Party supervision of industry in the 1970s. A case study of the “Stilon” synthetic fibres plant in Gorzów Wielkopolski in Poland

Abstract

The ineffectuality of the socialist system, which in literature was described as the shortage economy, could be observed even at a company level. Despite having no effects, the system was maintained, which required constant political supervision. Its most important authority was the ruling party that used the nomenclature as the best tool to perform their supervising functions. Determining positions and decision-making bodies was only a part of the unofficial prerogatives of The Polish United Workers' Party. In each company there were party structures that were aimed at encouraging both the party members and non-party workers to obey to the system and to do the tasks which they had been allotted as a part of the planned economy. The party supervision system was supported by a secretly acting organization called the Security Service. This article presents how the party supervision worked, what the forms of its action were and what effects they had. The study is based on the case of the “Stilon” Synthetic Fibres Plant in Gorzów Wielkopolski in Poland.