Ratajczak, Marek2013-03-052013-03-052009Ruch Prawniczy, Ekonomiczny i Socjologiczny 71, 2009, z. 2, s. 233-2510035-9629http://hdl.handle.net/10593/4885The aim of the paper is a discussion on the economic aspect of a political transition analysed with the use of tools available in institutional economics. The last two decades have witnessed a revival of institutional economics in many different forms. That interest was caused, inter alia, by the political changes which were initiated in Poland over 20 years ago and have been subsequently followed by other East European states. The first part of the paper contains brief characteristics of contemporary institutionalism as understood from the point of view of its two major components: traditional institutionalism and new institutional economics. The second part, which refers to the findings and assumptions of institutional economics in its both forms, is an analysis of those phenomena which the author believes to have played a decisive role in the process and led to the transformation of the system, and those which prove that the process has not been quite completed yet. The final part is a brief account of the participation of the states in transition in the EU integration process.plArtykuł