Postawy polityczne młodzieży szkolnej i studenckiej

The paper discusses views, opinions and political attitudes of a group of young people comprising 380 graduates of secondary and technical schools and 300 students of different departments of the University of Łódź. The analysis of the socialist system perception is based on the results of research conducted systematically in the years 1985-1986. To elucidate theses which place the opinions of the group in question within a broader social framework we make use of data gathered by the Centre for Public Opinion Research and representative of the total adult population of Poland. From the produced outline of political attitudes of the youth the following regularities seem to emerge: 1. The existence of substantial number of opponents of the socialist path of development. 40 per cent of informants expressed their unfavourable attitude towards socialism and lack of confidence in its possibilities and prospects. 37 per cent of students and 36 per cent of pupils acknowledged capitalist system to be better for Poland (in technical schools there were 28 per cent of supporters of the capitalist system while in scondary schools 45 per cent; 2. Lack of trust of the youth in all political powers of the country. A vast majority of the young put their trust neither in the government and PUWP nor in the opposition. 50 per cent of informants claimed they did not trust political opposition related to KOR (Committee for Defence of Workers) and Solidarity. However Polish United Workers' Party (PUWP) was the object of the most bitter criticism and only every tenth student recognized the leading role of the Party in all aspects of social life. 3. Political views of pupils and students do not depend on their social background. No clear-cut relationship between political and religious attitudes was established, however, the type of school attended by the youth seems to be an important discriminating factor. Among, those who are dissatisfied with the implementation of the basic ideas of socialism (want restauration of capitalism and means of production in private hands) are secondary schools pupils and then students. 4. Age is a very important determinant of political attitudes. Results of numerous research on various subjects confirm the observation that, compared with the old, the young generation is more critical and pessimistic about their prospects and the chances of overcoming the political and economic crisis.