Post-transitional social economy: the case of Poland

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to study the main determinants of the development of social economy in Poland; introduction to Polish socio-economic system, and identifying the institutional and cultural barriers to its development. Design/methodology/approach - – First, the paper presents the historical and institutional determinants of Polish social economy; second, it sets out the problems faced by post-transitional social economy. The approach to this issue takes a diversified form: it includes a political science approach (in describing the institutional determinants of social economy), a sociological approach (when it refers to sociological surveys and studies of Polish society), and a philosophical analysis (in considering the normative implications of introducing socio-economic institutions, describing their advantages and disadvantages). Findings - – The theses of the paper state that: first, in the case of social economy, the Polish legal system anticipates social consciousness; in consequence, it does not contribute significantly to an increase in the number of socio-economic enterprises; second, institutional barriers to socio-economic development are derivative of cultural barriers. Research limitations/implications - – The subject of the paper helps to explain and analyze Poland’s transformation. Practical implications - – Recommendations for further development of social economy in Poland given as a conclusion to the paper. Originality/value - – The paper combines descriptive and normative accounts of Polish social economy, summarizing its character and limitations as those have been identified by major Polish scholars, adding two theses not previously found in the scholarly literature, and presenting practical recommendations for development of social economy in Poland.