I never, for a moment, planned a political career for myself. In August 1989, I was preparing myself – with a dense heart, due to the fact that there were so many fascinating things in Poland – to go to lectures in the UK. I was expected to be there a year ago, but I finished my habilitation, postponed my trip, which caused any problem at that university; hence the strong feeling that I was not allowed to postpone this time.
In the economics department of North Staffordshire University of Technology in central England, I received a proposal to conduct lectures from respective subjects, including a comparative analysis of economical systems. It was a large scope of subjects, so it required careful preparation. I remember half the spring and spent the summertime behind a desk working hard. Spring 1989 was an highly interesting period in Poland; things began to happen that nobody expected. I'd love to stay in the country, but I had a commitment to English Polytechnics.
I did not attend the circular table, that twice I attended preparatory meetings.
To be honest, on economical issues, I was alternatively a skeptical observer of these proceedings. From the beginning, I have been critical of the main request and then the arrangements in these cases – namely the introduction of wage indexation as a means to alleviate inflation ailments.
I gave my views to colleagues who participated straight in these debates. Even more critical was Marek Dąbrowski, who wrote openly that he warned against indexing individual wages.
In August 1989, covered with English books for economics, I stayed with my household on a game outside Warsaw. It was there from the radio that I learned that Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed Prime Minister.
