internal conflicts – konflikty wewnętrzne
- passive resistance – bierny opór
- active resistance – czynny opór
- violence – przemoc
- strike – strajk
- general strike – strajk generalny
- hunger strike – strajk głodowy
- to suppress a strike by force – stłumić strajk siłą
- demonstration – demonstracja
- peaceful demonstration – demonstracja pokojowa
- to protest – protestować
- riot – rozruchy
- to block traffic – blokować ruch
- to raise barricades – wznosić barykady
- to inscite to sth – podżegać do czegoś
- to negotiate – negocjować
- to quell riots – uśmierzyć, uspokoić rozruchy
- to disperse a crowd – rozpędzić tłum
- to introduce a censorship – wprowadzić cenzurę
- uprising – powstanie
- revolution – rewolucja
- counter-revolution – kontrrewolucja
The political changes in Poland started with the general strike in 1980. The authorities tried to suppress the strike by force but protests did not stop. There were several hunger strikes and a lot of peaceful demonstrations all over the country. The police always tried to disperse crowds so the protests often passed into riots, which were difficult to quell. The active resistance of Polish citizens led to the negotiations at the Round Table in 1989.