The weak trust in public institutions stems from the anti-communist orientation of a great majority of political actors in Poland after 1989. The unlucky shift has taken place, where the lack of trust in the communist state has transformed into lack of trust in state in general. The weak position of the left discourse is not only a straightforward legacy from the past, but is also reinforced by the neoliberal orientation chosen by the political elite after 1989. In effect, the normative visions of the distinct roles ascribed to civil society, NGOs and the state show different patterns than those in Western Europe.
In light of these phenomena, it will be argued that the study of civil society in East and Central Europe requires a distinct approach and different theoretical tools, than corresponding studies of civil societies in Western Europe.
