Editing Economy of Poland (section)

==History==
Poland has seen the largest increase in GDP per capita (more than 100%) both among the former [[Eastern Bloc]] countries, and compared to  the EU-15 (around 45%).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2015/02/11/how-poland-became-europes-growth-champion-insights-from-the-successful-post-socialist-transition/|title=How Poland Became Europe's Growth Champion: Insights from the Successful Post-Socialist Transition|first=Marcin|last=Piatkowski|website=brookings.edu|date=30 November 2001 |access-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701193854/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2015/02/11/how-poland-became-europes-growth-champion-insights-from-the-successful-post-socialist-transition/|archive-date=1 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It has had uninterrupted economic growth since 1992, even after the [[2008 financial crisis]].<ref name="businessdayonline.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessdayonline.com/next-economic-powerhouse-poland/|title=The Next Economic Powerhouse? Poland - BusinessDay : News you can trust|date=5 July 2017|website=businessdayonline.com|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502185331/http://www.businessdayonline.com/next-economic-powerhouse-poland/|archive-date=2 May 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Before 1989===
This article discusses the economy of post-1989 Poland. For a historical overview see:
* [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth#Economy|Economy of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)]]
* [[Second Polish Republic#Economy|Economy of the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939)]]
* [[People's Republic of Poland#Economy|Economy of the People's Republic of Poland (1945–1989)]]
<!--some other links and scraps of info for future articles may be found at: Wikipedia:WikiProject History of Poland/Periodization-->

===1990–2009===
The Polish state steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s, with positive results for economic growth but negative results for some sectors of the population. The [[privatization]] of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cieński|first=Jan|title=Start-Up Poland|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2018|isbn=978-0-226-30681-0|location=Chicago|pages=17}}</ref> has encouraged the development of the private business sector, which has been the main drive for Poland's economic growth. The agricultural sector remained constrained by structural problems, surplus labour, inefficient small farms, and a lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g. coal), has also been slow, but foreign investments in energy and steel have begun to turn the tide. Also, reforms in healthcare, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Improving this account deficit and tightening monetary policy, with a focus on inflation, are priorities for the Polish government. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on the reduction of public sector employment, and an overhaul of the tax code to incorporate farmers, who currently pay significantly lower taxes than other people with similar income levels.
[[File:Historical GDP per capita development in Poland up to 2022.png|thumb|left|Estimated historical development of real GDP per capita in Poland (1400-2022)]]

===2008 financial crisis and Great Recession===
Since the [[Great Recession]], Poland's GDP has continued to grow. In 2009, the GDP for the European Union as a whole dropped by 4.5% while Polish GDP increased by 1.6%. As of November 2013, the size of the EU's economy remains below the pre-crisis level, while Poland's economy increased by a cumulative 16%. The major reasons for its success appear to be a large internal market (in terms of population it is sixth in the EU) and a business-friendly political climate. The economic reforms implemented after the fall of communism in the 1990s have also played a role; between 1989 and 2007 Poland's economy grew by 177%, faster than other countries in Eastern and Central Europe, while at the same time millions were left without work.<ref name="businessdayonline.com"/>

However, the economic fluctuations of the [[business cycle]] did affect Poland's [[Unemployment in Poland|unemployment rate]], which by early 2013 reached almost 11%. This level was still below European average and has begun falling subsequently.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/332247,Poland-has-employee%E2%80%99s-market-minister|title=Poland has employee's market: minister|website=thenews.pl|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701193741/http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/332247,Poland-has-employee%E2%80%99s-market-minister|archive-date=1 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of October 2017, Poland's unemployment rate stood at 4.6% according to [[Eurostat]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Unemployment_rates,_seasonally_adjusted,_October_2017_(%25)_F2.png|title=File:Unemployment rates, seasonally adjusted, October 2017 (%) F2.png - Statistics Explained|website=ec.europa.eu|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708173255/http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Unemployment_rates,_seasonally_adjusted,_October_2017_(%)_F2.png|archive-date=8 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>