Opportunism instead of idealism. Some reflections about the “realism” of the United Peasant Party and its members The article deals with the functioning of the United Peasant Party during the years of the “People’s” Republic of Poland. The essays analyses the scholarly literature and the views of the researchers on the statute od the Party, as well as recounts the basic facts from its history between 1949 and 1989. The author based his findings on a detailed historical research on the operating of UPP in the Krakow region (1949‑1956) and concluded that during the Stalinism period the party did not rise to the expectations of the Polish United Worker’s Party (PZPR), although it acted against the peasant’s cause. During the later times (1956‑1989) it gained some independence but still served the interests of the PZPR. According to the author, the party’s membership was based mainly on opportunistic reasons. On the other hand, as an example of the realistic approach may serve the case of Stanisław Mierzwa.