Citizens’ Contribution to National Defense in the Light of the Standards of a Democratic State under the Rule of Law

Abstract

The aim of the study is to look at the issue of contribution to national defense from the angle of the standards of a democratic state under the rule of law. The aforementioned standards of a democratic state under the rule of law determine the manner and scope of national defense obligations imposed upon citizens. The study also analyzes the subjective and objective scope of contribution to national defense in view of the current law. The Polish law regulates some types of contribution to national defense, i.e. personal and in-kind contributions in times of peace, mobilization and war and so-called special contribution (e.g., performance of mobilization tasks for the Armed Forces). The obligation to provide personal contributions may involve various emergency tasks to prepare for state defense or to respond to natural disasters, eliminate their effects and manage crises. On the other hand, government offices and institutions, businesses and other organizational units and individuals may be obliged to provide in-kind contributions, i.e. real properties and movables, in order to prepare for the state defense or to fight against natural disasters, mitigate their consequences and apply crisis management. The obligation to provide contribution for national defense, subject to exceptions specified in the act, is imposed by a commune head (mayor, city president) by means of an administrative decision.