The Rule of Law in the Globalizing World. Polish Inevstors Abroad

According to the famous argument of Max Weber, emergence and establishment of the rational legal order and formation of law-based political authority present important factors which explain rapid economic growth. These theses of Weber, as it is believed, are corroborated by the long lasting and deeply embedded European (or broader - Western) legal cultures and mentalities, characterized by the high value of the rule of law. Therefore processes of "new comers" westernization are often conceptualized as "learning" i.e., as formation of pro-legal cultures based on an unquestioned value of the rule of law. Empirical research on the Polish investors abroad put in question such simplistic views. Firstly, in light of this research, the processes of learning are much more complicated , multidimentional and multidirectional.  Secondly, the state and its agencies play here an important role - both in form of protection of rights and interests of domestic actors (national markets), and in form of protection of rights an interests of investors abroad (rights and interests of its citizens and companies). Therefore, the rule of law in a globalizing world presents a complicated negotiation game not only of values, but also of interests, between strong and weak agents, private and public.