Sfera ubóstwa w Polsce w latach 1994-2000

The paper summarizes the poverty situation in Poland in 1994—2000. It identifies the principal causes, types and scope of poverty. Economic transition undergoing in Poland revealed the previous poverty problems but also affected seriously welfare distributions and standards of living. Upward trend of poverty population after 1989 in the country as a whole was mainly caused by an inconsistency between supply and demand on labour markets, while in rural areas it was a consequence of falling agricultural incomes. The study shows that adopting the social minimum as poverty guideline, in 2000 over 53% of population was below this level. At the same time, 8% of Poles did not reach the subsistence minimum. The authors conclude that poverty in Poland is most frequent amongst elderly people, young parents families and persons with low level of education. It concentrates mainly in rural areas and small towns.