Methods

The Polish citizenry dealt with the increase in food prices by going on strike, as illustrated above. These strikes were organized by a single group called Solidarity. The strikes effectively forced the Polish government to meet the demands for better working conditions, better pay, and better working hours. For context, better pay meant just enough money to keep up with the increase in the price of food. This was an increase of 2 or 3 Zlotys (or about $1) per hour. Additonally workes demanded better working hours, such as going to a 7 am-8 pm job instead of a 6 am-8 pm work schedule. The protests were very effective, as they almost shut down the entire Polish economy. These strikes continued until 1981, when the USSR threatened Poland to crush the protests with martial law or be invaded.

The leadership of the USSR made changes to the USSR in an attempt to increase unity. The changes were initially limited to economic liberalization and attempts to reduce waste and corruption, but increasingly led to political changes. The attempts to revitilze the Soviet Economy turned rather unsuccessful.  According to a first-hand account, "nothing really changed for us.". the person giving this account was a child at the time. He also explained that what he meant was that for the average person, nothing changed; the economy did not have a significant improvement aside from an improvement in food issues. According to another first-hand account, the solution to the food problem had nothing to do with the Prestroka plan.