Silent Struggles: Exploring Apathy and Civic Passivity among Czech Citizens in Debt Enforcement

This research paper presents a novel contribution to the field by addressing an important and previously neglected issue: the impact of debt enforcement actions on the political views of Czech citizens. The study employs a qualitative research design and draws on data collected through interviews with individuals who have experienced debt enforcement. Specifically, the study focuses on how these individuals perceive state power and politics, revealing a concerning pattern of alienation from the state. Notably, most participants did not seek assistance or advice from state institutions when facing debt enforcement, exhibiting apathy, critical attitudes and civic passivity. These results are significant, as they introduce a potentially important explanatory variable in citizens’ political attitudes, with potential implications extending beyond the Czech Republic to other former Eastern Bloc countries.