Paper short abstract:

This paper aims discuss the motivations and the world view of Polish development professionals who at the time of the Cold War were working at the sites of development projects funded by Polish government.

Paper long abstract:

The involvement of the Eastern European countries in international development at the time of the Cold War has so far been presented as a single-dimensional, predominantly political endeavor of the states subordinated to the USSR's foreign policy. It has produced an image of "Second World" aid to the "Third World" as technical and political machinery, while neglecting the role of particular individuals (diplomats, politicians, experts, academics, church leaders, etc.) and their personal worldviews and agendas in this process. This paper aims to counter this view and include in the debate the perspective of development professionals from Poland, who at the time of the Cold War were working at the sites of development projects funded by Polish government.