Nowakowski, Krzysztof2013-03-132013-03-132007Ruch Prawniczy, Ekonomiczny i Socjologiczny 69, 2007, z. 1, s. 213-230.0035-9629http://hdl.handle.net/10593/5190Corruption is linked to the issue of clientelism. This fact establishes a wide understanding of its phenomenon. This wide context and understanding of corruption is simplified by the recognition of the patron-client system that accompanies corruption or is even identified with it. Clientelism may be of a personal or mass character, and it consists of a mutual provision of services, without the need of laying out funds to achieve a common goal. The socio-economic transformation, being a profound and thorough reform of the system and institutions, promotes corruption practices (the process of transfer of resources from public to private sector progressed swiftly). Corruption provides means for maintaining and developing the client networks. Patron-client relations are of secondary nature in some societies; in other societies they substantially influence the shape of the political and economic system, as well as the social structure. Such relations may transgress the borders between classes, professional groups, organisations, or family relations. Where the liberal-democratic parliamentarism coincides with the absence o f an educated civil society, the civil service o f the state comes to force, showing the domination o f political parties and pressure groups, favouring the clientelistic corruption, and influencing the development of the private sector and the formation of capital. Political parties distribute and decide upon thousands of positions. They organise their own client communities. Still, the typical clientelistic societies are not very common. The dynamics of the economy indicates that the factors which paralyse the economic development have not dominated the economic system in Poland as yet, and that system maintains its autonomy. This does not imply, however, that the activation of the long-term growth factors and the elimination of what is the “lost opportunity” costs in the economy have started to operate.plArtykuł