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By Julia Scheeres.
Wired News, 19 de junio, 2002.
When former Polish president Lech Walesa pops into a chat room to discuss
politics, people have a hard time believing they're debating issues with the man
largely credited for the downfall of communism in Eastern Europe.
In a telephone conversation from his home in Gdansk, the former shipyard
electrician turned Nobel Peace Prize winner spoke about government attempts to
stifle technology or to use it to spy on personal communication.
Born the son of peasant farmers in 1943, the feisty politician started the
Solidarity movement in 1980, which was pivotal in the defeat of communism
throughout Eastern Europe. He was elected president of Poland in 1990, a post he
held until 1995.
He recently joined the board of directors of NuTech Solutions, a software
company based in North Carolina. NuTech Solutions, which was launched by
Polish-born Matthew Michalewicz, writes analytical software that predicts
behavior and reduces spending.
Wired News: You've mentioned in past interviews that technology
helped topple communism in Poland. Could you be more specific?
Walesa: Communism is a monopolistic system, economically and
politically. The system suppresses individual initiative, and the 21st century
is all about individualism and freedom. The development of technology supported
these directions. When I was fighting communism, there was rapid development of
satellite television and cell phones, and communism, to survive, would have to
block all these information devices.
To control the free flow of information, the Communists would have to
increase the secret police by a factor of four. It would be a huge effort for
police to control the channels you get on TV or the phone numbers you are
allowed to dial. So technology helped end communism by bringing in information
from the outside. It was possible to get news from independent sources; stations
like the BBC (British Broadcasting System) and VOA (Voice of America) were
beyond government control. During '50s and '60s, the Communist government put
people accused of listening to these stations in prison.
Only the minister of Internal Affairs was allowed to issue permits to get
satellite TV, and clearly anyone against communism wouldn't get permission. Any
equipment connected to processing information, even typewriters and copy
machines, had to be registered at police stations.
Very often they searched apartments of people and confiscated equipment,
even audio tapes. They once took 50 tapes from me -- some patriotic songs
forbidden by the Communists and interviews transmitted by the BBC and VOA as
well as songs from the West. I still haven't gotten them back.
It's hard to believe that things like that actually happened from today's
perspective.
WN: Cuba, for example, recently banned PC sales to the public and
regularly censors satellite, Internet and phone connections to the island. Do
you see parallels between the Polish experience and what's going on in Cuba?
Walesa: Cuba is one of the final countries in which communism is
still alive. Their system is based on the same system that we had in Central
Europe 20 years ago. Clearly Cuba has some advantages over Central Europe at the
time because it is closer to the U.S. But communism in Cuba will collapse sooner
or later because you can't control the free flow of information.
Communism prevents organizations from developing by stopping the flow of
information. The system is based on police and listening devices and triggers
the worst characteristics in humans. The communist system is basically finished,
and Mr. Castro knows that. But his choice is very limited -- he can only take a
gun to his head and commit suicide. He is living his final days, after him there
will probably be no replacement. But communism destroyed all independent
organizations, so it will be interesting to see what happens.
WN: Do you believe that the use of technology -- such as Carnivore
or Echelon -- by democratic governments to spy on personal communications is any
worse than totalitarian attempts to do the same?
(At this point in the interview, the phone went dead and immediate attempts
to call Walesa back were unsuccessful. His subsequent answers were sent by
e-mail).
Walesa: I believe that any violation of privacy is nothing good. But
on the other hand, the government is responsible for the safety of the citizens
of the country, so it has to protect them. I would distinguish between spying on
the people in general and using the newest technologies to spy on the concrete
people, or groups of people who might be dangerous for the society -- the
society, not for the government, as the regime of the country. I strongly
believe this is the situation we are facing in the democratic countries; that is
why it is different from the Communist approach.
WN: Has the "tech revolution" benefited Poland?
Walesa: Definitely, the "tech revolution" has not
influenced Poland in a way that would be meaningful for the economies of the
U.S. or other Western countries. First, the high-tech companies haven't become
as influential in our market as in the United States. Second, the development of
(Poland) needs many other components; it is not just adding the benefits of the
newest technologies on top of a well-organized and well-working economic system.
I would say that it is most beneficial for the young people, meaning their
education, chances for creating something new in the future. It influenced
communication and information, so it is just a first step for us to be
benefactors of the "tech" changes in the world.
WN: Do you consider yourself a technophile?
Walesa: Yes, I am a person interested in the development of
technology. I use many different gadgets connected with computers; I use PCs,
laptops and a Palm Pilot. I also use the Internet to visit websites, especially
within Polish-language Internet. I usually go to political discussion groups and
sites -- of course, as I use my real name, people never believe that they are
chatting with me!
WN: What is your role at NuTech Solutions and what projects does the
company have in Poland?
Walesa: As a board member, I will be advising the management of the
company and I will take part in creating the policy and strategy of NuTech. In
addition to attending each of the company's board meetings, I am committed to
providing a great deal of my time to helping NuTech in its promotion and
continued growth and development.
It is no secret that (the Polish) economy is now a global economy in which
smaller companies can better compete worldwide. NuTech has effectively
integrated its top scientific and technology teams in Poland and the United
States for a collaborative environment. This would have been very difficult ten
years ago. But now companies such as NuTech can lead the way for other American
companies to take advantage of the favorable business climate in Poland today. | 
