The major question of this study is: what explains Poland's transition to democracy and capitalism in 1989-1990? In answering this question, this study identifies three major factors. The first factor is Poland's economic and political crisis that had accumulated since the consolidation of Communist rule in Poland after World War II and led to the emergence of one of the largest mass movement in Eastern Europe, Solidarność. The second factor is ideational change, which is associated with every

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... conomic and political crisis, and its gradual transformative power in Poland from 1945. The third factor is the political transition that resulted from the 'roundtable' agreements and led to the rise of Solidarność to political power. The study uses historical analysis to study Poland's political and economic developments from the time of partition and traces the major critical turning events and their influnce on the trajectory of institutional changes.