[A. Pole]

"I left to avoid the crackdown on opposition and on the trade unions."

In other words, you wanted to make a better life for yourself and have increased economic opportunity.

Wrong. I was well off in Poland and I would be better off if I did not get involved in opposition/trade unions and did not emigrate.

If I "wanted to make a better life for [my]self", I would have supported the regime and after the change of regime I would repaint myself as a free market democrat. Many did so and they are very well off today.

[Sam's Army]

"I was well off in Poland and I would be better off if I did not get involved in opposition/trade unions and did not emigrate."

Oh