r/OldSchoolCool • u/dawidlijewski • 1d ago

1980s Successful Polish private farmer, 1980

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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

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u/Gaunterwithnomirrors 13h ago

His wife for sure is delusional:

"Times were poor, but at least people seemed to have more fun. Almost 50 people would come to someone’s name-day celebration, and nobody was jealous of anyone else’s wealth or promotion."

They had dishwasher, new car and she says they were poor? Also mention that nobody was jealous, lol. 50 people were coming to name day because they had their own meat...

Although I am surprised they were thay rich and looks like didn't colaborated with government, usually government tried to destroy such people or steal from them

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u/tiga_94 3h ago

> They had dishwasher, new car and she says they were poor

when I am meeting new people I like to ask "what year did your family get their first modern automatic washing machine?"

it's one of those things that everyone has today, but not everyone had in 80s or even in 90s, I heard answers as late as 2006 from someone from ex-ussr, I find it a good metric of wealth in the ex-socialist countries