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CHAPTER1.
FATHERSOFAGRIBUSINESSFINANCE
Hisaccomplishmentsinthespheresoffinanceandsociology(includingeconomichisto-
ryworks)areofparticularnote.Hisimmenseinfluenceontheeconomicdevelopmentof
Polandarosefromthefactthathedidnotshyawayfrommakingdifficultdecisionsand
bearingtheirconsequences.Hebelievedthatahealthyandresilientcurrencyformsthe
basisofhealthyeconomicgrowthandStatefunding.Toachieveandsustainthis,society
asawholeneedstobereadytomakesacrifices.In1917,Grabskipublishedapamphlet
titledThebasisofPoland’sinternalstrength,inwhichhehighlightedthenecessityforall
socialstratatocooperateforthesakeofPoland’sindependence.Healsobelievedthat
therebornnationshavetocarefortheircitizen’smaterialwellbeingandculturalgrowth.
Since1923,WładysławGrabskiheldthepositionoffullprofessorattheWarsaw
UniversityofLifeSciences.In1926,hepublishedtheOnitsownmeritsseriesofarticles,
inwhichhestatedhisopinionsconcerningPoland’sfinances.AyearlaterhewroteTwo
yearsofworkonthefoundationsofourstatehood(1924–1925),inwhichhedescribedhis
activitiesastheheadofgovernmentandthereformshehadinstituted.Thefollowing
yearsofGrabski’slifeweredevotedtoscientificworkattheSGGW
.Heestablishedthe
EconomicPoliticsDepartmentattheForestryFacultyandorganizedtheSocialAgron-
omySection.Hewasamemberofandlednumerousscientificsocieties,andactedas
chairmanofthePolishSocietyofEconomistsandStatisticians(intheyears1928–1934,
remaininganhonorarychairmaninthe1934–1938period).
1930sawGrabskipublishanotherbook,Villageandmanor.Smallandlargeagri-
culturalholdingsfromaneconomicviewpoint,inwhichhedescribedtheadvantages
ofPoland’sagriculturalhouseholds.In1935,hepublishedHistoryofthePolishvillage,
consistingofaseriesoflecturesgivenattheSGGWintheyears1921–1922.Thebook
describesPoland’sagriculturaldevelopmentincomparisontothesituationinWestern
Europe.Duringthe1929–1935crisis,Grabskimadenumerousstatementsonthecurrent
economicsituation.HehadapositiveopinionofEugeniuszKwiatkowski’sfour-year
investmentplan,whilehimselfbeinginvolvedinplanningruralinvestments,postulat-
ingtheneedtoconcentratetheminareasenablinglargeprofitsduetotheexistenceof
absorptivemarketsforagriculturalgoods.
In1936,actingonGrabski’sinitiative,theAgriculturalFacultyCouncilatthe
SGGWdecidedtocreatetheInstituteofRuralSociology,whichpublishedtheGRural
SociologyYearbooks”.Bytheendofhislife,Grabskiwasanactivememberofnumer-
ousorganizations,suchastheeditorialcommitteesoftheGEconomist”andGPolitical
ScienceEncyclopedia”(responsiblefortheagriculturalpolicytopic),theWarsaw
ScientificSociety,SocialInstitute,SocietyforResearchintoInternationalMattersand
theCzechoslovakAgriculturalAcademyinPrague.Hewasthechairmanofthesuper-
visoryboardoftheNationalRuralInstitute,thechairmanoftheNationalInstitute
ofRuralCulture,thefirstPolishmemberoftheInternationalSocietyofStatisticians,
chairmanoftheMiddleandHighSchoolTeacherAssociation.Hehasalsotakenpart
intheworksofthescientificcounciloftheInternationalAgriculturalInstituteinRome.
Hehasauthoredapproximately150worksoneconomics,banking,politicalsciences,
socialagronomy,historyandruralsociology.
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