▁was ▁a ▁one - party ▁state ▁character ized ▁by ▁constant ▁internal ▁strugg les ▁for ▁dem ocracy . ▁The ▁Polish ▁United ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ▁became ▁the ▁dominant ▁political ▁fa ction , ▁officially ▁making ▁Poland ▁a ▁social ist ▁country , ▁but ▁with ▁more ▁liberal ▁policies ▁than ▁other ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁B loc . ▁Through out ▁its ▁existence , ▁economic ▁hard ships ▁and ▁social ▁un rest ▁were ▁common ▁almost ▁in ▁every ▁de cade . ▁The ▁nation ▁was ▁split ▁between ▁those ▁who ▁supported ▁the ▁party , ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁opposed ▁to ▁it ▁and ▁those ▁who ▁refused ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁political ▁activity . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁some ▁ground bre aking ▁achiev ements ▁were ▁established ▁during ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁such ▁as ▁improved ▁living ▁conditions , ▁rapid ▁industrial ization , ▁urban ization ▁of ▁smaller ▁or ▁larger ▁cities ▁and ▁access ▁to ▁free ▁health care ▁and ▁education ▁was ▁made ▁available . ▁The ▁birth ▁rate ▁was ▁high ▁and ▁the ▁population ▁almost ▁double d ▁between ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁The ▁party ' s ▁most ▁successful ▁accomplish ment , ▁however , ▁was ▁the ▁re building ▁of ▁ru ined ▁Wars aw ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁the ▁complete ▁r idd ance ▁of ▁ill iter acy , ▁which ▁stood ▁at ▁ 3 0 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁and ▁at ▁ 2 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁Polish ▁People ' s ▁Army ▁was ▁the ▁main ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces , ▁though ▁Red ▁Army ▁units ▁were