engleski

Dubrovnik and the Challenge of ‘Good Governance’ in the Ancien Régime and Beyond

The dichotomy between the dominant spirit of conservativism and the reformist ideas of a part of the governing group proved to be be an interesting framework to look more specifically to legal phenomena. In other words, it could be investigated whether the “progressive” literature the Ragusan patricians had on their shelves, their own writings and the debates in their clubs inspired by the Enlightenment had any impact on the legislative and administrative practices. The new Austrian administration in the early nineteenth century profoundly changed the old political setting. It clearly preferred to import to Dubrovnik administrators from outside, often from other Dalmatian towns, who were already scrutinized and acquired some experience at the time of the ‘first Austrian rule’ and who did not make part of the ‘old web’ of the Ragusan nobility. It would go too far to say that the group of Ragusans who were influenced by the Enlightenment, were a ‘lost generation’. However, for different reasons, they were not able of setting in motion a modernization of legal system and practice, neither during the Republic, nor after its fall. Eventually, the modernization came from ‘above’, with ‘new people’ who were trained in law and administration, and who were not burdend by the ‘glorious past’ and the ‘Ragusan Republican tradition’.

Republic of Dubrovnik, 18th century, 19th century, Austrian rule, modernization, law

nije evidentirano