Action anthropology is one of the first trends in anthropology in which the partnership between the anthropologist and the studied community has been considered an important element of scientific activity. It was initiated and described in 1952 by the American anthropologist Sol Tax. The name refers to the process in which both social science research is conducted and practical assistance in solving current problems of the researched group is provided. This approach was the result of the work of Tax and his students, mainly among the Mesquakie (the Fox) indigenous people, in the years 1948-1959, as well as the methodological and philosophical assumptions that this group of anthropologists adopted.  According to Tax and his colleagues, ananthropologist should learn and help in equal measure. Anthropological activities should not be limited only to work within a specific research theory. A scientist should also be aware of their obligations towards the group they work with. When helping a specific community, they should not make decisions for it, but respect even those courses of action chosen by the group that anthropologists themselves would consider undesirable. According to Tax, anthropologists should not "use" a particular community for purposes that are not related to its well-being, and in this sense they should not "use" it for their own purposes. The paper will serve as a reminder of the principles that guide action anthropology, as well as the differences between action anthropology and applied anthropology.