Social Capital and the Adaptation to Systemic Changes: The Case of the Katowice Voivodship, Poland

From the perspective of an individual, civic engagement or entrepreneurship makes sense only if effects of individual or collective actions are sensible. A person might take responsibility for himself/herself only if allowed to do so. In post-1989 Poland, elimination of institutional and legal barriers to the development of private sector resulted in the expansion of entrepreneurship. Similarly, institutional reform enabling establishment of local self-governments, introduced in 1990, resulted in numerous examples of local initiatives: educational, entrepreneurial, cultural, developmental and others. These two developments exemplify that if persons, groups and communities are allowed to address problems - sooner or later solutions are find somewhere. [fragm]