▁Minister ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁in ▁T ade usz ▁Maz owie cki ' s ▁first ▁non - comm un ist ▁government ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁free - market ▁economic ▁re forms , ▁which ▁have ▁transformed ▁Poland ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁Europe ' s ▁most ▁successful ▁econom ies . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁he ▁founded ▁the ▁Civil ▁Development ▁Forum ▁( For um ▁O by w atel skiego ▁Ro z wo ju ) ▁think - t ank ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁its ▁Council . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁distinction ▁from ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Trade ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁School ▁of ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Statistics ▁in ▁Wars aw ▁( current ly : ▁Wars aw ▁School ▁of ▁Econom ics ). ▁Bal cer ow icz ▁received ▁his ▁M BA ▁from ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁University ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁doctor ate ▁from ▁the ▁Central ▁School ▁of ▁Pl anning ▁and ▁Statistics ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Polish ▁commun ist ▁party ▁( Pol ish ▁United ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁until ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁mart ial ▁law ▁in ▁Poland , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁an ▁economic - ad vis ory ▁team ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁Poland . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 – 1