Wprowadzenie [w: Studia Politologica 4]

Abstract

The articles describing local communities in fifteen European countries present different points of views. These articles differ from each other in form. It is a consequence of presenting one’s research results with tables, charts and graphs, while others prefer descriptions. The volume of each text is connected with the potential of every country as well as the role of the local community in its structure, system and administration. Every article contains presentation of essential problems, referring to the functioning of the local community in each country, which are included in the following points: a draft of an age-old tradition of the local community, with special attention paid to the last few years; the territorial structure of the state; the constitutional and legal character of the local community; competences of the territorial community on the local and regional level; the government policy of the last few years aimed at the local community; the electoral system for local elections (recent election results); the inner system of the local community; the status of the councillors, executives and other local community workers; civil participation in the local communities/authorities; finance and economy of the local communities; local and regional differences (leading centres, peripheries, minority communities).