THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING ON THE SPATIAL PATTERN OF URBANIZATION IN POLAND

This paper concerns the role of structural changes within the Polish economy as a determinant of the spatial pattern of urbanization. Structural change was the initial driving force of urbanization in the predominantly rural Polish nation (the conversion of the farming labor force to non-agricultural activities). The most general relation between the two types of activities is defined by the following two sets of figures: the urban population increased two-and-a-half times during the period 1950-1988 (from 9.2 to 23.1 million), from 36.9% of the total population in 1950 to 52.3% in 1970, and 61.2% in 1988; during the same period, the share of non-agricultural employment increased from 46.4% in 1950 to 65.7% in 1970 and 72.4% in 1988. The spatial dimensions of the urbanization process and its dependence on the character of structural economic changes are presented, with particular attention being paid to the more recent stage of structural transformation of the Polish economy associated with the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy. Although the latter transition is occurring only presently, the thesis of this paper is that the reversal of the previous trend of structural changes had already begun in the 1970s, together with the resulting effects on the spatial pattern of urbanization.