Political polarization is one of the greatest threats to democracy today, argued Professor Eric Maskin, Nobel Prize laureate in economics. The distinguished scholar was the keynote speaker at the international scientific conference “Geopolitical Changes and Their Impact on Economic Development”, hosted by Kozminski University to mark the 25th anniversary of the Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research Center (TIGER). Professor Maskin’s diagnosis was clear: modern electoral systems tend to favor extremes rather than consensus. The solution, he suggested, may lie in mathematics—specifically, mathematics formulated more than two centuries ago.
Polarization – A Shared Problem for America and Europe
According to the Nobel laureate, the political landscape in both the United States and many European countries—including Poland—is drifting further toward extremes. As a result, societies are losing their capacity for compromise, and politics has become an arena of endless ideological conflict. Maskin noted that this instability has direct economic consequences:
“The political pendulum swinging between left and right discourages investment, reform, and market confidence. It’s bad for the economy and bad for citizens,” he said.
To illustrate the issue, Maskin referred to the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Ohio, where candidates included J.D. Vance, a supporter of Donald Trump; Tim Ryan, a Democrat; and Rob Portman, a moderate Republican who ultimately chose not to run.
“Portman was the centrist candidate—the one most acceptable to the majority of voters. And yet, he had no chance of winning because the voting system eliminated him,” explained Maskin.
In the first-past-the-post system, the candidate with the most votes wins—even without a majority. As a result, moderate politicians capable of building bridges between electorates are squeezed out by more radical contenders.
“That’s the paradox—the most popular candidate loses,” concluded the Nobel laureate.
Condorcet Voting – A 250-Year-Old Solution
According to Prof. Maskin, a remedy to this problem was proposed as early as the 18th century by Marie-Jean de Condorcet, a French mathematician and philosopher. His concept of ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates from most to least preferred. The winner is the candidate who, in direct head-to-head comparisons, would defeat every other rival.
“It’s a simple yet brilliant mechanism that ensures the election of the candidate preferred by a majority—typically a centrist, and therefore the least polarizing,” explained Maskin during his lecture at Kozminski University.
In his view, such a system not only better reflects the will of the electorate but also restores the essence of compromise to political life.
Lessons for Poland
In the second part of his address, Prof. Maskin referred to Poland’s presidential election system. Although he described it as more balanced than the U.S. system, he also noted that the two-round runoff model has its flaws.
“Runoff voting is a step in the right direction, but it still doesn’t fully capture voters’ preferences,” he argued.
The Condorcet model, he suggested, could help reduce polarization and promote candidates capable of cooperation across party lines. Such reform, he emphasized, is essential for a stable democracy and sustainable economic growth.
While best known for his research on game theory and market mechanisms, Maskin has long been engaged in the study of social choice theory—a field combining economics, political science, and mathematics.
“Mathematics won’t solve all the world’s problems,” he concluded, “but it can help us understand them better. And if we can understand where polarization comes from, we can find ways to reduce it.”
Knowledge and Leadership in Times of Change
The conference “Geopolitical Changes and Their Impact on Economic Development”, organized by Kozminski University to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TIGER Research Center, served as an intellectual manifesto for an academic community convinced that science can—and should—help shape better policy.
Rector Prof. Grzegorz Mazurek emphasized that the strength of a university lies not only in rankings but in its ability to create real impact—both through public debate and the education of future leaders. Prof. Grzegorz W. Kołodko, founder of TIGER, pointed out that today’s global economy faces profound geopolitical, demographic, and climate challenges—and that sustainable development requires evidence-based policymaking.
“The world keeps falling into traps because we’ve stopped thinking strategically,” observed Prof. Elżbieta Mączyńska-Ziemacka, Honorary President of the Polish Economic Society. “Political leaders are busy putting out fires instead of building bridges. When long-term thinking disappears, we start drifting or falling into new traps. Politics has become reactive, not proactive—acting against the future rather than shaping it.”
In this context, Prof. Andrzej K. Koźmiński, Honorary President of Kozminski University, revisited his concept of limited leadership.
“There is no longer a single demiurge who can solve the world’s problems with one gesture. At the top, there are competing factions, and the common good fades from view, replaced by partisan and group interests. It’s a dangerous situation for the future of leadership.” – Andrzej K. Koźmiński
The second panel discussion, titled “Poland – Europe – the World”, focused on how Poland can position itself within a shifting global order.
The second panel discussion, titled “Poland – Europe – the World”, focused on how Poland can position itself within a shifting global order. The panellists unanimously emphasised the importance of strengthening Poland’s own agency on the international stage. They argued that building self-confidence and the courage to shape long-term strategies are essential if Poland is to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Furthermore, the experts highlighted the need to overcome mental barriers that have historically limited the country’s potential. In their view, only by proactively defining its role and breaking with past constraints can Poland fully benefit from the changes taking place globally.
“Poland has experienced its Golden Age—that’s a fact. But what have we failed to achieve over the past 25 years? Are we a subject or an object of the geopolitical game? We have enormous potential, but we often fail to use it. We need more self-confidence, consistency, and long-term thinking,”
said Prof. Marcin Piątkowski of Kozminski University, author of Europe’s Growth Champion: Insights from the Economic Rise of Poland.
“Prof. Piątkowski presented an inspiring vision for Poland’s global strategy—and rightly so. But alongside that, we still need ‘hot water in the tap.’ Expensive energy, weak schools, inefficient courts, low patent activity, and payment bottlenecks remain our everyday challenges,” concluded Prof. Marian Gorynia, President of the Polish Economic Society.
Together, the speakers delivered a shared message: in a time of global upheaval, the world needs a renewed alliance between science, economics, and responsible leadership—one that not only diagnoses crises but actively seeks ways to overcome them.
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The educational project titled “Scientific Conference – Geopolitical Changes and Their Impact on Economic Development” was carried out in cooperation with the National Bank of Poland as part of the economic education program.
