First attempts to industrialise the region of the present Podlaskie Voivodeship were undertaken by Jan Klemens Branicki (Białystok), Antoni Tyzenhauz (Grodno, Sokółka region), Duchess Anna Jabłonowska, née Sapieha (Siemiatycze), Rajmund Rembieliński (Jedwabne), Count Michał Pac (Dowspuda), Karol Brzostowski (Sztabin), and several other landowners. The introduction, by tsar Nicolas I in 1832, of a customs border between the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire paved the way for the establishment of Białystok textile industry district. Western capital flew into the area, and large industrial centres came into being in Supraśl, Choroszcz, Wasilków, Gródek, Michałowo, Krynki, Białystok, Ciechanowiec, and Siemiatycze (the last two had had earlier traditions). In 1860, the entire district boasted more than 70 factories and manufacturing plants. Białystok became the regional leader after several railway lines had been built (1862, 1873, 1886), and, having developed into the most industrialised city between Warsaw and Moscow, began to be referred to as the "Manchester of the North". And yet, the local textile industry was clearly inferior to that of e.g. Łódź, in terms of concentration and technology. In Podlasie, mainly so called remanufactured wool (shoddy) was used, working conditions were disastrous, successive economic crises bankrupted smaller companies. The cheap, and usually low quality, goods were sold through the intermediation of Jewish merchants. The establishment of Towarzystwo Białostockiej Manufaktury E. Becker i S-ka was a harbinger of novel solutions. Gradually, new industrial branches, particularly the food industry, increased production. The economic development of Białystok was hampered by: lack of stability, shortage of capital, climate of speculation, and outdated infrastructure. It is also worth looking more closely at several other industrial towns: Choroszcz (the patronage of the Moes family), Gródek (large participation of local inhabitants in industrial production), Michałowo (strong national diversity), Supraśl (replacement of large factories by smaller Jewish ones), and Wasilków (cooperation with Białystok). Before the First World War, in Białystok district, factory workers constituted 2-2.5% of population, while in the governorates of Łomża and Suwałki – only 0.3- 0.25%. In the summer 1915, the retreating tsarist army destroyed most of the textile factories. After the WWI, the closure of the Russian market became a serious impediment to the development of regional industry.
In 1950s and 1960s, Białystok Voivodeship experienced the longest and most intense period of industrialisation in its history. Expenditure for that purpose systematically increased, although, throughout the period in question, they were below the national average. The years 1950-1970 brought changes in the distribution of industry. Apart from Białystok, new local industrial towns flourished or emerged. Numerous agricultural areas were industrialised at that time. New branches of industry appeared in the region. Whatever the political, economic and social assessment of the period may be, it should be said, that it was a watershed for the former Białystok Voivodeship.
The paper presents the development of Podlasie’s industry in the 1970s and 1980s. Those years saw a narrowing of the gap in terms of industrialisation between the areas of the former Białystok Voivodeship and the rest of Poland. The gap was not, however, completely closed; later years showed the superficiality of top-down industrialisation and centrally-led efforts to modernise the local industrial structure. On the other hand, the transformation that took place at that time meant a permanent departure from the dominance of agriculture in the region and sped up its urban development, even if, from a certain point, it did not involve the development of the industrial function of urban areas. Moreover, it was in that period that a firm foundation was provided for specialisation in the food industry, allowing for subsequent expansion of this industry in times of market economy, with the best companies in the position of national leaders.
The article identifies industrialisation with so called secondarisation of economy, i.e. a growing share of industry in the structure of employment and domestic product since the period of the industrial revolution until the contemporary servicisation of many key economies. The author also analyses the interpretation that associates industrialisation with the acceleration of long-term growth, highlighting the research tradition initiated by A. Gerschenkron, critical of statistical measurement of growth, conscious of the uneven course of industrialisation, and focused on international disparities. While considering the problem of "characteristics" and "types" of industrialisation, the author combines a "structural" approach with the tradition of Gerschenkron
Over the past two decades, Podlaskie Voivodeship has undergone a transformation, both in economic and social terms. In the analysed period, one could observe slight changes indicative of deindustrialisation (e.g. shifts in the structure of enterprises and employment by sector). However, the pace of those changes has been relatively low, and their scope limited. This is due to the fact that Podlasie has never been a highly industrial area, which would be associated with a more dynamic adaptation of its economy to global trends. Presented statistical data unequivocally prove that Podlaskie is predominantly agricultural, has a low GDP per capita and relatively low investment and R&D expenditure. The number of business entities is small in the region, and industry is an insignificant part of the economy. Particularly disadvantageous are low outlays on industrial innovation, which can impair the competitive capability of Podlasie’s industry. The situation was a little better in retail and construction industry, thanks to, as was emphasised, a revival of trade with Poland’s eastern neighbours.
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