Page 179 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 179
the equilibrium of the mountain economy in the apennines
found in the state of equilibrium of local finance and especially in the debt
position of local communities in relation to the royal treasury. This indica-
tor is influenced by a number of factors, first and foremost the distribution
of the burden from the centre to the communities, with a tax base attribut-
ed according to the number of hearths/households, often remote from the
real situation and, as such, cause of default (Bulgarelli Lukacs 1993b, 94–7).
Having said that, analysis of the sources allows us to detect clear dif-
ferences between the performance of the mountain communities com-
pared with that of the hill and plains communities, due to some extent to
their environmental and economic frameworks. To make this comparison,
the province of Abruzzo Citra (Chieti/Pescara) has been chosen because of
the more complex environmental context compared with Abruzzo Ultra I
and II. This area allows a comparison of the performances of inner moun-
tain areas (Sulmona and Castel di Sangro) with the hill and coastal plain
areas (Chieti and Pescara). The number of communities with arrears and
the amount of arrears in relation to the current debt were considered (Bul-
garelli Lukacs 1993a, 180–5). As can be seen from the graphs, the tax de-
fault of the province had been growing over time by the middle decades of
the 17th century. By 1666 the number of universitates with arrears had more
than doubled (from 42 to 90) and the total number of communities (172) ac-
counted for 52% compared to 24% in 1628. The accumulation of arrears rose
from 1.2 to 8 times the current tax debt.
Graph 7.1: Local communities in arrears with the tax authorities. Abruzzo Citra, 1628–1666
177
found in the state of equilibrium of local finance and especially in the debt
position of local communities in relation to the royal treasury. This indica-
tor is influenced by a number of factors, first and foremost the distribution
of the burden from the centre to the communities, with a tax base attribut-
ed according to the number of hearths/households, often remote from the
real situation and, as such, cause of default (Bulgarelli Lukacs 1993b, 94–7).
Having said that, analysis of the sources allows us to detect clear dif-
ferences between the performance of the mountain communities com-
pared with that of the hill and plains communities, due to some extent to
their environmental and economic frameworks. To make this comparison,
the province of Abruzzo Citra (Chieti/Pescara) has been chosen because of
the more complex environmental context compared with Abruzzo Ultra I
and II. This area allows a comparison of the performances of inner moun-
tain areas (Sulmona and Castel di Sangro) with the hill and coastal plain
areas (Chieti and Pescara). The number of communities with arrears and
the amount of arrears in relation to the current debt were considered (Bul-
garelli Lukacs 1993a, 180–5). As can be seen from the graphs, the tax de-
fault of the province had been growing over time by the middle decades of
the 17th century. By 1666 the number of universitates with arrears had more
than doubled (from 42 to 90) and the total number of communities (172) ac-
counted for 52% compared to 24% in 1628. The accumulation of arrears rose
from 1.2 to 8 times the current tax debt.
Graph 7.1: Local communities in arrears with the tax authorities. Abruzzo Citra, 1628–1666
177
