Wojtasiewicz, Lucyna2013-07-152013-07-152004Ruch Prawniczy, Ekonomiczny i Socjologiczny 66, 2004, z. 2, s. 115-128.0035-9629http://hdl.handle.net/10593/6714Poland faces great changes stemming from general development processes in the world. Poland’s integration with the European Union will intensify the impact that these changes have on Poland. A few changes in self-government activities are also required, so that Poland can take possibly the biggest advantage of the oncoming opportunities and effectively eschew or ward off dangers. The changes in question must relate to both their object and the scope, the forms and methods as well as tools and measures. The nature of changes can be summed up into the four following suppositions: 1. restructuring the main functions of local government, whereby the management function will gain more importance, while the direct, executive function will be curbed. 2. the main direction of change: the economy based on knowledge and the development of information society beside the more traditional branches of the economy, which should nevertheless have appropriate conditions for modernisation, 3. an increase in the importance of quality in life and in the economy, 4. particular concern about sustained development (harmonisation of all areas of socio- -economic life) with respect of regional and local values. The changes stated above should be accompanied by creating new social behaviour, stimulating activity, and creating a society open to the world and the challenges of the future, but at the same time cherishing traditions and culture, which are the foundations of its identity and sovereignty. All those factors contribute to the creation of a civil society. The proposed changes in the activity of local governments are hardly revolutionary measures, they rather form a greater change by evolution.plArtykuł