At the end of the Cold War, Poland rationed sugar and flour. Wages there were one-tenth what West Germans earned. Today, the country’s economy is the 20th largest in the world. Its Gross Domestic Product exceeds $1 trillion. (GDP is the measure of goods and services produced in a country.)
It’s a historic leap from the post-Communist ruins of 1989-90. Poles faced hyperinflation and major debt. But Poland’s per capita (per person) GDP rose to $55,340 by 2025. That’s 85% of the European Union (EU) average, up from 38% in 1990.
Multiple factors helped Poland rise, says economist Marcin Piątkowski. One of the most important was rapidly building a strong institutional framework for business. That included independent courts, an anti-monopoly agency to ensure fair competition, and regulation to keep troubled banks from choking off credit that new businesses needed. That helped Poland avoid the corruption plaguing many other post-Communist countries.
Poland also benefited from billions of euros in EU aid. When the country joined the group in 2004, it gained access to a huge market.
The country’s population is the fifth largest in the EU. Young Poles are better educated but earn half as much as young Germans, says Piatkowski. That’s “an unbeatable combination” for attracting investors.
Solaris is one of the leading manufacturers of electric buses in Europe. Krzysztof Olszewski founded the company in Poznań, Poland’s fifth largest city. Its story shows one hallmark of Poland’s success: entrepreneurship, or the willingness to take risks and build something new.
Olszewski first started a car repair shop. Most enterprises were under state control. But authorities allowed small-scale private workshops like his. In 1996, Olszewski opened a subsidiary of the German bus company Neoplan.
Joining the EU in 2004 gave the company “credibility and access to a vast, open European market with the free movement of goods, services, and people,” says Solaris employee Mateusz Figaszewski.
Then came a risky decision to start producing electric buses in 2011. It paid off.
“It became an opportunity to achieve technological leadership” ahead of other companies, Figaszewski says.
Poland still faces challenges. Like many Western countries, it has a low birth rate and an aging society. Wages are lower than the EU average. Some point to problems with lower income in rural areas and a shortage of affordable housing.
But many young Poles see their country as a place to grow.
“Poland has such a dynamic economy, with so many opportunities for development,” says graduate student Kazimierz Falak. “Of course I am staying.”
Why? Poland’s economic success teaches us about the factors that contribute to a thriving economy. The wise recognize God as the designer of economic principles that enable people to create and enjoy wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
