The Effect of the Change from Communism to Capitalism

I will never forget the ending of communism and beginning of democracy and capitalism. The transitions from communism to democracy greatly changed my family’s life. The transition was a major event in Poland. In 1980, Lech Walesa and the workers at the Gdansk Lenin Shipyards formed a non communist controlled union in Poland ,and over the next nine years the communist party was eventually ousted from control. The transition affected every aspect of our lives from my parent’s jobs, my life at school and where we lived. It was the beginning of freedom, and the creation of a new life.

Capitalism changed the way we worked. During communism everyone needed to have a job, and the government gave them a job even if there was no need for the job. My mother worked at a government food store. The store distributed products once every week. When capitalism came, my mother lost her job because the store closed. The store closed because it was unprofitable. Later my mother found a new job at private company. The company needed her because there was a job that needed to be done. In the case of my father, he worked in shipyard as an electrician. When capitalism came he decided to start his own contracting business, which he never could have done before. My father continued his business for a few years and then he lost his clients because the new market economy got weak and he closed his company. He then found a job working for another contractor. Capitalism gave people the chance to start their own business but it wasn’t for everyone.
Capitalism changed the way I went to school. During capitalism the state I no longer received a government issued uniform, and I wore what I wanted. During communism I remember that I was beaten in class if my behavior was bad or if I wasn’t prepared for class. Under capitalism the beating stopped. My teacher would instead meet with my parents the next day if I misbehaved. I had some nice memories of this time. I remember a new cross on the wall. During Communism religion was not allowed to be in school and no crosses were allowed. We also were allowed to prayed before lessons which under communism we couldn’t do.
Capitalism changed where we lived. During communism people lived in apartments that the government gave them. During communism we lived in communistic buildings. The building was made of concrete and its color was grey like concrete. The communist grey colors always made me sad. When capitalism came, the state gave us our old apartment for free. The building was painted gold and orange. My parents sold the ugly apartment in city. They then bought a house in suburban Rumia. In the new environment we felt like we had more freedom in new town with new people, and more opportunities for a better life.
The new Capitalism brought many changes to our lives, from my parent’s job, and my life at school, to where we lived. The gray communism was replaced with a colorful new world and new responsibility. Today Poland continues to change. Poland recently joined the European Union which has brought even more changes. The change to Democracy was the beginning for my family to develop ours education and career. New opportunities gave me and my parents a dream of better future.