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Język Polski
Direct democracy in Poland as an instrument of populist politics
Joanna Małgorzata Dzwończyk
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is to show the relationship between the use of direct democracy instruments and populism in Poland.
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The basic issue is to demonstrate the instrumental use of the referendum institution and the citizen's referendum initiative to carry out current political interests by both the ruling and opposition parties, leading to the objectification of society and facilitating populist influence. The text refers to the conclusions of two populism`s - the populism of politicians and populism of voters and the case analysis method – which was applied to five national referenda after 1989 and to the ten civic referendum initiatives taken over the same period.
THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Starting from the indication of the common ground of democracy and populism, what is the people, it has been pointed out that populism has an instrumental approach to citizens, whose voices are heard by politicians but often generated, only when they recognize him as useful for their interests.
RESEARCH RESULTS: The analysis showed that there is justification for the instrumental treatment of both of the discussed forms of direct democracy, what conducive to the populism of politicians, while at the same time strengthens the populism of voters.
CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The reach of Polish politicians to direct democratic institutions, such as the referendum and the civic referendum initiative, is a selective one and is characterized by far-reaching selfish pragmatism, which has the power to make the instruments of legitimation of their decisions.
Keywords
populism ; democracy ; direct democracy ; referendum
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