ABSTRACT
This study examines the role of the state as a source of funding and patronage
for political parties in post-communist Poland. It begins by examining the way
in which direct state party funding in the form of election refunds and
continuing state subventions has developed during the post-communist
period. It then considers indirect forms of state party funding, notably the
resources made available to parliamentary caucuses and individual parliamen-
tarians. Third, it considers the extent to which parties control appointments to
state bodies and use this as a form of patronage. Fourth, it discusses the impli-
cations of this increase in state funding and patronage for the party system and
functioning of democracy in post-communist Poland.
