Copy (the Music) and Share (the Tape). On the Institutionalization of “Piracy” in the Polish People’s Republic

Abstract

The article concerns practices related to the so-called the “second circulation” of musical materials in the Polish People’s Republic. This phenomenon is studied in relation to the issues of contemporary economics, technological progress and, above all, issues of social institutionalization. The author considers the problems of reception of popular music in the country behind the Iron Curtain and methods of providing access to various types of recordings and their official and alternative tracks.