Professor of Politics Mietek Boduszynski and his sister, Monica Chellam ’04, recently organized and led “Poland’s Democratic Journey,” an educational tour in Warsaw for senior American political and civic leaders focused on democratic resilience. The States Forum and Foreign Policy for America Foundation co-sponsored the initiative, and Impact Lens Foundation, a Polish nonprofit, provided significant strategic and operational support. Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and prominent voice on authoritarianism, joined the tour as an embedded expert.
Poland’s recent experience with authoritarianism and democratic renewal, say Boduszynski and Chellam, provides “a potential reservoir of lessons for those seeking to understand not only how illiberal populism can be challenged, but also the obstacles reformist leaders face in rebuilding democratic norms in a deeply polarized society.”
Both Boduszynski and Chellam—who was an international relations major at Pomona—served as foreign service officers with the U.S. Department of State and are proud Polish Americans. They share insights from the tour in this interview, edited for length and clarity.
After a shift to democracy in the 1990s, why did Poland turn to authoritarian populism?
When communism in Poland collapsed in 1989, the country became a poster child for successful democratic transition. It quickly joined NATO and the European Union, becoming an influential member of both.
For many observers, this was “the end of history.” Democracy was the only game in town. But the pains of post-communist transition, including growing inequality, unemployment and a sense that Polish national identity was being diminished by Western influence, contributed to the victory of a populist party, Law and Justice (“PiS” in Polish), in 2015. It turned back the clock of democratization, undermined the independence of the judiciary and captured key institutions, including state-owned media. These actions showed that democratic gains were not irreversible.
What key themes did your tour explore?
Learning from the Polish experience, we wanted Americans to identify ways to bolster democratic resilience in the U.S. Tour participants explored questions such as:
- What enabled the rise of authoritarian populism in Poland?
- Why did illiberal policies enjoy significant popular support?
- How did a broad anti-authoritarian coalition manage to win the 2023 parliamentary elections?
- Why has that coalition struggled to deliver on its promises?
What did participants learn?
Defeating authoritarian populism is challenging, but so is restoring democratic norms and rebuilding democratic institutions. Authoritarian governments are adept at creating systems and institutions structured so they are hard to change. As one Polish rule-of-law expert told us, “What if the rule-of-law repair requires bending the rule of law?” Participants learned about Poland’s successes and failures in dealing with this dilemma.
What were the tour’s most impactful experiences and interactions?
One highlight was meeting with Adam Michnik, who was a member of the Solidarity opposition movement’s inner core in the 1980s and who spent years as a political prisoner. In 1989, he sat across from members of the Communist regime to negotiate the country’s first free elections. He thus emphasizes the importance of compromise as a democrati value. Michnik also founded Poland’s newspaper of record and was its editor-in-chief. He remains an eloquent defender of democracy in Poland and around the world.
In addition, we met courageous civil society leaders, including activists who organized some of the largest marches and demonstrations ever held in Europe, drawing attention to the PiS party takeover of the judiciary. And we interacted with mayors who offered valuable insights into local governments as sources of democratic resilience.
What were key takeaways?
We learned that the U.S. election in 2028 should not be treated merely as an opportunity to potentially reverse recent democratic backsliding, but as a rare opportunity to repair the democratic architecture that made those abuses possible. Lasting reform must address the demand side of authoritarianism, why people find it appealing. In Poland, as in the U.S., societal divisions have been growing—between urban and rural areas, religious and secular communities, older and younger generations—against a backdrop of rapidly changing perceptions of culture.
Citizens who feel alienated need new partnerships and approaches. It is essential to build trust between people on opposite sides of the political divide, to preempt myths and fears about the “other” and to forge common projects to rejuvenate the belief that democracy gives individuals great agency.
Defeating authoritarian politics at the ballot box is only the beginning. As Poles told our participants, “Start planning now.”
How will Pomona students benefit from the tour’s lessons?
Young leaders we met in Poland were inspirational. We heard repeatedly that the mobilization of young voters was critical to the success of those opposing authoritarian government. Lessons learned from Poland’s return to democracy will energize Pomona politics classes and show how the Polish experience can serve as an inspiration for students to be part of a young generation of engaged citizens.