European Demography and Economic Growth

W. R. Lee

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780367686871
• eBook ISBN: 9781000385458
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Economics
• Subtopic: Development Economics
• Index: Economics

First published in 1979, European Demography and Economic Growth presents a collection of essays on the demographic development of individual European economies like Austria, Hungary, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal etc. It provides a comparative analysis to clarify many crucial issues connected with the growth in European population from mid-eighteenth century. It looks at the suitable criteria for assessing the applicability of general theory to the experience of individual nations. It showcases the over-riding contrast between substantial economic variations on a national and regional level and the existence of common underlying demographic trends.

This book will be useful for scholars and researchers of economic history, political economy, European history, population geography and economics in general.

1	AUSTRIA-HUNGARY* Heimold Helczmanovszki

Preliminary Notes on Historical and Methodological Aspects

The ‘Austrian-Hungarian’ Monarchy, or ‘Austria-Hungary’ for short, is the name given to that state which constitutionally speaking was created on 8 February 1867 by the so-called ‘Compromise’, and which ceased to exist on 11 November 1918 after the defeat of the First World War and following the renunciation on the part of the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, Charles I, of the right of government. On the scale of world history, this state which only existed for a bare fifty years, would not normally be worthy of much attention. There are, however, several reasons which entitle it to be regarded as one of the most noteworthy of states ever to be created and there are a number of reasons which make this particular state of great interest to the demographer.

First of all some reference must be made to its physical dimensions and to its overall population size. Its surface area amounted to 676,615 sq.km., and at the end of 1910 it contained 51.4 million inhabitants. Austria-Hungary was a comparatively large state for its period; its surface area meant that it was the second largest state in Europe, after the European part of the Russian Empire, and it boasted the third largest population, after European Russia and the German Empire (Appendix Table 1.1).

Of even greater importance, however, is the fact that a large part of the territory which was subsequently integrated into the dual monarchy had belonged to the domain of the House of Hapsburg for almost 400 years, from 1526 onwards. Admittedly the Turks had ruled a large part of Hungary for more than 160 years and had greatly harassed Vienna in 1529 and 1683, but after a series of successful campaigns the Hapsburgs were able to secure the southeastern border of their Empire from the Danube and Sava rivers to the Iron Gate through the peace treaties of Karlowitz (1699) and Passarowitz (1718). The reign of Maria Theresa (1740-80) witnessed a similar process of consolidation along the northern and eastern borders. On the occasion of the first partition of Poland, Galicia and Lodermeria (Vladimir) were incorporated into the Empire in 1772, and shortly afterwards the same happened to Bukovina in 1775 as a result ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Dedication
• Preface
• Introduction: Population Growth, Economic Development and Social Change in Europe, 1750-1970
• 1. Austria-Hungary
• 2. Denmark
• 3. France
• 4. Germany
• 5. Italy
• 6. The Low Countries
• 7. Norway
• 8. Portugal
• 9. Sweden
• Notes on Contributors
• Index