Page 201 - 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. 201
dlands as a source of income integration in peasant economies: the pontifical state
let a great part of the log go idle; the charcoal makers, who cut down young
plants in large amounts; farmers who, in order to supplement their ani-
mals’ pasture, snapped branches to use the leaves, compromising the good
growth of the entire tree. In all the cases, according to the opinion of Piet-
ro Lanciani, it was remarkable, a significant negligence into their finished
works, because peasants, in chopping trees, were only interested in their
own convenience and their profit.17
Some years later, Mariano Gajani, who presented himself as a surgeon,
health officer and editor of a pharmaceutical journal, addressed the Min-
ister of commerce and public works in his own writing entitled: “About
reckless freedom of tree cutting and in particular about the chopping of
plants in the woodlands”. The pamphlet included a critical analysis of the
customs of rural inhabitants concerning their relationships with wood. In
his opinion that relationship was characterised by two distinctive features:
bad local customs and the greed for profit. None of the inhabitants could
claim innocence of the “horrendous oakcide”.18 The analysis of the pontifi-
cal health officer took on a particular significance also in light of the scien-
tific texts cited in support of his own thesis, which showed signs of a wide
circulation of issues related to forestry. Although the provided descriptions
seem to be realistic, they did not consider the economic and social reasons
at the root of the offences committed by peasants. According to a sclerotic
view of reality, that tended to confirm the stereotype of the rough and ig-
norant peasant, the sole reason that could be admitted for “the destruction
of the forest” was negligence for its own sake in getting possession of forest
goods and the so called “greed for profit”.
The negative image of peasants who destroyed the forest for their
greed for profit was partly in contradiction with the regulations established
by the papal government who, within another regulative context, hoped for
the promotion of a greater industriousness (industriosità) among the peas-
ant population. Promoted by Pius VII in 1816, there launched the compila-
tion of the first particle land register of the entire Pontifical State, known
as the Gregorian cadastre. The procedures concerning the elaboration of
the cartographic materials were quite fast and ended in about 1822. All oth-
er operations, related to the elaboration of reference values, on the basis of
which the calculation of registered land valuation were done, took more
17 ASR, Ministero del Commercio, belle arti, industria, agricoltura e lavori pubblici, b.
585 o.n., 11st June 1850.
18 ASR, Ministero del Commercio, belle arti, industria, agricoltura e lavori pubblici, b.
586 o.n., pamphlet sent on 12nd March 1859.
199
let a great part of the log go idle; the charcoal makers, who cut down young
plants in large amounts; farmers who, in order to supplement their ani-
mals’ pasture, snapped branches to use the leaves, compromising the good
growth of the entire tree. In all the cases, according to the opinion of Piet-
ro Lanciani, it was remarkable, a significant negligence into their finished
works, because peasants, in chopping trees, were only interested in their
own convenience and their profit.17
Some years later, Mariano Gajani, who presented himself as a surgeon,
health officer and editor of a pharmaceutical journal, addressed the Min-
ister of commerce and public works in his own writing entitled: “About
reckless freedom of tree cutting and in particular about the chopping of
plants in the woodlands”. The pamphlet included a critical analysis of the
customs of rural inhabitants concerning their relationships with wood. In
his opinion that relationship was characterised by two distinctive features:
bad local customs and the greed for profit. None of the inhabitants could
claim innocence of the “horrendous oakcide”.18 The analysis of the pontifi-
cal health officer took on a particular significance also in light of the scien-
tific texts cited in support of his own thesis, which showed signs of a wide
circulation of issues related to forestry. Although the provided descriptions
seem to be realistic, they did not consider the economic and social reasons
at the root of the offences committed by peasants. According to a sclerotic
view of reality, that tended to confirm the stereotype of the rough and ig-
norant peasant, the sole reason that could be admitted for “the destruction
of the forest” was negligence for its own sake in getting possession of forest
goods and the so called “greed for profit”.
The negative image of peasants who destroyed the forest for their
greed for profit was partly in contradiction with the regulations established
by the papal government who, within another regulative context, hoped for
the promotion of a greater industriousness (industriosità) among the peas-
ant population. Promoted by Pius VII in 1816, there launched the compila-
tion of the first particle land register of the entire Pontifical State, known
as the Gregorian cadastre. The procedures concerning the elaboration of
the cartographic materials were quite fast and ended in about 1822. All oth-
er operations, related to the elaboration of reference values, on the basis of
which the calculation of registered land valuation were done, took more
17 ASR, Ministero del Commercio, belle arti, industria, agricoltura e lavori pubblici, b.
585 o.n., 11st June 1850.
18 ASR, Ministero del Commercio, belle arti, industria, agricoltura e lavori pubblici, b.
586 o.n., pamphlet sent on 12nd March 1859.
199
