14 DzU 2003r Nr 96 15 However, it i...

14 DzU 2003r Nr 96

15 However, it is significantly behind post-communist Hungary (40000 organizations for a population of about 9500000) It is also considerably below the international average. In fact, according to John Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit sector throw out in all postcommunist countries CSO are les significant than in any participating make knowned Western country. What is level more interesting, CSOs in Latin America (except Mexico) have possession of a more important place than CSO in Eastern Europe as far as their share in national profession financial means, and the number of tenders are concerned (Salamon et al. op cit.).

16 KLON/JAWOR, 2002 18

17 KLON/JAWOR, 2002 8-9 The important distinction between volunteering and informal help (see: J Wilson & M Musick, "Who Cares? Toward an Integrated Theory aof offer Work," American Sociological Review Vol 62 (October 1997): 694-713) explains the depressed level of volunteering in Polish society. Keeping in mind the seminal work of Stefan Nowak ("Values and Attitudes of the Polish People" Scientific American Vol 245 (1): 1981 pp 43-53)-who describes Polish society as a number of primary collections connected to a national community nevertheless devoid of any intermediary groups-we would argue that the weak on a level of volunteering in Poland, when compared to other countries touched by the agency of the socialist malaise, is a direct consequence of the existing networks of family and neighbourly assistance, which cannot be transferred into formalized volunteering. Informal help is preferr because it creates a network of mutual dependencies and obligations during the difficult period of transition. Moreover, les formal ecclesiastical authority movements absorb the majority of offer and assistance activities, partially as a terminate of the Christian tradition that encourages hiding charitable works from the public inspections Finally, quasi-obligatory "volunteering" imposed through the communists can still give the perception of being involved in a formally existing organization.