STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN HIGHER LEVEL SUBJECTS OF POLISH CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN 1920-2008. (Przemiany strukturalne w podmiotach ponadpodstawowych spóldzielczosci polskiej w latach 1920- 2008)

Co-operative's higher level organizations have been functioning from the beginning of the first co-operatives. During the partitions revisory unions operated in the frames of operational structures of the invaders. In that time revisory unions had the right to conduct revisions and assisted the associating co-operatives. The first legal act that regulated activity of the revisory unions was established in 1920. This legal act declared self-government of co-operatives and their right to associate into higher level organizations. The affiliation to revisory unions was voluntary to co-operatives. After the Second World War period up to the 90s' of 20th century the affiliation to revisory unions has been obligated and resulted from law. The revisory unions in that time provided inspections, training and advisory services to the other co-operatives. In the political transformation period in 1990 the legal act deleted all co-operative revisory unions. In 1991 co-operatives could affiliate in revisory unions again, due to the Constitution Court of Justice judgment. This Court stated non compliance of deleting the co-operatives' structures to constitution. Just after that the very difficult period of rebuilding the co-operatives' organization has begun. These co-operatives are acting now on the rules of voluntary associating of co-operatives. The main mission of the unions is to help the associated co-operatives, providing them with inspections, training and advisory services. The revisory unions in present times are functioning in the same form shaped after 1991 as one arm organizations.