r/OldSchoolCool • u/dawidlijewski • 1d ago

1980s Successful Polish private farmer, 1980

Post image

Agriculture was never collectivized in communist Poland, so private farms could exist. Those lucky enough to have fertile soil and good market connections could earn very good money through hard work and smart investment decisions. This farmer owns a house, a car, a dishwasher, and a color TV, and could even afford vacations in Hungary.

https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/zmywarka-w-domu-rolnika-dotarlismy-do-bohatera-sesji-zdjeciowej-z-1980-roku-6457768192861825a

1.3k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

74 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/St_Charlatan 3h ago

A not-quite-offtopic question from another Eastern Bloc member - which countries had the most nationalized agricultural lands and which had more independent farmers?

2

u/dawidlijewski 2h ago edited 2h ago

In Poland ca. 18% of agricultural land was managed by State Farms (Peasants are employed - PGR) and 4% by RSP(Farmer's co-op, Polish Kolkhoz).

In broader economy, ca. 20% of GDP in 1980s was made by private entrepreneurs.

De jure, Poland was democratic state with freedoms guaranteed in constitution. Technically everybody could open and run it's own company.

Problem was with the practice and state's control apparatus :)

But Poland was the only "communist state", where it's finance minister and long time party member was rich businessman, factory owner and millionaire. (Mieczysław Wilczek)

Rural areas were very interesting, multiple forces were crashing there. Some farmers were hard-working, lucky and could reinvest profits and cheap bank loans.

Others were struggling and living like in late 1800s. A lot of contrasts. No simple answer. Technically(and practically) communist party(PZPR) was ruling in coalition with Peasant Party(non-communist), which had considerable influences. Those with good standing in local community could get preferential access to tractors seeds etc.