Rola podmiotów ekonomii społecznej w kształtowaniu postaw przeciwdziałających tendencjom autorytarnym i totalitarnym
The Role of Social Economy Entities in Shaping Attitudes Counteracting Authoritarian and Totalitarian Tendencies

Summary/Abstract: Civil society—including its constituent social economy entities—is one of the pillars of democracy and the rule of law. Only democratic systems that prioritize individual freedom, autonomy, decentralization, respect for the rule of law, and unrestricted participation in public life can foster the development of civil society. Authoritarian and totalitarian systems, characterized by the centralization of power, subordinate all grassroots social initiatives, limiting their formation, organizational forms, and development. The implementation of public tasks is similarly subordinated to the state and its administrative apparatus. The following hypotheses have been adopted in order to support the presented argument: 1. Sufficiently resilient structures of civil society should be viewed as agents that inherently counteract authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies; 2. Social economy entities are essential components of the civil society framework; 3. Social economy entities—due to their specific objectives, the moral values on which they are based, and their operational principles—should be seen as key instruments for shaping desired social attitudes and legal frameworks that reinforce the model of a democratic state governed by the rule of law. The article applies the dogmatic-legal and historical-legal methods. In addition, the legal and comparative legal method was used where justified. This leads to the following conclusions: the development of social economy is influenced not only by the legal framework, but also by the broader political system. The functioning of social economy entities, as an important part of civil society, contributes to the strengthening of democratic processes. A resilient and well-rooted civil society—based on social capital, of which social economy entities are a primary source—can monitor and respond effectively to developments that threaten its core values. It can counter authoritarian and totalitarian tendencies through the strategic and responsible use of its available tools and mechanisms.

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