The Perception of Democracy and Social Capital. Comparative Study of Podlasie and Brandenburg
Abstract
This essay presents results of comparative research which was carried out in one region in Eastern Poland — Podlasie — and one region in Eastern Germany — Brandenburg. The research compared the influence of social capital on the understanding of democracy among the citizens. The theoretical basis for this survey was the theory of post-democracy. One of the issues considered was the level of democratic development represented by Podlasie and Brandenburg. Are they in the pre-democratic, democratic or post-democratic phase? The essay analyses afterwards what chances both regions have for the full development of democracy and how one can use the resources of social capital to revise the understanding of democracy among the citizens of Podlasie and Brandenburg.
Keywords
democracy; social capital; Eastern Poland; Eastern Germany
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