ABSTRACT
Poland, like the other central European countries was placed under the Soviet influence after the end of the Second World War, although it was one of the victorious Allies. Besides, the war deprived it of one-third of its territory. These facts, along with a political system imposed by another country that benefited from Poland’s territory, had to have some effect on people’s attitudes and expectations towards work also, as it was a common feeling that some part of any work done was not to the benefit of the country. However, in the late 1940s, the attitude of reluctance, a kind of opportunism, also at work, was not commonly shared (reconstruction of the country, social promotion of millions of people due to the elimination of illiteracy, distribution of land among the landless peasants or petty farmers as the result of the so-called “land reform”, nationalisation of landed estates, etc.). Intensifying Stalinism in the 1950s brought about a change in social attitudes, behaviour, and expectations. A feeling of the inefficiency of real socialism was spreading, combined with dissatisfaction with the low living standards and Poland’s political position in the world, placed, to some extent, on the outskirts of the main stream of civilization. This was linked with the feeling of lack of real independence
