Abstract
In 1989 Poland decided to implement a democratic regime, but its future was uncertain then. Today, after 30 years of the development of the process of democratization, one can say that the road to democracy is winding. The article analyzes the Polish example of the process of democratization between 1989–2019. It refers to existing theories of the process of democratization and the evaluation of democracy. Although Poland passed through the phases of the erosion of a non-democratic regime, transition and democratic consolidation, the situation after 2015 suggests that there are trends that can reverse the process of democratization. It will be argued that the institutional and behavioral aspects of the process of democratization in Poland cannot be perceived as a linear process.
Highlights
Today, we can observe that democratic backsliding is a worldwide phenomenon
Poland passed through the phases of the erosion of a non-democratic regime, transition and democratic consolidation, the situation after 2015 suggests that there are trends that can reverse the process of democratization
It will be argued that the institutional and behavioral aspects of the process of democratization in Poland cannot be perceived as a linear process
Summary
We can observe that democratic backsliding is a worldwide phenomenon. The problem of a democratic recession has appeared in Central and Eastern European countries. There are a number of concepts concerning the chronological division of the process of democratization, but many of them argue that the three main phases are: the erosion of the non-democratic regime, transition, and the consolidation of democracy. Some of the most important ones are: constitutionalism, the rule of law, guarantees of human rights, free elections, the separation of powers, the political neutrality of the civil service, public media independence15 Instead of these liberal democratic rules and values democratic backsliding introduces the opposite values that have an illiberal character such as: statism, the primacy of the state and nation sovereignty, an undermining of the universal nature of human rights, the lack of a belief in the importance of constitutionalism, and the subordination of the activities of non-governmental organizations by the authorities. Liberal democracy merges free political competition, freedom of speech and association, the rule of law, equality under the law
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