The meaning of the phrase “I acquired an education” – read: a diploma and the like – does not necessarily mean the same thing today and does not necessarily have anything to do with gaining knowledge and skills. Increasingly often, it comes down to a purely commercial transaction. When we read and hear in the media how all sorts of smart cookies from the Polish political, “business” and social scenes buy, for money, a document confirming their alleged education and skills, which in reality they did not acquire through learning – it is difficult not to notice the problem.
A super-expert on the management and supervisory boards of companies
In my opinion, this phenomenon, which is criminal in nature, has its source in a long-term, planned chain of prepared legal acts intended to obtain financial benefits. There would never have been a need to create MBA courses or faculties at universities if not for commercial-law companies established using public assets.
Previously, economists were trained and things were fine. Then electoral law was gradually changed, separating the mayor from the councillors; subsequently, companies were established in the public interest – the order is not important here. Appropriate provisions were introduced into local-government laws, and we now have a need to fill the management and supervisory boards of companies with “super-experts”.
Since a super-expert must be paid for the use of their mind in companies, they are entitled to appropriate remuneration. Precisely – if we pay, we need to create a system so that just anyone cannot enter the company’s structures. And so we have MBAs and their derivatives. What about an economist? It has to be a “company man” with the papers.
Since it is such a job, and you do not have the credentials – get them. Preferably by acquiring the appropriate diploma. And here the first level of eligibility to sit on commercial-law companies within the local-government structure appears. Since it is commercial law – we trade…
The ability to acquire qualifications
This is my theory, in which one can look for a qualification: someone possesses the ability to acquire. To get to the point – I was observing a discussion in which people holding the qualifications to sit on company boards assured one another that they had acquired those qualifications legally.
It is an embarrassing and corrupting situation that must be stopped in several ways. The healthiest and most honest solution is to remove commercial-law companies from local governments. Before that happens – because people must understand that these entities are local-government tumours – all diplomas held by people sitting on company boards, as well as by mayors, town mayors and city presidents, should be published.
Anyone who receives any remuneration from companies established on public property should publish their diploma or another document authorising them to sit on the board or work in such a structure.
I cannot imagine that someone who possesses such qualifications would be ashamed of them. I am very curious about the attitudes of our local “board-sitters” in companies.
“(...) but beware of unnecessary pride
look in the mirror at your clownish face
repeat: I was appointed – were there really no better ones (...)”
The Message of Mr. Cogito Zbigniew Herbert