Everyone has certain rights and these rights come with certain responsibilities that everyone must fulfill in order to preserve their rights. Members of the Polish Solidarity Party, which began as an independent trade union, had rights that they respected in order to protect their rights, and in doing so they created a new and improved Poland. Before the Solidarity Party was formed, the communist regime controlled Poland. Communism, based on the ideas and teachings of Karl Marx, is a system in which everyone is considered equal and wealth is distributed equally among people. The Cold War brought communism to Poland in 1945, which was widespread in Eastern Europe throughout the 20th century despite several attempts by different countries to expel it. Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan were prominent figures in the expulsion of communism in Poland. The Gdańsk Accords, the formation of the Solidarity Party, Lech Walesa, and the Workers' Defense Committee were major elements in the beginning of the fall of communism in Poland. The communist government saw that the Polish people were beginning to rebel against them and took action by banning Solidarity, imposing martial law, and strengthening the communist regime. After the Polish round table, Solidarity was re-legalized and allowed to participate in free elections. The Cold War was a conflict between communist nations led by the Soviet Union and democratic nations led by the United States. It was fought through propaganda, economic warfare, diplomatic horse-trading and occasional military clashes. At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Joseph Stalin, representing the Soviet Union, promised important figures in the expulsion of communism in Poland. The major elements in the beginning of the fall of communism in Poland were the Gdańsk Accords, the formation of the Solidarity Party, LechWałęsa, and the Workers' Defense Committee. The communist government took steps to strengthen communist rule by banning Solidarity and imposing martial law. Solidarity was re-legalized and granted permission to participate in free elections after the round table negotiations. There cannot be rights without responsibilities and vice versa; the leaders of the Solidarity Party knew their rights and fought to defend them; they were given responsibilities when they promised new rights to the Polish people. Thanks to the Solidarity Party leaders who take responsibility for the rights of others, Poland is what it is today, a great and free nation..