Polish Political Science Yearbook

2

Authors: Adam Olechowski

Editorial on contemporary China

2

Authors: Przemysław Osiewicz

Book review: Joanna Marszałek-Kawa, Danuta Plecka (Eds.), The Dictionary of Political Knowledge, Adam Marszałek Publishing House, Toruń 2019, pp. 509

4

Authors: Kamil Pietrasik

Book review: Michał Dahl, Aktywność dyplomacji USA wobec państw członkowskich Unii Europejskiej w latach 2009–2013, Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, Toruń 2019, pp. 224

10

Authors: Izabela Kapsa

The article analyzes the relations between political trust - one of the most important values in the life of political communities - and election-related behaviors in the narrow meaning of voting. Researchers investigate the phenomenon of decreasing turnout as one of the expressions of democratic crisis. When studying such a complex problem, it is essential to search for multi-theme causes which might be helpful in understanding the topic and possibly finding a solution for it. The author of this article, while assuming the correctness of analyzes conducted thus far, which indicate that the problem lies in weaker attachment to political parties, less interest in politics and inadequate tools, raises questions whether the decreasing turnout in individual states may be related to the level of trust that citizens put in political institutions and whether there is a relation between these both indicators. In order to answer these questions, the author employs a quantitative analysis of data which derive from reports containing percentage levels of political trust and turnout in the elections, a comparative analysis, as well as an overview of literature on the subject.

15

Authors: Kamila Rezmer-Płotka

Intermarium is one of the most important Polish geopolitical concepts. This article considers it within the category of militant democracy. It allows to explore the process of militant democracy, that is, introducing restrictions by legal means. Most restrictions have recently been introduced due to a coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, the article undertakes to examine the potential for implementation of the concept of the Intermarium during the pandemic and shortly after its end. The study uses a qualitative analysis of sources. Indicators relevant to the study of the process of militant democracy were distinguished based on the body of literature. Results: The traditional concept of the Intermarium erodes due to natural causes. Currently, Poland is more inclined to the concept of the Three Seas. In addition, in the face of the analysis that was carried out, it seems that in a pandemic situation we are observing the end of the paradigm of liberal democracy in this case.

15

Authors: Natalia Lewandowska

In the Fourth Industrial Revolution we already have robots, also there are such technologies as genetic sequencing and editing, artificial intelligence, miniaturized sensors, 3D printing and much more. Digital technologies are constantly being developed with new methods and have been implemented worldwide into various processes and automation systems. The article describes modern digitalization components and analyzes its possible threats. Along with an increase in life comfort, modern civilizations must face with cybercrimes based on data collection, including cyber thefts and hacker attacks. Globalization enables exchanging goods and services between countries of the world. It also gives a tool phishing and illegally access vulnerable information of global enterprises to compete unfairly. Although Big Data can be helpful among organizations, it can also be a mark of the inevitable danger worldwide.

21

Authors: Wei-xiao Jia

At the national symposium on the reform of state-owned enterprises, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave important instructions that state-owned enterprises are important forces in strengthening the country’s overall strength and safeguarding the common interests of the people. Therefore, the country must make state-owned enterprises „stronger, better, and bigger”. Huge objections arose in the academic field. This article thoroughly analyzes China’s state-owned economy from the perspective of Marx’s historical materialism, national productivity, and social development, and clarifies the historical status and role of China’s state-owned economy. At the same time, this article comprehensively analyzes the economic significance of making state-owned enterprises „stronger, better, and bigger” from the perspective of total factor productivity, and proposes that since the state-owned economy is backed up by the state, investing in technology research and development has its advantages. However, because the state-owned economy is biased toward administrative instructions, it often lacks efficiency, so if the state-owned economy wants to become „stronger, better, and bigger”, it must undergo reforms in terms of management efficiency.

23

Authors: Tadeusz Bodio, Andrzej Wierzbicki

The article presents the goals, tasks, organization and major stages of implementation of the international programme of research on transformation in the countries Central Asia. The research has been conducted since 1997 by a team of political scientists from the University of Warsaw in cooperation with representatives of other Polish and foreign universities.