Management Summary Research Study “The Power of the Powerless: Constructions of Self‐Employment in Czechia”

The article delves into the intricate realm of self-employment within public policy discourse, unraveling the underlying constructions and moral implications crafted by political actors. Through a critical lens and discourse analysis, the authors dissect verbatim transcripts of Czech parliamentary debates spanning from 2021 to 2023. Their findings lay bare the legislators’ perceptions of self-employment’s economic value and the moral dimensions encapsulating these discussions.

By foregrounding select moral arguments, politicians shape a narrative that sidelines certain aspects of the self-employment experience, ultimately neglecting them in policy considerations. This neglect, the authors argue, exacerbates the precariousness endured by the self-employed, rendering them vulnerable in an ever-evolving socio-economic landscape.

Furthermore, the study illuminates the discursive strategies at play in rendering the precarious self-employed invisible, while also highlighting the cultural underpinnings that mold enterprise culture. In the Czech context, a departure from the ubiquitous risk-taking entrepreneurial archetype emerges, replaced instead by a portrayal of the traditional, hard-working, and frugal entrepreneur, intertwined with post-communist transition narratives.

However, the discourse surrounding self-employment obfuscates the socio-economic realities faced by dependents, masking precarity until major crises surface. This blurring of lines between moral depictions and material precarity underscores the urgent need for further research to bridge the gap between discourse and reality in understanding the multifaceted nature of self-employment.

Cílová skupina stakeholderů: policy-makers

Citace / Citation: Lukeš Rybanská, I., & Čada, K. (2024). The Power of the Powerless: Constructions of Self-Employment in Czechia. Social Inclusion, 12.

Zdroj / Source: https://doi.org/10.17645/si.7820