Od wyuczonej bezradności do uaktywnionej zaradności – determinanty aktywizowania i „przełamywania” syndromu kultury ubóstwa. Studium przypadku popegeerowskiej wsi Kubanki

Abstract

Within 50 years of socialist realism in Poland, Polish forms of a social subclass and the culture of poverty distinguishing it appeared and became established in the specific community of State- Owned Farms. In the face of the lack of data update for over 10 years, the achievements of Polish researchers in this field so far leave many intriguing questions unanswered. The most important questions became an inspiration to make in the year 2011 an analysis of the study of the case of Kubanki village in the Region of Western Pomerania. The data gathered in this research have made it possible to diagnose the lack of a widespread occurrence of many indicators of the complex syndrome of the culture of poverty in that community. The data show concrete factors, which could and can block the process of development of the discussed phenomenon in the practice of social life, as well as eliminate individual detailed characteristics of the syndrome of the culture of poverty. In research practice, different types of indirect evidence have led to direct association of certain conditions occurring in Kubanki and in the surroundings with improvement of the residents’ life situation. These circumstances are directly connected with a broadly understood human activity and its conditions. In the discourse on contemporary social policy, the aspect of activation of individuals increases in popularity. This activation is to be an important factor on the path of transition from welfare state to welfare society. Observations made during the research mentioned above are placed into the context based on these guidelines. In accordance with these observations, in the light of the concept of the culture of poverty, the “overcoming” of this syndrome in the community can be done thanks to a far-flung activation of its members. As a result, this can lead to the transition from the culture of poverty, dependence on welfare, and so-called acquired helplessness to the culture of self-reliance, independence, and resourcefulness. The goal of the text is depiction of inspirations (determinants) in the scope of activation of this process.