The author presents Leszek Kołakowski from the perspective of his private acquaintanceship, lasting for about 47 years, as a witty man and a workaholic. L. Kołakowski never formed a classic “school”, but there is something all his disciples share: a thesis, key to understanding his ideas, which holds that “THERE IS MORE THAN ONE CORRECT OPINION IN THE HUMANITIES”, i.e. we will ALWAYS have opinions for and against, which goes against any dogmatism, wherever it may appear; this also bears consequences (...) in diagnosing the socio-political reality past and present. (shrink)

Artykuł charakteryzuje zmianę francuskiej pluralistycznej demokracji zmierzająca do bipolaryzacji systemu partyjnego i podziału ideologiczno - programowego na prawicę i lewicę społeczną. Dwubiegunowo ść bvła pochodną prezydenckiego ustroju V Republiki przy odpowiedzialności premiera przed parlamentem. Ważne były także przemiany w strukturze społeczeństwa na dwie podstawowe klasy i siły społeczne, tj. pracodawców i pracowników najemnych. W kryterium stosunku do własności i zakresu ingerencji państwa w gospodarkę, orientacja prawicowa obejmuje gaullistowski Ruch na Rzecz Republiki i liberalną Unię Demokracji Francuskiej, natomiast do orientacji lewicowej (...) zalicza się nurt socjalizmu reformistycznego i ruch komunistyczny. Omówione zostaną także organizacje skrajne. (shrink)

The geography of religion is one of the younger areas of religious studies. The subject of her interests is the reciprocal ties that stand between religion and the geographical environment. On the one hand, the influence of the geographical environment on the formation of religious imaginations is investigated, and on the other hand, feedback, that is, what kind of religion does the change in the geographical environment. In addition, this area of ​​religious studies is engaged in the distribution of individual (...) religions, demographic and statistical issues, as well as analysis of the topography of holy places, problems of religious migration, pilgrimage, missions, religious tourism, etc. (shrink)

Celem artykułu jest analiza mobilności Antonia Santa Crocego – tytularnego arcybiskupa Seleucji i nuncjusza apostolskiego w Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodów w latach 1627–1630. Autorzy odtworzyli podróż dyplomaty papieskiego z Rzymu do Rzeczypospolitej odbytą w 1627 r., podróż powrotną nad Tyber z 1630 r. oraz dwa wojaże po Polsce – miesięczny wyjazd do Prus z 1627 r., podjęty w związku z trwającą wojną o ujście Wisły oraz polsko-szwedzkimi rokowaniami prowadzonymi przy udziale mediatorów niderlandzkich, a także – dwumiesięczny objazd Mazowsza, będący w rzeczywistości (...) ucieczką przed zarazą, jaka w drugiej połowie 1629 r. nawiedziła ziemie Korony. Podstawą opracowania jest korespondencja Santa Crocego z Sekretariatem Stanu Stolicy Apostolskiej, nad którym pieczę sprawował kardynał nepot Francesco Barberini. Wspomniana korespondencja przechowywana jest w Archivio Apostolico Vaticano oraz w Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. Znaczna jej część została wydana w serii Acta Nuntiaturae Polonae (t. XXIII, vol. 1–2). Interesującym źródłem o charakterze uzupełniającym jest _Diario di Roma (1608–1644) _autorstwa Giacinto Gigliego, w którym pamiętnikarz uwiecznił wjazd Santa Crocego do Wiecznego Miasta latem 1630 r. Ponadto autorzy wykorzystali literaturę przedmiotu poświęconą zagadnieniu podróży przedstawicieli papieskich, m.in. prace ks. Henryka Damiana Wojtyski, Teresy Chynczewskiej-Hennel czy Tadeusza Fitycha. Autorzy dokonali analizy rękopiśmiennych materiałów źródłowych pod kątem mobilności nuncjusza Santa Crocego, dzięki czemu udało się uzupełnić jego itinerarium. W publikacji zwrócono uwagę na opisy odwiedzanych przez niego miejsc oraz personalia osób, z którymi przedstawiciel papieski spotykał się podczas swych wojaży. Zarysowano również pewne wątki, które będą kontynuowane w przyszłych badaniach, a dotyczą sfery organizacyjnej nuncjatury w czasie, gdy przedstawiciel papieski przebywał poza dworem. Artykuł może stanowić cenne uzupełnienie do badań nad podróżami w czasach nowożytnych, jak również przyczynek do zagadnienia związanego z mobilnością dyplomatów w czasie realizowania ich misji. (shrink)

This article deals with basic changes in Polish society over past 20 years. On the basis of sociological surveys, the author attempts to answer the following questions: to what extent has systemic change brought about significant changes in social stratification? In which dimensions did it take place? What are the consequences of these changes for individuals and the social system? How does Polish society differ from others? As for social stratification, the only clear and unambiguous tendencies were growing inequality and (...) more marked effects of educational credentials on incomes. Contrary to expectations, barriers to mobility have not become more rigid, nor is there any clear evidence of social origins mattering more for educational achievement. Transformations in social structure have been accompanied by rising discontent with material conditions, the government, and the system as a whole. Interestingly, this wave runs counter to positive evaluations in the private sphere, displayed in relatively high self-esteem and satisfaction with friendships and family life. These optimistic attitudes contrasted with disapproval of the political class, and with the workings of democracy. The degree of legitimization of the political system in Poland appears to be the lowest among 21 European societies. When compared with the capitalist West, this constitutes one of the obstacles to modernization along Western lines. (shrink)

The article deals with the perception of the Pope John Paul II and Poland in the two speeches of the Presidents of the United States of America. The George W. Bush’s speech given on the occasion of the dedication of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington DC on March 22, 2001 and the Donald Trump’s speech delivered in front of the Warsaw Uprising Monument on the Krasinski Square in Warsaw on July 8, 2017 were used as the (...) sources for the study. The former speech is a laudation in honor of the Pope from Poland, whose biography was considered by the 43rd President of the United States as one of the most interesting in human history. Among the most notable episodes of the pontificate, George W. Bush listed the 1979 pilgrimage to his homeland, the 1995 visit to Manila in Philippines, the unprecedented visits to a synagogue and a Muslim country, the forgiveness shown to Ali Ağca – the would-be assassin, and the visits to the United States during which the Pope from Poland reminded the people of human dignity and the virtues of a just society. The latter speech is a laudation on the spirit of the Polish nation. Donald Trump emphasized the steadfastness of the Poles in the struggle to preserve their cultural identity despite the loss of their homeland. He recalled the period of partition and extermination of the Polish nation by the German Nazis and the Soviet Communists during World War II. The 45th President of the United States reminded the world about famous Poles: Nicolaus Copernicus, Frederic Chopin, Casimir Pulaski, Thaddeus Kosciuszko and Saint John Paul II. He also spoke about the lasting ties between the Americans and the Poles and about the common values cherished on both sides of the Atlantic. On the example of social transformations in Poland and Europe initiated by John Paul II’s pilgrimage to Poland in 1979, Donald Trump emphasized the influence of faith in God on political and social transformations in the world. He also expressed hope for the survival of Western civilization based on faith in God and the preservation of family and freedom. (shrink)

Report on analysis of ” pergamene sigillata“ from Delos This paper presents the results of the analysis of twenty samples of ” pergamene sigillata” from destruction layers of Delian living quarter, which can be dated to 69 BC. The programme included petrographical and chemical analysis, as well as MGR (Matrix Group by Refiring) method. The results show that the samples belong to several groups, among which some could be identified by comparison with chemical reference groups. Two samples were produced in (...) the Ketios valley workshops, four come from the Çandarlı area, and four others probably from the Pergamon region, from workshops not yet identified. The rest of the samples do not originate from that region, and were produced in other Asia Minor centers (six of them come from Ephesos, the rest from unidentified workshops). (shrink)

Crises come and go, but it is good if, from the perspective of the past, we can point to some positives of the crisis that has just passed. Indeed, in the article we first find a snapshot of the export activity of the Polish economy in recent years, a picture which is positive, despite the very serious crises in the global economy. This picture may not be complete due to the scope of the study, but it shows what is most (...) important in author opinion – our place in the international division of labor over the last 15 years. This place has steadily improved, with particularly spectacular increases in importance observed during the years of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. The second section of the article presents an analysis of agri-food exports in a broader time frame, dating back to the 2000s. It aims to highlight the rise of agri-food exports as a proportion of GDP and total exports. Equally fascinating is the geographical and commodity structure and the mportance of Polish agri-food imports in the total of those made by selected countries. As a result, an interesting picture of Polish agri-food exports appears to have emerged, allowing positive assessments to be formulated. Quite optimistic prognoses for the future are also noticeable. (shrink)

Decisions concerning price development are best visible in view of their direct impact on the market activities of the company and the general level of profitability. In every activity, the success is measured by an excess of sales revenue over the costs of used resources. In an ideal case, a determined price provides the highest margin resulting from an analysis of the sales volume, takes into consideration the customer's evaluation of the product/service, and allows to react to competitive threats and (...) to fend off the competition's attacks. There is no single universal way to develop prices for various enterprise types, regardless of the conditions of demand, the specific character of the sector they operate in, or the competitive situation, even if we assume that the enterprise has only one goal of activity. That's why, Author recommends three price determination methods. The ways of price determination presented in this article are just the first step on the way to reach the optimal prices. The prices determined in such way, as well as product or service prices already functioning in the market, are subject to modification depending on the assumed goals, taking into consideration the character of demand for a given commodity and the behaviour of the competition. (shrink)

We start from the assumption that the main problem, and at the same time the goal, is socio-economic development. We also assume that this pursuit is universal, development is the ambition of entities at all levels of aggregation, development is a desire of each country, as well as of business entities and individuals. From the other side, the governments create conditions for entities at the microeconomic level which generate additional value, that is, contribute to the creation of this development. Peculiar (...) to them they are developmental paths. That’s why, the main hypothesis of this article, as stating that the choice of economic policy financed by excessive public debt does not, in the long run, serve well real socio-economic development. At the beginning of the 21st century, the vast majority of these countries had serious problems with public debt. These problems already had their history and were so serious that some efforts to discipline the forum of this group appeared. It is, in a sense, natural in the sense that integration itself is heading to a high degree of coordination and to the unification of all economic policies. The picture of public finances of the European Union does not look good despite the fact that this group can boast a long history of making efforts to control and monitor the budgets of its member states. Moreover, one can even talk about a certain intensification of this process, especially with respect to the euro area countries, but we still can not say that satisfactory results have been achieved. (shrink)