Samorząd zawodowy i gospodarczy w Polsce po 1989 roku
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Date
2011
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Wydział Nauk Politycznych i Dziennikarstwa UAM
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Professional and economic self-governing bodies in Poland after 1989
Abstract
One of the greatest achievements of the socio-political transformation process in Poland is
the profound decentralization of public governance. In administrative law, decentralization is
perceived as a system with a larger number of independent hubs, vested with competences in
terms of public law, and a single center. Therefore, decentralization is a process of delegating
certain public functions which formerly were reserved for the central government to groups of
citizens organized in corporations.
Although local government exemplifies decentralization it is not a one-dimensional no-
tion that refers exclusively to territorial relations. In the system of representation specialized
self-government bodies, formed with different criteria, play a highly significant role represen-
ting the interests of various groups. They are divided into self-governing bodies focused on
the economy and the professions. Formal and legal homogeneity, though, does not translate
into the appropriate political position of these two forms of self-governing bodies in Poland.
While the professional self-governing body is clearly an association governed by public law,
the so-called economic self-governing body is based on concepts that emphasize the volunta-
ry nature of the ties between entrepreneurs, associated in chambers of commerce.
The differences in their legal status and the resulting powers bear no influence on the fact
that both economic and professional self-governing bodies are now facing equally serious
threats in Poland. In both cases these are related to how the state approaches the extra-territo-
rial form of decentralization. We can speak of different motivations here. The state, or rather
the state administration, is excessively interested in the professional self-governing bodies
and is curbing the autonomy they have traditionally been vested with. The situation is quite
different with respect to the economic self-governing bodies, where the public authorities are
scarcely interested in becoming involved in supporting them.
It should be realized then, that the success of Polish decentralization reform will only be
complete when all forms of self-government develop harmoniously irrespective of the rela-
tions between their members, whose empowerment will serve democracy and strengthen civic
society.
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Keywords
samorząd zawodowy, samorząd gospodarczy w Polsce
Citation
Przegląd Politologiczny, 2011, nr 4, s.49-58