( CNN ) -- Leszek Balcerowicz , Poland 's former finance minister , recently said his country is enjoying `` its best period in 300 years . '' CNN looks at how the country emerged from communism to become one of eastern Europe 's most stable and thriving democracies . Solidarity leader Lech Walesa addresses striking workers in Gdansk , Poland in 1989 . Modern Poland gained independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War . Almost six million Poles , including the majority of the country 's large Jewish population , died during the devastating six-year conflict . The shadow of Stalin continued to loom large over Poland after the war , when the communist-dominated government ensured that Poland would become a Soviet satellite state for the next 40 years . The following decades were punctuated by revolts against the repressive authoritarian regime in Warsaw , but none had a greater impact on Poland 's political future than events in 1980 at a shipyard in western Poland . With a struggling economy and rumors of corruption and mismanagement within the state causing widespread discontent , a series of strikes by workers paralyzed the country . Eventually the government was forced to negotiate and on August 31 , 1980 , workers at the massive Lenin shipyard in Gdansk , led by an electrician named Lech Walesa , signed a deal giving workers the right to strike and form trade unions . This heralded the creation of the Solidarity movement , which would ultimately be instrumental in bringing Poland 's communist era to an end . The presence in the Vatican at the time of Polish-born Pope John-Paul II was also a significant influence on the movement throughout the 1980s , as the Catholic church had remained a very potent force in Polish life . The Pope even made a visit to the country in 1979 . Despite Soviet-endorsed attempts to slow the erosion of the regime 's grip on power -- including the declaration of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski in 1981 which outlawed Solidarity -- Poland 's worsening economic situation , compounded by further nationwide strikes , meant that the government had no alternative but to negotiate a date for free elections with Walesa and the Solidarity movement . Solidarity members won a stunning victory in the election of 1989 , taking almost all the seats in the Senate and all of the 169 seats they were allowed to contest in the Sejm or parliament . This gave them substantial influence in the new government . Activist and journalist Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed prime minister , while Lech Walesa was elected as president the following year . After years of economic mismanagement under the communists , Poland embarked on a painful reform program under finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz -- especially in traditional heavy industries such as coal and steel -- which moved away from the inefficient state-controlled system of economic planning . Despite growing unemployment and a dilapidated infrastructure , Poland was slowly transformed into an investment-friendly , market economy . Banking and lending policies were reformed , while newly reshaped ownership relations , independent enterprises and strengthened domestic competition all had a massive impact . Over a relatively short period of time , Poland had become one of the most dynamically developing economies in Europe and by the mid-1990s , it became known as the `` Tiger of Europe . '' Poland also liberalized its international trade during this period . The national currency -- the zloty -- became convertible to other currencies and internal convertibility was also established , providing another platform for dynamic economic growth . New markets in countries that had been treated not so long before as ideological as well as economic enemies were opened up to Polish companies . The EU and U.S. were now the key markets for Polish goods . This realignment of policy was emphasized by its accession into the European Union in 2004 . It had also joined NATO in 1999 . Unfortunately the continuing problem of high unemployment and the promise of better salaries encouraged many Poles to work in other EU countries after 2004 . However this trend started to reverse in 2008 as the Polish economy enjoyed a boom period . Politically , Poland has also successfully transformed itself into a fully democratic country . Since 1991 the Polish people have voted in parliamentary elections and four presidential elections -- all free and fair . Incumbent governments have transferred power smoothly and constitutionally in every instance to their successors .
Poland was ruled by Soviet - backed government after the Second World War . Solidarity movement was a key factor in the collapse of communist regime . Centrally - planned economic system replaced by free market economy . Poland joined the European Union in 2004 .