Communist University blog

As I read about the experiences of the Polish, and in a broader sense the students at universities in Communist countries, I am quickly struck by how different their experiences are from mine. I have never done much reading about universities in Communist held countries, but after reading about these schools and how they functioned and who went there, it all made sense. It’s a strictly communist system that in theory looks like a good idea and appears to work, but in reality, as with many communist ideas, it is not so successful or cleanly running. There were a few aspects of communist universities that I found interesting, mainly because they are the exact opposite of what we in America hold to be important parts and characteristics of high learning institutions such as colleges and universities.
One of the first differences between our universities and the communist universities that struck me was their system and procedure for students who attend the universities. In America it seems as though almost every student has a chance to attend a university or an institution of higher learning beyond high school, in the communist countries, such opportunities are not so great. In the Communist countries it appears as though many students are sort of “pre-selected” to go on to college, and that such pre-selection depends on social status and a somewhat corrupt system. I was amazed to learn that the working classes got priority for universities over all other classes, but based on the Communist idea of the working class being the biggest and most powerful class, it seems to fit. It seems unfair that social class and status determines whether a student will continue on with a college education, but then again here in America a college education often falls upon the financial status of a student, which in turn often determines or is determined by the social status of the person. It’s somewhat backwards that the Communists did not go by intelligence and academic standing when selecting students and that system of social status determining college admissions shows they have a different view and understanding of education.
I was just surprised also at how corrupt the admissions system was in communist Poland, especially where people were falsifying documents and how some of the people in government were able to sneak their own children into college. It’s unfair that people in higher governmental positions abuse their powers, but at the same time, they wanted to provide their children with the special opportunity to study at a university. It is just another reflection of the corruption and inequality within the communist system. After reading about the type of education at the universities, I find it difficult to understand why people would want to study there though.
Another big difference I noticed as I read about education in communist Poland was the type of atmosphere and education found on the campus. It is nothing like the typical American campus, where the idea of learning and pushing the boundaries of education and thought seem to be prevalent. On the campuses of the Polish universities there was a strict adherence to the Communist principles where people where not to speak out against the government or political ideas and where education was limited. Textbooks were not around until years after the communist takeover and professors could only teach certain theories and ideas that did not conflict with communist principles and ideas. The students in turn were not much better. On American campuses, the student body often turned out to be the focal (or vocal) point of social and political action and change, the Communist campuses strived to provide the next set of leaders for the Communist party. This led to student spying on professors and other students and the limitation of free political and social speech on campuses. These campuses and universities meant a limited opportunity for students to learn.