Economic Transformation in Poland and Ukraine: National and Regional Perspectives

At the beginning of the 1990s, Poland and Ukraine had similar economic development levels (GDP $9,500 per capita). However, in 2018, Ukrainian GDP per capita remained at the same level since 1991, while Poland's increased significantly to more than $27,000 per capita. This book assesses the reasons for the growing gap and evaluates the effectiveness of system transformations in both countries. It also analyzes the consequences of the 2008-2009 Ukrainian-Russian gas conflict and 2013-2014 Euromaidan events for the Ukrainian economy. The authors offer an insight into migration movements and highlight the ways in which reforms have been effective in Poland and hardly effective in Ukraine. This analysis helps to identify interrelations between core macroeconomic variables and political events at the regional level.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

When Poland and Ukraine embarked on political, social, and economic system reforms at the dawn of the 1990s, both economies found themselves at comparable stages of economic development, with GDP per capita hovering around $9,500. However, a significant disparity emerged in 2018, with Ukrainian GDP per capita remaining stagnant since 1991, while Poland had experienced a remarkable increase, reaching more than $27,000 per capita. This book aims to examine the underlying factors contributing to the growing gap between the economic development of Ukraine and Poland. It delves into the sequence of events and assesses the efficacy of the system transformations implemented in both countries, considering their impact on the economy as a whole and in individual regions (Polish voivodeships and Ukrainian oblasts). Furthermore, it analyzes the consequences of the 2008-2009 Ukrainian-Russian gas conflict and the 2013-2014 Euromaidan events on the Ukrainian economy. Additionally, the authors provide valuable insights into recent migration patterns observed in Poland and Ukraine.

This comprehensive and comparative analysis stands as the first of its kind, focusing on the spatial diversification of economic development in these two countries. The authors highlight the varying degrees of success achieved by these reforms in Poland and Ukraine, shedding light on the interrelationships between core macroeconomic variables at the regional level and the influence of political events from both national and regional perspectives. The book will captivate academics, researchers, policy makers, and individuals engaged in studying the economic and political transformations in these two countries, in a comparative context, at the national and regional levels, as well as those working on EU integration issues.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367498610