Taking Down Communism From Within

A new report from Agnes Tycner, VOC’s 2022-2023 Research Fellow in Polish Studies, examines how Pope John Paul II fought communism in Poland by restoring human dignity and renewing a lost hope.

As Tycner writes in Taking Down Communism From Within, “Pope John Paul II is remembered as a leader who fought for the dignity of the human person and human rights across the globe. By proclaiming the truth about man and using his influence to force political change, he helped take down the evil ideology that abolished all of man’s freedoms. By design, communism is in conflict with human nature, and requires the formation of a new person in order to create the ideal Marxist society. When John Paul II preached and wrote about human nature as God intended it, he provided hope to people and reminded them of their value. As a result, he removed the fear and loneliness that many people felt in their hearts. This newfound hope encouraged people to no longer live under the façade of the regime and to begin organizing themselves, eventually sparking permanent change. The fall of communism within Poland, let alone Europe, could have ended violently or lingered on for decades more without John Paul II’s courage, example, and leadership.”