Zastosowanie metod taksonomicznych do oceny zróżnicowania poziomu życia w krajach postsocjalistycznych Europy
Taxonomic methods to evaluate the variation in the standards of living in the countries of post-socialist Europe

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present the findings regarding the variation in the standard of living and quality of life of inhabitants of post-socialist countries, as well as to identify the differences in livability between the nations and to determine whether EU membership affects this variation in anyway. The research covers the period of 2007-2012. Spatial variation in the standard of living between nations was analysed using a purposefully constructed multidimensional model (with the application of taxonomic methods: k-means and agglomerative clustering) in which individual dimensions reflected the conditions affecting the population’s standard of living in a given state. The research allows to conclude that the standard of living in post-socialist countries is gradually improving, although the pace and changes taking place in individual states do vary. Moreover, the research has demonstrated that the EU membership affects the nation’s standard of living and life quality.

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