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The article concerns the prospects of demographic growth of Poland to 2050, based on the results of the latest forecast GUS (2014), Eurostat and the United Nations (2012). A characteristic feature of population change in the world, is the intensification of the process of aging of the population, but his special character applies to highly developed countries. Quantitative analysis of the available data indicates that Poland will become one of the oldest countries in Europe. Depending on the forecast, the decrease in population by 2050 will be between 3,6 - 4,5 million. However, fundamental changes will concern the structure of the population by age. All the indicators of population aging clearly show, that in the analyzed term Poland will have experience the demographic crisis — hyper aging. Its consequences will concern to many areas of social, economic and political life.

The author proposes a technique of calculating the postulated minimum upper limit of the productive age, which uses potential demography methods. The technique is based on the postulate that the total number of years to live after the productive age for the whole population should not be higher than the total years to live in the productive age. This method accounts for both the length of the life expectancy and the population age structure. The minimum upper limit of the productive age is the highest for the population with a long life expectancy and high age dependency ratio. The results obtained using this technique for calculations in all European Union member states were compared and related to the statutory pension ages. ; The author proposes a technique of calculating the postulated minimum upper limit of the productive age, which uses potential demography methods. The technique is based on the postulate that the total number of years to live after the productive age for the whole population should not be higher than the total years to live in the productive age. This method accounts for both the length of the life expectancy and the population age structure. The minimum upper limit of the productive age is the highest for the population with a long life expectancy and high age dependency ratio. The results obtained using this technique for calculations in all European Union member states were compared and related to the statutory pension ages.

The main threat to the economic development of Poland is the danger of overlapping of two processes – the decline in the growth of the working age population and the outflow of young, talented and educated people to richer countries. Therefore, the most important goal of the economic policy should be rapid making up the gap to the average EU level. This can be impeded by the current state of public finances, due to high level of debt. Moreo-ver, there are also other factors, which under certain conditions, may lead to a cumulative negative effect, which in turn would threaten the financial stability of the budget. At the same time, the bases of competitiveness of the economy gradually expire, which requires transition to the competition of a qualitative nature. According to the Author, an oppor-tunity to avoid the threat is to use the global market more extensively. He suggests public innovation in a form of the so-called smart company incubators. ; Głównym zagrożeniem dla rozwoju gospodarczego Polski jest niebezpieczeństwo nałożenia się dwóch procesów – spadku przyrostu ludności w wieku produkcyjnym oraz odpływu młodych, zdolnych i wykształconych osób do krajów bogatszych. Dlatego też, najważniejszym celem polityki gospodarczej powinno być szybkie odrobienie dystansu do średniego poziomu UE. Utrudnić to może obecny stan finansów państwa, z powodu wysokiego poziomu zadłużenia. Ponadto, pojawiają się też inne czynniki, które w określonych warunkach mogą doprowadzić do skumulowanego, negatywnego efektu, który z kolei zagrozi stabilności finansowej budżetu. Jednocześnie stopniowo wygasają dotychczasowe podstawy kon kurencyjności gospodarki, co wymaga przejścia do konkurencji o charakterze jakościowym. Zdaniem autora, szansą dla uniknięcia zagrożenia jest dużo szersze wykorzystanie rynku globalnego. Proponuje innowację publiczną w postaci tzw. inkubatorów inteligentnych firm.

Poland as well as many European countries is facing demographic crisis. Aging society, changing model of the family and reduced birth rate are serious issues that demand a reaction. Above matters are beyond doubt. However, there is a doubt answering the question what do we do in order to prevent those trends and if we are effective. This paper analyses demographic threats Poland is facing, factors which have impact on birthrate, as well as pro-family and pro-social policy of state. In pursuit of alternatives, solutions from USA shall be presented. Differences in redistribution level, and relation to it will be a subject of analysis, as they should become the source of refl ection and inspiration in order to fi nd solutions for problems in Poland and Europe.

Public perception of healthcare personnel in Poland and some other European countries in view of selected studiesThe paper presents current trends in the perception of healthcare in Poland and other European countries. The authors present the results of numerous surveys conducted both in Poland and abroad, which demonstrate significant changes in the way healthcare is perceived by the public in individual countries. As the diagnosis of how the medical profession is perceived in Poland gives no grounds for optimism, factors affecting its perception must be identified. This shows healthcare evaluation to be contextually-based, depending on the performance of both individual healthcare establishments and of the whole healthcare system in Poland. Demography has a heavy impact on the evaluation, as the medical services are being rated by the ageing society.

The aim of the author is to present the possible consequences of any further intensification of the global problems which the European Union will have to stand up to, to a larger degree than before. Globalization has not created global problems, but it has contributed to their intensification. There are four groups of global issues that are of particular significance to globalization processes: (1) international security, (2) ecology, (3) demography, and (4) poverty and marginalization. Undoubtedly, the European Union is a 'privileged' region as it comprises safe states. Europe and the United States perceive the prevention of threats to be a common interest, which justifies the claim that the two partners are at least partially chained to each other. However, Europe is vulnerable to the consequences of global threats. In future, poor countries will blame developed countries for their problems, including those related to their natural environment. Adverse demographic trends will result in the European population growing older and there will be a decrease in the numbers of native Europeans. International relations may be destabilized in the long-term by the widening gap between the developed countries and developing ones, and by their feelings of being excluded from globalization processes. An alternative to this scenario could be provided by cohesive and active global policies on the part of the EU, however, it cannot change the adverse consequences of modern global trends by itself.