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The article explores the problems facing the Communist country of Poland which stem from growing affluence as of July 1977. The economy has grown an average of 12% annually since Communist Party Chairman Edward Gierek took over from Wladyslaw Gomulka in 1970. The government's decision to hold down food prices and rents while allowing wage increases has resulted in disposable income growing by 50% in five years but without enough consumer goods to absorb it.

The article reports political and economic developments worldwide as of late October 1980, particularly in Poland. It cites the claim by Polish Vice Premier Aleksander Kopec as published in the late September 1980 issue of "Trybuna Ludu" that worker strikes in August 1980 resulted in production losses worth 36 billion zlotys (around 1.2 billion dollars). The opinion of former U.S. ambassador to Poland, Richard Davies, on the developments is also cited.