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1993 - VOLUME 36, NUMBER 1-2

95.69.1 - Polish - Mikolaj LATUCH Employment and earnings of the Poles abroad (Zatrudnianie i zarobkowanie Polakow za granica) (p. 7-24)

The author describes the work-related problems of Poles abroad. He has collected information on current wages, whether official or not, for Poles in various countries and shows some examples of difficult illegal work, mainly in Western Europe. He describes the specific nature of employment abroad such as job insecurity and the absence of health and safety regulations. He also deals with the brain drain and has collected some comments on the unclear distinction and typologies of temporary migration and on the dilemmas related to the working conditions of Polish emigrants. (POLAND, EMIGRANTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, INCOME)

95.69.2 - Polish - Adam LISOWSKI The characteristics of the unemployed and people receiving social benerits is influencing effects of a local infrastructure utilization (Cechy zbiorowosci bezrobotnych i podopiecznych pomocy spolecznej wplywajace na efektywnosc wykorzystania lokalnej infrastruktury spolecznej) (p. 25-36)

In areas where the rates of unemployment are high and economic activity low, social infrastructures are deteriorating. The high proportion of poor people in a community should lead to new elements of a local welfare, health and safety infrastructure being implemented. This would be necessary in order to prevent any negative social phenomena, not only at a local level, but also over the whole country. Such a policy would require properly directed social studies. (POLAND, UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY, SOCIAL POLICY, SOCIAL SECURITY)

95.69.3 - Polish - Adam WICZ The circumstances of the condition of family pathology (Przeslanki i stan patologii rodziny) (p. 37-66)

The author studies the issues related to family pathology from the point of view of the disintegration of family structure and the reasons behind it and considers pathological phenomena as the effects of a disintegration process. The article deals with the following phenomena, considered to be pathological: divorce, single parent families, orphans, youth criminality, drug-taking, alcoholism and suicide. The study uses Polish statistical data from the 1970s and 1980s which enables a presentation of the dynamics of the phenomena under study. (POLAND, FAMILY DISINTEGRATION, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY)

95.69.4 - Polish - Witold RAKOWSKI The effective growth of the population as a factor of social and economic activity in regions and living conditions of people (Przyrost rzeczywisty ludnosci jako czynnik aktywnosci spoleczno-zawodowej regionow i warunkow zycia ludnosci) (p. 67-84)

A study of the trends in the spatial distribution of the Polish population in the years 1989-1991 shows that the role of the voivodships of Warsaw, Lodz, Wroclaw, Krakow and Legnica in the process of population concentration is diminishing and that the share of the Western, Northern and South-eastern regions is again becoming dominant. The author describes the new characteristics of the population's spatial distribution, but believes it is difficult to say to what degree this process is due to a transformation in the economy or to a crisis in local economies. (POLAND, POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS, RESETTLEMENT POLICY)

1993 - VOLUME 36, NUMBER 3-4

95.69.5 - Polish - Stanislawa KOS'IRUBIEC Material and housing conditions of families embraced by the survey conducted by the Institute of Social Economy in 1992 (Warunki materialne i mieszkaniowe rodzin objetych badaniem ankietowym IGS w1991-1992) (p. 7-22)

The information contained in this article comes from a survey carried out by the Institute of Social Economy in 1992 on families with children. The main issues raised here concern these families' living conditions: material situation (monthly income compared to the family's needs, savings, debts), living conditions (type of accommodation quality, independence), own evaluation of material situation and the feeling of a threat of impoverishment. A study of the characteristics of the material conditions of families with children in 1992 attempted to highlight their differences with regard to place of residence, family type and socio-occupational status of the parents. (POLAND, FAMILY, LIVING CONDITIONS, HOUSING CONDITIONS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME)

95.69.6 - Polish - Ewa LisowSKA Needs of families with small children, years 1991-1992 (Potrzeby rodzin z malymi dziecmi (lata 1991-1992)) (p. 23-44)

A survey carried out by the Institute of Social Economy towards the end of 1991 and repeated on the same sample late in 1992 supplied ample information on how young families function in Poland, the deterioration of their material situation and the level of satisfaction of their needs. The results show that the main needs of Polish families raising young children are of a material, or even existential nature: the lack of savings, lack of money to buy more things, the loss of a feeling of security or lack of suitable accommodation. The satisfaction, or not, of these needs will determine their survival. Most of these families are obliged to live modestly, spending their money mainly on food without being able to put any aside. During recent years (1990-1992), the living conditions of families with children deteriorated. The political and economic transition which has recently been taking place in Poland is increasing the tendency for families with young children to become impoverished and is increasing the gap which separates the rich from the poor. (POLAND, FAMILY, LIVING CONDITIONS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, POVERTY)

95.69.7 - Polish - Adam LISOWSKI Young families and social assistance (Mlode rodziny a pomoc spoleczna) (p. 45-74)

The transformation process which is developing in Poland requires people to prove themselves to be dynamic and confident; on the other hand, there are expectations, particularly with regard to social security simply in order to survive. The author attempts to determine the proportion of young families with an independent and dynamic attitude and the proportion which is passive and counts on social assistance. He also wonders to what degree asking for and obtaining assistance is proof of an objective situation or a demonstration of an incapacity to face up to apparent difficulties and what the social, demographic, personal and material characteristics are which lead someone to depend on social aid. To count on public assistance and to benefit from it is, above all, related to a bad material situation and one's perception thereof. But this study shows that individual traits of character of the women interviewed and their attitude towards life have an important part to play. (POLAND, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY, FAMILY, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, POVERTY)

95.69.8 - Polish - Irena SKRZYPCZAK Attitudes of women towards work and the threat of unemployment (Postawy kobiet wobec pracy i zagrozenia bezrobociem) (p. 75-106)

This article contains some of the results from surveys carried out by the Institute of Social Economy in 1991 and 1992 on attitudes towards work and unemployment amongst women whose maternity leave ended between January 1st and August 31st, 1991. The study reveals that young mothers and their families are not prepared for the radical changes incurred by moving into a market economy in Poland. The women who are most at risk of being exposed to the negative effects of unemployment (especially those who live in small towns and rural areas, who are of low educational level and with a low position in their occupation), are also less likely to change their behaviour to become more dynamic and more efficient (particularly in a climate of depression). More than half of the young mothers either already benefit from social assistance or would like to. A very small proportion of them would be willing to adopt more dynamic behavioural patterns when they are dissatisfied with their present working conditions. More of them, although conscious of the threat of unemployment remain quite passive. The author believes that the high degree of inertia which characterises Polish society must be taken into account in the planning of future social policy. (POLAND, FEMALE EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY)

95.69.9 - Polish - Boguslawa WOLSKA Danger of poverty among families of single mothers (Zagrozenie ubostwem w rodzinah matek samotnie wychowujacych dzieci) (p. 107-124)

The author presents the results of an empirical survey undertaken in late 1992 on "families with children coping with the current problems". Of the people interviewed, 6.3% (79) were single mothers and the survey shows that their situation is very difficult. They are obliged to restrict their expenditure, not only on expensive articles (clothes and shoes) or for social and leisure activities, but also, in one family out of every two, on food, due to their lack of income. The income they do have available only allows them to cover their basic needs. In most cases, they consider their material situation to be either bad or very bad and count on external assistance. There are only a few who would wish to improve their own situation: the proportion of those who attempt to increase their occupational qualifications is low while many of them are characterised by a passive attitude when they are dissatisfied with their employment. (POLAND, UNMARRIED MOTHERS, ONE-PARENT FAMILY, POVERTY, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY)

95.69.10 - Polish - Anna MROLAICZYK The influence of systemic transition on economic consciousness of students of the Warsaw School of Economics (results of a survey conducted in 1992) (Wplyw zmian systemowych na swiadomosc ekonomiczna studentow SGH (wyniki badan z 1992 r.)) (p. 125-148)

The new social, political and economic conditions in Poland since 1989 must have made a change in the attitudes and aspirations of Polish society. The rebuilding of the State and its economy would be impossible without fundamental changes in the socioeconomic sensibilities of the Polish people and it requires studies which would demonstrate how the new socioeconomic processes have influenced the young generations' opinions. The students of a school of economy appear to be of particular interest for a study in this respect for they combine the emotional characteristics of the human being with the rational thinking of the economist. Early in 1992, 100 students of the Warsaw School of Economics were interviewed on their thoughts about the privatisation of the economy and its impact. The study shows that the students know very little about this process - only 12 of them showed any interest and attempted to express an opinion. They fear that growing unemployment and poverty will result in social conflict and they underline the danger in which the expansion of foreign industries is putting Polish industry. They believe that privatisation is a good thing for productivity and the economy in general and that, in spite of its negative aspects, it is a necessary step in the stabilisation of the Polish economy. Many perceive the new situation as a great chance for themselves and their futures. (POLAND, TRANSITIONAL SOCIETY, MARKET ECONOMY, OPINION SURVEYS)

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