Adam Tooze: How Poland Became an Economic Powerhouse
Its economy has skyrocketed since the end of communism, but so has its wealth disparity.
In a speech in Warsaw on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden praised his Polish hosts for their foresight on the threat posed by Russia and their contributions to defending Ukraine. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you’re doing,” Biden said. But post-communist Poland hasn’t only been a success on matters of diplomacy and security. It has also been the most successful economy in Europe, in relative terms, since 1989—more dynamic not only than other Eastern European countries but also Europe’s big heavyweights France and Germany. That economic story is a central part of Poland’s growing influence on the continent and in the world more broadly.
Cameron Abadi is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @CameronAbadi
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