An Odyssey With a Happy End: The Polish Economic Transition – Outcome and Lessons

Abstract

Research Background

At the beginning of the 1990s, the Polish economic situation was extremely difficult: high public debt, shortages, high inflation and more than 8,000 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) waiting to be restructured and/or privatised; along with a GDP per capita lower than in Ukraine.

Purpose of the Article

This chapter provides an overview of the Polish economic transition, and presents the results of this process, taking into account four aspects of the changes, i.e. stabilisation, liberalisation, institutional reforms and privatisation. Special attention is paid to intentionally unfinished privatisation and the still significant role of state-owned enterprises, which have remained important economic agents.

Methodology

Critical analyses were made of the literature dedicated to the economic transition and of the role and characteristics of state-owned enterprises. Empirical evidence is drawn from original datasets about the scale of SOEs in the contemporary economy and rotations in management and supervisory boards in Polish joint-stock companies.

Findings

Despite the unfavourable initial conditions, Poland soon emerged as a leader in economic growth, successfully stabilising, liberalising and privatising its economy. The institutional foundations of a democratic market economy were consistently built, and the applications for membership in the OECD, the EU and NATO were an important driver of institutional reforms. In terms of state institutions, political and economic freedom and quality of governance, Poland is more similar to the G7 countries than to the other post-socialist countries, though the need to maintain high-quality state institutions is still a priority. The significant share of SOE is regarded as a challenge of the Polish economy because state-owned enterprises are an object of rent-seeking by politicians and political parties.

Citation

Szarzec, K., Piątek, D. and Totleben, B. (2023), "An Odyssey With a Happy End: The Polish Economic Transition – Outcome and Lessons", Bukalska, E., Kijek, T. and Sergi, B.S. (Ed.) Modeling Economic Growth in Contemporary Poland (Entrepreneurship and Global Economic Growth), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 15-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-654-220231002