From the start of 1989 until the end of 1990 Polish society experienced the radical transformation of a political system. Until then Solidarity had represented a strong force of opposition to the system. In the role of "opposition movement" Solidarity was, perhaps, the most instrumental force which caused the transformation to occur. However, because much of Solidarity's existence was given meaning through this particular role, when the object of oppositlon--the state--began to collapse, Solidarity experienced an identity crisis. Was there a role, and, if so, what was the role of Solidarity In the new Poland? As the new political system emerged.  Solidarity--that body which had existed for nine years as the force most challenging to the system--began to decompose. The decomposition of Solidarity was both necessary and inevitable in post-transformation Poland.