{"product_id":"kor-a-history-of-the-workers-defense-committee-in-poland-1976-1981","title":"KOR: A History of the Workers' Defense Committee in Poland 1976-1981","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of KOR: A History of the Workers' Defense Committee in Poland 1976-1981 the bottom line is clear: this is a focused, narrative history for readers who want a detailed account of the origins of Solidarity and the dissident movement that prepared its rise. The book carefully traces the Komitet Obrony Robotnikow and explains how dissident intellectuals and persecuted workers connected in the late 1970s, making it essential reading for historians, students, and anyone interested in Eastern European politics. Its single biggest strength is a close, contextual look at events between 1976 and 1981 that led directly to the Gdansk Agreements and the broader independent trade union movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Concentrates on the formative years 1976 to 1981 to show how KOR laid groundwork for Solidarity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirsthand perspective:\u003c\/strong\u003e Draws on the voices of dissident intellectuals to illuminate why KOR formed and how it acted in defense of persecuted workers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolitical context:\u003c\/strong\u003e Explains the social and political circumstances in Poland that led to the creation of an independent labor movement.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChronological narrative:\u003c\/strong\u003e Traces key events from the Random and Ursus incidents through the Gdansk Agreements and up to martial law in December 1981.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible prose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Written for non-specialists as well as scholars, making complex political developments easier to follow.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDocumentary value:\u003c\/strong\u003e Serves as a compact reference on KOR's role in shaping opposition to communist rule in Poland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for readers who want a focused historical study of dissent in communist Poland, particularly students, researchers, and general readers interested in labor movements, postwar Europe, or the origins of Solidarity. The narrative emphasis on the five years before 1980 helps explain how grassroots activism and intellectual solidarity converged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a comprehensive anthology of primary documents or a broad survey of Cold War geopolitics should look elsewhere, as this work is concentrated on KOR and the immediate social and political circumstances that led to the rise of independent trade unionism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eProvides a clear, chronological account that links KOR activity to the 1980 Gdansk Agreements.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eHighlights the role of dissident intellectuals in defending persecuted workers, adding human context to political events.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUseful for both academic and general audiences seeking a focused study of Polish dissent.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eLimited scope means readers wanting exhaustive primary source collections or broader Cold War analysis may find the coverage narrow.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKOR: A History of the Workers' Defense Committee in Poland 1976-1981\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHistory of KOR and the origins of Solidarity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTime period covered\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1976 to 1981\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKey topics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKomitet Obrony Robotnikow, dissident intellectuals, worker defense\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGeographic focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePoland\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthors \/ Contributors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJan Jozef Lipski, Olga Amsterdam, Gene M. Moore\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKOR: A History of the Workers' Defense Committee in Poland 1976-1981 is a focused, well-contextualized account ideal for readers who want to understand how a small circle of dissidents helped catalyze a national labor movement. It delivers strong narrative value and historical insight, making it a worthwhile purchase for students and anyone studying modern Polish history or social movements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book cover the Gdansk Agreements?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, it places the Gdansk Agreements in context by tracing developments from KOR's founding through the summer of 1980 and the subsequent period up to 1981.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho are the main voices in the narrative?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book centers on dissident intellectuals and activists associated with the Komitet Obrony Robotnikow and their efforts to support persecuted workers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this suitable for classroom use?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, it is appropriate as a focused supplemental text for courses on modern Poland, labor history, or social movements, though instructors may pair it with primary sources for deeper analysis.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jan Jozef Lipski, Olga Amsterdam, Gene M. Moore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48763119861979,"sku":"0520307658","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/71ATzig1TAL._SL1500.jpg?v=1778498513","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/kor-a-history-of-the-workers-defense-committee-in-poland-1976-1981","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}