Self-government in the political system of Poland

Abstract

One of the greatest achievements in the process of political transformation in Poland involves the broad decentralization of the public authorities, where a larger number of independent entities with public competences exist alongside a single center. Decentralization is embodied by self-government, which has therefore become an important element of the democratic regime co-creating a network of links related to the distribution of power, property and resources across society. Undoubtedly, self-government which works in favor of citizens’ groups being organized as corporations contributes to the increased efficiency of public authorities in the territorial and special dimension. Based on this, self-government should be understood not as a unidimensional entity involved only in territorial relations. There is also special self-government, established according to different criteria, which plays an important role in the system of the representation of the interests of defined circles. It is divided into professional self-government and, first and foremost, business self-government. Importantly, self-governments should be approached from a slightly different angle – not only in the administrative and institutional context, but also from the point of view of the realization of the interests of organized social groups, that is in terms of governance, which can improve the functioning of local authorities, for instance as concerns the emergence of metropolitan areas. The harmonious development of all forms of self-government, irrespective of the type of bonds connecting its members, as well as the consolidation of participatory processes, is one of the prerequisites for a stable democratic regime.