Interwencjonizm państwowy w przemyśle na łamach „Polski Gospodarczej” z lat 1930–1939

Abstract

The state-financed “Polska Gospodarcza” (1930–1939) presented the official stand on the issue of state intervention into the economy. During almost 10 years during which the bi-weekly newspaper was published, only a few articles that included the word “interventionism” in their titles appeared, while the content of the term was spread across different issues of the newspaper. The phenomenon was mentioned in the speeches of the Prime Ministers, Ministers of Industry and Trade as well as Ministers of Treasury. Economists, politicians, and entrepreneurs expressed their opinions on the extent of state intervention into the economy. The government indirectly intervened into the functioning of private enterprises through allowances, credit and fiscal relaxations, mineral policy, etc. In 1938, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Antoni Roman, created the Commission for the Examination of Interventionism (Komisja do Badania Interwencjonizmu). Its task was to consolidate all actions within the framework of this trend. Until 1938, interventionism was associated with temporary decisions that resulted from current problems. It appeared on a larger scale during the Great Depression and was a result of problems with the national economy. Downsides of interventionism included, among others, chaotic character of the undertaken activities, lack of consistency, blurred goals, and the lack of long-term plans with specification of intermediate goals. However, the authors emphasized the value of interventionism for the public good. During the entire interwar period, interventionism was discussed by the followers of liberalism and supporters of the increased interference of the government with economy.