Two absurd explanations were offered last week for how Poland surpassed Switzerland to become one of the world’s 20 largest economies just 34 years after the collapse of the Soviet empire.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller credited Poland for its advancement “while maintaining one of the most restrictive migration polices in Europe.”
An Associated Press news article explained: “As oppressive as it was, communism contributed by breaking down old social barriers and opening higher education to factory and farmworkers who had no chance before.”
You don’t have to credit communism for “breaking down old social barriers.” The truth is the opposite: Poland excelled by firmly embracing free markets and welcoming newcomers.
Taking control of their own destiny, Poles embraced market liberalization, abandoned price controls and scaled back state power. Warsaw joined the European Union’s single market in 2004, further embracing free trade.
Despite Miller’s claims, Poland operated one of the more liberal immigration systems in Europe until recently. Many came from other European countries. That’s no surprise: as a country embraces freedom, it grows more prosperous, and more outsiders want to move in. This is the virtuous cycle of human flourishing.
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