The Meaning of Tradition in the Modern World: Village Representatives in Poland – Institution in Transition

Ilona Matysiak

No 90809, 2010 IAMO Forum, June 16-18, 2010, Halle (Saale), Germany from Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO)

Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to discuss the current situation of village representatives (soltysi) in Poland in the times of dynamic changes taking place in the Polish countryside in the last decades. The importance of the institution of village representatives manifest itself in two main dimensions. Firstly, it is supported by the power of tradition – village representatives are deeply rooted in the historical evolution of rural self-government in Poland. Secondly, this institution is a part of the current system of local democracy. Secondly, this institution is a part of the current system of local democracy. Due to the pressure to implement the bottom-up models of governance, the full potential of this institution should be realized and discussed. This discussion is based on the small-scale quantitative data from the surveys conducted among the village representatives and also the inhabitants, which gives the opportunity to confront both perspectives. It occurs, that, in the changing reality, the institution of village representative should be supported with more than just the forces of tradition.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Institutional and Behavioral Economics; Political Economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 12
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:iamo10:90809

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.90809

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