The economy of North-Eastern Kresy in the Second Polish Republic: conditions for development, and economic reforms

Abstract

The North-Eastern Kresy region of the interwar Polish Republic was the most economically backward region in Poland, and was often referred to as Poland B. Many factors contributed to that state of affairs, among them historical, geographical, agrarian and climatic and related to transport infrastructure. The serious underdevelopment of agriculture and industry, as well as the lack of wider investment opportunities on the part of State and private investors, made the economic reforms which started at that time have very little impact on the existing economic situation. This state of affairs, in connection with the repercussions of the great economic crisis, resulted in the advancing process of pauperisation, the breaking up of farms, and the stagnation of industry.