Religious involvement in the context of public moral standards and sustainable social development – A case study of Polish voivodeships

Abstract

The manuscript analyzes the spatial distribution, relationships and statistical dependence between religious involvement vs. the observance of public moral norms, and between religious involvement vs. sustainable social development as the main criterion and based on indirect criteria such as demographics, education, social welfare, health, public security, housing, social engagement, and the labor market. The study was conducted in Polish voivodeships, which represent the highest level of territorial division, and data for analyses were obtained from public statistical databases. The phenomena were examined with the use of synthetic variables, whereas composite indicators were determined by Hellwig's method. The study revealed considerable variations in the magnitude of the examined phenomena across Polish regions and the absence of significant correlations between religious involvement vs. the observance of public moral norms and sustainable social development as the main criterion. High values of indirect criteria are associated with regional development. Positive relationships were also observed between religiosity and selected indirect criteria.