Droga do władzy? Kobiety w PZPR 1948–1989
The road to power? Women in Polish United Workers’ Party, 1948–1989

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to answer the question of women’s access to power in communism in East Central Europe, using the example of Poland. The authors examine Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza (Polish United Workers’ Party, PUWP) during the period of 1948–1989 in terms of the quantity and significance of female members. Analysing available sources, they ask about the actual extent of power exercised by women, the nature of such power, and finally the models of women’s “careers” as provided for in PUWP. They observe failure in the equal rights policies, characterised by obstruction of women’s careers,, with no real career opportunities after Stalinism (as the generation of pre-war communist activists had retired), and by a lack of effective promotion instruments for women.

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