Page 221 - 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. 221
peasant population and income integration: the case of the trieste port-town ...
positive though variable growth of population very much. This was the re-
sult of high birth rates especially, since the transitional mortality decline
occurred only at the beginning of the 20th century.
3. The influence of the city expansion
In the demographic development of the whole karstic district over the long
term there were, as seen, several distinctive phases. Despite several troubles
in the 125 year long period prior to the mid-17th century, the growth can be
estimated to an annual average of 9 per mil. We can imagine a very fluc-
tuating real dynamic and suppose that the rise was considerably as a re-
sult of settlements of immigrant peasant families of diverse origin, but mo-
stly coming from the Slovenian hinterland. Moreover, many elements let us
suppose that the rise was particularly strong in the first half of the 17th cen-
tury, especially after the end of the conflicts with the Venetian republic in
1617, when Trieste benefited from a period of peace. The second half of the
17th century was a troubled phase too, by the end of which the number of the
population did not change significantly. A new period of increase started in
the 18th century after the city was granted the status of free port and star-
ted to expand as the maritime emporium of the Austrian empire. The who-
le municipal area was under a special tax free system and the population of
its rural part was also exempted from several duties (including the compul-
sory military service). The new demographic trends become evident in the
second half of the century with the considerable rise in birth rates. Natali-
ty remained firmly above the insidious mortality in the long term suppor-
ting a positive natural balance. Its effect, however, was eroded by emigrati-
on, especially in the final decade.
The favourable ratio between natality and mortality led to better re-
sults in terms of growth of population in the first half of the 19th centu-
ry. This was the phase of the fastest rise, which coincided with the trend in
the whole Slovenian area, especially in its western and eastern parts (Zwit-
ter 1936, 86). In the karstic district of the Triestine municipality growth
was also supported by immigration. From the middle of the century un-
til WWI, conversely, it was affected (save the 1870s) by negative migration
rates. Until the end of the 19th century the population system was that of the
old regime demography with high natality and mortality rates. The inter-
play of these two factors was very intensive, however, in the long run natali-
ty prevailed contributing to a constant though variable population growth.
The signals of the demographic transition became evident only at the end
219
positive though variable growth of population very much. This was the re-
sult of high birth rates especially, since the transitional mortality decline
occurred only at the beginning of the 20th century.
3. The influence of the city expansion
In the demographic development of the whole karstic district over the long
term there were, as seen, several distinctive phases. Despite several troubles
in the 125 year long period prior to the mid-17th century, the growth can be
estimated to an annual average of 9 per mil. We can imagine a very fluc-
tuating real dynamic and suppose that the rise was considerably as a re-
sult of settlements of immigrant peasant families of diverse origin, but mo-
stly coming from the Slovenian hinterland. Moreover, many elements let us
suppose that the rise was particularly strong in the first half of the 17th cen-
tury, especially after the end of the conflicts with the Venetian republic in
1617, when Trieste benefited from a period of peace. The second half of the
17th century was a troubled phase too, by the end of which the number of the
population did not change significantly. A new period of increase started in
the 18th century after the city was granted the status of free port and star-
ted to expand as the maritime emporium of the Austrian empire. The who-
le municipal area was under a special tax free system and the population of
its rural part was also exempted from several duties (including the compul-
sory military service). The new demographic trends become evident in the
second half of the century with the considerable rise in birth rates. Natali-
ty remained firmly above the insidious mortality in the long term suppor-
ting a positive natural balance. Its effect, however, was eroded by emigrati-
on, especially in the final decade.
The favourable ratio between natality and mortality led to better re-
sults in terms of growth of population in the first half of the 19th centu-
ry. This was the phase of the fastest rise, which coincided with the trend in
the whole Slovenian area, especially in its western and eastern parts (Zwit-
ter 1936, 86). In the karstic district of the Triestine municipality growth
was also supported by immigration. From the middle of the century un-
til WWI, conversely, it was affected (save the 1870s) by negative migration
rates. Until the end of the 19th century the population system was that of the
old regime demography with high natality and mortality rates. The inter-
play of these two factors was very intensive, however, in the long run natali-
ty prevailed contributing to a constant though variable population growth.
The signals of the demographic transition became evident only at the end
219
