant state, that was ruled by people or group of people who only cares about their own interests at the expense of the country’s cost, and lost. The loss can be in a form of privatization or related to unclear business on boundaries of political connections. “The Polish state until now was a gigantic scandal”1. These were main accusations and objections of J. Kaczynski. For this reason Law and Justice declared to “clear” Poland from former agents, break political clique that allegedly occupied current Polish institutions, strategic offices and companies and decided to established the new and better The Fourth Republic of Poland.
According to Kaczynski, The back of oligarchic elites and rich men will turn Poland back from well developing track, he also warned that previous sytem before 2005 , “It was a kind of postcolonial, flaccid formation.” In Kaczyński’s opinion, the battle was being fought to make sure that “small-minded, mediocre people with an anti-state complex, mocking the nation and its tradition, would not grab a piece of the pie again”1.
This state of permanent internal ( with “elites” and also ordinary people ) and external ( with Germany, Russia, EU) conflict as well as populist language and brutal method of governing of could no longer gain approval among majority of citizens (especially among young people and “wykształciuchy” - “inteligentsia” ).
In my essay I will show how PiS’s and sociology’s look different on “elite” and “nomenklatura” and how it influenced the 2007 election.
“Elite” ( derived from Latin, eligere, “to elect” ) is according to some sociological definitions “a group of people, chosen in a certain way from a bigger group [of people], […] elite, is always dependent on people who choose and on the principle of selection ”1 . According to C. Wright Mills, of one of the most well-known American sociologist, elite, defining as “power elite” is “composed of men whose positions enable them to transcend the ordinary environments of ordinary men and women; they are in the position to make decisions having major consequences. Whether they do or do not make such decisions is less important than the fact that they occupy such pivotal positions: their failure to act , their failure to make decisions, itself an act is that is often of greater consequence than the decisions they do make”2. Elite are comprised of people who hold positions in major institutions. (As Mills observed, the power elite does not belong to an unique person, but to a position). He identified three core institutions: the economic domains, the military domains and the political domain. Even though Mills limits his analysis to the American society only, the main of his theoretical assumption applicates to most societies. Mills pointed the source from which elite recruits. People who “occupy command post” can be “ the possessors of power and wealth celebrity”, may drawn from “the upper stratum of the capitalistic society“, or if defining “in terms of psychological and moral criteria, as certain kinds of selected individuals”3. Thus, the elite is a synonym of people with a superior character and energy4.
Another look on the issue comes from the classic theorist, Vilifredo Pareto who considered the “elites” as the best performers on the governance field ( this create governing elites) and non-governing field. Here, similar to Mills, Pareto stress on the psychological and intellectual advantage of elite. He also extended on the idea that a whole elite can be replaced by a new one and how one can circulate from being elite to nonelite1.
Domhoff’s definitions underline elite as “members of the upper class who have taken on leadership roles in the corporate community and the policy network, along with high-level employees in corporations and policy network organizations.”2
more…
Next, what we can understand through the term “nomenklatura”?. Originally, the word derives from the Latin “nomenclatura” which means “ a list, index of names”. In the third edition of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia the definition is “ 1. System ( totality) of technical terms and phrases used in a particular field of science, technology, ect.; 2. System of conventional signs that constitute the most convenient way of designating certain things.”9
Nomenklatura covers “not only the list of key positions but also the functionaries who occupy them.”10
Another source – The Administrative Management of 1964, 1968 and 1971 says “ Nomenklatura. List of positions whose ranks are confirmed by higher authorities.”11
Popularly “nomenklatura referred to the Communist party’s authority to make appointments to key positions throughout the governmental system, as well as throughout the party’s own hierarchy.”12
In the next part we will see how PiS’ defines “elite” and “nomenklatura” and how it differs from the scientific definition.
PiS is a party that grew up on a dissatisfaction of Polish politics after 1989. The Round
Table talks in the opinion of a leader of PiS was supposed to bring Poland back to “Europe” this means the path of democracy, developed market economies, and transparency. According to Kaczynski this all did not perform very well, whereas it could be done much better Kaczynski found the Balcerowicz plan of lifting up the economy very harmful for many people, especially pensioners and farmers; privatization of state- owned companies and corporations were only available for little group of people concentrated in a kind of “clique”, a “net” of specific relations between politicians and entrepreneur. The corruption was “blooming”. According to Jarosław Kaczyński, the Third Republic ( Trzecia Reczpospolita) that covers the period from 1989 to 2005 was spoilt by those who cares only about their interest at the state’s wealth expenses, by the “Układ” ( links, connections, treaty – in negative meaning), “Łże-elity”( “Lie-elites” the similar term to ‘wykształciuch”, comprise most of authorities, academics, artist ect. - mainly those who criticize PiS and it’s government) and “Wykształciuch” ( “Educated” - again, a term used with a pejorative connotation). [English translation is hard to follow, but in Polish is similarly hard to read too] “Wykształciuch” is “ kind of a group of a big city people with a high education , stick with their social egoism, but at the same time with their cultural repulsion and the defense of everything which is new, who demonstrate their aversion enhanced by political division and ignore the cultural aggression on the rest of another Poland” . Originally: “oznacza pewną wielkomiejską warstwę ludzi z wyższym wykształceniem zasklepioną w egoizmie społecznym, a jednocześnie w odruchu kulturowej repulsji, obrony przed wszystkim, co inne, demonstrującą wzmacniane przez podział polityczny postawy niechęci, lekceważenia kulturowej agresji wobec całej innej Polski” . Interview in Dziennik 2006/08/26-27 “Dzięki nam Polska znowu ruszyła do przodu”.
Thus, “elite” rather “Lie-elites”, in a PiS’s dictionary generally means a group of people (especially those who gained higher education, authorities, artists, except few people “approved” by PiS), institutions, media that don’t support PiS. The lack of support means opposition. Those who criticize PiS are against PiS. The “cynical” resistance and objection for building up the “ Fourth Republic” qualifies ome to be members of the “Lie-elites. In sum, different point of view from PiS automatically assigns people to this group. This term was first used by Jarosław Kaczyński during his expose on 17.02.2006, where he stated that “Lie-elites of the Third Republic has tightly stood-up for the battle”13 . “Lie-elites” is similarly related to another term which is “ Wykształciuch” - “Educated” a term that in more details describe characters of those who belongs to the “elites”. These people are exposed and susceptible to a hostile propaganda, usually published in Polish newspapers, such as Gazeta Wyborcza, Przekrój, and private T.V channels like TVN.
The social profile of the “educated” is : a resident of a big, modern city ( like Warsaw) who have lost any contacts with the poor peripheries of the country ( from which people who support PiS recruit), graduated from majors such as politics, economy, law and the worst – sociology (according to Ludwik Dorn- ex marshall of previous parliament).“ Very ignorant, egoistic, narcissistic group of educated people who have nothing in common with a real Polish intelligence”(intelligentsia). 14
“Nomenklatura” or “new-nomenklatura” means the people who belong to the “clique” of former officials that position the governmental system during PRL period. After 1989 these people still have some connections with politicians of new order and easily take an advantage of their links. Many of them before 1989 worked in secret service but after 1989 filtered to the governmental, business and other spheres. PiS accused “new-nomenklatura” of demoralization and the depravity of Polish society. Nomenklatura s the reason of pulling Poland back from the “right” path of development.
The term refers also to the members of Civil Platform and their supporters. As PiS considered them as the people whose “roots” reached the PRL period and now, after “denominating” their party names still have control in key institutions in Poland. Therefore the aim of PiS government was to “clean” Polish political scene from “nomenklatura” and break the “net of colleagues”.
Considering that PiS’s definition of elite and nomenklatura is based mainly on an acceptation or lack of acceptation of PiS policy. Their followers never define themselves as “elite”, since the word “elite” is reserved for opposition and is rather an affront to their dignity. So, unlike the classical and sociological definition of elite, PiS definition does not describe the general attribute of “elite” as “members of a top social stratum”15 from the first place, but goes through the lines “ PiS supporter or non-supporters”.
But from the other point of view, PiS’s “elite” has the similar character as sociological “elite”, consisting group of the people, who are usually well educated, often recruited from upper class, who hold important positions in major institutions, and have a specific psychological traits. The point of departure for defining “elite” was different, but at the end both group has the similar characteristic.
This was about elite’s characteristics, but if we look at the groups that PiS and sociology’s elite consist of, we see some differences. There are many represents of the sociologists’ definition of elite, such as social elite (upper class, celebrities), political elite (f.e the one hundred most powerful men in America), economy elite (f.e the one hundred most wealthiest men in America).16
“They have a greater share than other people of the things and experiences that most highly valued. From this point of view, the elite are simply those who have the most of what there is to have, which is generally held to include money, power, and prestige”17
Whereas PiS’ elite is formed by groups of people who criticize government’s policy, this is the main criteria for being a member of this elite. Unlike C. Wright Mills, who see members of elite as belong to a position, but not a unique person. Here, PiS defines elite individually, by names, like Gazeta Wyborcza’s chief editor, Adam Michnik or some famous anti-PiS journalists such as Tomasz Lis or Monika Olejnik.
After winning the 2005 parliamentary election, PiS could officially define Poland’s elite and nomenklatura. This gives them a legitimacy to a change of Polish political scene, interpreting their mandate as following the nation’s will.
Before the election PiS successfully convinced some part of the society that actual political collapse of Miller’s socialist government (corruption and other scandals) was the effect of 16 years of old nomenklatura’s and elite’s rule, but under the new “package”. Therefore the victory of PiS would give the complete change and bring the new philosophy to the country management, based on professionals, free of bribe institutions, strictly following the law and social justice. That was the theoretical assumption which has nothing in common with a practice. PiS’s policy was severely revised by electors two years later in 2007.
PiS’s controversial policies over abortion and gay-rights abeled them narrowminded and homophobic. The lack of compromise at the European Union level brought them the fame of individualistic, authority and unprofessional government. Two years’ rule was considered as Kaczynski’s war with everyone (with nurse, gays, youth, private T.V, some newspapers and other non-state run media), starting from the elite and new-nomenklatura, through ordinary people to his PiS’s allies. PiS government was also considered as a perfect destroyer, chaos maker than a good builder.
In this situation the 2007 election was won by the largest opposition group - Civic Platform, making the definite end of the ruling coalition.
The last polls showed that people were tired of PiS’ ruling style.
At the end, the permanent accusation of state’s failure against the elite, nomenklatura and others, ironically turned against PiS.
1. Błaszczyk, Barbara. Woodward, Richard. 1999 “Privatization
in Post-Communist Countries Volume III”. Warszawa:
Biblioteka CASE (Center for Social and Economic Research )
2. Dobroczyński, Grzegorz (red.) 1995 Przemiany w Europie Ś
rodkowo-Wschodniej. Warszawa: Oficyna wydawnicza Kontrast.
3. Domhoff, Dye. 2000
4. Dorn, Ludwik Dziennik 2006/08/26-27 “Dzięki nam Polska
znowu ruszyła do przodu” - ” Thanks us, Poland moves on”
5. Ehrlich, Stanisław. 1991. Nomenklatura : przykład Polski ;
próba analizy normatywno-porównawczej. W: Państwo i
Prawo. Warszawa: PAN, Instytut Nauk Prawnych.
6. Eyal, Gil and Townsley, Eleanor. Post-communist Managerialism1998
7. MacShane, Denis. 02/10/2007. Election fever fails to grip
the warring Poles. The Telegraph. telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/
2007/10/02/do0203.xml
8. Majman, Sławomir. 2007/10/24. The Night After. The
Warsaw Voice. www.warsawvoice.pl http://www.warsawvoice.pl/view/16256
9. Mills, C.Wright. 1956 [1970] The Power Elite. New York:
Oxford University Press.
10. Neneman, Jarosław (red.) 2000. “ Po dziesięciu latach-
transformacja i rozwój w krajach postkomunistycznych”. From
the conference “Ten years after: Transition adn Growth in Post
-Communist Countries”. Warszawa: Biblioteka CASE ( Center
for Social and Economic Research )
11. Staniszkis, Jadwiga. 2001. Post-kominizm. Gdańsk: Słowo/obraz terytoria.
12. Voslensky, Michael. 1984. Nomenklatura : anatomy of the
Soviet ruling class. London: Doubleday & Company Inc.
13. Wikipedia
14. Znamierowski, Czesław. Elita i demokracja. 1991. Warszawa:
Instytut Wydawniczy Pax
1. “The Night After” by SŁawomir Majman , 24 October 2007, Warsaw Voice
2Ibid.
3. Based on my own translation. In original version: “ Elita to zbiór ludzi, wybranyc w pewien określony sposób z większej grupy, […] jest zawsze zależna od tego, kto ją wybiera i na jakiej zasadzie wybiera” (Znamierowski 1991: 11, 12)
4. From III/structure of Contemporary Stratification, page 202 (C. Wright Mills 1956)
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. “Elite” Wikipedia
8. Domhoff, Dye (2000: 95)
9. Bolsaja Sovietskaja Enciklopedia ( Voslensky 1984: 1)
10. Novyje slova i znacenija, S.320
11. Bolsaja Sovietskaja Enciklopedia ( Voslensky 1984: 1)
12“Nomenklatura” Wikipedia
13Expose (J.Kaczyńśki 2006/02/17)
14Ibid.
15. From III/structure of Contemporary Stratification, page 205 (C. Wright Mills 1956)
16. From III/structure of Contemporary Stratification, page 205 (C. Wright Mills 1956)
17Ibid. 205