Reflections on the Balcerowicz Plan

This article looks at the Balcerowicz Plan, which was undertaken in Poland between the years 1989 to 1995. It is entitled so because Leszek Balcerowicz was the man who was responsible for overseeing Polish transition from a state planned economy to free market one. The Plan was based on the Washington Consensus theory, put forth by Williamson with assistance from Sachs and Lipton. It was a rudimentary model of how transition should be followed. The article looks at different aspects of the plan, which are the following. First of all, price liberalisation and the freeing of domestic trade. Secondly, fiscal responsibility which means the balancing of the national budget. Then it covers restrictive monetary policy used to control inflation and improve Polish competitiveness. This is followed by income policy aimed at inflation, done through a weak indexation of nominal wage. The next section deals with foreign trade liberalisation and the impact of importation of western goods on the Polish market. Also the role of privatisation, done late in comparison to other transition economies. Furthemore, changes in banking, financial and tax reform are also analysed. Lastly, the changes of the social safety net system which were adopted, rather poorly and unfairly, is compared to western models. The work uses the view and theories of different authors both from Europe and abroad. Such economists as Boyko, S. Gomułka, Zukrowska and Balcerowicz himself from Poland. As well as foreigners such as Lipton, Sachs, Hunter, Lavigne, A. Smith Williamson and most importantly Kornai.