Normatywne i ewaluatywne aspekty stosunku Polaków do demokracji w latach 2012–2015
Normative and Evaluative Aspects of Poles’ Attitudes to Democracy in the Years 2012-2015

Summary/Abstract: The main aim of this article is to consider the question of whether, in the years preceding the 2015 elections, significant changes had occurred in the consciousness of Poles in regard to democracy as a political order or in their appraisal of democracy’s functioning. The article also presents a new manner of defi ning democratic legitimation. The question of whether or not the legitimacy of democracy has been eroded in recent years is analysed in regard to the empirical data. The fi ndings show that there has been no fundamental change in Poles’ attitudes to democracy, either as an ideal model of political system or in regards to its everyday functioning. The findings also show that, as in the majority of contemporary European democracies, it is possible to speak of a kind of ‘cascade’ structure to democracy in Poland. Its most important element is the liberal package. Somewhat fewer Poles expect democracy to have distributive-social elements, and even fewer expect to be able to influence policy directly. Nevertheless, all three elements of democracy are present in the consciousness of contemporary Poles, though in varying degrees. The analyses were based on data from the sixth edition of the European Social Survey of 2012 and the Polish General Election Study of 2015.

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