Poland nearly as rich as the UK
Discussion
Makes for interesting reading if it's all true - although the article seems to be a bit biased towards Poland.
https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
article said:
In 1995 Poland’s GDP per capita was $13,600 in today’s money — about 36 per cent of Britain’s and roughly the same as Brazil’s. Today Poland’s figure is $44,500, or 81 per cent of ours. It may soon pull level. Since the end of 2019 Britain’s GDP per capita has grown by less than 1 per cent in real US dollars. Poland’s has grown almost 18 per cent, nearly twice as much as that of the US.
Given the UK's stagnation and Poland's trajectory, I'd be surprised if Poland isn't already richer than the UK, and if not now, then it's only a matter of time before they overtake us.
It's not necessarily that the UK is declining in any significant way, it's more that pretty much every other country is getting better at a much faster rate.
It's not necessarily that the UK is declining in any significant way, it's more that pretty much every other country is getting better at a much faster rate.
KarlMac said:
It s a bit of a contradictory report, because if you remove Warsaw the rest of Poland is comparable to somewhere like Serbia.
I don t think it tells you anything that people living outside of the South East didn t already know about the UK.
Good point, but the article also says the followingI don t think it tells you anything that people living outside of the South East didn t already know about the UK.
article said:
Capital cities typically have strong economies. But 12 of Poland’s 17 regions are now richer than west Wales, the poorest part of Britain. Dolnoslaskie — or Lower Silesia — in Poland’s southwest is better off than Greater Manchester. In fact if we were to strip London out, Britain’s output per head would be just 3 per cent ahead of Poland’s.
Since London is something like 15% of our total tax take, I think we are both capital heavy.s1962a said:
Makes for interesting reading if it's all true - although the article seems to be a bit biased towards Poland.
https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
Strange, what happened around that time? https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
article said:
In 1995 Poland s GDP per capita was $13,600 in today s money about 36 per cent of Britain s and roughly the same as Brazil s. Today Poland s figure is $44,500, or 81 per cent of ours. It may soon pull level. Since the end of 2019 Britain s GDP per capita has grown by less than 1 per cent in real US dollars. Poland s has grown almost 18 per cent, nearly twice as much as that of the US.
Poland's trajectory is insane - but not without issues.
There's massive labour shortages, and huge salary inflation. It's causing real issues for businesses as they lose competivity within Europe - but also the amount of staff churn is ridiculous. People will have one thing piss them off at work, and just walk out - knowing they'll have another job by tomorrow (actual example from being out in Warsaw a couple of months ago with a client).
Then as already mentioned, there's still some huge disparities. Rural Poland might not be much or any poorer on a gdp:capita basis than our poorest areas - but the lifestyle is very different.
There's massive labour shortages, and huge salary inflation. It's causing real issues for businesses as they lose competivity within Europe - but also the amount of staff churn is ridiculous. People will have one thing piss them off at work, and just walk out - knowing they'll have another job by tomorrow (actual example from being out in Warsaw a couple of months ago with a client).
Then as already mentioned, there's still some huge disparities. Rural Poland might not be much or any poorer on a gdp:capita basis than our poorest areas - but the lifestyle is very different.
Plus they have free University costs, something we as a "rich" country don't have.
Having been to Warsaw and Krakow I was amazed at what lovely cities they are, nothing like I imagined. When I was there
1)I didn't smell canabis once
2)There was literally no rubbish anywhere
3)I didn't see anyone homeless
4)I felt completely safe walking the streets
5)Prices were utterly reasonable, £3 for a Vodka, £11 for a 30 minute uber
6)I didn't see anyone drunk
7)There were no gangs of people hanging around looking dodgy
The complete opposite to London.
Having been to Warsaw and Krakow I was amazed at what lovely cities they are, nothing like I imagined. When I was there
1)I didn't smell canabis once
2)There was literally no rubbish anywhere
3)I didn't see anyone homeless
4)I felt completely safe walking the streets
5)Prices were utterly reasonable, £3 for a Vodka, £11 for a 30 minute uber
6)I didn't see anyone drunk
7)There were no gangs of people hanging around looking dodgy
The complete opposite to London.
Edited by ThingsBehindTheSun on Monday 13th October 14:03
Carl_VivaEspana said:
MrBogSmith said:
Strange, what happened around that time?
Socialism.A good mate of mine is from Poland, worked here from 2006 to 2020. Came back for a year after covid but then went home for good. He tells me he is doing better back home now than he was in the UK and has better quality of life. He came back last year to do some paperwork with his house and did not have good things to say about the UK! I doubt he will be back other than if he needs to sell his house.
gotoPzero said:
A good mate of mine is from Poland, worked here from 2006 to 2020. Came back for a year after covid but then went home for good. He tells me he is doing better back home now than he was in the UK and has better quality of life. He came back last year to do some paperwork with his house and did not have good things to say about the UK! I doubt he will be back other than if he needs to sell his house.
He wont be the only one that has rinsed the UK and then f
ked off.119 said:
gotoPzero said:
A good mate of mine is from Poland, worked here from 2006 to 2020. Came back for a year after covid but then went home for good. He tells me he is doing better back home now than he was in the UK and has better quality of life. He came back last year to do some paperwork with his house and did not have good things to say about the UK! I doubt he will be back other than if he needs to sell his house.
He wont be the only one that has rinsed the UK and then fked off.Sway said:
119 said:
gotoPzero said:
A good mate of mine is from Poland, worked here from 2006 to 2020. Came back for a year after covid but then went home for good. He tells me he is doing better back home now than he was in the UK and has better quality of life. He came back last year to do some paperwork with his house and did not have good things to say about the UK! I doubt he will be back other than if he needs to sell his house.
He wont be the only one that has rinsed the UK and then fked off.But i know for a fact many worked cash in hand and then disappeared home for a few weeks taking it with them.
Funny thing is, they said exactly the same thing would happen and were far from apologetic for it.
MrBogSmith said:
s1962a said:
Makes for interesting reading if it's all true - although the article seems to be a bit biased towards Poland.
https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
Strange, what happened around that time? https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/articl...
https://archive.ph/VLqba
article said:
In 1995 Poland s GDP per capita was $13,600 in today s money about 36 per cent of Britain s and roughly the same as Brazil s. Today Poland s figure is $44,500, or 81 per cent of ours. It may soon pull level. Since the end of 2019 Britain s GDP per capita has grown by less than 1 per cent in real US dollars. Poland s has grown almost 18 per cent, nearly twice as much as that of the US.
And later ukraine.
Then along came labour.
But of course some will say Brexit , despite covid having a huge impact worldwide.
Even if aliens from mars came and whiped out half the planet some would say it was brexit.
We've become a lazy self entitled nation, that has had it's day and continuing downwards.
Helped on it's we by the stupidity of voters.
An example of the difference between a serious country, who have gone through adversity in recent memory, and whose governing class work for the benefit for the nation, and the clown show running the UK since the turn of the millennium.
Good on the Poles. They had a terrible twentieth century and now they are enjoying their moment in the sun.
Good on the Poles. They had a terrible twentieth century and now they are enjoying their moment in the sun.
philv said:
MrBogSmith said:
s1962a said:
article said:
... Since the end of 2019 Britain s GDP per capita has grown by less than 1 per cent in real US dollars. Poland s has grown almost 18 per cent, nearly twice as much as that of the US.
And later ukraine.
Then along came labour.
But of course some will say Brexit , despite covid having a huge impact worldwide.
Even if aliens from mars came and whiped out half the planet some would say it was brexit.
And the war in Ukraine - a country they share a border with - has had no effect on them?
119 said:
gotoPzero said:
A good mate of mine is from Poland, worked here from 2006 to 2020. Came back for a year after covid but then went home for good. He tells me he is doing better back home now than he was in the UK and has better quality of life. He came back last year to do some paperwork with his house and did not have good things to say about the UK! I doubt he will be back other than if he needs to sell his house.
He wont be the only one that has rinsed the UK and then fked off.JagLover said:
An example of the difference between a serious country, who have gone through adversity in recent memory, and whose governing class work for the benefit for the nation, and the clown show running the UK since the turn of the millennium.
Good on the Poles. They had a terrible twentieth century and now they are enjoying their moment in the sun.
No, it's an example of an absolute basket case economy seeing proper growth due to many factors.Good on the Poles. They had a terrible twentieth century and now they are enjoying their moment in the sun.
No developed economy can achieve the same, as they're not starting from such a low base.
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