Factors Affecting Differences of Agricultural Productivity (in Particular Voivodeships) in People’s Poland (1945–1970)

Abstract

This article explores the factors influencing regional differences in agricultural productivity in the People’s Republic of Poland from 1945 to 1970. After World War II, Poland faced significant disparities in agricultural output across its voivodeships, rooted in historical partitions, varying degrees of war damage, and differences in economic and cultural development.
The primary goal of the study is to identify and analyze structural and economic factors that impacted productivity levels in different regions. The analysis draws on national census data (1960, 1970), statistical yearbooks, and various economic reports, employing correlation and multiple regression methods to explain productivity variations per hectare of arable land and per agricultural worker.
Key findings reveal that three major structural factors—agrarian reform, incorporation of the Recovered Territories, and industrialization—shaped postwar agricultural productivity. While land reforms created more uniform land ownership patterns, overpopulation persisted in agriculture. Industrialization contributed to the outflow of rural labor to urban centers, affecting productivity dynamics.
The research indicates that regional productivity differences were most strongly influenced by the amount of arable land per worker, the value of fixed assets (such as machinery), and the level of mechanization, particularly horsepower per worker. Fertilizer use also played a role, especially in market production. Over time, productivity per hectare became more uniform across regions, largely limited by natural factors like soil quality. However, disparities in productivity per worker remained significant, linked to differences in technical equipment and farm management efficiency.
The article concludes that further improvements in agricultural productivity would depend less on structural reforms and more on the modernization of farm equipment, greater mechanization, and continued demographic shifts from rural to urban areas.