Ekonomia społeczna w Polsce

The article presents fundamental issues related to the essence of the social economy. An review of the social economy definition according to different approaches was made. The Author referred to the notion and the ranking of social economy entities. Also the features, which those operators should be characterized were pointed out. Subsequently the attention to the role of the social economy in the society and the economy was paid. At the end some information in relation to the development of the social economy in Poland and on the area of the West Pomeranian region were presented.