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Agriculture in interwar Poland: development in a turbulent time

Author

Listed:
  • Maciej Bukowski

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Michał Kowalski

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Marcin Wroński

    (Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies)

Abstract

We measure the value added in agriculture in Poland during the interwar period. Our calculation is based on the bottom-up methodology. We provide estimates on the national and regional levels. Cultivated area, yields and yields per hectare increased during the investigated period. Significant regional convergence, both in the case of prices and value added occurred. In the years 1924 -38 value added increased by 5.35% annually, resulting 4.01% per capita growth rate. However, the yields per hectare grew less than in a majority of other European economies. While less developed eastern regions caught up with more economically advanced western Poland, the leading west lost compared to European peers. Therefore, our assessment of the development of agriculture in Poland in that period remains mixed.

Suggested Citation

  • Maciej Bukowski & Michał Kowalski & Marcin Wroński, 2025. "Agriculture in interwar Poland: development in a turbulent time," Working Papers 2025-02, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    • Handle: RePEc:war:wpaper:2025-02
    as

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    File URL: https://www.wne.uw.edu.pl/download_file/5263/0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maciej Bukowski & Piotr Koryś & Cecylia Leszczyńska & Maciej Tymiński & Nikolaus Wolf, 2019. "Urbanization and GDP per capita: New data and results for the Polish lands, 1790–1910," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(4), pages 213-227, October.
    2. Wroński, Marcin, 2023. "The full distribution of adult height in Poland: Cohorts born between 1920 and 1996. The biological cost of the economic transition," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    3. Bukowski, Pawel & Novokmet, Filip, 2021. "Between communism and capitalism: long-term inequality in Poland, 1892–2015," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110221, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Grosfeld, Irena & Zhuravskaya, Ekaterina, 2015. "Cultural vs. economic legacies of empires: Evidence from the partition of Poland," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 55-75.
    5. Piotr Koryś, 2018. "Poland From Partitions to EU Accession," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-319-97126-1, March.
    6. Adomas Klimantas & Aras Zirgulis, 2020. "A new estimate of Lithuanian GDP for 1937: How does interwar Lithuania compare?," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 14(2), pages 227-281, May.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    agriculture; national income; Poland; Central and Eastern Europe; economic growth; regional convergence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N50 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N54 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N90 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N94 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: 1913-

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