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6 The economic transformation debate

Abstract

This chapter explores the thirty-year debate over Poland’s economic transformation. Like other former-Soviet states, Poland underwent a dramatic programme of economic transformation after 1989. This “shock therapy” was spear-headed by the economist Leszek Balcerowicz, and it caused significant economic hardship at the time, a fact that many Poles still remember. Arguments about whether shock therapy was right or whether a “gradualist” approach would have been less harmful have raged for years. But a distinct turn occurred around the middle of the 2010s, with more and more people expressing dissatisfaction with the market economy, despite a generally good economic outlook. When Law and Justice were elected in 2015, they took advantage of the sense of disgruntlement to launch their new socio-economic agenda.

Abstract

This chapter explores the thirty-year debate over Poland’s economic transformation. Like other former-Soviet states, Poland underwent a dramatic programme of economic transformation after 1989. This “shock therapy” was spear-headed by the economist Leszek Balcerowicz, and it caused significant economic hardship at the time, a fact that many Poles still remember. Arguments about whether shock therapy was right or whether a “gradualist” approach would have been less harmful have raged for years. But a distinct turn occurred around the middle of the 2010s, with more and more people expressing dissatisfaction with the market economy, despite a generally good economic outlook. When Law and Justice were elected in 2015, they took advantage of the sense of disgruntlement to launch their new socio-economic agenda.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Epigraph to Part I 20
  6. 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
  7. 2 The tsunami of populism 46
  8. 3 True leaders of the nation 77
  9. 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
  10. Introduction to Part II 126
  11. 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
  12. 6 The economic transformation debate 146
  13. 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
  14. Introduction to Part III 180
  15. 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
  16. 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
  17. 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
  18. 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
  19. Conclusion 261
  20. Notes 270
  21. Acknowledgements 346
  22. Index 349
The new politics of Poland
This chapter is in the book The new politics of Poland
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526155887.00014

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Epigraph to Part I 20
  6. 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
  7. 2 The tsunami of populism 46
  8. 3 True leaders of the nation 77
  9. 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
  10. Introduction to Part II 126
  11. 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
  12. 6 The economic transformation debate 146
  13. 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
  14. Introduction to Part III 180
  15. 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
  16. 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
  17. 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
  18. 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
  19. Conclusion 261
  20. Notes 270
  21. Acknowledgements 346
  22. Index 349
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