Aspects of Social Policy of the Habsburgs in Transylvania (1688 - 1790). Measures for increase the number of inhabitants of the Principality
Journal Title: Codrul Cosminului - Year 2012, Vol 18, Issue 2
Abstract
Habsburg monarchs, starting from the second half of the 17th, under the influence of mercantilist and populationist theories, consider the social politics to be increasingly important. This politic approach aims, firstly, to increase the number of inhabitants in the Empire through different measures such as: colonization of less densely populated areas of the Monarchy, medical assistance and better nutrition, protection of peasants against the abuses of feudal aristocracy. The Habsburgs tried, after Transylvania was united to the Monarchy, to implement a similar politic attitude. They were confronted, as in other initiatives, with the opposition of the recognized nations of the Principality. The measures applied by the Viennese court to increase the number of inhabitants in Transylvania, which will be analyzed in this paper, were, basically, bringing colonists to Transylvania, offering “Transylvanian citizenship” to a number of foreigners, and the control of migratory movement over the boundaries of the Principality. Measures taken by the Habsburgs to bring more colonists in Transylvania were not so successful compare to the vast initiative to colonize the Hungarian Plain and the Banat in the 18th century. The only important colonization was the movement by force, from 1734 and 1776 of 4000 protestant citizens from the hereditary Austrian provinces to Transylvania, which had mostly a confessional aim. Another measure to increase the number of inhabitants of Transylvania could be considered the initiative to offer „Transylvanian citizenship” to some foreigners. We are speaking, firstly, about administrative and military personnel, who served the Monarchy in the Principality. In 1777 the „Transylvanian citizenship” was given to the Greek merchants, who, in fact, were living and working in Transylvania for a long time. An important role in the regulation and control of the migratory flux play the Habsburg measures to decrease and even stop the emigration of the inhabitants of Transylvania, especially Romanian peasants, towards Wallachia and Moldavia. These measures aimed at least maintaining the number of the inhabitants of Transylvania at the existing level.
Authors and Affiliations
Marinel Ovidiu Koch–Tufiş
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