From the ashes of World War II to the impending obstacles of the new millennium, this multidisciplinary study examines Poland's recent economic and political development. It examines the creation and collapse of the system of central planning, the pre-Solidarity period, the rise of KOR and the Solidarity Movement, and the "Polish August" of 1980-- leading to the imposition of Martial Law in December 1981. This comprehensive and integrated view of nearly a half-century of change is presented in a clear, non-technical manner, encompassing economic, financial, legal, and political issues.