Rola młodej generacji pracowników w kryzysie i konflikcie społecznym

The paper puts forward a thesis that an acute and wide social conflict which took place in Poland at the end of the 70-ties and beginning of the 00-ties was the result of formation of a specific kind of social structure. It enabled establishing a limited intra-generation alliance which encompassed the young, and a substantial part of the old generation. The basis of the alliance was a similarity of interests of young employees and workers being a large social group. These common interests followed directly from the fact that social inequalities were not only related to socio-occupational differences within the Polish society but also to differences among the generations. The analysis of empirical data shows that the young generation of employees, constituting a separate element of social macrostructure, is very much interested in introducing social changes. On the other than, differences in the social situation of particular socio-occupational categories within the old generation prevented creating a strong opposition against innovative aspirations and activities of the young.