CRAFTS IN GREAT POLAND AND ECONOMIC REGIONALISM (Wielkopolskie rzemioslo a regionalizm ekonomiczny)

The main thesis of the article is that in Wielkopolska (Great Poland) craft is the key element of regional identity. This thesis is warranted not only by the fact that proportionally, Wielkopolska has the greatest number of craft workshops in Poland, but also by the ethos of the region, which was historically shaped by craft virtues. The latter include the cult of 'good workmanship', thriftiness and last but not least, orientation toward having 'a trade in hand'. Thus, 'craft virtues' have become an inalienable element of regional identity and we are justified in characterizing Wielkopolska as a case of economic regionalism.